The Four Color Media Monitor

Newsarama said Dan DiDio expressed his dislike for special reprints of earlier comics from past decades, in a way that hints he's jealous of how successful they are in contrast to the newer trash he's published by contrast:

During Thursday afternoon's Meet the DC Publishers panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego, DC co-publisher Dan DiDio seemed to express frustration over the publisher's "Facsimile" editions of classic comics - which are reprints of old issues presented as originally published, original advertisements included.

During the panel DiDio asked the audience how many of them read their Facsimile Editions. When no one answered the question with applause, DiDio responded “Good, that’s the one I was hoping we wouldn’t hear applause for.”

Why do I get the feeling this was distorted? It's not something anybody has to applaud about per se, and besides, of course it doesn't change the fact that under DiDio, DC cascaded downhill in quality and bearability. What I do find disappointing is that anybody would attend a conference with such a reprehensible man after all the harm he's done. Why bother going to his ludicrous lecture?

“We do these Facsimile Editions where we reprint older issues of comics including all the old ads and stuff…and in some cases these are selling more than the new comics with these characters. People are more interested in buying the stories from 30 or 40 years ago than the contemporary stories, and that’s a failure on us," he explained.

Predictably, he wouldn't admit he's part of the problem - why nobody wants to buy a lot of the newer stuff they've published. Because he forced his grimy viewpoint onto the products, the latest being transforming Wally West into a killer, and he wonders why, for the most part, nobody likes him? Shameful. The comment section had more insightful stuff to tell, including:

I wish Dan would just go away he understands nothing of the classic or modern-day fan base or story telling. If he wants his current books to sale well stop character assassinating fan favorite characters and actually listen to fan base.

To which another replied:

Dan wont go away be casue the real success for DiDio and his contingent is your comment. (And mine too) The only nail they have to hang their hats on is they believe they are so effective because you are pissed off. If you don't believe me watch CNN when they have something to celebrate. You clearly see they have nothing in it they enjoy but relish in the sentiment against what they are celebrating. Over the last 10 plus years you have seen the same from DC Comics.

I understand this feeling. It all stems from sales-via-controversy, exactly what even Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada built their careers on 2 decades ago. To really send a message, you have to vote with your wallet and boycott the Big Two, all the while sending a message that so long as these disgraceful men are in charge, you won't buy the companies' products. On which note, another commenter said:

Yeah well if that's their plan, they overplayed it in my case. The "Wally West is a PTSD Mass Murderer" story was the end of me reading comics. I haven't picked up an issue of anything since. I'm here hoping to hear something that will change that, give me a reason to come back and buy something but so far nothing.

There you go. Somebody who's a realist. And another made a pertinent point:

Perhaps if today's books were consistently as good as the classic books, this wouldn't be an issue. There needs to be a housecleaning, and Didio is the first who needs to go.

Exactly. That's why people are buying more oldies than newies. Here's more:

The ONLY DC books I'd even be interested in reading these days are facsimile editions of their classic old stuff. I have zero interest in their modern comics.

And:

Well, I mean, it's telling that the work of past creators is so much better than the current output. Even though DC still puts out some decent books currently, there' difference in decent and those great classic stories of yesterday.

And:

Even a lot of mediocre 70s and 80s Big Two are better than the so-called 'great' comics they publish today. Didio just doesn't like being reminded of that.

And one more:

Those "classic stories" had to be good becasue they had to find an audience. In short, they had to sell to a consumer of the product. What is being published today gets published because they don't have to sell to readers. They sell to retailers. The retailer doesn't consider if the consumer purchases the product (Being specific... the comic book) the retailer considers the deal he gets from purchasing x amount from the distributor that may give him a discount on some other product, toys or games that he can sell and make a profit.

Bingo. That is a height of absurdity, isn't it, if retailers don't consider that bad story merit can lead to disinterest in the product? And of recent, it's taken its toll on many stores; by now, nearly a hundred in the US alone must've closed, all because they were saddled with bad tales laced with ill will that nobody could connect with.

Anyway, what does all this mean when DiDio complains about facsimile reprints? That they're going to stop? If they do, it'll only compound their contempt for the consumers further, and do nothing to encourage the audience to buy the bad new items.

Labels: bad editors, conventions, dc comics, msm propaganda, sales