DC's "Co-Features"

[ctc]

>why they can't just apply it to longer main stories I don't know

Sometimes backups are added to take the pressure off the artist; it lets them produce less pages every month.

Don C.

[BlackKnight]

I just read Adventure Comics # 1 Lastnight...
I guess they are rolling with a Legion of Super Hero's Back up story..., It wasn't that bad,.. might be pretty good once we get a few issues in.

[kryptosmaster]

What happened to raising the price a quarter? Now they want a whole BUCK?
Rich

[samurainoir]

DC brought Paul Dini onboard with Detective Comics, and he produced a rather average run that really went nowhere- hampered again by the event crossover stuff. Why wasn't he offered JLA? Maybe he has had enough of it and didn't want it, but it would seem that would be a no-brainer.

Paul Dini did contribute scripts to JL and JLU animated series, but he wasn't actually a driving force behind that show. A common misconception because he was a driving force behind the Batman and Superman animated series. He did Batman in Detective, because he is primarily a big Batman fan (and it was a no-brainer that he did a Zatanna book given the fact that his wife is a Zatanna style magician).

DC actually did do the smart thing by giving JL/JLU writer producer Dwayne McDuffie the JLA title, but he was hampered by the events and continuity restriction at every turn, probably more than Dini on Batman.

[samurainoir]

As far as paying the extra buck goes DC and Marvel are raising the price of comics in general. Now Marvel is just flat out raising the price to 3.99. But DC said "Hey what if we raise the price of some books and give your extra content then maybe it won't be so bad". Now Marvel was tricky about it. One month you got a double size new avengers special issues for 3.99 and next month you got a regular size issues for 3.99. So what I mean to say is if they drop that extra back up strip you will not get your buck back. Now why they can't just apply it to longer main stories I don't know but the back ups seem a bit lesser in quality so they probably don't pay as much for that talent? Just my thoughts.

Wasn't this DC's strategy in the seventies as well during the price hikes during the DC Explosion? We had backup features of Huntress in Wonder Woman, Wonder Twins and Global Guardians in Superfriends, Airwave in Action Comics etc.

If I recall correctly, wasn't Firestorm the only "success" given the fact that his backups in Flash bridged the gap between his two ongoing series somewhat? Or did that have more to do with his membership in the JLA and The Superfriends? I guess the fact that the backups were drawn by George Perez could only help. I can't think of another character that made that kind of come-back from the Cancelled Comic Calvacade in the same manner... an ongoing series lasting a decade plus (I consider Vertigo Shade the Changing Man a completely different character).

[samurainoir]

>

I think part of the problem at DC is the old "too many Chiefs" thing. They're part of a HUGE multimedia conglomerate, and I gotta wonder where on the food chain the actual comics come in. Sometimes I get the impression they're more of a nuisance to the big BIG execs than anything else.

Many sources credit Paul Levitz and Jenette Kahn with their savvy navigation of the Time/Warner/AOL corporate structure over the years. Placing themselves under the Warner Brothers arm with a specific focus on the licensing seems to have sheltered them somewhat over the years and their recent strong branding initiative seems to have paid off when it comes to the movies and TV shows. They seem to be more or less left alone for the most part when it comes to the comic books as long as they can keep selling pajamas and toys. They even got away with "killing" Robin and Superman... which history shows now to be saavy marketing 101 that they accidentally fell into with these stunts.

I would assume having the "DC spin" in front of Batman Begins or Vertigo slapped on the front of the Constantine film gives them more clout than they previously had.

There are specific instances over the years where DC as a comics company might have ceased to exist. According to Jim Shooter, Marvel was approached (late 70s/early 80s) to see if they might be interested in licensing the DC characters for publication. It's been well documented how Ted Turner (at the time controlling Cartoon Network) made a power play for Superman et al. during that merger. Even back when Warner merged with Time... I'm sure it might have made sense to the corporate structure that Comic Books merge with the Magazine arm. Although I would tend to believe that actually was a factor in pushing into the direct market in the eighties and DC's synergy with Warner Publishing and the aggresive trade paperback program. With the internet replacing print, particularly the magazine format more and more, again in retrospect they did things "right".

[johnnystorm]

So I finally got around to the Doom Patrol #1 with the Metal Men backup.
The DP story is more of the same, no new take on the team so far. Really dislike the Chief as this secrt manipulative creep that they've decided he is. Don't see this lasting much longer than the last version honestly. And the cover was horribly designed.

DC must think along the same lines, as most talk about the book centers around the Metal Men backup strip. They probably realized immediatly after green-lighting the book that they should have reversed the features, launching a Metal men book with a DP backup. Personally , I always grouped the Doom Patrol & the Challengers of the Unknown together in my mind, and the Metal Men with Metamorpho.

Anyway, the MM were much better than the DP. The art by Maguire is of course, top notch. The new designs of the robots are good, carrying over a lot of the original look but offering a bit of a facelift. I like the "new kid" Copper, she does not come across so far as an unneeded addition, and Doc Magnus is his usual scientific self. The new egotistical personality for Gold is a bit annoying. If I have one complaint, it's the same one I had about Giffen's writing on JLA years ago. The story is just packed with "boy aren't we just so cool and funny you should love us" undertones. All that's missing is Jim Carrey mugging for the camera. It's interesting at first, but 5-6 issues in you want to slap somebody. I expect we will be treated to a variety of goofy villains similar to Manga Khan. So help me, if Lead starts eating oreos...but seriously, I've always felt the comedy was taken too far at times, and pretty much destroyed the Blue Beetle, and effectively crippled Guy Gardner & Booster Gold as viable characters for a long time after. Ditto Captain Marvel. Hopefully the team can find a middle ground here, without turning the Metal Men into a joke of the panel strip.

Of course, it's still better than the atrocious mini-series the did last year. But given the choice so far, the Garcia Lopez /DiDio one pager in Wednesday Comics is the better effort.

[kryptosmaster]

Of course, it's still better than the atrocious mini-series they did last year.

Yeah, that was a disappointment but mostly because of the art and the way they drew the Metal men (like Anime or something! ). The story wasn't terrible but once again they pretty much ignored the past and I don't really care for recreations that much.
Rich

[The Toyroom]

Of course, it's still better than the atrocious mini-series the did last year. But given the choice so far, the Garcia Lopez /DiDio one pager in Wednesday Comics is the better effort.

I betcha you never thought you'd find yourself typing that in 100 years.... But I agree with you.

[johnnystorm]

I betcha you never thought you'd find yourself typing that in 100 years.... But I agree with you.

Yeah, I actually DID do a double take on myself. Hopefully YOU weren't drinking water for the Danny Thomas Spit-take when you read it!


But it's true. I like that one page Metal Men story by Dan Didio. I do!

Warning: This is Sign of the Apocalypse #432 according to the Mayan Calendar.

[The Toyroom]

The Metal Men "co-feature" i.e. backup outshines the lead, Doom Patrol. I'd like to see them break out the Metal Men and give them their own title with this team. It'd be nice to see something a little light-hearted at DC for a change......

[thunderbolt]

Only have DP number 1 so far, and it did one good thing, got rid of two of the Byrne creations from the last run of the book.