DC restructured

[04nbod.insanejournal.com]

DC Entertainment is born. Diane Nelson in charge. Paul Levitz continues as consultant and writer (because diane nelson doesn't know a thing about DC probably) http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090909-DC-Restructuring.html

EDIT:Paul Levitz will write Adventure Comics with the Legion of Super-heroes http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090909-levitz-statement.html

legality (first thing off my hard drive IDK)

Comments

[lesquide.insanejournal.com]

From the article

'and "Lobo," a movie with director Guy Richie attached'


...Man what

[halloweenjack.insanejournal.com]

I have a dream... a dream that one day, really soon, this Diane Nelson will burst into Levitz' office, throw a copy of Identity Crisis on his desk, and demand to know WTF is up with this shit.

[thokstar.insanejournal.com]

Diane Nelson spent the last few years running Warner Premiere, aka the company responsible for all the direct to video DC animated movies, so I'd be shocked if she knows nothing about DC. I mean, she may not know every character in the DC Universe, but who does?

She also was apparently in charge of handling negotiations with Rowling and the Harry Potter movies, which implies she knows what she's doing in terms of getting stuff adapted to film.

There isn't anything about this shakeup that screams that it's a stupid mistake and a lot of stuff which suggests it could be a good move. I suggest we wait 5 years before analyzing it to death.

[geoffsebesta.insanejournal.com]

Things are changing a lot right now. It's interesting.

[ian_karkull.insanejournal.com]

I'm not an expert in business or legalese, but it sounds like this move is less concerned with the actual publishing output of DC Comics itself and more concerned with making more money out of the large amount of cultural icons Warner has at it's disposal via DC.
Which, considering how well things like Superman Returns went over, is a smart move.
It's probably way too early to tell, but as of now, I predict no major shake-ups other than more agressive marketing and possibly a line of movie tie-in comics.

[mullon.insanejournal.com]

Now this makes me more worried than Disney buying Marvel, because this feels like a panicky knee-jerk reaction.

[crinosg.insanejournal.com]

Does this mean Dan Didio is out?

[his_spiffyness.insanejournal.com]

I'm guessing this is part of the shift that's happening all over the publishing industry. Many of these companies are having to focus more on brand management as their primary revenue source than their publications. Penthouse Magazine (http://www.newsweek.com/id/136306) underwent a similar transformation recently (link is a perfectly safe Newseek article.)

Which explains both DC's new management, and Disney's recent purchase of Marvel. Disney is an undeniable master of brand management, and having those resources at their disposal will definitely make Marvel more competitive in the future.

[jaybee3.insanejournal.com]

At the very least this sounds like a more hands on move than Disney buying Marvel (I really doubt Disney will touch the Marvel publishing arm).This deal smacks of the WB movie division basically taking overseership of DC Comics. Warners is only interested in the merchandising/TV/movie rights (as they always have been) but it appears that instead of Levitz running the publishing-side without any interference, Nelson will be working hand in glove with the WB. I don't think smaller books/characters have anything to worry about it but in terms of DC's most iconic and marketable characters (Supes, Bats, WW) it means no big term character changes. The most obvious one being that even if Morrison/Didio hadn't already planned on Bruce Wayne returning this summer, I'm sure WB would have mandated he be back in the cowl by the time Nolan's next film comes out. Stuff like that. But if it gets more DC characters into TV/film/animation I'm all for it.

By the way, is that a variant cover for the most recent Supergirl volume? I really like the art. Actually looks 50s-ish but obviously not (with the midriff and all). Anyone know the artist?

In other words:

[box_in_the_box.insanejournal.com]

Warner Bros. looked at Disney's acquisition of Marvel and said to themselves, "Hey, WE should get us a comics company too!"

Five minutes later, after they were informed that they already own DC ...

[arbre_rieur.insanejournal.com]

This definitely sounds like it'll have a bigger impact on the actual comics than the Disney-Marvel deal. It sounds like there will be a much bigger emphasis on making and keeping the characters commercially viable, on their existence as fodder for other media.

On the one hand, I could easily see this leading to some changes that I would not at all be unhappy about: Fewer and smaller mega-events, less focus on the "grand tapestry" of the DCU and more on the individual titles as their own entities, more all-ages stories, etc.

Even if all that comes to pass though, I'm *still* going to be very wary of this because it seems likely that the new management is going to be much more insistent on playing it safe, less willing to do any sort of bold experimentation. If nothing else, I can't imagine this deal *not* leading to less creative freedom.

Though I'll hasten to add that I have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to this sort of thing.

[freddie_mac.insanejournal.com]

Hmm, I'm cautiously optimistic. For the past few years, its seemed like DC is lagging behind in *gasp* optimizing their content *gasp*. They've got 75 years worth of content, and how much of it is readily accessible to customers? That's one reason why I'm such a fan of the Showcase volumes: forget the lack of color for a moment and focus on the price ($20) and amount of content (500 pgs) that we can buy. Why did it take them so long to figure this out??? Really, DC's got so many characters that are just begging for more exposure beyond our favorite comic medium, so *crosses fingers* I hope that this new organizational structure will help them live up to their potential.

[parsimonia.insanejournal.com]

Why do you assume Diane Nelson doesn't know anything about comics or DC?