Weekend Reading: DC Comics And Warner Bros.

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Image Comics, Marvel Comics,

So did you hear the big news? Marvel’s moving to a new office building in Manhattan!

Not to be outdone, Warner Bros. decided to shake things up with a large scale corporate shift. This interview with Diane Nelson from Comic Book Resources actually sheds very little light on the nuts and bolts of it.

And the lack of real answers has caused Tom Spurgeon to raise some questions he’d like to see answered about the situation forward-going.

Naturally, and because I sometimes can’t keep my mouth shut, I have my own take on the matter.

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Warner Bros. Comics & Stories

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,

Well, at least Batman will still be published out of New York!

I’m no pundit and I’m certainly no reporter or journalist, and I’m not even a DC insider, although I should point out that before Paul Levitz bought Wildstorm, he tried to buy the company I co-founded, Malibu Comics.

I was saddened, though not surprised that Warner Bros. was splitting DC Entertainment into two divisions and keeping all their old school business in Manhattan. My sympathies go out to all DC employees who are getting let go and to all freelancers who are getting their books cut out from under them. This is not an easy time, and it’s not going to get easier.

I think lost in all the discussion and rundown of DC’s recent shift is that the biggest piece of the puzzle has yet to be explained or admitted to. Warner Bros. which folded DC Comics into a new company called DC Entertainment just a year ago, now took DC Comics out of that company and moved DC Entertainment – along with all of the money-making portions of the company – to the West Coast.

DC Comics, the comic book division, is now its own stand-alone entity. An island of old-school publishing left without its support network. This has been hailed as a victory for the comic book people.

It isn’t. It’s a wake up call.

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British Comics: Get Your Viz On

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Independent,

You know what you’ve always wanted to see? Your favorite comic book creator doing his one-man comedy show. How awesome would it be to hear Boom’s Ross Richie do 15 minutes on the future of the Direct Market at The Comedy Store? Or Joe Quesada as the warm-up guy for the Eisner Awards? Or perhaps Diane Nelson’s musings on the differences between New York and Los Angeles?

Well, that doesn’t happen in America. We leave our comedy to the non-comic book people like Carrot Top or Dane Cook. The British, however, don’t have that tradition. Coming up on July 23 and 24, those of you in England will have a chance to hear British comics creator Simon Donald’s stories and one-liners.

Who’s Simon Donald? He’s the founder of the British comedy magazine, Viz. It’s a two-part show, focusing on his wacky family growing up and the birth “of the national treasure that is Viz.”

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Read More | Soho Theatre

Jonah Hex And The Lost Weekend

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Reviews, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,

Well, I reckon it was bound t’happen, pardners. Jonah Hex has opened to just a $5 million weekend, meaning that it’s officially been labeled a bomb. Too bad. Jonah was – and is – an iconic comic book property, the creation of John Albano and Tony DeZuniga. Maybe the filmmakers should’ve gone with a more traditional western approach like The Outlaw Josey Wales or 3:10 From Yuma instead of the steampunkian world of The Wild Wild West movie? Who’s to say what would’ve worked, but the new one sure doesn’t.

The problem now is that because Jonah Hex is based on a comic book (not a graphic novel as some lazy reporters simply retype) – but one that none of the general public has heard of before – it’ll get tagged as a comic book movie, and worse, a failed comic book movie. And finger wagging along the lines of “is the comic book movie fad finally over” will start appearing as breathless know-it-all headlines in newspapers no one reads anymore.

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Read More | Deadline Hollywood Daily

A Marvelution Flashback

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,

Unless you’ve been living in a hole for the past week or infected with a Zombie virus that’s harmed your brain, you’re aware that DC Entertainment has made a significant restructuring move in their executive suite and put a team of 5 people in charge - Dan Didio, Geoff Johns, Pat Caldon, John Rood and Jim Lee - to replace the outgoing Paul Levitz.

The internets abound with excellent coverage and analysis. One of the best pieces is from Heidi McDonald who lands a short interview with Diane Nelson, the head of DC Entertainment who put the team together.

Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter runs through some very worthwhile bullet points in a “fingers crossed” sort of way.

And Dirk Deppey, no fan of the outgoing Paul Levitz, is optimistic about the new DC Team-Up.

I’m reminded of a time many years ago when Marvel Comics went on a buying spree that included the acquisitions of Panini, Fleer and Malibu Comics and culminated with the buying of Heroes World to be Marvel’s sole distributor. Under different circumstances, they also put a team of 5 in place as editorial shopkeepers. They called it “Marvelution.” A similar, “clever” phrase has yet to be made from DC’s name. “No Fear” might somehow stick in some way, but I think someone else already has that trademark. “High Five” is getting some play over at Bleeding Cool. And maybe if the DC gang do well, someone will tag them “The Superior Five.”

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Diane Nelson Talks DC

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Interviews, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,

Almost instantly after Warner Bros. announced a restructuring of DC comics, head of the task at hand, Diane Nelson, was the most hounded woman around these comic book parts. She took time out to defend Warner Bros. and her being a girl as well as her guess at how many DC characters exist.

Of the age-old Marvel vs. DC war, Nelson was quick to point out that DC was planning to call for the restructuring before Marvel was eaten up by Disney: “It’s something we’ve been discussing and planning for nearly a year. We wanted it before Labor Day – but then Marvel and Disney announced and thought—It is good. One, my hat is off to them. Bob Iger is great. I have nothing but respect for them. I’m glad we were thinking along the same lines without having to pay $4 billion. I think it’s good for the whole industry.”

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Read More | The Wrap

Warner Restructures DC

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: DC Comics,

In the wake of the $4 billion purchase of their nemesis, Warner Bros. has decided to restructure its own comic book branch.

“This is the structural iteration of what we have been trying to accomplish for a long time. We think it is important for Warner Bros. to exercise appropriate control over these properties, because they are highly valued assets of our company,” said Warner Bros. Chairman Barry Meyer.

Diane Nelson, brand manager of the Harry Potter franchise, will be in charge of restructuring the now-named DC Entertainment unit.

Most DC comics fans are surprised at this new surge of energy for the company. Considering characters like Wonder Woman, the Justice League, and the Flash have been cooped up in who-knows-where, it’s amazing to think that Warner Bros. has had DC for forty years.

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Read More | LA Times