Yesterday, DC Comics announced Earth One: two direct-to-book-format stories, one each for Superman and Batman, retelling the origin in modern day, in a “new continuity”, created by names well-known to current comic readers.

The reaction was generally negative, although the reason WHY it was disliked varied greatly depending on the speaker. And before I get into all that, note that key details are missing from the announcement, like price point, marketing plans, and release dates, so a lot of reaction, including mine, is speculation, informed or not.

Lots of people are assuming that this is DC’s way of experimenting outside the direct market and the model of periodical serialization. It’s been discussed for years how many customers don’t care to visit a specialty shop for overly confusing, high-priced-for-what-you-get monthly comics, although they do like the characters and would read stories about them if there was a clear entry point that provided stand-alone entertainment. (Latest example: Long-time superhero readers talk about how they think comics are worse this year. Those of us who gave up chasing books that were clearly no longer written for the mainstream reader think, “it’s not that the books are worse, it’s that your tastes have finally grown up.” :) )

Anyway, I’m digressing. When it comes to this particular Earth One effort, I’m glad to see DC considering trying something new. Putting out comics for the bookstore market and their readers, stand-alone single-volume experiences that capture what’s good about the characters while ditching the accreted baggage, is a fabulous idea. However, in this case, I think it may be (as so many of their past outreach attempts have been) too little, too late. Note that I’m only assuming that this IS an outreach effort. And the company has lots of inertia in leadership and customer reaction (remember, direct market shops are DC’s customers, not the comic readers) that makes it hard to try something really new. Baby steps are a lot easier, even if such lukewarm attempts are doomed to fail.

Me, I don’t think that the world needs yet another origin retelling (this is like the fifth one for Superman in recent memory), but maybe that’s just a starting point. DC does say that this will be an ongoing series, so maybe they felt they needed to “set the rules”, although the kind of new readers they need for this project to be successful won’t care about such details. Regardless, don’t we all already know how Superman and Batman came to be heroes? Wouldn’t it be more interesting to see them living their heroism in modern day? And will the Earth One title mean anything to new readers? Are the connotations too continuity-bound?

I don’t care for the work of writers J. Michael Straczynski (Superman) and Geoff Johns (Batman), so I don’t think they’re particularly good choices for this effort. I don’t think they write well for readers more interested in story and characterization than nostalgia and status quo.

It doesn’t solve the biggest problem with “converting civilians” (and isn’t that interesting language that’s commonly used?) — what do they read NEXT? There’s little to recommend to someone attracted by one of these books as a starting point. (Compare, for example, Vertigo, where someone can read 10 Sandman volumes and then move on to similar books and keep going.) If the line succeeds and continues for a few years, there would be several items to choose from, but there are enough problems with the idea as presented that that survival doesn’t seem likely.

I’m not sure I’m still part of the target market for any effort like this, though. I’d rather see a story about one of the lesser known characters with potential, although I do think I’d read a fresh, stand-alone take on the core heroes — I adored Superman: Secret Identity, for example — but maybe I’m too picky to be worth chasing. Let’s go to the retailers.

Forward-looking Christopher Butcher postulates that DC has chosen their language carefully so that they won’t turn off existing readers, which allows them to use those near-guaranteed direct market sales as a kind of safety base while reaching into bookstores. (My opinion: trying to please both audiences when their interests are almost diametrically opposed is a bad idea, or at least an overly cautious one, that will cause neither to be satisfied.) Says Chris:

[T]his is all speculation and analysis, but looking at the announcement as it stands, it seems like a half-measure at capturing a new audience (at best) with product that’s indistinguishable from their regular releases, or recent initiatives. Possibly worse.

He also wonders how that hypothetical book shopper will know that Earth One is the best choice for the new reader when faced with a shelf of Superman: This and Batman: That collected volumes. In other words, there’s a huge marketing hurdle to overcome.

Mike Sterling thinks they’ll sell well if they’re under $10 each and tie into a hypothetical upcoming movie. Then there’s Brian Hibbs, who runs some guesstimates and concludes that he’ll make less money with original graphic novels than he does with serialization. This is likely true, since selling comics and then their collections gives the retailer two bites at the (often) same apple (customer). The bigger question is: is a customer that will buy the same story in two different formats just to keep their collection complete the future of the industry?

I know, I’m making as many assumptions in that word picture as he does. But my point is that trying to keep wringing money out of outdated business models may work in the short term but lose you the future. The existing serialization is not bringing in new customers, and it’s increasingly losing the old ones. The publishers have tried to make up for that with bigger and bigger events (so the same people have to buy more comics) and higher prices, but that’s not an effective long-term strategy, because it burns out old customers and doesn’t bring in new ones.

Retailers like being able to sell to the same customers every week or month, and so it’s important to them to bring them into the stores consistently. People who load up on book comics every three or six months or so go elsewhere, to bookstores or Amazon.com, so they’re already not part of the direct market strategy. In the comments to his post, Hibbs says, “there are significantly more people who are willing to spend $2.99 for x minutes of entertainment, then there are who are willing to spend $20+ for 6x minutes of entertainment.” In comic shops, sure. Comic fans have notoriously been cheap. But it seems to me that there are enough people willing to spend $10 on two hours of entertainment to make The Dark Knight a $600 million-grossing movie. Again, a lot depends on the price point of these original graphic novel comics. And problematic as Earth One sounds, I kind of want to see it succeed just to support book-format comics.

Faith Erin Hicks, author of The War at Ellsmere and Zombies Calling, has announced via blog post that her next graphic novel will be Friends With Boys, to be published by First Second Books in (hopefully) 2011.

It’s about a girl named Maggie, who has three brothers (as I do), who was home-schooled (as I was), and is now entering her first year of public high school (as I did). She also is stalked by a ghost (that has yet to happen to me). She gets mixed up in High School Drama, makes friends with the wrong people, and because the story is written by me, it will contain two things: 1) Zombies. And 2) Someone will, eventually, get punched in the face.

She tells the story of how she came to work with the publisher and got a agent as part of the background on this story (which was originally intended for DC’s defunct Minx imprint). There are also art examples posted at her site. Go check it out! She does great work with young women characters, and I’m already eager to read this next book.

Token, last of the Minx line, is also the best.

Token
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Alisa Kwitney writes a story about a fifteen-year-old Jewish girl in Miami in 1987. Shira’s best friends are her grandmother and her buddy, a former movie star. They feed her nostalgic dreams of glamour, which don’t help when her father gets seriously involved with his secretary. She feels like she’s losing his love, with no one’s support to replace it.

Some of the elements are standard — mean blonde classmates, a feeling of no one understanding her until she meets an unusual boy — but the idea of shoplifting as a vehicle for self-discovery is unusual, and events don’t work out in the standard, expected ways. More, Joelle Jones’ impressive art elevates the work with her expressive figures. Regardless of whether they’re beautiful, Jones’ characters are attractive in their uniqueness. (Her previous book, 12 Reasons Why I Love Her, was one of my Best of 2006.)

Although Minerva’s stories of the glory days have influenced Shira, especially how she thinks about the signals of love, the point of the book is that life isn’t a movie. The boy may just be a temporary enjoyment instead of a life-changing true love. Culture clash provides the allure of the different, but sometimes it can’t be overcome. Shira’s learning to make her own choices and deal with the consequences. Her father wants to pay attention to his life without letting her do the same. Working out a resolution and dealing with the heartbreak to get there makes everyone stronger.

The usual Minx title was a coming-of-age story in which a teenage girl discovers love and makes the first steps towards her own identity. While Token fits that mold, it provides a more mature, subtle take on things. It takes the line out on a high point.

Don MacPherson’s review includes some sample panels.

Today I saw both Amazon’s Best of 2008 for Comics and Graphic Novels and Publishers Weekly’s.

It’s barely November! Putting out a “best of” list ignores two months’ worth of publications, or 16% of the year. Maybe the publishing world is just getting ready for the holidays early.

Although some are cheating, a little. The PW list includes the much-discussed Kramer’s Ergot 7, which has only just debuted at a convention and has yet to widely ship. Alan’s War came out last week in bookstores and is due out tomorrow through Diamond.

Titles on both lists are Lynda Barry’s What It Is and Dash Shaw’s Bottomless Belly Button.

My tastes differ. I’m still strongly looking forward to these comics and graphic novels, due out before the end of the year:

• The Love & Capes collection
• Token, the last Minx book, which I just received
• Larry Marder’s Beanworld Holiday Special, the first new Beanworld in years
• And most of all, Sam’s Strip.

Recently, cancellations have been announced for Manhunter (ending with #38) and Spider-Girl (with #30, although that’s after a previous 100-issue run). Both have faced cancellations before, only to be “saved” more than once; the Spider-Girl title had something like four or five reprieves. Both have devoted fan followings with voices out of scale to their size (by which I mean, they’re talked about more than actually bought). And both star women. That last has Valerie D’Orazio concerned.

are comics starring superheroines in trouble? Is it the Minx effect?

She goes on to answer her own question in the negative. No, it’s probably not.

I am also willing to see this or that book go (or to be reconfigured or have the characters move on to other titles), and not feel it was a “sexist” thing that they were canceled.

I agree with her eventual conclusion. Yes, superhero books starring women have an uphill battle in reaching the mostly male core market. But these books weren’t singled out because they feature females. In my opinion, they’re getting canceled again because they’re doing the same things that got them canceled before.

All superhero serial comics have a declining readership over time. Many of the customers are easily distracted by whatever’s new, different, or a big event. By returning with the same premise, characters, and creative teams, there’s no reason to think that the end result — not enough sales — would be any different. The promotional bump from “you get one more chance — better make sure more people buy it this time” doesn’t work as a strategy, especially once you’ve gone to that well four or five times too many.

I picked up some interesting books at this year’s Small Press Expo (SPX). I went up there expecting to discover minicomics and other self-published, hand-made works — some of which I did find and will talk about later — but I wound up with a stack of graphic novels, too. Many of these can be called “mainstream” in the true sense of the word, aimed more at the general public than the typical comic fan.

Slowpoke: One Nation, Oh My God!

Slowpoke: One Nation, Oh My God!
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Jen Sorensen’s latest book of editorial cartoons was one of the first on my list to seek out. I’d tried to order it through a comic store, but since I wasn’t willing to pre-order, Diamond refused to ship it to them. (They cancelled the back-order the shop placed for me.) At least this way, I got a charming little sketch of Mrs. Perkins in a hamburger-shaped spaceship that doesn’t run on carbon-based fuel.

I’ve enjoyed the previous two Slowpoke books, both because of Sorensen’s pointed perspective on modern life and politics and her thick-line cartooning. It’s attractive while paring down her images to only what’s needed. New to this volume are her annotations, commentary on what inspired a particular comic. I’m always glad to learn more about an artist’s thoughts on her own work, so that’s a great addition. Plus, the explanations remind the reader of the context of when the strips were created, making them seem less outdated.

Many will likely condemn her work for attacking the bureaucracy in charge, but her strips move beyond traditional politics to express concern for such topics as voting rights, ethical journalism, fads and trends, economic decision-making, sexual freedom, the environment, and the abuse of language. Her comments make her leanings clear, though, with a righteous anger that fuels art with a definite perspective. See samples at the Slowpoke website.

The Baby-Sitters Club: Claudia and Mean Janine

The Baby-Sitters Club:
Claudia and Mean Janine
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I’m sorry to hear that this will be the last in the series for a while after enjoying the previous volumes by Raina Telgemeier.

This edition focuses on the fourth original member, Claudia, an artist who struggles with school, while her older sister Janine is more typically brainy. Their frustrating-yet-loving relationship is beautifully realistic, and I like the way that their family structure includes grandmother Mimi, who serves as a calming, wise influence. Everyone’s facial expressions and gestures are wonderfully evocative while still comedically exaggerated.

The kids are growing up, as Claudia has to cope with Mimi having a stroke and the club runs a summer camp-like playgroup for their charges. New girl Dawn and leader Kristy have some conflicts, but they work them out in a well-drawn barn setting. It’s a charming graphic novel that will be especially loved by girls, who will relate to the domestic conflicts and challenges. And it’s refreshing to see Janine, a young woman I could relate to, learn how to balance family life and the computer classes she loves.

Crogan’s Vengeance

Crogan’s Vengeance
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I had a lovely conversation with Chris Schweizer about some snarky comments I made earlier in the year. We’re all fine now, because he’s a very nice guy, and he explained the lack of women on his promotional material as having two good reasons behind it: they *are* aiming at young men with the stories, and although there are many female characters appearing, he didn’t want to ruin romance hints and plots of the upcoming books.

His boys’ adventure series of graphic novels kicked off with this first volume, about pirates, and next up, in March, is book two, Crogan’s March, about a Legionnaire. I admire his plans; a 16-book series is ambitious, but I believe he’s going to do it.

The Soddyssey and Other Tales of Supernatural Law

The Soddyssey and Other
Tales of Supernatural Law
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The latest Supernatural Law collection fills in a gap in the series. It’s second in reading order, after Tales of Supernatural Law and before Sonovawitch! Like the rest of the series collections, it’s a very handsome book, with the most gripping cover yet, and completely remastered pages. To quote the copyright page, “Most [stories] have been completely relettered, and many have been retoned; in some cases, art has been redrawn.”

Batton Lash’s monster lawyers are funny. Well, that’s not quite right — they’re often the sane everyday folks while funny things and puns happen around them. In this volume, the cases include an X-Files parody about a missing child, a woman having Satan’s baby, a wannabe stand-up comedian haunted by ghostly laughter, a klutz suing his guardian angel, some personal involvement with other lawyers, and the trial of a plant monster named Sodd. The Ann Rice analogue, in a story set in New Orleans, really took me back to when I was reading her vampire novels.

Emiko Superstar

Emiko Superstar
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The next-to-last Minx book is just like the rest of them: the story of a significant (and visual) event that teaches a girl more about what she wants from life, forces her to stand up to her parents, and gives her the possibility of a boyfriend. This one most closely resembles the original release, The Plain Janes, in that it preaches the transformative power of Art, although in this case, the definition of art is stretched so widely as to cover reading someone else’s diary while standing on stage wearing your grandmother’s 60s dresses. (I do wish the ethics of stealing that diary had been a little more directly addressed.)

I read it because I like Steve Rolston’s (One Bad Day) art. He draws the cuddliest pierced punks, all round faces and non-threatening features. The story, by Mariko Tamaki, is just a little too precious, with self-aware narration that includes cross-outs. By the seventh page, one character, looking back, is telling another “how wyrd it is that 1 summer can chg everythg.” (They’re texting, don’t'cha know.) Except it really doesn’t. Not for our lead, anyway — I was more interested in following the story of the suburban mom who came out and moved to the big city with her new lover. But then, I’m not a teen girl wishing for fantasies of changing your life just by attending a rave with people who wear weird clothes and glitter and discovering that anyone can be a superstar by calling themselves one.

Paradigm Shift 2: Agitation

Paradigm Shift 2: Agitation
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I had an amusing conversation at the show with Dirk Tiede, author of this manga-styled cop story. I was talking to the person at the table next to his, and as I finished, he got my attention. He’d recognized my name on my badge and mentioned he’d sent me a review copy of book one. I said, “I know, I wrote about it over the summer.” He’d never seen it. I’d sent him an email at the time, but he hadn’t gotten it. So I pulled up my site on my cellphone and let him read the review right there. Ah, modern technology.

The story continues at its same relaxed pace as Kate and her partner are still investigating a series of grisly maulings. It’s all leading up to a werewolf story, but it’s taking a long time to get there. I suppose the plodding interrogations and slow piece-by-piece examination of the case are realistic, but I’ve read more engrossing fiction. There is also a shootout action sequence. The art’s professional, easy to read, and distinctive. (See earlier comment about the cop’s bangs having a life of their own.) I enjoy the notes in the back, many of which are about actual Chicago locations used in the story, and I applaud Dirk’s work ethic. Read the strip at the Paradigm Shift website.

Lore

Lore
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Jennifer Hachigian has collected the first eight issues of her minicomic about vampires and robots in high school into a paperback. It’s a bit much for the material — the simple black-and-white art may seem more approachable in photocopied-and-stapled minis. You can see a progression from beginning to end as the artist becomes more confident, especially with use of black areas. Check it out for yourself at the Lore website.

Enigmatics

One of my more interesting acquisitions was a galley copy of this kids’ graphic novel by Daniel Langsdale (Geeks in Disguise). He’s looking for a publisher now. It’s a combination of four youngsters investigating neighborhood mysteries and fighting bullies, mixed with activity pages — logic puzzles, codes, word finds, and the like. Their detective club starts off figuring out the real story behind rumored werewolf attacks.

One boy’s a handyman, one’s the natural leader, another’s studious, and the lone girl is the athletic one. The art’s scratchy, with dodgy anatomy, but it has energy. My favorite part was when the kids were discovering an abandoned bomb shelter (closed since 1984, or “like forever”, according to them) and turning it into their clubhouse. There’s an old-fashioned feel to it that makes it timeless, while the kids still seem reasonably modern.

Ed Sizemore and I went to SPX last weekend, just for Saturday. I’ve been going for years now, but it was Ed’s first time at the show, so instead of writing up something predictable about who I saw and what I bought, I asked Ed to share his take, from the eyes of a new visitor who knows comics but not necessarily indy/alt works. I can’t resist kibitzing, though, so watch for my notes in italics below. — Johanna

My first impression was of the staff. Everyone was polite, friendly, and seemed excited to be there. There was a great positive atmosphere from everyone; not just staff, but artists, volunteers, and attendees. I’ll say this up-front so I don’t repeat myself a hundred times; every person I talked to was pleasant, upbeat, patient, and just all around nice.

I have to admit I’m always a little anxious about approaching an artist’s table, because I know the person has put a lot of hard work and money into the books on the table. So I feel bad when I look at a comic and it doesn’t interest me for whatever reason. I mean, it’s a very intimate experience, when the artist is right there in front of me and I’m walking away. I want to say, “I’m sorry, you’re a nice person, your comic just doesn’t connect with me.” What I really appreciated at SPX was that nobody there was pushing the hard sell. Each table I approached, the artist explained what their comics were about, asked me to take a look, and then just let me look through their books and merchandise. Even if I didn’t buy anything I was thanked for looking. After the second or third time this happened my anxiety dissipated and I was able to start browsing in earnest. This made the convention a very enjoyable experience.

I did have a few books I wanted to get signed. I gave my copy of Knights of the Lunch Table to my seven-year-old nephew, who loved it as much as I did. I had Frank Cammuso sign the book for him. This makes it the first signed comic of any kind in my nephew’s collection.

Andy Runton signed my three Owly books and put a very nice sketch of Owly, Wormy, and friends in each book. He also gave me some great tips on using a brush pen. I like practicing calligraphy and he helped to see what I was doing wrong.

Rob Ullman signed the dozen items I had. He’s a fellow Richmonder, but I always forget to bring his books to the local comic show. So I finally got all my stuff signed. I also picked up some great books I didn’t have (see below).

What was amazing wandering around were the number of self-published people with bound trade paperbacks to sell. It’s a good indicator of where I think the comic market is headed. There were plenty of mini-comics and pamphlets, too. My problem was I seriously underestimated the amount of cash I needed. I would have liked to pick up a few more comics to sample than I did, but my empty wallet had the final say. I did pick up business cards from all the artists I liked so I could check out their websites. Here’s what I did get and just some quick thoughts or impressions.

Raina Telgemeier – Picked up a collection of Take-Out comics, the first chapter of Smile, and a new mini-comic called Outreach. All of these are slice-of-life stories. I’ve already read through them and really enjoyed them. I wish I had a couple hundred more of these to read. JDC: Raina’s big news of the show was having Smile picked up by Scholastic/Graphix, so she’ll be finishing the story for print publication in color. Yay! It’s due out in 2010.

Jim Ottaviani – Picked up Levitation, which is about the history of the levitating person magic trick. It’s a great book with tons of reference material listed in the afterward. I also picked up Dignifying Science: Stories about Women Scientists and it looks equally as good.

Jim8Ball – Picked up the first two issues of Tail of the Samurai Cat and he gave me the third for free. A nice parody of Lone Wolf and Cub. I’ve already finished these and liked them. JDC: I didn’t even see this table!

Rob Ullman – Picked up Teeny Bikini #5, Grand Gestures #1, From the Curve #5, and Atom-Bomb Bikini #5. Grand Gestures and From the Curve are slice-of-life books that I’ve already completed and enjoyed. The Bikini books are sketch books with a focus on good girl art.

Mariko Tamaki – Picked up Emiko Superstar, apparently the last of the Minx books, it looks good. JDC: I think Token will be the last Minx, due out early November.

Jay Hosler – Picked up Optical Allusions, The Sandwalk Adventures, and Cow-Boy. All look excellent. Since my seven-year nephew likes science and comics I plan to pass these on him. (Except Cow-Boy, that’s mine.) Jay also did the artwork for all the SPX badges. I got him to sign mine. I plan to laminate it and use as a bookmark. (This was the also the first convention I attended as a member of the comic press.) JDC: I loved Jay’s image for the press badge of a woman in a fedora interviewing a talking comic book. I should have had mine signed, too. And I hope Ed enjoys Sandwalk, since I pressed it on him, given his love of philosophical discussion.

Frank Naif gave me a copy of Super Secret Bungling & Crookery. Just finished this and liked the humor a lot. I was in the military so I can appreciate his frustrations with the government bureaucracy. The art is simple but effective for the humor.

T.J. Kirsch gave me A Murder of Crows. It’s an interesting story of a Vietnam vet dealing with his experiences. I wish the piece was a little longer.

Jane Irwin was extremely generous and gave me a copy of the first volume of Vogelein. It looks intriguing. Wait, there are footnotes at the end! I’m sold. Seriously, I’m a sucker for comics with that much thought put into them.

Fanfare/Ponent Mon – Deb Aoki from About Manga was running the booth for them. She was generous enough to give me copies of Times of Botchan volumes two and three. I was really glad to see and talk to her. We were both at NY Anime Fest the prior weekend, and I missed getting a chance to met her there. I love Jiro Taniguchi’s art so I can’t wait to read these. I believe I now own every book Fanfare has published in the US.

I also attended the Critic’s Roundtable discussion with moderator Bill Kartalopoulos. The panelists were Rob Clough, Gary Groth, Jog, and Tim Hodler. There wasn’t a lot of crosstalk. The hour went quickly. Bill had a chance to ask about five questions and get a response from each member. I won’t give much detail on the panel, since my understanding is that the panel was recorded and either the audio or a transcript will be made available soon. Basically, each guest discussed what they tried to achieve when reviewing a comic. What they thought of the current state of comic reviews and criticism. Some of the common problems they saw in comic reviews. Also, mainstream versus comic press coverage and reviews of comics. I enjoyed the panel and wished they had an hour to discuss further issues. I would also have liked to seen the panelists ask questions of each other.

Overall, I really had a good time at the show and will definitely be back next year. JDC: Thanks, Ed, for the company on the trip. And I ditto your feelings! Great time, great comics!

Reactions to DC cancelling the Minx line are popping up all over the web.

DC Comics sent out an official statement confirming the news but otherwise saying nothing:

Minx will cease publication beginning January ‘09. Minx was an experimental imprint for DC Comics and we are extremely proud of the books we published and the stories we told during the past two years. We thank all of the writers and artists who lent their talents to our endeavor and especially thank readers who came along for the ride. DC Comics remains committed to publishing diverse material for diverse audiences as we continue to welcome new readers.

When I questioned them as to what this meant for the next three titles specifically, they said “We are declining further comment at this time.” All I was asking was whether we’d still be able to buy Emiko Superstar, which already had advance reading copies put out!

The artist, Steve Rolston, answers that question: yes, it will be released on October 8. No word yet on Token, which was due in November. Given DC’s statement, I’m hoping that it’s still planned to come out, especially since it was already solicited (JUL08 0205). Update: It seems likely, given its October release date and state of completion, that Token will come out, so at least the line will end with a bang.

Hope Larson, author of Chiggers, has some insightful statements, including how her life might have been different if her pitch to them had been accepted.

I found that post via David Welsh, who ponders how mediocre works go over with girls who read.

The first comment at Heidi’s post points out that in his library system, the books “sat on our shelves gathering dust while most manga and superhero fare from the Big 2 continued to fly out the door at a brisk pace.”