No leadership = No future
Comic Reviews for week ending 10/30/2022
Good morning, my friend,
You may have seen a few BIG announcements this week that affect the future of comics and the world. In case you’ve been Rip Van Winkling since September, here’s the latest:
James Gunn and Peter Safran agreed to head up DC’s Studio division (film, TV, animation)
Elon Musk bought Twitter
Thank you, and good night, Ladies and Gentlemen!
If that news doesn’t get your “curiosity for the future” juices flowing, I don’t know what will.
Jokes aside, these big announcements significantly impact the world of comics, particularly with the Big 2, so it’s worth taking a minute to think about the implications.
Why does this matter for DC?
Gunn and Safran are no strangers to superhero films, so they understand what it means to translate the source material into other mediums. On its surface, this is a good move for DC as a brand. If handled correctly, a Studio improvement could bolster DC in areas where the company has languished.
DC has done a terrible job of connecting the translations of their characters and storylines outside the comics with the comics - something Manga/Anime does very well. With new leadership in place, leadership that has a respectable amount of comic cred, the future potential now seems brighter.
DC content under Walter Hamada was chaotic, hit-and-miss, or whatever catchy phrase you want to use messy. In short, DC Films was never going to become a juggernaut under Hamada the way the MCU flourished under Kevin Feige. Without Gunn and Safron lifting a finger, their acceptance of the role shows how putting the right leader in the right place suddenly gives a floundering brand hope for a better future.
A leadership change at DC has obvious future potential for films, which could lead to an improvement in the comics. This one is easy to see, but what about Twitter?
Twitter isn’t comics, or is it?
No, Twitter isn’t comics, but for better or worse, it’s the primary social channel DC and Marvel editors, writers, and marketing folks use to get the word out about projects. Sure. There are other platforms (YouTube, Instagram, etc.), but none get as much activity from personnel associated with the Big 2 as Twitter.
It’s fair to say Twitter is at the heart of a lot of division, particularly between comic readers and creators. Algorithms are meant to encourage discourse, but in the wrong hands, encourage harassment, the spread of misinformation, and more.
Musk’s takeover has future potential because Musk is an inventor and innovator and, as the latest round of top-level executive firings at Twitter demonstrates, Musk isn’t afraid to make hard decisions quickly. Regardless of anyone’s opinion about Musk’s philosophical beliefs, his track record is based on continuous improvement - finding ways to make what he controls better.
If Twitter improves under Musk, that bodes well for Marvel and DC in how they communicate and interact with readers. Constructive interaction is always positive, so “upgrading” Twitter into a more constructive tool in the hands of Marvel and DC could be a very good thing. Time will tell.
Where do we go from here?
We don’t go anywhere. We wait and see how it all plays out, but I’m hopeful for the future.
That said, Marvel and DC Comics should be (I bet they are) paying VERY close attention to the net effect of strong leadership changes - how those changes affect public sentiment about a brand and give a stale organization a much-needed cage-rattling. People want to see future potential. Right now, neither Marvel Comics nor DC Comics are giving it to them.
Marvel and DC Comics could use a very rough shakeup in their organizations, and the EICs of both publishers would be wise to either start shaking or risk getting replaced with someone who will. Again, time will tell.
What do you think? Do these leadership changes inspire hope for the future, fill you with dread, or look like more of the same? What leadership changes would you like to see, if any, at Marvel and DC? Let us know in the Comments.
Thanks for reading along, and as your reward, here come the reviews!
THE ARMY OF DARKNESS VS REANIMATOR: NECRONOMICON RISING #4 – Review
SAMURAI SONJA #5 – Review
BLOODSHOT: UNLEASHED #2 – Review
GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #65 – Review
GRIMM SPOTLIGHT: CINDERELLA VS. THE TOOTH FAIRY – Review
GRIMM UNIVERSE PRESENTS QUARTERLY: 2022 HALLOWEEN SPECIAL – Review
THE BOOGYMAN #2 – Review
LOVECRAFT: UNKNOWN KADATH #2 – Review
A. GUARDIAN #1 – Review
CAFFEINATED HEARTS (ONE-SHOT) – Review
DOCTOR RIGBY: WHERE DWELLS THE GHOSTLY BARON (ONE-SHOT) – Review
N.O.A. #3 – Review
THE ARGUS #1 – Review
POTIONS INC. #5 – Review
BAD NATURES #2 – Review
PLAINER JANE #6 – Review
Nature's Labyrinth #1 (Mad Cave Studios)
Blade Runner: Black Lotus #4 (Titan Comics)
Dead Kingdom #2 (Red 5 Comics)
Bêlit & Valeria #5 (Ablaze Publishing)
Cherish #1 (Dynamite Comics)
Sweetie: Candy Vigilante #2 (Dynamite Comics)
Vampirella vs. Red Sonja #1 (Dynamite Comics)
Oz: Return of the Wicked Witch #1 (Zenescope Entertainment)
Big Bang Adventures #16 (Big Bang Comics! - Indie Submission)
Clodagh #3 (Blue Fox Comics - Indie Submission)
That’s the shortlist for now. We’ll add more titles and adjust as time and resources allow.
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Have a great day!