Since DC Comics decision to reboot Superman with a replacement costume for the iconic look associated with the character since its origin in 1938 controversy has broken out among superman fans on the issue. On the DC Superman message board the current leading thread is arousing sharp discussion on the nays and yays:
SHOOTER disses "New 52"
Jim Shooter who worked at both Marvel and DC had this to say on his blog about the reboot in general:
"All righty, then….
Great idea for a “precise entry point.” Start in the middle,
explain nothing.
Why? Because the DC brain trust believes that we, the
“existing readers” don’t care? Or, because they feel sure they’ve got us no
matter what, and that the “new readers” they hope to attract don’t care? Or,
because no one at DC cares? Or, because it’s too hard to think it all through
and figure things out?
Continuity and consistency take a great deal of work. My
most recent experience working at DC Comics is three years out of date, but DC
Comics is still a DiDiocracy, it would appear. The DiDiots rise to the top, and
no one wants to work too hard.
If this “initiative” bogs down or fails, well, so what? DC
gets a substantial sales spike and goes along better than before, at least for
a while. DiDio, Lee, Harras, Johns and the rest keep their phoney-baloney jobs,
collect fat paychecks and big bonuses a little longer.
And in a couple of years, when things get hopelessly tangled
up again and sales slide, no problem. Do a new New 52. Do it till it’s as worn
out as the ol’ Crisis trick.
DC is like Lucy and we’re like Charlie Brown. DC keeps
yanking the football away and we keep yelling Aaugh! and landing hard. They’re
very sure we’ll keep coming back and try to kick the ball again. And, knowing
some of the perps fairly well, I can assure you they’re pretty smug about it.
So far, they’re right.The Lucy strategy will work until
Marvel or some emerging contender does it the right way. Starts with a powerful
concept, a creative vision. Puts in the work and the effort. Thinks it through.
Produces good stories, well told. Builds something meaningful that fires peoples’
imaginations and invites them in the way, oh, say, Harry Potter did.
Lucky for your “brain trust” that Marvel is almost as
rudderless. It will probably take a market/distribution paradigm shift that
opens new opportunities for a new player to arise, either an upstart or a
deep-pocketed entertainment industry contender.
Not bloody likely soon. DC can probably pull off two or
three more New 52’s before any threats emerge.
On the other hand, there seemed to be no credible threats to
DC on the horizon in 1961….
If and when a threat does emerge, the DC DiDiocracy and the
old Lucy trick are going to seem as tired, pathetic and dated as DC Comics did
in the sixties, when Marvel arose to take the lead.
There are some entertaining books among the New 52 and some
with good things about them. There are many talented people among the creators
working on the New 52, some trained and skilled, some less so.
Churchill said, “No one can guarantee success in war, but
only deserve it.” That works for comics and most other endeavors, too. I hope
success comes to the New 52 and creators thereof who deserve it".
PLANETRONIX, EARTH
February 11, 2012.
