Midlife Rambles: NO MORE DC COMICS?

I read an article on my phone that I can’t find online now. It was saying that DC Comics was now owned by AT&T since they bought Warner Brothers and that the company was relying on the upcoming event they’ve termed 5G to decide whether to continue publishing comics or not. If sales of the comics aren’t met with this new event (the previous two were “Rebirth” and “The New 52”) then rumor has it they will discontinue publishing DC comics.

With this new 5G plan comics will be priced at $7.99 and will feature different versions of familiar characters. An example in one article I was able to find said that the son of Lucius Fox’ (who ran Bruce Wayne’s company and tech genius) son would be the new Batman, the first black Batman. Other characters would be different as well. I have no idea from the articles I read if the other standard characters would remain or disappear with this new 5G plan.

If AT&T decides to shut down the publishing of the DC comics and characters they would still retain the rights to said characters meaning they will keep making movies and games based on them. But that original source would be gone.

I grew up on comics. I still read them from time to time having a decent collection on hand. For me this is part of history being shut down for the sake of corporate ownership. The higher price tag seems determined to do more harm than good. Many titles are currently around $3.99. $4 more for a single comic? Deciding based on a single event whether to end over 70 years of comic book history?

There are Marvel fans and DC fans. I was a DC kid. I can still remember certain comics I had as a kid and recognize their covers. If I owned those now they’d be worth a ton of money. I spent countless hours looking at comics in store when I was a kid. I turned those spindle racks checking out to see what was taking place in the comic world. It seemed every grocery store and pharmacy had a rack. I remember my grandma buying me comics and hiding them at her place so my parents wouldn’t think she was spoiling me. I watched Superman on TV. When Batman hit TV I was there watching and went to the theater to see the movie. I eventually stopped reading but in college began again, discovering other comics as well as DC. When my son was growing up I exposed him to comics and now he’s gone back and started collecting as well.

Comic books for me were an introduction into so many things. It introduced me into reading. From these 4 color items I was led to George Orwell, Mark Twain and more. They didn’t suggest them to be but I read those comics and learned how to read.

They introduced me to the art of storytelling through image too. Comics did that as much if not more than any film any of us ever saw. In less than 20 or so pages with 4-6 images per page, we were told a story from start to finish and provided so much information on those pages. We saw clues in Batman stories, combat in Superman and imagination in the creations Green Lantern made with his ring. We watched The Flash combat cold and heat and saw that even young kids could be effective in comics like Teen Titans. And women were empowered long before there were calls to do so by Wonder Woman, the equal of any male hero if not stronger than them all.

To think these characters could all disappear from the printed page is sad to me. I know digital is likely to be the place to buy these comics but the stories aren’t even talking about that as an option. If it happens the pure artistic genius of those who have the talent to create with pencil and paper may be lost. I’ve loved the images made by Curt Swan, Jack Kirby, Gil Kane, Joe Kubert, George Perez, Scott Kollins, Bernie Wrightson, Jill Thompson, Bruce Timm, Carmine Infantino, Frank Cho, George Tuska, Ethan Van Sciver, Darwyn Cook, Neal Adams and more. I’ve loved the stories by Gail Simone, Mark Waid, Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Keith Giffen, Dan Jurgens, James Robinson Dennis O’Neill, Marv Wolfman and even film maker Kevin Smith. It saddens me to think that talented folks like these could be out there just aching for the chance to put pen to paper, to type keys on a keyboard, who will never have that opportunity.

Superheroes are finally getting the recognition and love that they deserve in everything from movies to cosplay to conventions that people flock to. Everywhere but the printed page it seems. I would suggest if you have small children to expose them to the world of comic books. Take them into a store and watch their eyes light up and the colors and images that explode before them. Talk to the staff and find something age appropriate for your little one. Encourage them to learn to read using comic books which aren’t as intimidating as a full-fledged book. Get them reading and experiencing something unique and different. Don’t let the big money corporations like AT&T just decide for you what you will and will not have access to. And if they shut down DC Comics, then remember there are all of those old issues, both as single issues and in trade paperbacks that can still be enjoyed.

I'd suggest one store for those who live in the Fort Wayne area. Books Comics and Things has some of the nicest people when it comes to sharing a love of comics and an availability of any and all things comics, from current to back issues to bags and boards that protect them to trade paperbacks. I don't buy from stores as much as I would like to but I can tell that both stores will treat you well if you visit them. Check them out at Times Corner and Georgetown.

Great DC art includes...