Times have been tough for comics lately. Despite owning every summer blockbuster for the last five years, print has been declining steadily with no hope of a boost in sales. t’s times like these when businesses have to make a change or die, and that’s exactly what DC Comics has done.
After mountains of speculation and controversy the #1’s are finally hitting and immediately flying off the shelves. Large titles such as Justice League are going into their third printings already after only being for sale for three weeks, while smaller, but very controversial, books like Batgirl already have orders for second printings.
The interest in the quasi-reboot is at a fever pitch, and much of that interest has got comic fans dumping their wallets on comic shop counters in droves, eager to find out what’s happened to their beloved characters. At the same time, new readers (who may only have known Batman and Superman by their movies, TV series, or cartoons) are stepping into the same comic shops, buying their first comics ever.
It’s an exciting month as DC is clearly ruling over everything it sees, but, at the end of the day, it’s the stories that matter.
Leland and I got a chance to sit down and go over some of the bigger books that have come out so far, excitedly gushing over what’s looking good and berating what should be on the cutting block for this first wave. Leland, having worked at a well-respected and popular comic shop for years, has the perspective that can only be gained by working on the reverse side of the sales counter. Buckle in as a couple of comic lovers speak geek about the first half of the New 52!
Play the Podcast Below | Download the MP3 | Subscribe via iTunes | RSS Feed | Play the Mobile Version
Stay tuned in to Comic Issues as we’ll be following up with another review of the second half of the New 52 coming in the first week of October.