When a DC Blacklists you or How DC has no sense of Humor

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/121832-editorial-mandate-what-to-do-when-a-publisher-blacklists-you-3.html

and the punches just keep coming and the PR has nothing to do but throw the towel again

DC has taken a turn for the worse since the new 52 (editorial-wise) and that makes me sad :-(
who the f@!$ makes this calls?

I heard about this. It's kind of crazy that DC is that uptight now. The only people taking them seriously seems to be themselves at this point and it's sad to see. Hopefully the circus stops.

Am I surprised that we pissed off DC to the point that they felt the need to lecture our staffers? Nope. Remember, this is a company who fired a creator, rehired her and then pretended like it never happened. This is a company who just ended a weekly column with CBR because the website had the gall to ask their editors a real journalistic type question instead of the fluff promotional crap they were promised. This is a company that's become synonymous with creator mistreatment and can't go a month without some creator being shuffled off a book prematurely. This is a company that's turned alienating female readers into an artform. And yes, the Outhouse has covered each and every single one of those stories with gusto.

Wow DC, for having the most iconic character which stands for freedom. kindness, and sparkles, (Superman) You guys can sure be a bunch of a-holes.

*sigh*

My guess is there should be management changes at dc soon since New 52 has evaporated. Hopefully, dc management changes will be for the better.

The More I hear about DC Comics the more I am thinking this, "Man DC Comics is made up of a much of losers, I don't want to ever read their New52 Comics".

Who was it on this site that told me "if you buy crap, they'll keep making crap"?

They directed the word "crap" toward a certain Marvel comic, but I think that word is more fitting for the entire new 52.

....am I the only one on the other side of the fence here? I dont know anything about "Outhouse" but reading the article they sound like a butthurt teenager who continually asked out the hot chick in school and after repeated rejections decided to verbally trash and tease her instead. Then turned around asked her out again and instead of just saying no, the hot chick told them why she said no but offered to think about it if the trash talking stopped. Sorry. I have no sympathy for Outhouse. Not sure what World they're living in that they think they can talk sh!t and then get their own way. I have my own issues with DC but blacklisting Outhouse (never heard of them until now) isnt one of them.

(send your hate-mail to Mercy)

@gambler:

(send your hate-mail to Mercy)

Done.

Kind of ironic that DC has tons of characters that are snarky and love to tell jokes (Alfred, Joker, Green Arrow) and yet they get butthurt when somebody makes jokes about them. And has it ever occured to them that Outhouse isn't the only one that makes fun of them?

Which Marvel comic?

Is this even legit? Some unnamed DC rep called them into their office and blacklisted them in person? After Outhouse themselves go on a three paragraph rant about how DC has ignored them time and time again, now all the sudden they care enough to have a face to face just to say, "Blacklisted, have a nice day." No name of the DC rep or tangible piece of evidence?

@xwraith: Sorry. I was at school.

Why Nova, of course. Because you-know-who's name was slapped on the first few issues. And you know what? It isn't even bad.

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. I didn't sign on for this!

DC needs Stan Lee :), no really they do

@gambler said:

not at their offices, they were at C2E2

and this is how DC operates now look at this

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/04/23/publishers-pr-reporters-and-jounalism-comics-in-2013/

More and more I see good reason to ignore the big 2 entirely

Nice. I could use a management job... *nudge, nudge, wink, wink, DC reps (not that they're reading these posts)*

I'll work for free...? >.>

This is typical behavior of big companies and with the New 52 maybe not being as successful as DC hoped, they're being extra defensive. They're shutting out anyone that doesn't kiss their asses, whether its Outhouse, Bleeding Cool or CBR.

@wavemotioncannon: Marvel isn't behaving any better, have you seen the way their writers have been reacting to any criticism. Slott for instance is pretty much saying anyone who doesn't think he's a genius is an idiot.

And how Remender told people to drown in hobo piss after people were not too thrilled by Havok's big speech in UA #5. Marvel writers are simply put....Divas.

It's really sad.

Bad PR, who told them its a good idea?

I really want to care but I don't. I enjoy DC Comics, the stories matters to me and they're doing a good job at that.

An office at C2E2? To be honest where the actual office was located doesnt undermine the point. It may very well be true but I like to have a little more evidence besides one article written by the accuser before I start burning torches.

Fast forward to this weekend, when one of our staff writers was told to go through DC’s marketing rep to talk to some of their creators. DC’s marketing rep scheduled a meeting, brought our staffer into an office and then told him that our interview requests would be denied because he didn’t appreciate the satirical articles criticizing DC’s recent editorial decisions.

Well if you don't give companies good press they won't give you interviews.

That hasn't been news since 1878.

Why is this surprising? It seems like business. Someone discredits you and your product you let them know you will not do business with them until they stop. It's not like DC is blacklisting every site that posts a negative review. Obviously they felt Outhouse was no longer being constructive and no longer felt it was productive to promote themselves on their website. Maybe Outhouse should think about whether DC is right and they did cross the line from critiquing to simply trash talking.

@rustyroy said:

@gambler said:

Finally someone who makes sense. Seriously, its like people are desperate for a reason to bash the big two

Theyre already doing enough dumb stuff in their comics, no real reason to start grasping for straws

If it started because they asked questions DC didn't like to answer because they were "hard," I'd be disappointed in DC, but not surprised they'd stop giving interviews and stuff. If they were just simply making fun of DC and expecting to stay in the loop, I'm disappointed in them for expecting any different kind of reaction, because that's just not common sensical.

and yet Marvel and Image still gives them interviews

how does that speak of DC then?

@arnoldoaad: Well, that may depend on a few things (and that's a big may, for me). Do they insult and ridicule Marvel and Image on the same level as they do DC? For the same reasons as DC?

as far as I know Yes on the first question and No on the second one, BECAUSE, Marvel and Image doesnt mess as magnificently as DC has been doing recently.

@arnoldoaad: Alright. I still don't see why DC should feel obligated to give them interviews. I suppose that would properly respond to their possibly expecting to stay in the loop after insulting, but I still think it's hardly surprising a company would cut them off.

I read that article and thought I knew how I felt about it, but after reading these comments I'm not sure I even have an opinion. Weird.

If this is substantiated, it really doesn't prove anything other than to once again remind us that both major publishers have some serious issues that they need to work out sooner rather than later.

DC doesnt have more obligation to give them interviews than any other site. the problem is that this is their reaction to criticism and it doesnt work like that.

people can say whatever they want about Dan Didio but at least he roll with the punches.

after what happen here, the problem with BW and B&B, it just cannot get worse.

@arnoldoaad: Yeah, and I'm not saying DC doesn't do many things that are criticism-worthy (because there's tons). But just like they have the right to say things, DC has the right to not want to roll with the punches if they don't want, and they don't have to give them their time. Seems it doesn't work like that either. Probably won't stop them from saying things (evidenced by the article's very existence), but now they'll just be saying things without having spoken to the DC people prior, criticizing them like every other person who doesn't speak to them before criticizing.

they do have the right not to speak

Its just that not speaking like this make them look like cowards afraid of any critizism , and im not talking about this site only but of what happen on CBR too

Probably won't stop them from saying things (evidenced by the article's very existence), but now they'll just be saying things without having spoken to the DC people prior, criticizing them like every other person who doesn't speak to them before criticizing.

its not like that would matter

just look for example at the official response that Bob Harras gave about the departure of both Fialkov and Diggle

...

oh wait, oh right, HE DIDNT GAVE ONE!

@arnoldoaad: Yeah, exactly (I think, if I gather correctly). I think it's one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't sorta things.

Either way, the nature of the criticism lies in things like "they did this with regards to a certain comic/character," or "they fired this person/did whatever to piss this person off," and it's probably gonna get out anyway, and people will criticize them whether they give a statement or not. But if it seems the one thing they aren't going to do is change what they're doing to receive the criticism, it doesn't seem to make a difference whether they talk to you or not, because they're not going to change. If they said why they weren't going to change and it didn't satisfy the legions of disapprovers, that would get the same, possibly worse response than if they simply declined to comment.

There's a few anecdotes that might fit in here, but they're unnecessary.

Giving a response, regardless of how big of a BS that response would be, still would be preferable simply because regardless of the fact that responding or not responding changes nothing. Not responding has a very important consequence and is that it gives the perception that DC is not accessible to their fans

and is because they are not accessible to their fans

Robot6 made a very interesting article about that

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2013/04/grumpy-old-fan-bb-and-bridging-the-fanpro-divide/

There's a few anecdotes that might fit in here, but they're unnecessary.

yeah, I was thinking the same

@arnoldoaad: I see (that's a pretty good article, and seems like the kind that might've been taken a lot more seriously than the one from Outhouse (if only DC was more receptive to its peoples :) heheh)). But I would argue at the same time, being non-responsive to fans would be just as bad as being not accessible. @akbogert (hope you don't mind me plugging you) did a series of blogs about Marvel NOW! One of the larger points of one or a few of them were "Marvel hears people complaining about it, their writers know people don't like it, but they don't care. They're waving you off and doing it anyway." And for that (and/or related reasons), he may give up on them entirely, and he's not the only one who's felt this way.

...ehhh

thats my point

If they were responsive to the hard questions they at least would be accessible even if their responses are just a pile of crap.

when Didio received a hard question he tried to evade, but it is understandable, if you put yourself on his position it is comprehensible that he cannot admit that what they did was wrong or that something bad is going on and there is very few chances to twist the matter on their favor and there is the chance that he will mess up.

by not responding they avoid messing it up but create this barrier between the fans and the editorial.

@akbogert (hope you don't mind me plugging you) did a series of blogs about Marvel NOW! One of the larger points of one or a few of them were "Marvel hears people complaining about it, their writers know people don't like it, but they don't care. They're waving you off and doing it anyway." And for that (and/or related reasons), he may give up on them entirely, and he's not the only one who's felt this way.

I will have to check them out before commenting, its late here so i will respond much later, but it was a good conversation.

@arnoldoaad: Haha. Oh boy. Good luck. I always welcome reading and responses to my blogs but I won't lie, this last few days' worth of writing have been a little much, even by my standards. And the most recent one makes this slightly ironic, though not entirely. In any case, as I said above, even if DC did everything they're accuse of, it really only proves that they're not better than Marvel. They'd be hard-pressed to be doing worse. Really great talent has basically rage quite both houses in the past year or so, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that trend continue. I can't imagine, as a writer, being told I'm not allowed to talk to a certain group of people on condition of keeping my job.

@arnoldoaad: The difference between this Didio guy and the guys I've normally seen/heard about (At least, if I'm reading correctly) is the guys I seen/heard about weren't trying to evade. They said, not exactly, but still pretty much, they're doing it and they don't really care if you have complaints, because it's not going to change. Not like "I screwed up and I'm trying to cover up." More "I'm not screwing up; you just don't know what you're talking about and I don't care what you're saying." I see apathy as just as bad, no matter how it's presented.

I was entertained.

There are a million possible ways that this whole scenario could have gone down - and all of the ones listed seem to either cast blame on DC for having sucky PR or TheOuthouse for overreacting and blowing things out of proportions. There's really no way any of us can know for sure what exactly went down and who is being the prima donna in this situation. But two things I know are:

. The DC universe as it is may be messy at the moment but they are making some really great stories and have some great characters

. HOWEVER, it is pretty clear that there are major editorial and managerial issues at DC. We've heard enough stories from enough different sources to know that those higher up the ladder have some major issues when it comes to PR, organization, and treating writers, fans, and characers with respect. And I really hope that changes soon because DC has already chased away a boat-load of fans as well as some of their best writers with their current attitude.

This whole thing sounds like a b.s. attempt to make this website I have never heard about seem like they are edgy and alternative. Not only do I doubt the whole story I doubt they are even on DC's radar.

because DC has been so trustworty lately

seriously, I also never heard of this site before and I totally believe the story 100%