Listen, I've always been a geek. Always! I've always loved super heroes, I've always enjoyed reading graphic novels, but do you know the one thing that always prevented me from getting into true comic books? It was f****** confusing! Infinite Earths!? Cross-overs!? Even if it doesn't feel complicated to me now, it was just intimidating. I had no idea where to start! Look at me now. I own each issue of Batman: Year One, I collect several New 52 titles, I finally like Superman (while still being a Batman fan) and I'm always on the hunt for more comics to add to my collection. The New 52, above all else, was an opportunity for me to integrate myself into the world of comic books and I love it. I thank DC for it, even. Despite what others opinions are of what it's done to the industry, I read comics because of the New 52! That's what it quintessentially is to me, at least. If you read this, let me know what you think! What was the New 52 to you? Was the New 52 good or bad for DC and the industry as a whole?
What is the New 52 to me?
@doyleke: For me the New 52 was a great thing even though i was already following some of their titles. Of course there were some bad sides to that reboot, like losing some good titles, but in the end I thought it was a great way to help people get into comic books.
I'm loving what DC is doing right now. I wasn't even up to date with comics until September, because of the big numbers next to the titles (Action Comics up into the 900s, Detective Comics up into the 800s, Batman up into 700s). All the history was pretty intimidating to me. Sure continuity is good and all, but it could get pretty confusing after too long (which is mostly why I'm not reading Marvel right now). Even though I did (and still do) read every graphic novel as I possibly could, I wanted to stay with what was going on currently, and the New 52 did that for me.
By the way, is Marvel NOW going to be a good jumping on point for Marvel?
I wouldve only been collecting Marvel without the New 52. I would never have picked up any DC if they hadn't given me a jump on point.
I agree with all of you! @-The Renegade- I see what your saying. A large continuity shouldn't stop you! But for me as someone (even though I loved the characters and universe) it was just hard to find that jumping on point and even understanding if jumping on is good to maintain a decent grounding in the worlds. Like Spectre said, it was the big numbers that got me scared most of the time :D
I actually started collecting comics pretty seriously because the New 52. Before I had just purchased large volumes and TPBs, but when the New 52 came out I started collecting the new series monthly by individual issue. It's great fun, if only it didn't cost so much (and there's so many more I'd like to collect!). But I digress.... Although I really like the New 52, my only problem is the timeline problems. For instance, Batman is said to have been active for 5 years, but Damian Wayne is ten years old; or also, that we are to believe that in the span of 5 years Dick Grayson spent time as the original Robin, became a master combatant and detective, gave up the Robin costume for Nightwing, became Batman, and then became Nightwing again. And then there are some character changes that I'm not too fond of, but overall I love the New 52.
I've been told the New 52 is selling well, it’s popular among fans, and it’s popular among critics, but the reboot didn't make me get back into the medium. At $2.99-$3.99 for a floppy, I find myself reading what my friends buy and I'm still purchasing older paperbacks. I recently bought Bone: The Complete Cartoon Epic for $8. I purchased The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for around the same price. More bang for my buck. Captain Marvel is the only character DC owns I would go out of my way to purchase a floppy for, but after reading DC's rebooted version of the character I'll just stick with my old Captain Marvel books. Anyways, as others mentioned the reboot is good for newcomers and is a breath of fresh air. I've enjoyed both Aquaman and Batman. The reboot isn't bad for the industry, but it kind of seems like a band-aid. What happens if sells drop again? Another reboot?
@TheBigRedCheese said:
Captain Marvel is the only character DC owns I would go out of my way to purchase a floppy for, but after reading DC's rebooted version of the character I'll just stick with my old Captain Marvel books.
Yea, I was pretty upset with the New 52 take on CM too. That's not how Billy is supposed to act! He's a completely different person.
@JSH92: I don't like the story so far, the name change or the way he looks.. At least DC is trying to do something with the character and I know many folks who are enjoying the new take on him. Maybe one day the whimsy Captain Marvel will return. :)
The New 52 was a perfect way for me to pick up any title without fear, because I knew that, supposedly, I would be fine and not lost.
Then again, as I also picked up Marvel titles, I know that I can just jump in and figure out what is going with a new story arc.
Ahhh the timeline issues. That too is my only large beef with the reboot. I understand the shared universe that they're trying to create with the timeline, but the only way I can enjoy the bat-family books and still look at the older ones the same is by ignoring the timeline and taking the stories as the go (because come on, noone knows what the f*** Batman the Dark Knight is about anyways). And from what Grant Morrison has said in terms of Superman relative to Action Comics, many of the writers aren't even in touch, both with one another and with DC in terms of timeline relative to the rest of the universe. Because of this, the Editors have to cut and paste a lot of the newer work to fit into the (very short) span of time that the New 52 universe takes place in. It appears to primarily be a communication issue.
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