DC Rebirth: How I Came To Accept $3.99 Comics

When I first learnt that DC was raising cover prices I was enraged. Based on my experiences with Marvel, I assumed it was the popular titles, which ship twice a month, that were being bumped up to $3.99. The decision to drop specific DC Rebirth titles from my buying habits were not yet made. By that point, I had gone back on my decision to only buy the monthly titles due to skepticism over reading a twice-a-month title. Back in January, I was buying virtually every DC Rebirth title. So believing that those same twice-a-month titles would jump in price irked me.


Upon reading this story HERE, I discovered I was wrong and my cynicism was misplaced. It wasn't the popular twice-a-month, the bulk of line group of books being bumped up to $3.99. It was the 15 or so monthly titles that were experiencing price increase. Plus, those same titles would include a digital codes similar to Marvel's old system.


While I avidly purchased Marvel's All-New, All-Different books, I never took advantage of the digital codes. As such I was unfamiliar with what was being proposed. THIS story here explained Marvel's old digital code policy as well as the price increase probably serving to boost the profitability of the monthly and presumably less popular books.


Over the years, I have come to believe that increased price points rarely lead to increased longevity of a title. Maybe in the short term but unless the book's popularity spikes, rarely long-term. However, the digital codes could have potential. Perhaps the digital codes could expand readership? An avid Rebirth purchaser such as myself would be more willing to part with issue via the back issue market as I would then own a digital copy? The latter question begs further exploration on my part. Maybe.


But the major reason why I accept the $3.99 price point for Rebirth titles is because the twice-shipping titles are still $2.99. Once I realized that most of my anger vanished. Then came acceptance. After all, Marvel's titles have been $3.99 for quite some time.


Hey, doesn't Marvel ship titles twice a month too?


Why yes. Oh wait, I have been buying some of those titles too. They sell at $3.99 a copy. Twice a month.


As such when DC eventually raises its twice-a-month books to $3.99, while I will initially be irked, I will grudgingly accept it. I may switch to more trades and digital editions. My pull list and what I purchase of the rack may be reduced.


But I won't declare 'I am dropping such and such a book!'


At the end of the day and after years of disdaining a $3.99 price point for Marvel and DC comics, I realize I have come to accept such a price point. Comic books with a cover price of $4 or more are the new normal.


Till next time, keep reading.

Never Thought I Would Intentionally Buy a Gimmick Cover Again

Back during the 90's speculator boom I remember being in awe of the gimmick covers that would grace various comic books on the stands. Either the gimmick cover would sell out or I lacked the money to buy it. Since comic books were then seen as a hot-ticket investment, the general consensus was that surely the gimmick covers would be valuable collector's items like vintage comics!


Flash forward today in a post-speculator market, I could probably collect most gimmick covers for little more than what a modern comic books sells for. Heck, some are probably less!


So I am not particularly fond of gimmick covers as a result. I don't order them or cruise comic book shops looking for them.


Not saying I don't buy them of course. When DC released gimmick variants for its Villains Month during the midway point of the New 52, I bought the gimmick variant when it was pulled for me as well as any purchased copies of any I saw off the rack. Difference between 90's me and the New 52 me was that I bought the cover because I thought it looked pretty. Okay, 90's me thought gimmick covers were pretty too. Just financial instrument pretty. Selling the New 52 Villain gimmick variants never entered my mind. Which is why I didn't mind buying the normal covers too.


With that in mind, I am surprised that I am intentionally ordering, or at the very least buy, the lenticular covers for upcoming "The Button" story arc playing out in both Batman and Flash's 21st and 22nd Rebirth issue.


Okay, to be fair, I love the cover art shown. Seeing both Batman and Flash holding the Comedian's (yes, the character from The Watchmen) bloody smiley face button is simply awesome. My inner geek is excited. Gotta have it. Suppose it also helps that I have no clue what the normal cover looks like nor any of the variants. The one variant I did see struck me as ho-hum. Plus, if I am going to get the pamphlet in lieu of the trade I might as well as purchase the one with the shiny cover.


If there's any consolation to my gimmick cover-hatred, it's that I am not considering the lenticular covers as collectibles. Just something to satisfy my geekdom. Besides, if any cover will be a hot collectible, the international cover will probably be it as I don't imagine too many U.S. shops ordering it. Then again 90's me was awfully certain too...


Anyway,
Happy Reading

12ish Days of Blogging: The Promised Wonder Woman Review and Connection to New Year's Resolutions

I promised to phrase my blog subjects ala the twelve gifts of Christmas. Alas, it just doesn't work. Maybe if I timed the numbers out... So back to the old intro: on the eighth day of my 12ish Days of Blogging I give to thee: my promised review of Wonder Woman 75th anniversary special #1 and an essay-of-sorts of the character's connection to New Year's Resolutions not to mention the reviewed comic's connection to my very own New Year's Resolution for 2017.


First, I'll start with the review of Wonder Woman Special #1.


It's an anthology so my normal approach to reviews don't apply. My feelings on anthologies are you either love them or hate them. I really liked this special as it does an excellent job representing various facets of Wonder Woman. But I don't love every story equally. For ratings purposes, I'll give it an overall 4 Out of 5 Stars although I could also give it a 3 out of 5 stars. Its solid and I think people should read it but if money is an issue the lower rating applies.


What that's it? Well no. I just didn't read it like I would a typical comic. In fact, I read it more along the lines of my seventh installment of 12ish days on New Year's Day Sunday Comics. As such my review will be more along those lines. The above grade is more of a summary of the overall package.


Guess you could say there's some Spoilers too:




So:


Gives Us Strength - a lovely WWII piece where the messenger (three guesses who) saves the day when a group of Nazis surround a church in Occupied France. Very iconic.


Predators - An excellent example of Wonder Woman's rapport with animals as well as her commitment to all walks of life not just the two-legged variety.


The three unused Brian Bolland covers were neat.


One Side Alone - An interesting discussion on the changing nature on what constitutes justice all within the framework of a Giganta story. Wonder Woman bringing Giganta Empire Strikes Back AT-AT style with her lasso was very cool! Plus its nice to see her not use a sword. Nice reference to the concept of mercy too.


Wonder Woman: In Conversation by Lois Lane - author Greg Rucka returned to the Wonder Woman title as of Rebirth. Its a text piece and the crown jewel of the issue. In a nutshell its an interview in which some very interesting and complex topics are discussed. I'll expand on this later. Highly recommended. As an aside, had to reference what mendacity meant...


Oh, Themyscira: Liam Sharp channels his Spawn Dark Ages work.


The Age of Wonder - Lovely story about simply that, wonder.


Wonder Woman 75 song - Okay, I found this rather flat - although there's a nod to DC's Bombshells title.


The Legend of Wonder Woman & Wonder Woman: The True Amazon - Want an idea what both respective titles are like? Well, both short stories provide a stellar demonstration!


Democratic Design - A quirky story which points out the price tag of the havoc wrought.


Big Things One Day Come - A very touching story involving Superman, Titano, and a budding just starting out young super-heroine.


Which brings me to my...


Mini-Essay


Throughout the course of 2016, and even 2015, I'd comment that I really should read more comics. It wasn't until I was reading this very comic, the text piece to be precise, that I had my epiphany. I was struggling to read it. Not because it was boring, but because I was starting to become wide-eyed from reading something very complex and thought-provoking. Yeah, there's such a thing as light reading and heavier fare but reading is like a muscle. If you don't exercise it enough, reading becomes less and less frequent. Plus, its rather ironic that such a truth dawned on me while I was reading a comic centered on a character who is about truth. Thus that's how the comic is connected to my 2017 New Year's Resolution.


Truth is a huge component of New Year's Resolutions (NYR). How successful they are hinge on how well we fully understand ourselves. Much of the disillusionment that arises from failed NYR's are probably because we don't like what we perceive as the truth that such a failure brings. However, that brings me to the other facet of how Wonder Woman represents the concept of the New Year's Resolution.


Aspirations.  NYRs are aspirations. Something we aspire to accomplish during the New Year. However, much like how Wonder Woman seeks to bring peace, truth, and understanding, the success or failure of the aspiration is not what's important. The striving and looking over the next horizon is. Plus, every NYR reveals something new about oneself. Reveals a new truth much like Wonder Woman's magic lasso does.


A big thank you to the text piece Wonder Woman: In Conversation by Lois Lane for being my inspiration for what I just wrote.


Till the 9th installment of my 12ish Days of Blogging, happy reading!

Review: Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1

Before I begin I want to note to noteworthy achievements as of this entry. Discounting my review of the very first Superman story in Action Comics #1 (1938), this is my first comic book review of 2016. Well, I suppose I could say it's my first modern comic review of the year... Only took about eight months. Got a lot of reading to but, I digress. Second note-worthy item is: I don't think I have ever, ever read a Suicide Squad comic book before. Ever. Sure, I have read comics that they've appeared in. I did buy a copy of the issue that came out during the inaugural month of DC You. However, I have never read cover-to-cover an actual issue of Suicide Squad so I'll say a milestone has been reached.


As always, I'll try to avoid providing spoilers but they'll probably creep in...






Suicide Squad: Rebirth #1 (one-shot) by Rob Williams, Phillip Tan, & Co.
Art: Worst-part out of the review out the way, the art. I confess that I have a love/hate view of Phillip Tan's artwork. There are times I greatly enjoy and then much, much less so. So when I had a choice between the regular Tan cover and the Amanda Connor cover, I chose the latter. Don't get me wrong there's incredible detail. Tan captures some of the more gory moments quite well. It's just at times the art strikes me as muddy. Plus moments where the comics literacy flow is jarring at times as Harley would be using one type of weaponry in one panel and a different weapon in another. Although I suppose that could be chalked up to it's nature as a done-in-one.


Story: The Rebirth one-shot is a done-in-one that serves three purposes: introduce the readers to the cast, introduce the readers to what the book will be about, and tell in entertaining story worthy of the three U.S.D. that the reader spent on it while wetting the appetite for more. It succeeds on all three counts. SSR#1 introduces the reader to the core cast of Amanda Waller, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and Rick Flag. Within the roughly 32 pages, the book does a stellar job conveying what each character is about along with what they contribute to the book. The reader learns that the Suicide Squad is a behind-the-books black ops squad of coerced villains that perform sensitive tasks... For instance, the crisis in this particular story concerns a meta-bomb that can either grants superpowers for 24 hours or remove them temporary located in a Mongolian province.  An in-continuity milestone is that the Suicide Squad's leader Rick Flag is "recruited" to lead the team for the very first time. Let's just say the squad handles the threat in a way that only a group of villains would with Flag providing guidance and discipline. Boomerang is a mighty amusing plus he contributes to one of the gorier scenes in the book. Liked the parallel plots between Waller recruiting Flag and Harley, Boomerang, and Deadshot on a mission.


Overall: I greatly enjoyed this first issue. Fresh off of seeing the live-action film I was primed for more Suicide Squad action. Absolutely loved the appearance of, what will probably be among his last comic book appearances, President Barack Obama as well as his... reaction toward the squad. The realism of the book is nice; and it should be a hoot watching how a rough-and-tumble group of characters work in future stories intrigues me. I suspect we've been introduced to the core cast of the new Suicide Squad title (which launched this Wednesday). A stellar example of what an introductory done-in-one should be.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars (loses half a point merely for art quibbles). Truly top-notch!