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[nomoment]

From this Wednesday's Wizard:

DC ALL STARS
An exclusive preview of DC's exciting answer to Marvel's Ultimate line
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It looks like an Ultimate line. It smells like an Ultimate line. But when you actually get a taste of what DC Comics has in store this year, you might start craving the All-Star alternative.

Spearheaded by VP Executive Editor Dan DiDio, DC shakes up the industry yet again by unleashing DC All-Stars -- a brand-new line of books separate from their main line and dedicated to, in DiDio's words "All-star writer and all-star artists working on all-star characters to tell an all-star comic story"

Fill in those blanks, and you'll get the first major ongoing launch from the line this June. Jim Lee, the superstar artist behind Batman's record breaking "Hush" storyline, returns to Gotham City on All-Star Batman & Robin (DC remained secretive about the book's writer at press time.) Later in 2005, look up in the sky for All-Star Superman #1, created by critically acclaimed collaborators Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely of New X-Men and JLA:Earth 2.

According to DC, these books define what All-Stars is all about: giving the best creators in the business access to the biggest characters in the DCU -- and then watching the titles fly off the rack.

I CAN'T BELIEVE ITS NOT ULTIMATE

For years, fans have anxiously awaited DC's version of Marvel's successful Ultimate line of books launched in 2000, while Marvel consistently crowds the top10 sellers list with titles like Ultimate Spider-Man.

All-Stars takes aim at Marvel by twisting the idea of an "Ultimate" story into something that preserves the long history of the DC Universe and also presents brand-new, not re-interpreted, tales.

And, contrary to speculation, the All-Stars books will not create a new or alternate continuity like the "Ultimate" books do, but will instead contain stories told in present day but utilizing what could be described as timeless, iconic, Pre-Crisis versions of the DCU's top characters. Just don't expect any dated, cornball flavor associated with the Silver Age of comics.

"These are the versions of characters that everyone who is a civilian would know and recognize immediately," says Jim Lee. "I think Marvel's Ultimate line goes a little further in terms of changing things. We're not going to do a new origin of Batman where he's got two brothers. It's not that. There should be some other creative hook, and I think this is really a cool one."

Still, All-Star books won't neccesarily worry themselves by beginning with drawn-out origin sagas either -- the modus operandi starts and ends with telling a good story.

To really grasp the concept of DC All-Stars, DiDio points to Alan Moore's 1986 Superman two-parter "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" - contained in Superman $423 and Action Comics #583 - a Silver Age-style long considered to be one of the greatest Superman stories of all time. DC states that Moore's story is the model for what its trying to accomplish with All-Stars, and cites the way the fabel takes nearly 50 years of Superman lore and gives it a fresh and contemporary spin exciting for both first-time and long-time readers.

The idea is to present a line of comics that's instantly accessible using the core concepts that made the characters successful.

"It's funny, when I first came onto these books, Batman and Superman, they had already changed a lot of the status quo," says Lee. "Things I really associated with the characters were no longer there - like the Fortress of Solitude and the giant penny in the Batcave. And yes, it seems hokey, but I still think you can pull it off today. It's all in the presentation. I think the more you get away from that stuff, the less interesting [the characters] become."

BEST OF THE BEST

The caliber of characters and creators attached to this line gives All-Stars and amazing potential for success, but DiDio makes it clear that, as tempting as it may be, he nevere intends to flood the market with All-Star titles. The company plans to take its time and get the stories right while actively pursuing the best talent to make it happen.

"I think DC is doing it smart by not doing eight books at once," says Lee. "But obviously, it always comes down to the stories and how well you tell them. If people love the idea and pick up the book and say 'Ugh, this doesnt do anything for me' then you're sunk."

In many ways the new line will replace DC's "Prestige Format", as All-Stars will strive to become and exclusive club of sorts where only DC's most well-known characters (sorry, Gentleman Ghost), and comic's most talented writers and artists need apply.

"All-Stars is all about delivering on the expectations of the characters," says DiDio. "These will be versions of the characters that people expect to read if they havent read a Superman or Batman comic in a while. These are the things they'll want to see, and this is us delivering to the fans exactly what they want in a great format with great talent so they can truly enjoy the characters they know and love. Simple as that."

Thanks to Josh Boncha at MillarWorld for typing this up.

 

[karasu]

hmmm

 

[DaveH]

I'm not entirely clear... is the only difference between this and the normal books is that they're unburdened by continuity? As long as I'm getting good stories....

 

[nomoment]

I'm not entirely clear... is the only difference between this and the normal books is that they're unburdened by continuity? As long as I'm getting good stories....

Bingo. The core attributes and original origins of the characters are retained, but you don't have to worry the anal bits of continuity that the general public doesn't care about.

 

[belgurdo]

So no "Superman/Clark "Melted Steel" Kent is a punk rocker who writes sad songs about Lana Lang, the girl he lost to an overdose 10 years ago, and fights/sings to preserve her memory" type of bullshit, right?

 

[nomoment]

So no "Superman/Clark "Melted Steel" Kent is a punk rocker who writes sad songs about Lana Lang, the girl he lost to an overdose 10 years ago, and fights/sings to preserve her memory" type of bullshit, right?

Exactly.

Don't confuse Ultimate Marvel with DC All-Stars.

 

[nomoment]

Oh, another bit of news. Jeph Loeb and Ian "Hamburglar's favorite artist" Churchill will be doing an ongoing Supergirl series in 2005.

 

[DarienA]

Oh, another bit of news. Jeph Loeb and Ian "Hamburglar's favorite artist" Churchill will be doing an ongoing Supergirl series in 2005.

+1 Supergirl
-1 this DC All-Stars bullshit... Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of continuity...

 

[Spike]

Sounds good to me. I'll be on board for this.

 

[Link316]

hope they get Art Adams on board

 

[Escape Goat]

Oh, another bit of news. Jeph Loeb and Ian "Hamburglar's favorite artist" Churchill will be doing an ongoing Supergirl series in 2005.

Yay Ian Churchill!

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

+1 Supergirl
-1 this DC All-Stars bullshit... Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses of continuity...

Yeah, really though. I'd take Crisis on Infinite Earths II: Electric Bugaloo before this. Comic writers need to start caring for their characters more than they have been in the last decade or so.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Yeah, really though. I'd take Crisis on Infinite Earths II: Electric Bugaloo before this. Comic writers need to start caring for their characters more than they have been in the last decade or so.

You can certainly argue on their success, but the reason for the Ultimate line and now the All-Stars line is so to get NEW READERS. They are for people who might be interested in picking up a comic after years or perhaps for the first time after having seen a TV show or movie making the characters popular. It's hard for someone that just wants to read a comic to have to make sense of years, if not decades worth of continuity when all they want to do is buy a comic, get a good story, and be done with it. I like this idea as long as they keep the lines separate. Fanboys can keep on reading their regular comics, and people that aren't as "hardcore" into the books can also now find something for themselves.

I think part of the reason manga has gotten so big in the U.S. is for the same reason...a series is completely self-contained and anyone can pick up a book, read it, and know exactly what's going on. The first volume really IS the first volume; it's not "volume 82873, number 1" like what happens in American comics.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

whatever. i'm a company man either way.
edit: yeah, whatever lyte edge.

 

[G4life98]

if continuity is such a problem for newer readers.. they should bring back those little reference boxes, that told you what issue a past event took place in.

I always appreciated those things

 

[Seth C]

if continuity is such a problem for newer readers.. they should bring back those little reference boxes, that told you what issue a past event took place in.

I always appreciated those things

Shhh...someone in this thread might beat you for that comment. It came from the House of Ideas.

 

[nomoment]

Yeah, really though. I'd take Crisis on Infinite Earths II: Electric Bugaloo before this. Comic writers need to start caring for their characters more than they have been in the last decade or so.

Care about the characters? Do you even know who Grant Morrison is?

He's a bigger Superman fan than 99.99% of the population.

 

[nomoment]

I think part of the reason manga has gotten so big in the U.S. is for the same reason...a series is completely self-contained and anyone can pick up a book, read it, and know exactly what's going on. The first volume really IS the first volume; it's not "volume 82873, number 1" like what happens in American comics.

Really!

I'd always attributed manga's popularity to big eyes, and the chance to catching a boobie.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Care about the characters? Do you even know who Grant Morrison is?

He's a bigger Superman fan than 99.99% of the population.

Nope, but if he's the kind of guy who cares for the characters, and treats them great, I like him. Simple as that.

Funny you mention Superman fan with Seinfeld as your avvy.

You can certainly argue on their success, but the reason for the Ultimate line and now the All-Stars line is so to get NEW READERS. They are for people who might be interested in picking up a comic after years or perhaps for the first time after having seen a TV show or movie making the characters popular. It's hard for someone that just wants to read a comic to have to make sense of years, if not decades worth of continuity when all they want to do is buy a comic, get a good story, and be done with it. I like this idea as long as they keep the lines separate. Fanboys can keep on reading their regular comics, and people that aren't as "hardcore" into the books can also now find something for themselves.

I think part of the reason manga has gotten so big in the U.S. is for the same reason...a series is completely self-contained and anyone can pick up a book, read it, and know exactly what's going on. The first volume really IS the first volume; it's not "volume 82873, number 1" like what happens in American comics.

I hope you're right. One of the things that burned me out on comics around '95 or so was writers thinking only 6 months ahead. Granted, when I was little, you could follow your favorites month to month no problem; maybe a few indie and manga sensibilities like that are needed...

 

[FnordChan]

I'd always attributed manga's popularity to big eyes, and the chance to catching a boobie.

Well, that too.

Seriously, to diverge from the topic briefly, manga's got to get it's appeal from somewhere, and there's a lot of teenage girls out there who aren't into the boobie. Big eyes, sure, but not the boobies. Here's at least two major reasons:

1) It's generally finate. Sure, there are series that go on for ages before finishing - Dragonball, anyone? - or some comics that have been chugging along for decades with no end in sight - say, Golgo 13 - but most popular series go around 10 to 30 volumes and are done. Finished. Stick a fork in it, etc.

and

2) There is generally the illusion of a single creator. Granted, said creator may have a legion of assistants underneath them to make sure that the comic gets out every week, but even so, it looks like one person is responsible. This is a far cry from the sort of rotating creative teams we have in the major Western superhero comics, and while that has it's own appeal (different interpretations of stock characters) there's a lot to be said for having a consistent look. If you like the writing and style of, say, Planetes, you know you'll be getting that until it's finished. If you like the writing and style of, say, Astonishing X-Men, who knows what you'll think about the title when issue 13 rolls around and Whedon and Cassaday are off the book.

This isn't mind-blowingly insightful commentary or anything, but I reckon it bears repeating occasionally. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for long running serial fiction - comics, books, TV, you name it - but I also appreciate manga's self-contained appeal.

FnordChan

 

[Lyte Edge]

whatever. i'm a company man either way.
edit: yeah, whatever lyte edge.

Thank you, FANBOY.

Really!

I'd always attributed manga's popularity to big eyes, and the chance to catching a boobie.

So you think the difference is eye size then? Superhero comics are almost always chock full of big-breasted scantily-clad women, and now they do some nudity too!

 

[Shig]

Hm, not too keen on the preceding moniker "All-Star". Too Americana schmaltzy. It works okay for Superman, but doesn't sound right with anyone else, upon first hearing/aseeing it someone would likely get a vision of a harkening back to campy 50's-60's incarnations.