The best three days of the year came to a close once again on Sunday, as the sun set in Chicago on the massive C2E2 banner hanging in McCormick Place. Like any good con, C2E2 provides a snapshot of popular culture, and especially providing a look at what the trends are in comics. After three very full days of panels and floor-journeying, here is what we saw as the state of comics:
6. DC Comics
DC continues to capitalize on a hell of a year. Rebirth worked, and they know it. Every one of their panels was packed, completely full up. And for each one, they presented a surprising amount of tact and honesty. Dan DiDio and the rest of the moderators spoke at length about the lack of faith and interest from fans toward the end of the New 52, and how fans missed the legacy of their deep pool of characters, while still longing for new and innovative stories. The result of course was Rebirth, devoted to more consistent creative teams, legacy focus, and risk-taking stories. The zenith of this is the new DC banner “Dark Matter,” which focuses heavily on art and fully-collaborative stories. The general sense provided at the panels was that these books were going to take big risks, and not be afraid to get weird with it. Looks no further than Capullo’s Batman promo image, in which the Dark Knight is holding a pair of battle axes.
Confusingly, DC continues to lack promotion, despite their success. Exclusive ashcan books were handed out at their “surprise” panel that re-announced “Dark Matter,” but that was about it. Considering their Post-Rebirth surge and the upcoming Wonder Woman film, you’d expect more of everything. This could be read as a lack of faith, though it seems more likely to express their continued struggle with allocation and lack of resources.
