It’s the announcement that will stir fanboy comments for days. DC is rolling back the odometer on their entire line of superhero books to #1. To be honest, this move doesn’t affect us that much. In our opinion it is at once a ballsy and desperate move. A move needed to be made in comics publication and DC, apparently, was the one to do it. There can’t be anything wrong with bringing new readers to love the superheros books we loved reading as a kid, can there?

The bit of information that we found most interesting was the same-day digital distribution aka day-and-date. This basically means the digital book will release the same day as the printed book. This is a big deal, comics folks.

Make no mistake, this entire endeavor is focused on the digital market. DC isn’t dumb. They know print is dying. They know they have no chance at beating Marvel in the print market, as years and years of examples have proven. Rejuvenating the characters (literally) and providing a fresh start all across the line isn’t about a quick sales bump in the direct market; it isn’t about the direct market at all. It’s so that people logging into comiXology to check out these digital DC comics they’ve heard about don’t see an issue number in the 900s after Action Comics and throw up their hands.

It’s worth noting:

In an interview with USA Today, Dan DiDio stated that while roughly three-quarters of titles will see a creative team switch-up, one quarter — the books that are working — won’t be touched by the reboot.

Because despite what most ardent fanboys may think, DC is not completely stupid.

Comics Alliance writer David Uzumeri points out a possible roadblock in the same-day digital distribution angle that we hadn’t figured.

they’ll have essentially supplanted the Jell-O hand of the Comics Code Authority with the actual iron hand of Apple’s content restrictions. One of the theoretical benefits of digital distribution should be decreasing overhead time; by working through Apple, they’re just going to make things worse. It’s in the best interest of DC, comiXology and the entire industry to find a way to get around Steve Jobs and his draconian approval process — or establish some kind of partnership that will allow them a higher degree of creative autonomy.

As a company Apple has a right to handle their online store business as it sees fit. But all of us have the right not to be hindered by what Steve Jobs considers is moral and worthy of Apple distribution. Luckily, these days, we have a choice. The Android marketplace may be a bit wild but this is as it should be. Innovation comes from such wild places. Since ComiXology has an Android presence, we wonder if what may be slow to appear on the iPod/iPhone/iPad app will be instantly accessible on the Android app. Thus giving Android a slight advantage regarding DC’s new day-and-date policy.

DC’s Flashpoint may have far more overreaching effects than we first considered. Be sure to give Uzumeri’s Comics Alliance post a full read.

via USA Today: Comics :: Comics Alliance

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