Wednesday comics: what a waste

[anarky]

Here's the first one:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/200 ... man1_N.htm

I don't get it. The comic itself seems rather good (though somewhat weak for a full-page strip, since this could've been a three-panel affair, easy), but this is what DC's been hyping? Comics in print newspapers? Not a horrible idea, but who buys newspapers during the week anymore, especially USA Today? Also, part 1 is in print and online, and the other 11 will only be online on the newspaper site? How, exactly, does this bring in new readers? Maybe a few, but won't they be disillusioned when this is only a 12-part affair, and they go into comic shops and find DC comics are nothing like this anymore?

I mean, kudos to them for actually trying to attract new readers for once, but it comes across as sort of a half-assed idea that could've been great. F'rinstance, how about them not making it a gimmick unique to one paper (and I'm guessing different papers will have different characters?), how about using their massive resources to have this as an insert in multiple papers across the country? I'm more likely to read a local paper than a POS like USA Today. Something like Marvel did with the Spider-Man inserts a couple of years back, only new stories, and on a wider scale. Or for the hybrid print/web model, why not send readers to your own website, where you can provide plenty of "If you like this, you'll love this!" type of blurbs?

[vynsane]

also, their awful interface isn't working for me. and why can i only see like, 1/5 of a page at a time?

[anarky]

Or it'll be a 12-issue weekly series of 16 single-page stories per issue. From looking around, it looks like only USA Today will run only the Superman story, and only the first part in print. No other newspaper appears to be on board, unless the information currently available is wrong, which seems unlikely since it's actually started.

For 16 1-page stories, it'll only run you $3.99. Yep, kiddos, that's about a quarter per page. Or, if you want to look at it the other way, about $2.99 per each 12-page story. And it looks like at least one of the writers isn't adept at using the single-page format to fullest potential.

Can you say "total clusterfuck"? I knew you could. This is not going to get anyone new on board.

Shame, since the material I've seen actually looks pretty good.

[anarky]

Most reviews I've seen for the comic stories are overwhelmingly positive. Aside from the minor pacing issue in the Superman page I read (which was probably due to the writer making this twelve pages, then saying, "Shit! I've got to put a cliffhanger on each page!"), what I've seen is good stuff.

I stand by my statement, though, that as a marketing tool, which this supposedly was, it's a total clusterfuck. More preaching to the choir from DC Comics.

[vynsane]

i can't say anything about it as i've only been exposed to it through the comic book store. i bought the first four issues and have yet to even read them, which is actually kind of a commentary in and of itself.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I picked all twelve issues up for 50 cents each, but I haven't read any of them yet.