Is DC creating an Ultimate line?

https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-to-ultimize-this-fall-with-the-absolute-universe/

I can only say as a reader that constant relaunches and restarts are irritating. I get that the indistry is suffering and is unsure iof what to do, but just tell good stories and market THAT.

Mbast1 wrote:https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-to-ultimize-this-fall-with-the-absolute-universe/

I can only say as a reader that constant relaunches and restarts are irritating. I get that the industry is suffering and is unsure of what to do, but just tell good stories and market THAT.

Problem with that approach, aside from deciding what qualifies as "good stories", is how do comic book companies possibly attract and keep the attention of "new" readers, as well as how do they keep those current readers who have been there for a while and are feeling like they've read this stuff once or twice already?

An "ultimates"-type of line, in addition to essentially continuing the current line, may be the best way to try and increase possible readership at this point.  It may provide a new starting point for some without discarding almost everything that's already happened (a move that can easily alienate some past readers).

Which I get, but my understanding is that Marvel's ultimate line didn't do very well, in that most of the buyers were already. collectors.
I just meant that constant reboots aren't helping them market anything. If this works, great, but I have doubts. Based on seeing this done before.

Mbast1 wrote:Which I get, but my understanding is that Marvel's ultimate line didn't do very well, in that most of the buyers were already. collectors.
I just meant that constant reboots aren't helping them market anything. If this works, great, but I have doubts. Based on seeing this done before.

If most buyers were already collectors, it still can be a benefit if it helps keep those buyers around.

Me, I'm back in a cycle where I'm buying almost nothing these days. Justice Society of America and the occasional facsimile reprint are all I'm picking up at present.

MajorHoy wrote:If most buyers were already collectors, it still can be a benefit if it helps keep those buyers around.

Well, I don't know that it did that, but the point was to bring in new readers.
And, it occurs to me, DC already DID this with the Earth-One line. And that didn't seem to do well.
Again, they will do what they think they have to to save their company, fine. I just don't know that the seemingly endless cycle of reboots is going to make any difference "this" time.

Mbast1 wrote:

MajorHoy wrote:If most buyers were already collectors, it still can be a benefit if it helps keep those buyers around.

Well, I don't know that it did that, but the point was to bring in new readers.
And, it occurs to me, DC already DID this with the Earth-One line. And that didn't seem to do well.

The Earth-One line wasn't made up of regularly published comic books in comic magazine form. It was a larger (more expensive) hardcover volume that was later followed by a tpb format, wasn't it?
With irregular publishing and a major price difference between the Earth-One volumes and regular "monthly" comic books, it's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison.

MajorHoy wrote:it's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison.

True, but my point is that this is far from the first time they've tried it. This MIGHT work, but given past experience I can't see why. They need to find something other than reboots to get new readers and/or keep old ones.

Mbast1 wrote:

MajorHoy wrote:it's not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison.

True, but my point is that this is far from the first time they've tried it. This MIGHT work, but given past experience I can't see why. They need to find something other than reboots  to get new readers and/or keep old ones.

Why do you keep talking about "reboots"?
If this line isn't replacing the current comic books line, it's not a reboot, is it?

MajorHoy wrote:Why do you keep talking about "reboots"?
If this line isn't replacing the current comic books line, it's not a reboot, is it?  

Comics lingo being what it is, it's arguable. But, I think it IS a reboot, in the sense that it's the same cast of characters in a new continuity. Not really the point, but still part of the problem. They (the entire industry, but DC in particular) can't seem to just tell the stories, they have to create events constantly. And that doesn't seem to be helping.