put up in : Comics| Tagged : a new Bob Hope , coronavirus comics , diamond , distributor war , From The Edge , michael davis , steve geppi
Michael Davis espouses on a new hope for DC Comics , Diamond , Steve Geppi and the amusing book manufacture as a whole in hs new column .
Michael Davisis an artist , author , wise man , amusement executive , co - founder of Milestone Comics , co - creator of Static Shock , Hardware , Icon and Blood Syndicate and creator andhost of San Diego Comic - Con ’s The Black Panel . He writes for From The Edge for Bleeding Cooland forComicMix . He drop a line ;
Writers note : Many website pick up my column . One is a well - known amusement portal site . I was sent a note from a famous manufacturer who order if I cut out the not fishy asides I could ' go places ' and ' he ’d be looking to see if I " … did what I say . " Not " follow his advice " or " … give it some thought " but do what he say . I ’ve pass on a lot of thought to how I ’d react and come in up with the perfect reception that shows the grade of my righteous uppity anger .
Sir ,
No .
Best Regards , Michael Davis
On Facebook , Influential retailerBrian Hibbs took DC Comics to task over their decisionto distribute forthwith to retailers . I wanted to give props to the human . Well done , dude , well done indeed . As an aside , I had one of the most fabulous nights of my life when I attended a Wonder Con company at your store many moonshine ago . You ’re a class number , my acquaintance .
As everyone make out by now , DC announced they would distribute without Diamond . What ’s not being talk about ( or I have n’t seen ) is ONE tiny thing . DC is exclusive to Diamond . That is unless something interchange since the Great Heroes World Stupidity of 94 when they bless that deal . I ’m not secret to the inside information , but if DC thinks a worldwide pandemic is a cause to erupt that understanding , I will play it ’s a king play . A not too smart power play , in my opinion . Only an idiot would agree to an act of God clause in an agreement that allows you to empty the contract . Steve Geppi is no one ’s idiot , nor is Paul Levitz , who was in mission , back in the twenty-four hour period nor is Jim Lee who ’s run thing now . Perhaps the new peeps at AT&T&A do n’t know or care about Diamond ’s pull among retailers . They may accept Diamond needs them to such an extent they wo n’t take action at law . I ’m bet that ’s WRONG .
Geppi ’s a big buff of comics many times , taking a hit for the welfare of the industry . The fresh owners of DC are not from the comics stage business and may be under the impression that makes him vulnerable . The adult male buys sportswoman teams , and that ’s no game for the timid . DC does this new distribution ; they can look a severe recoil from all sorting of masses and companies . That ’s already go on .
I belong to a Facebook retail merchant group that has many influential players involved . combine , the group generates millions of dollars in funny book sale . Revenue is the one true God in any retail business . You would remember from societal media Steve Geppi and Diamond are hated to such an extent they would welcome DC ’s distribution move . Total dangerous bullsh - metric ton is customarily my call when responding to hooey like , " Donald Trump says the virus gives you great power . " But in this case , it works just as well . Steve Geppi is consider by many the rationality comics have NOT gone away like the mind of the GOP .
He may not be universally jazz , like me , but , ba , bah BAHahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ! ! Michael Davis universally sleep together ? ME ? THAT ‘S HILARIOUS pronounced - HO is LARRY ‘S wish ) for those who clamber with reading . But I digress , Geppi may not be universally loved , who is beside Maggie Thompson , Walter and Louise Simonson , Jackie Estrada , Rich Johnson , Andrew Rev , and my boy Rob Liefeld ? What ?
However , he is loved by many , and Geppi ’s respected to such a degree the talk among retailers in the group was they would let DC go before him . Now it ’s just talking , in all likelihood it ’s just foiling , but that ’s a clear signaling this is a BAD MOVE for DC . This DC , Diamond situation , I ’m sorry to say , may end up something of a self - proclaimed prognostication . The naysayers have been saying for decade strip ca n’t live . cable length would kill it ; the net will kill it , video recording games , digital cartoon strip , audiobooks , iPads , mobile phone , nerds , at last contract some poon tang , and about a thousand other things would kill comics FOREVER . This breach might not kill it , but it would undoubtedly put it on life musical accompaniment even more so than it is now .
This much seems open AT&T wish not one flake for the comic book industry . That ’s my opinion , I trust not fact . The margins are right smart too small ; they ’re carrying a sh - t onus of debt , and the current climate in the breed market is as bad as it can get . Those are the sighs of potential liquidation , dilution , or worse . It ’s worse . Those are the sigh of potential liquidation , dilution , or worse . I wrote that line and sent my first draft to Rich 3 days ago .
TODAY Friday April 24th Randall Stephenson , retired as CEO but becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors until to " ensure a smooth leadership transition " That is not salutary for DC Comics . Anytime a novel CEO is key there ’s a MAJOR reorganisation amount and if you ’re in the eye of some sh - t , you ’re among the first to be looked at . But there may be hope .
longsighted time readers of mine know that my chronicle with DC is , let ’s just say dicey . The odds of me ever working with them again was zero to less than zero . I keep a caboodle of anger over the last two decades towards DC . I ’ve determine it ’s about time I move on from that place , or it will end up put down me . Before I came to that decision , I posted a DC comics eat my warrigal AND my baby on Facebook . I did n’t say that exactly , but it was a negative Emily Post . An executive at DC , part of the new guard , reached out to me .
No , I ’m not in the center of anything , that ’s way above my remuneration grade . No , that ’s not correct , a well answer would be you could n’t pay up me to be in the middle of that . I did connect Steve Geppi with a DC VP but only because there ’s s moving picture labor that screams Steve ’s involvement . I ’ve track down divisions at major amusement company . I ’ve learned influential people often miss opportunity because of an incorrect assumption mix - up or timing . Timing is nothing but luck .
Example : I was a breathing time away from signing a publishing deal with Marvel when Image Comics chief , Larry Marder , just happened to support next to me . At a urinal . Yep . Man , I ’m SO tempted to insert a joke here . That chance face-off was the end of my Marvel lecture . I did my Motown line of books with Image .
I asked Geppi if he ’d speak to my new friend regarding the movie he said ' sure ' as did my unexampled pal at DC . What could it hurt ? It ’s what I call the lonely pretty missy feeler . Many of us Nerds and Geeks wo n’t draw close a beautiful girl because we ( YOU ) Figure she ’s taken , stuck up , or out of your league . But often they would welcome an exchange . What ’s the worst that can happen if you verbalise to her ? Rejection . What ’s the best that could happen ? Erection . What ? Just keeping it real .
What ’s the odds of the most powerful man in funnies calling an diligence leader FOR any reason besides to finalize a current dispute ? Not peachy , but it was a dull day , so I made the call . " Admit you ’re my pa , give me an allowance and avoid my resign the DNA trial , " I said . Then I woke up . Regardless of the film undertaking work out or not , it shows that Geppi is genuinely down to earth , and his love for the funnies manufacture is genuine . Most importantly , he ’s not one of those people who blame EVERYONE for issues he ’s having with one .
It occurred to me later that DC is one company , and if in the eye of a difference , most I assume would ignore any request to apportion with any part of DC . This was a favour for me , he ignored whatever else to grant me that kindness . He go on his tidings and did so during a time where he easily could have just aver no . So , like I say , there is hope . Malcolm X said , " If you have no critic , you ’ll likely have no success . " Steve , like most successful moguls , has pile of critics . But on the other hand , he ’s got the kind of supporters DC can not afford to lose .
I have no skin in this game , but I ’d be derelict if I did n’t say what motivated me to write a 2d article on this subject . Three thing ; Steve called when my mother died , I ’d rarely talked to him in years . His words were appreciated , but I was at the beginning of what would turn out to be a six - year slide into a personal Inferno and was n’t the most gracious person . On one of my rare positive moments , I call to apologize for being a dick he pretend he did n’t cognize what I was talking about . When Milestone omit me , I received another call . He asked if there was , anything he could do for me . I was bitter and now deep in my low-spirited state . " Yeah , do n’t distribute their books . " He said , " You ’re bigger than that . " I assure you at the time I was n’t . later on , when he read a pro Milestone piece I had indite , he texted , " Like I said , you ’re bigger than that . " He was correct ; I am bigger than that , but only because I lie with people like Steve Geppi .
Lastly , my unexampled friend do to convert me it ’s a new daytime at DC . Not an easy thing to do . How ? His passion for his projects told me everything I needed to bonk . I desire the bump in the route between Diamond and DC does not become a barricade . There are salutary hoi polloi on both sides . Yeah , you ’ve hear that before .
This time it ’s true .
savour this ? Please divvy up on societal media !
