This Week's DC Channel 52

A couple of week's ago, the All Access column in the back of every DC comic covered the 'Supergirl-as-Red Lantern' story.

This week, Red Lantern Supergirl story is *the* story of the Channel 52 promo piece at the end of DC Comics.

That's a lot of promotion for the Supergirl character, more than I have seen since her return by Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner. As I have said, I don't necessarily agree with this direction for the character. But if this is a transformative story, done well, and ends up with Supergirl in a better place, I will abide.

One thing I do think is interesting is the reaction to the 'Channel 52' characters ... maybe more aligned with the comic reading populace?

Bethany Snow looks shocked and wonders how Supergirl will deal with the 'napalm and fire-breathing' of the Red Lanterns. I am pretty shocked about this too.

And Ambush Bug looks nauseated.

I am happy that Supergirl is getting her share of publicity. I am hoping I will see a heroic Supergirl in a classic uniform sooner rather than later.

Channel 52 Retraction

When DC started the 'Channel 52' promotional pages in the back of their books, I thought it was a great idea. It would serve as publicity for the DC books and might entice me to buy something I otherwise might not. But it also included Vartox, Ambush Bug, Bethany Snow, and Calendar Man as a phony news crew, injecting some humor into the plugs.

And, best of all, it had Freddie Williams II art. I love his art.

Pretty quickly however, it became apparent that the pages weren't exactly plugging books in a truthful way. I commented on my problems with the 'ads' here and here.

If I couldn't believe the publicity DC was giving me about the books, why would I ever bother to actually buy them?

Well, it seems like maybe I wasn't alone in my complaints because last week's Channel 52 was an actual retraction of prior 'episodes'. To quote the Bethany Snow character:

I'd like to address some of the confusion we seem to have had on air lately.

The world we live in changes by the minute which means that getting you the most accurate news and information can be what saves you family when disaster strikes.

We are pleased to comply with the request to clarify a few possible inaccurate statements we made in the heat of producing a live news show.

We're truly sorry for any misunderstandings.

She points to the screen filled with tiny text as the 'inaccurate statements'.

Okay, it sounds like an apology done in a humorous fashion and I am okay with that. Assuming that future 'episodes' are more in line with the books they are showcasing.

And if I complain when DC does something wrong, I should apologize when they do something right.

Thank you DC for recognizing and rectifying.

More Channel 52 Misinformation

After reading Supergirl #19 I was thrilled that Supergirl and Power Girl worked together to fight a common enemy and help each other. It was a welcome change from the usual darker stuff we have seen in the New 52.

Then I read the Channel 52 promotion at the end of the issue and discovered that DC still doesn't know how to market this book. Or care to market it correctly.

You might recall I had a hard time with a prior Channel 52 which talked about Supergirl as being a furious and out of control. Now this week it talks about Supergirl 'battling' another Supergirl.

So despite not one punch being thrown at each other, DC wants to market this issue as having a fight between Supergirl and Power Girl ... a fight I might add that many were happy not to see.

It once again shows that DC doesn't want to trust what its creators are doing. Or doesn't know how it wants to present Supergirl. They still keep shoving that angry isolated girl in our face even when stories don't hold it up.

Also, while I love Freddie Williams III art, the Power Girl costume he drew never even made it into the first issue of Worlds' Finest. That's the original Perez design that was scrapped.

I do like Vartox' character and his obsession with Power Girl as a running gag.

Anyways, for anyone who read this promotional piece and thought there would be a fight, I am sure they were disappointed. And for me, I read the issue and was glad there wasn't a fight but then read this and was disappointed.

This Week's Channel 52

When DC announced the 'Channel 52' pages to appear at the end of their books, I thought it was a decent idea. Sure, I still miss old-fashioned letters pages but this seemed to be a new-tech version of the old 'Daily Planet' pages. While I peruse lots and lots of comic web sites, maybe something from these pages would push me to try a new book.

Because that's what this is right? Built in advertising writ as content. A comic version of product placement. It even comes in a nice slick package. Freddie Williams II is one of my favorite artists. The 'anchors' are fun characters. Bethany Snow was a Brother Blood disciple in the old DCU. Add Ambush Bug, Calendar Man, and Vartox and you have a cast that is charismatic.

The truth is it hasn't worked for me as much as I hoped. The 'news items' are pretty vague and don't tell me enough about books to make me think about sampling.

And then there was this week's version ...

Now remember, this is supposed to be publicity for books. This is supposed to sell the characters, maybe giving a bullet point about who/what they are to try to entice new readers. Look at how poor Supergirl is portrayed.

This is how DC wants to market her ...

Supergirl is described as a 'hostile young lady'. Hostile. And a 'lady'.  She is 'opposed to Superman's mission', opposed to, in shorthand, truth, justice, and the American way. It is even hinted she might be leading a Kryptonian invasion.

Her picture has her scowling, fist clenched, holding rubble.

Contrast it to Superboy, the living weapon, the bank robber, the one who wanted to shun Superman early on in his own book, is portrayed in an iconically heroic pose. There is literally a spotlight on him. He has his hands on his hips. They question his loyalties as well, but not as in-depth.

Hostile young lady opposed to Superman's mission

Now maybe you are thinking that Snow's words aren't that far off. In H'El on Earth, she was opposed to Superman. And she has been hostile.

But remember, this is supposed to be how they are marketing Supergirl for new readers. I am more concerned that that is how DC imagines her. That is how they want to sell her. And it isn't going to work. It hasn't in the past.

And it also ignores fighting the World Killer's, saving New York City, fighting the Black Banshee, and all the other good things she has done.

All of these things make me depressed.

"Strike a heroic pose Kon!"

Ironically, Superboy, the mind controlled living weapon brainwashed to kill Superman, is getting something of a heroic makeover in his own book. He is returning the money he stole from the bank. He has a new outlook. Maybe DC realized the 'bad boy' route wasn't selling.

I am not begruding Superboy being shown in a positive light. In fact I applaud it. I look forward to him being more of a hero.

But why market Supergirl with that failed strategy?