DC set the standard for the modern-day superhero- Superman was the first costumed superhero, Batman was the first costumed vigilante, and the Justice Society was the first super team. Pop culture would look very different without DC and their mighty superheroes saving the universe from unfathomable disasters. Full of some of the most iconic superheroes and the most dastardly villains, the DC Universe is a fertile ground for stories.
However, DC keeps making some rather fundamental mistakes, ones that they should have learned from by now, in both comics and movies. DC should be entertainment’s biggest titan but they often cut themselves short.
10 The DCEU Is Way Too Dark At Times
DC’s movies got put on hold after the failure of Batman And Robin in the ’90s but came roaring back with Batman Begins. Batman as a character can be quite dark and this movie, and the resulting two movies made by director Christopher Nolan, were also rather dark and Warner Brothers executives thought it was the darkness that made them popular.
When they started the DCEU in earnest, with 2013’s Man Of Steel, they made it grimmer than any story with Superman in it should be and the rest of the DCEU followed that example for years afterwards. While things have lightened up, with even the Synder Cut of Justice League being much lighter than his other DCEU movies, the early darkness of the DCEU turned off fans who were used to the lighter, simpler fare of the MCU.
9 They Need To Stop Repeatedly Antagonizing Alan Moore
Alan Moore is one of the greatest writers in the history of comics, with many best of all time stories under his belt. Nearly all of his mainstream comic work, the stuff he’s most well known for, have been published by DC and the company and the creator are on rather bad terms because of the Watchmen contract and Moore’s perception that the company never meant to give him the rights to the character.
Since then, the company and Moore have almost gotten to a point of reconciliation but DC always seems to do something that antagonizes Moore, causing him to pull out. While Moore has retired from comics, seeing him and the company on good terms again would do wonders for the perception of DC with many.
8 They Need To Stop Milking Watchmen
Speaking of Alan Moore and Watchmen, DC really needs to stop milking the concept. Watchmen is one of the greatest comics of all time, a perennial seller, and a title that is recognizable to people who don’t even read comics. However, DC keeps trotting Watchmen out and it’s getting kind of tiring.
While the recent TV sequel got rave reviews and people are enjoying Tom King and Jorge Fornes’ Rorschach, there are stinkers like Before Watchmen or the people who hate Doomsday Clock on general principle. It also keeps reminding people of the whole Alan Moore kerfuffle, which is a bad idea in general.
7 Stop Ignoring The Desires Of The Fandom
While Zack Snyder’s DCEU movies had mixed receptions at best, the recent success of the Snyder Cut and the way it completely redeemed Justice League, a movie that was considered mediocre at best, should teach DC a valuable lesson- listening to the fans can be a good thing.
In both movies and comics, DC does things that are mystifying to the majority of their fans. The fans complain and DC just keeps going, compounding things, and angering their fanbase. Many of these fans have given up on DC because they feel like their opinions don’t matter and they don’t like the stories they are getting. Listening to the fans could do wonders for the company.
6 They Need To Stop Messing With Dick Grayson And Wally West
Dick Grayson and Wally West are two of the best legacy characters in comics with both of them boasting legions of fans. Dick Grayson began his superhero career as Robin and kept growing and changing over the years, establishing his own identity as Nightwing and even taking over as Batman. Wally West was Kid Flash and became the Flash upon Barry Allen’s death. His time as Flash saw the character get more popular than he’d been since his Silver Age debut.
Both characters have been treated very badly by DC in the last decade, with Wally getting the brunt of it. People love these two and DC’s constant messing with them hasn’t done them any favors with fans. While both are being treated better right now, that’s no guarantee for the future.
5 They Need To Do More With Superman
Superman is the first costumed superhero and one of the most recognizable fictional characters on the planet. One would imagine that Superman would be a bigger focus for the company but he isn’t and something needs to be done about that.
There are an untapped wealth of stories that can be told about Superman. The character is more versatile than just about any other character that DC has and the image recognition of the character alone is enough that he should be made a focus for the company in ways that he doesn’t get a chance to be.
4 Bring Back The Justice Society
Thanks to mid-’00s Justice Society books by Geoff Johns, the Justice Society is one of the most beloved teams in comics. Combining the greatest heroes of DC’s Golden Age with younger legacy heroes, the team struck a chord with audiences and they became a huge part of the DC Universe, rivaling the Justice League for popularity.
Since Flashpoint, the team has been MIA and DC has teased bringing them back multiple times. They never pull the trigger on that return, for whatever reason, and fans are getting tired of it. DC just needs to give fans back the Justice Society.
3 Take More Advantage Of Its B-List
DC has one of the best rosters of B-list heroes and villains in comics. From Green Lantern, the Flash, and Martian Manhunter, to the Riddler, Vandal Savage, and Black Manta, DC has a wealth of lower-tier characters that are either well known enough to be taken advantage of or just need a bit more push to get them into the public eye.
While they’ve been a lot better about this in recent years, DC still so much more untapped potential just waiting to be into movies, TV shows, video games, their own comics, and more.
2 Stop Putting Batman In Everything
It’s a fact of life that goes without saying, but here it is- Batman sells. People love the Caped Crusader. His book is often the best-selling comic of the month and he’s in more mini-series, one-shots, and team books than any other DC character. He’s been a part of some of the biggest comics of all time and nearly every DC Black Label book since the imprint’s beginning has been Batman related in some way.
While Batman=money is an equation that appeals to bean counters, putting him in everything keeps the spotlight off characters who need it. There are scores of DC characters who should have Black Label books instead of Batman or places on big teams instead of him. Batman doesn’t need to completely go away but he shouldn’t be in everything.
1 They Need To Stop Rebooting Every Few Years
Crisis On Infinite Earths is easily one of the greatest superhero stories of all time, if not the greatest, and one of the reasons for this is the changes it wrought to the DC Universe. Ever since, DC has done more stories in the same vein, some better received than others. It’s a hallmark of the publisher but in recent years, it feels like a crutch.
Since the turn of the century, DC has rebooted or redefined its continuity in a major way at least four times, with various smaller scale retcons taking place in books a lot. DC needs to slow down with this sort of thing, as it can turn off new fans and alienate older ones who like things the way they were.
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