KurtArthur
The DC Universe is starting to make a name for itself as it’s delivering the first season of Titans. The trailers were mocked for being too dark and gritty, but as the season progresses one can’t help but see what we loved about the Teen Titans is starting to come into focus.
That’s just the start. We’re about to get Young Justice Outsiders and Harley Quinn as animated series. All great choices. And yet, it still seems like the price tag is a tad too much for the casual fan.
Just look at the sales of comics the past five years to know the market is dwindling. If The DC Universe is going to not only survive, but thrive, they need to start announcing new projects. They have a great reputation in the animated department, so, why not start there? Also, they could start thinking about a few mini-series, such as Mister Miracle, Omega Men, Justice League of America, etc. to help stoke fan-flames!
Batman
The original Batman: The Animated Series is considered one of the greatest TV shows in history, and for good reason. Since then, there have been other decent animated shows dealing with the adventures of the Caped Crusader. As of now, we’re getting one Batman book weekly, so the source material for new potential animated shows just keeps growing and growing! In the last decade alone, DC delivered three classic runs by Morrison, Snyder, and King, which are just begging to be made into a show.
Furthermore, the DC Universe does not have to worry about censors, which allows them to go as dark or mature as they want without fear of retribution. I’m not saying the new Batman animated show should necessarily be like DCU’s Titans, but the creators wouldn’t have to be bogged down by people who have no clue what it takes to tell a great comic story, and therefore, they can be as creative as they see fit. Can you imagine how much excitement this would garner if it was announced tomorrow?
Superman And Wonder Woman
These two characters may not sell as well as Batman (no one does), but they’re widely beloved. The New 52 and Rebirth introduced a plethora of stories which would serve Wonder Woman extremely well. We already know there’s a huge market for her, and yes, that recent boon could be partially attributed to the goddess herself, Gal Gadot, but fans of the comics know it’s a mixture. Diana is one of the greatest characters in all of fiction, and an animated show would allow a deep dive into her character that we haven’t seen before on any screen, including her 70’s TV show.
At first, the New 52 Superman was not well-received. But as time passed and Geoff Johns took over, he became the Boy Scout we know and love. He’s also another character who has a weekly book, which means an endless amount of source material. It seems like a no-brainer to give Superman his very own animated show.
Justice League And Others
Geoff Johns delivered one of the most epic runs in the history of Justice League in The New 52, which is being continued by Scott Snyder. We haven’t gotten a proper Justice League animated series since the early 2000’s, which used a lot of Grant Morrison’s work. Read the comic books and I think you’ll see the potential of how amazing this series could be given the chance. Plus, just imagine the hype!
Earth-2 is another comic book that would’ve done extremely well if it only could have found an audience. I don’t want to spoil anything because the comic book series goes for broke, but it’s something worth checking out at your local comic book store. Lastly, together, these series could make up their very own universe, and they could use the same tactics as the Arrowverse to help build another successful string of shows.
Currently, the DC Universe seems to have incredible potential, yet at $7.99/mo it doesn’t really offer much for the casual fan. It’s a tough reality check to look at the sales of the comics industry; they’re lucky if the biggest book of the month surpasses 100,000 copies, and remember that’s only what’s shipped, not what’s sold. Introducing fan-favorite animated series to their content would help them appeal to more casual fans. This isn’t about what the comic book fan necessarily wants, but it’s possibly what’s best for the longevity of their service. Besides, do you think Disney is going to hold back in the same way?
Do you think introducing these animated series would help the DC Universe? Tell us why or why not in the comments and thanks for reading!
