Why hasn't DC done more Vertigo in The New 52?

[TheFatFilmGuy]

It just keeps gnawing at me. If you are re-launching stuff why not do The Sandman or Preacher or The Losers or The Authority. Certainly Sandman and Preacher have a big enough following that you would think they could move enough books. If there is an obvious answer I haven't heard or thought of I would love to know it.

[mr.pants]

Well, they can't do anything with Sandman without Gaiman's OK even though they don't have to give(yet, they feel fine raping Moore). They don't own Preacher. Authority is Wildstorm, and a few of those characters are in StormWatch. The Losers would be pretty cool actually.

[Reginleif]

its called the Dark Line...

[FanboyStranger]

There's two different things going on. As Mr Pants mentioned, they have given Gaiman the benefit of consultantship on his characters. Nobody touches them without his blessing first. They technically don't have to do that, but Karen Berger has been stand-up in dealing with Neil and his legacy with DC Comics.

Preacher and The Losers are creator-owned, which means the creators would have to assent to allow anyone to work with their characters. In the case of The Losers, the name was taken from an old DC war comic, but all the characters and material were created and controlled by Diggle and Jock. It's the same deal as Steve Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen's House of Secrets. Matt Sturges' House of Mystery may be up for play as it does use pre-existing DCU characters like Cain, but all the new material he created would be under his control.

[Fate's Faith]

Well, they can't do anything with Sandman without Gaiman's OK even though they don't have to give(yet, they feel fine raping Moore). They don't own Preacher. Authority is Wildstorm, and a few of those characters are in StormWatch. The Losers would be pretty cool actually.

Doesn't the existence of Hector Hall as Sandman sort of throw that idea out?

[FanboyStranger]

Doesn't the existence of Hector Hall as Sandman sort of throw that idea out?

No, because Hector Hall was not Gaiman's character. He was Roy Thomas', and Roy doesn't have that sort of deal with DC/Vertigo. The characters that are protected for Neil are the Endless (except Destiny, who has a pre-existing DCU character), Hob Gadling, Thessaly, etc. Those characters can (and have) been used with Neil's permission, but as the current policy stands, if you don't get Neil's permission, you don't use the characters.

[Jabare]

They took, Swamp Thing and Constantine. Aside from Papa Midnight who else do they need. Sandman doesn't really fit well in the DCU in my opinion

[Reginleif]

I am told by some, WW is.

[Fate's Faith]

No, because Hector Hall was not Gaiman's character. He was Roy Thomas', and Roy doesn't have that sort of deal with DC/Vertigo. The characters that are protected for Neil are the Endless (except Destiny, who has a pre-existing DCU character), Hob Gadling, Thessaly, etc. Those characters can (and have) been used with Neil's permission, but as the current policy stands, if you don't get Neil's permission, you don't use the characters.

Well, the only one I care about is Death but Morpheus is dead, right? Cause I thought Hector and Lyta's son was the new Lord of Dreams. I've been away for years and just have a vague idea of those events. But haven't they've managed to have a form of the Dreaming without having any of Gaiman's characters? Don't guess it matters since I think Gaiman pretty much told his story and left very little except for a few crumbs to ever relaunch that Sandman title.

[FanboyStranger]

Well, the only one I care about is Death but Morpheus is dead, right? Cause I thought Hector and Lyta's son was the new Lord of Dreams. I've been away for years and just have a vague idea of those events. But haven't they've managed to have a form of the Dreaming without having any of Gaiman's characters? Don't guess it matters since I think Gaiman pretty much told his story and left very little except for a few crumbs to ever relaunch that Sandman title.

Yeah, Morpheus is gone, and Daniel is the new dream. Daniel's turned up in JLA and JSA, but again, with Neil's permission.

[Desaad]

The monthly titles aren't really a concern for Vertigo. It's the trades.

So having a new number 1 relaunch of the titles would make very little difference, I suspect.