Is The Dark Line In Trouble?

[Bruce Kent]

True. Overall, the Dark line is doing well so far. Now, I just posted that link, in order to show that the user who said SoS wasn't selling well was right.

Sure. The problem is that this thread seems to imply the entire line is doing bad and that's not true. The only thing threads like this is harm books, since some people think it's about to get cancelled and stop buying it/don't try it.

[Sissel]

Sure. The problem is that this thread seems to imply the entire line is doing bad and that's not true. The only thing threads like this is harm books, since some people think it's about to get cancelled and stop buying it/don't try it.

Wow, I didn't know people could react that way. It's rather sad, don't you think?

[Coyote2010]

I just wish the Dark Line were scary like some of the Vertigo one shots that have come out lately. Early issues of Swamp Thing and Animal Mad did it for me but the Rotworld has gone Blackest Night for me. Just not scary! I liked Phantom Stranger!

[Parch]

Some win, some lose. I like that DC is trying, but perhaps they're trying to get superhero fans and superhero sales from books that are more like indie titles. Maybe expectations would be lower if they had stamped the Vertigo logo on them.

I'm thinking that the fanbase expects the big two to stick to what they do best, and anything but superhero gets the cold shoulder. If they're not going to be a significant part of the superhero universe, maybe it's best if they were part of an imprint instead.

[Bruce Kent]

Wow, I didn't know people could react that way. It's rather sad, don't you think?

It happens. But yeah, it's silly and sad.

[Paladin King]

Yes, I do think it's in trouble. DC seems to be treating the Dark Line almost as a farm for its main titles. Snyder pulled off Swampy to Superman, Lemire shifting to only co-writing JLD (and by his own admission, he did very little for the upcoming arc) to write Green Arrow.

Animal Man is really the only guaranteed title right now. Swampy is being taken over by a relative unknown, I Vampire can only last so long, and Sword's sales have been awful. Dial H's sales aren't great either and I'm not sure how long Mieville will stick around with Karen Berger gone, particularly if he's faced with DC's editorial antics in place of Berger. I could see him bailing entirely due to editorial issues: working with Berger was a big part of working at DC for him and, moreso than other writers, Mieville really isn't a guy who needs DC given that even at his young age, he's already among the most respected and lauded living, actively writing SF/F novelists.