| Posted: 26 August 2014 at 6:04pm | IP Logged | 9
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This may be something that DC feels they've been successful with in the past. The most visible example is John Stewart, but there's also Mr. Terrific, Firestorm, and Aqualad. Other examples exist where the attempts didn't take like the Spectre or Dr. Midnight. They've also had moderate success appending new, black heroes and heroines to existing franchises with Steel and Blackwing. Even in those cases, the new heroes took the names of previously existing characters. In the case of Blackwing, unusually, the previous character was also black.
From DC's perspective they may see this as a way of altering the line-up to increase diversity while at the same time securing existing copyrights and trademarks. They may even feel it's progressive to have long-standing characters/franchises (the two are synonymous in this case) be re-branded as diverse and representative of customers who may feel under-represented.
In some cases, it affords characters who haven't been "cool" in some time a shot at renewed popularity. (Again, Firestorm in this case isn't Ronnie Raymond. It's whoever is in the costume, heading the comic. Ronnie Raymond was just an aspect of that overall "Firestorm" package from a marketing perspective.) Aqualad was never cool. Now, with someone else in the role, maybe he can be.
Also, there may be the idea that launching a new, black character cold, with no ties to existing franchises or legacies undercuts their chances for success. "Aqualad" as a name is a known quantity. Alter the face attached to that name and fans will talk, as we are here. That will presumably help sales in a way the character might not otherwise enjoy had he debuted as "DeepC" or "Octuplet."
If the outcry against the new guy "stealing" Garth's identity is loud enough, we can always put everything back as it was. If the fans say he's too good to be tied to Garth, we can always update him and change his name later. The key is to get him established early and hopefully get the fans talking.
As it is, they're introducing these characters into a pre-existing, company-wide continuity in a way they feel ensures their best chances for success. "It's okay to like the new Power Girl! See? The old one likes her too!" In the case of Power Girl, they also may see themselves kicking themselves out from under the feminist community's disapproval of the existing PG's visual. "See? Just a kid! No cleavage, no problem, right?" There may be a perception out there that Kara is 45 years old now, and past her selling date. "New and Improved PG, now with the stain-fighting power of Diversity" may be seen to have a longer shelf life.
I, too, would prefer that they simply stop re-branding characters if only because it makes everyone less individual, increases buyer confusion ("Yes, sir. Power Girl. We have that. Which Power Girl would you like?"), and ages the "older" versions unnecessarily. If the new Power Girl catches on, she'll likely spawn spin-offs and hangers-on as well, kicking "Grandma" Kara even further back in time. It's comics, so we can always fudge stuff like that, but still, it's unfortunate when favorite characters get bumped up to a less relevant tier on the legacy graph.
I wonder if any of this re-branding is prompted by the lack of success Vixen is seen to have had. Her 70's era solo book never actually came out. She debuted in an issue of Action Comics long after the dust from the DC Implosion settled, but there nevertheless seems to be this lingering idea that new, black characters without existing name recognition or ties to proven sellers simply won't work.
Of course, they'll never know until they try it. :-)
Edited by Brian Hague on 26 August 2014 at 6:07pm
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Topic Closed)
