It's a very bold move on DC's part and one that I imagine comes from the frustration of so many books that lateness or swapped-in artists have made returnable. Considering the marginal profitability of so many titles, something had to be done.

I admire Dan D and the gang for having the guts to do it. It won't make DC much loved in the artist community but hey, who cares? DC needs books, not rose-growers.

I talked to an artist at a convention recently.  He's great but not fast. He said he has done the monthly schedule before, but with his page rate about 10 times what it used to be he's expected to put more into each page.  There are artists who can work fast and well, he said.

I'm not sure if Neal Adams, George Perez, or Carlos Pacheo ever drew 12 comics in a year.  But I really like their stuff.  The key to me is not promising to do more than you can.

I also heard Tony Isabella talking about having to trun out an entire issue of the Fantastic Four in 3 days (all the writing and art).  But I don't remember the artist.

As Frank Miller has so aptly pointed out, back then the driving force to do your best work was pure love of the form, and the "friendly rivalry" between the artists.

"At the same time, Charlton was still paying the "old rates", so there I got $50 a page -- their top rate! This is what they paid Steve Ditko! -- for pencils, inks and lettering!"

That is what really impresses me about the guy. I may not agree with his politics or his choice to be very polemic in some of his books, but the man was willing to work for chump change (compared to what he might otherwise get) in order to preserve what he could of his integrity and artistic freedom (as he saw it). I've seen a lot of guys talking about the ideals of "the Fountainhead", but he really lives it.

If they ever did a "remake" of the Fountainhead, they should pick the Steve Ditko story.

JB wrote:
"But, thanks to the indoctrination by Todd McFarlane and the Image boys, such speed is now looked upon as an indicator of inferiority. To be any good, a book must be late (because, you know, the idea of working far enough ahead that deadlines present no problems is an alien concept to the idiots who buy into the 'growing roses' crap)."

I can't help but think the worst part of the growing roses crap is that inevitably creates a strong dividing line, as if the finished page is everything or the time is.
Now I'm quite sure there are slow moving (for one reason or another) artists out there who could produce marvelous comics, but a lot slower than the necessary page rate for a monthly... Definitely doesn't mean their lesser artists if one looks at what they produce, but they should so obviously NOT be working on monthly titles if they can't keep that schedule.

I mean an artist could produce pages in the spirit and quality of Kirby, and I'd love to see that in comics, but if the person can't deliver on time, well but him/her on minis or limited arcs where the editors can see to it that the work will be available when it needs to be.

All in all, sounds like DC is at least slowly coming to their senses.

Well atleast it's a beginning. Now to come up with a better plan is the next step. Instead of taking are away from them how about taking away money from them.