Hi everyone - just a quick note - I woke up this morning
after reading Final Crisis, and felt compelled to write to DC. I've sat back for far too long and watched characters I enjoy become mauled. I don't know if Dan will respond to my email - but certainly hope he does.
If so - the full email will be posted up online.
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Dear Dan,
Please forgive the emotions that may come through in this letter to you. I assure you - they are all from a true DC fan, who is sadly disappointed with the current situation of his favourite comics.
I really don't know where to begin.
Since I was a boy, I have absolutely loved Batman, and the world that he lives in. As I grew, I learned more about the characters around him, and the universe that has twisted and turned so often over the past years.
And that's probably what is at the heart of this letter.
I appreciate the need to 'clean house'. And - I especially appreciate it, when storylines become bloated, characters confusing, and worlds difficult to manage.
This is why I totally understood Crisis on Infinite Earths, and one of the reasons I supported it wholeheartedly.
However. The main reason I supported the original Crisis, was because the storyline was brilliant. Deaths were truly memorable, and you couldn't help but feel the impact of the storyline within each and every issue.
It truly was, and still is, comic book gold.
Fast forward a little to Infinite Crisis, and we have something of a question mark. I know the need to have a 'big event' every now and then, bringing new readers into the fold, and rewarding regular subscribers with big surprises - and suppose Infinite Crisis managed to achieve this fairly well.
In its wake however, DC Comics were left with a problem. A missing year. And so came 52, which, for the most part, was perfectly acceptable (although sometimes it did feel a little rushed) in showcasing the story of DC's missing year.
The ending of 52 came as a slight surprise (which had been heavily hinted at) - the multiverse was back. Although now it wasn't infinite - there were still 52 earths to look after, with 52 different stories, each intricately linked to one another.
And so came Countdown. But a countdown to what? At this point - sadly, some people didn't stick around to find out.
Whereas adding back in the multiverse opened up a massive tool for storytellers and artists alike - it somehow laughed in the face of Crisis on Infinite Earths, lessening its original impact.
I stuck with Countdown (reading my brother's issues) right up to the final book. Sadly - I was thoroughly disappointed. I thought that some of my favourite characters coming together (Jason Todd, Kyle Rayner, Donna Troy, etc) would lead to something wonderful - but instead it seemed to lead nowhere.
Since starting
Biff Bam Pow Comics, I've been doing my level best to review comics, offer thoughts and give opinions. And I hate to say this to you - but a consistent thought and opinion is coming through from those who read my pages.
Disappointment in DC comics.
Marvel (aside from Brand New Day) seem to be offering some very quality work recently. Quality work which, frankly, is beginning to make you look bad.
I've read a number of DC books over the past few months, and I've tried my best to keep an open mind about them. However - the list of DC books that I'm now willing to buy and read (based on my recent experience) is dwindling, and the list that I'm unwilling to buy or read is growing by the day.
Please help change this. Please point me towards the great storylines that I, and those who talk to me, are obviously missing. They must be there, hidden away somewhere in a corner.
Or at least - I sincerely hope they are.
Dan, I honestly hope you take a moment to respond to this email, and put a small ammount of fears to rest. We all want to buy DC comics. But at the moment, we're just afraid of what we'll get if we do.
Yours Sincerley,
Pete Lancaster
Biff Bam Pow Comics
