Last night, I read the news regarding the layoffs at DC Comics, DC Universe, and DC Direct. My understanding is that Warner Media is focusing on the media entertainment aspect of the business. Due to this change, roughly 600 employees were laid off, including DC Comics Editor in Chief.
As a child growing up, Saturday morning cartoons and comic books fulled my imaginations. Despite my mother not wanting me to read them, I took every opportunity to read the books my friends brought to school. I loved reading both DC and Marvel books, such as Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Iron Fist, Powerman, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, X-men, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. I even liked reading Stan Lee’s “Soapbox” at the end of each issue.
As an adult, I bought and collected a lot of comic books. The comic book industry, in the 1990s, re-invigorated my interest when Marvel brought on Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, and Rob Liefeld. They did some fantastic art and page-by-page storytelling. Marvel Comics’ “Heroes Reborn” was terrific, in my opinion.
In 2008, after Disney bought Marvel, their film division launched “Iron Man” in theaters. This was a significant milestone for comics and the entertainment industries because the movie captured the level of imagination found in comic books. Marvel went on to produce several hit films while DC searched for their respective place in cinema. Eventually, AT&T bought Time Warner, who owned DC Comics. More money was invested in their movie brand to compete with their rival. Now, DC has produced some excellent and profitable films, including Wonder Woman, Shazam, and Aquaman.
There is a rumor that Marvel Comics will do their layoff soon. Comic books don’t generate the same level of revenue as comic-based films. It appears that the media moguls don’t want to continue investing in this medium. It is a sad reality that an industry, which inspired my childhood dreams, is fading away.
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