A new mainstream
A new mainstream |
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Page 19 of 23  Cover, Static (DC Comics, 1333). Art: John Paul Leon. An old-fashioned tale about a high-school hero with a superheroic alter ego, different only in that it was part of an imprint (Milestone) consisting of comics designed for black youth and starring black characters. In order to claw back sales, something drastic had to be done. Killing off a character was a time-honoured scam, and could be a major moneyspinner (as the 'Death of Robin' had shown), but to meddle with such a major figure as Superman was still a risk. The fan market could reasonably be relied upon, especially if the comic was launched with gimmicks (it was, including a memorial armband and a clipping from The Daily Planet). But to make sure of success, DC Comics went all-out to garner coverage in the mainstream media, which they achieved to a degree unequalled since the heady days of Dark Knight and Watchmen. The actual 'Death of Superman' story line cleverly reflected the religious metaphor of the character's origin. In it, he attempts to stop the 'murderous blitzkrieg' of a monster called (appropriately) Doomsday, and gets killed in the process. Some time afterwards, people start to report seeing him. Eventually, some friends of his break into his tomb. They find it empty. It was a simple formula, but very effective. The entire saga was collected into a hugely successful graphic novel, while individual issues became some of the biggest selling DC Comics titles ever. Of course, Superman did not stay dead for long, and after a convoluted plotline about various imposters, he was soon whizzing around the skies in his usual fashion. Yet for all the intense battling between Marvel and DC for market share, the truth that they both had to face was that in the 1990s, they were no longer alone. For by now, certain independent companies had grown to such a stature as to pose a real threat. Three companies in particular made an impact on the early years of the decade: Dark Horse, Voyager and Image. They proved beyond any doubt that significant commercial success was by no means the preserve of the big two. Dark Horse, founded in 1986, had always had a reputation for quality comics, but never really hit paydirt until the 1990s, when their movie tie-ins began to sell in large quantities. In particular, Aliens (1988), Predator (1989) and Terminator (1990) were popular, spinning out stories as if they were sequels to the original movies, and leading to various additional titles which used the characters in crossover plots (for example, Aliens vs Predator, 1990). The publisher also generated a movie hit of its own with The Mask (1991), originally a satirical superhero fantasy with horror overtones, which became a slapstick Hollywood movie in 1994, with Jim Carrey in the lead.  Artwork prepared if Robin had been allowed to live (DC Comics, 1988) |