DC Comics Must Continue to Find a Way to Encourage New Readers

The future of comic books is only as long as the next generation. If comics don't continue to get new and young readers, their days are limited. With the current layered storylines and a complicated universal structure commonly called the "multiverse", new readers easily find themselves lost the web infrastructure and are unable to become fans of stories they don't really understand. New comic readers, largely attracted by the slate of comic based movies currently in theaters, don't want to read 10 years of back stories, events, and pivotal issues to catch up. They want to be able to open the next issue and gain at least a vague idea of where the story is and what's happening.

The multiverse has its good points. What would Batman's world be like if the Joker had never crippled Barbara Gordon? How do superheroes change as they age? What were they like when they were young? What's the difference between an earth first visited by Lobo and an earth visited by the Martian Manhunter? The multiverse opens up the possibilities for a diverse range of stories and characters not trapped by the continuum of tradition. Events such as Infinite Crisis where an older version of Superman (Kal-L) fights with a younger one (Kal-El), provide a unique crossroads for characters to face their own evolution and self awareness. However, for a new reader fresh from watching "Batman Begins", a copy of Infinite Crisis, One Year Later, 52, or Countdown is a dizzying experience. What can DC do to ensure longevity and creativity?

Promote separate titles

The now-cancelled Legends of the Dark Knight was a perfect entry point for a new reader. Each series contained a separate story not inherently connected to the main continuum which allowed readers to start with "a really good story". Now that LODK is out of print, Detective Comics, the oldest running Batman title, has managed to bridge the gap by creating some unconnected stories, and then run some cross-over issues to connect it to the core of the DC Universe. DC's Vertigo imprint has done a great job with the spin-off Jack of the Fables enticing readers to enjoy the Fables tales without trying to get them to understand the labyrinth design of characters and events that populate Bill Willingham's Fables title.

Short history collections

Create more collections and graphic novels that tell important points of history. A recent example of that is Batman: Turning Points released in 2007 by DC Comics. While telling a new story, Turning Points also reprints pivotal issues in the collaboration between Batman and Commissioner Gordon. Allowing readers to pick up history in quick format saves them from seeking out old collections, and gets them up to speed on what's happening.

Index the multiverse and its happenings

Print and publish a list of issues where pivotal events can be found so readers who want to understand better can look up a specific event but not trudge through stacks of information to get the knowledge they need. Instead of just putting out a list of "must reads" which would incur an astronomical amount of time and money to procure, DC should list events and the corresponding record. For example:

Barbara Gordon paralyzed: Batman: The Killing Joke

Death of Kon-El: Infinite Crisis

Death of Jason Todd: A Death in the Family

Return of Jason Todd: Hush, The Red Hood

A special notation could also tell readers which Earth of the multiverse events have taken place. This kind of index would help both long time readers and new entrants gain a broader scope of knowledge and appreciation for the complexities of the DC multiverse.

Whether you're a fan of Alan Scott as the Green Lantern on Earth-2 or just wanted to read a story about Batman and the Joker, DC Comics has a world of entertainment and inspiration awaiting you. They just need to make sure you don't have to wade through an infinite sea of newsprint to get to it.