DC has launched a subsite for their September relaunch, and at last it has a name The New 52. The site includes the video of DC execs promoting the launch which was widely circulated yesterday, as well as previews of the various titles.

It also, as Comics Alliance slyly pointed out, hadn’t been properly proofed, as when it went live it included earlier, Earth-4 versions of the creative teams on a number of books:
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Chuck Austen on the Blackhawks. The fans would have loved that. It’s emerged that although Geoff Johns on Green Lantern was a no-brainer for the new books, many of the other, newer books were assigned in contest fashion — a bunch of writers tried out, but only the best was chosen. Several, like Brian Wood on Supergirl, Brian Clevinger on Firestorm and Michael Alan Nelson on Voodoo, left a trail of tweets and blog hints showing that they thought they had the assignments — only to find out at the last moment that some other astronaut was going to the moon. It’s like the Olympic US women’s gymnastic team — only with more drama.

DC has had a lot of problems with their website security, with fans and press digging up covers and logos via easily guessable URLs. (In WordPress, you can schedule posts which won’t be viewable, but the assets can still be seen if you know the URL.) On the one hand, you need to feel bad for DC here — this low-level hacking is low-level but it is hacking.

On the other hand, it also shows just how excited about The New 52 readers and media are.

It’s our understanding, following the retailer tour, that DC has promised a very extensive rollout of information and marketing all the way to September. So there’s a lot more where this came from. However, some proofing before going live might be a good idea going forward.

1 COMMENT

  1. Which just goes to show how haphazardly the current editing team at DC works. NuDC will probably fail long term because it wasn’t really planned, but tossed together at the last minute, from all signs given.

  2. The new site and its accompanying ‘interview with the suits’ video merely confirm to many fans why DCNu is destined to fail. ‘Nuff said.

  3. Oh. Wow. That they couldn’t even match the proper current writers to the big launch of this teaser site. Ooooh boy. So much for an all new all different DC ready to show its face to the world. Looks like the same old fubar editing that’s been making me pull my hair out for years. Every new news bit makes Sept look more and more like a good jumping off point.

    And.. wait… they actually even considered hiring Chuck Austin for this relaunch?! Really? What? Bob Harras was just calling all the old Marvel talent, and I use the term loosely with people like Austin, who’s still talking with him? Geez. Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel for their big launch.

    Hell Wood and Nelson would be a nice welcome. Fresher writers than some of their current stable. Plus Clevenger would be nice somewhere even if Simone and VanSciver sound great on Firestorm.

  4. Also nice to know DC is using the same damn software as many amateur web comics. I know a friend of mine is relaunching a site and he’s using WordPress too. Huh. now I know how all those leaks are getting out.

  5. I guess they changed the name of Black Canary’s new sidekick as well…its now Starling: “One is wanted for a murder she didn’t commit. The other is on the run because she knows too much. They are Dinah Laurel Lance and Ev Crawford – a.k.a. Black Canary and Magpie – and together, as Gotham City’s covert ops team, they’re taking down the villains other heroes can’t touch.”

  6. OK, when I saw the JLI cover shot I got excited because it’s like the old Giffen/DeMatteis JLI (in fact, a lot of this new line up reminds me of the 90s – Captain Atom? Seriously?)

    The promo language makes it sound like this may be a funny book after all, which I would dig:
    http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/new-52-justice-league-international/
    “Batman, Booster Gold, Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, August General in Iron, Fire, Ice, Vixen and Rocket Red are charged with promoting unity and trust – but can they reach that goal without killing each other first?”

    Too bad Giffen isn’t writing it, tho. He is still, in my mind, the Superman-of-Comics after his amazing work holding down the first 52.

  7. Personally, I can’t wait for The New 52–this will be the first time I plunge into the DCU in a big way: 52 new entry points? Too tempting to pass up.

    Professionally, the retailer I work for, TFAW, is offering a bundle of all of The New 52 #2 issues for 40% off: DC’s The New 52 #2 issues.