It looked like a dark day for kids comics at the Big Two when it was announced last month that DC was ending most of its kids line of comics. However, via the Source comes the good news that BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD is being replaced by an all-new Batman book called THE ALL-NEW BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, which sounds much newer, although equally bold and brave.
Writer Sholly Fisch and artist Rick Burchett team the Caped Crusader with Superman and Shazam! in the first two issues, and more guest stars are around the corner.
Darn.
I was hoping for the Grim and the Gritty starring the Goddamn Batman.
I don’t understand what the point is in relaunching this title. Why cancel it in the first place?
I must admit that I too found this kinda confusing. With just 13 episodes left in the series, what was the point of canceling the title and re-launching it in the first place?
Granted, it is probably the best Kids Bat-Book ever. So I’m happy it’s getting attention. I just don’t understand it from a business-perspective.
My 8-year-old likes B&B, but he is crushed that they canceled Super Friends. He loved reading that book every month. Really wish they would reprint more of the series from the 70s, or offer another Super Friends or JLA-type series for kids.
At the panel at SDCC, Didio said they don’t like seeing Kids books with high numbers because they are afraid it is detrimental to being “new Reader Friendly”, hence a relaunch (same thing’s happening to Scooby-Doo). Tiny Titans is exempt because they are aiming for an issue #50.
He also said he’s committed to 6-8 kids books per month, so look for something to come on-line soon as they are losing two books (Super Friends & Billy Batson), and only gaining one (Young Justice).
I hope they take this oportunity to make these into viable graphic novels that could make their way into bookstores and libraries. I tried doing digest sized books when I was at DC and the market wasn’t ready for them – there was no dedicated area in bookstores for kids comics. There is a section now and I am sure libraries and schools would eat this up. They should be 6 x 9 trades at $10 with a page cound of at least 200 pages.
Just my opinion.
If DC doesn’t want high numbers on their kids books, why not do 1-12 every year but in the indicia have them also listed by volume… Brave & Bold Volume 2, Issue 1, etc…
The TV networks do the same thing with the animated series, and the JDC books follow suit. The repeated revising and reworking and rebooting of the Batman and Justice League animated shows (and Titans/YJ now) have had little to do with the actual content of the various series or their ratings, and almost everything to do with keeping that “new car(toon)” smell about them.
I really dislike the fact that they make Kids Comics with a different cartoon type art. That is why they dont do well. Comics where once read by many kids, in fact, kids carried the industry. What kids liked about comics was seeing amazing, strong and powerful men and women do amazing feats! Make their books just as realistic, tone down the adult themed stories of course. My son (8) dislikes those cartoon like books and spend his time flipping through my Flash and Green Lantern ones. Those he likes. Too bad he cant really follow the stories!
I disagree Joel. Many, many kids LOVE the more cartoony art of the DC kids line. The Batman the Brave and Bold comic looks almost exactly like the cartoon, and kids WANT it to look exactly like the cartoon, from my experience.
@Joel: I’d go one further than James and suggest that many ADULTS love that cartoony style. Personally, I can’t stand superhero comics that look like still photos from the hoped-for movie version. To each their own, of course, but I’m sure glad kids’ comics offer a variety.
Plus, it’s hard to resist artists like Jeff Smith and Mike Kunkel.
I wish DC would expand its line of kids’ comics. I sure would love to write them! Instead, I’ll have to console myself with writing short, prose books in the DC Superheroes line for Stone Arch Books — classic heroes in kid-friendly adventures (illustrated, of course). These are the types of stories I read as a kid. I’m so happy to write the same sort of stories as an adult.
I realize there’s no Brave/Bold Superman (yet?), but slotting in Bruce Timm Superman as a placeholder is kinda lame. At least make him sorta Dick Sprangy.
Paul-
I know what you mean, but I always felt Dick Sprang worked hard to make his Superman (in WF) very Wayne-Boring-y.
“At the panel at SDCC, Didio said they don’t like seeing Kids books with high numbers because they are afraid it is detrimental to being “new Reader Friendly” …”
Yeah, but small children don’t care about the issue numbers … they just wanna see Batman beat up bad guys. Years from now, if newsstand comics are still being published, then they’ll worry about high numbering.
Really sad to hear we’re losing the Billy Batson comic – the current team is very good (so good I’m not missing Mike Kunkel any more), making classic, entertaining comics … and with artwork that isn’t overly cartoony, either! Most enjoyable Shazam I’ve read since the Ordway years…
as a middle age adult who grew up on the great and unsurpassed Gardner Fox silver age and Bronze age DC. The all new Batman the Brave and The Bold is the only DC title I will buy. As for all the other so called ” reader freindly” books I have big news for DC comics they are NOT READER FREINDLY. In fact all other current DC comic titles and books just plain suck. they;re garbage. a waste of good ink and paper. a poor excuse for a comic book
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