Boy, isn't the internet fun?
Here's what happened:
On Monday there was a sudden kerfluffle happening on Twitter regarding DC's Earth One Original Graphic Novel line that was announced late last year. Since I am very much looking forward to that line I looked into it and saw that a couple of blogs were reporting on a bit of Comic Book Resources transcript from the Superman panel at San Diego Comic-Con that seemed to show Superman: Earth One writer J. Michael Straczynski revealing that the Earth One line was going to be moving to single issues after the initial OGN release:
The fan asked whether [Straczynski] plans on continuing the “Earth One” stories. The writer revealed that the hardcover release will be followed up with by single issues, which will later be collected.
There was also a transcript on Newsarama which showed an almost identical exchange:
Last question concerns the format of Earth One, which JMS reports will come out as a hardcover, then individual issues, then be collected again. Fan: “That’s extremely confusing.” “To both of us,” JMS said with a chuckle.
This appeared to be big, and over-looked, news and, since people were beginning to freak out about it on a widespread scale, I wrote about it.
As it turns out, almost improbably, both independent transcripts were wrong.
Earlier today J. Michael Straczynski contacted us (and just about everyone else who wrote about the Earth One story) with this statement:
This was the actual exchange, as I remember it.
Someone asked me on the panel if Superman Earth One was only coming out as a hardcover or as issues at the same time or afterward. I said, as near as I can remember it, "This is coming out first in hardcover, unlike [The Brave & The Bold], which is single issues collected into a hardcover" (which I slipped in to promote the book, which is coming out I think this week or next week). So it went in both directions, which prompted the fan to note, "I'm confused," and I joked back, "So am I."
That was the entirety of the exchange. Basically, the two different subjects got conflated in the hurry to transcribe what was being said, so they got lumped into one sentence.
And there you have it. There's not much to say here other than we got it wrong and we'll try to do better next time.
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Who’d have thought the internet could cause a misunderstanding about comics.
Happy that the OGNs are still a reality. They’ll be on top of my list when they come out.
And the internet let out a collective *phew*
so nobody has listened to the DC Comics podcast to see what was actually said? because it appears everyone is going from notes and memory.
I listened to the podcasts and remember the exchange. I however thought he meant that they were going to don a Brave and Bold Earth one OGN… “Hey! You got yer self promotion in my information” “well you got yer information in my self promotion”. “Hey! Tastes like confusion!”
Seems to be good news, it’s nice to see something new added to the game!
Can’t wait for this! I wish there was some preview pages cause the art on this should be amazing with Shane Davis on it. JMS is win or lose for me, but I will def check this out anyways.
I am so happy to hear this line of OGN’s is staying. The Joker OGN was great and I have been really excited for both earth one titles since they were first announced. Think I am looking forward to batman more but thats mainly dowen the Goff Johns
Well, I’m glad you guys were wrong. I was really disappointed. Now I’m not:)
Well that was a few hours of fun.
So is Batmans logo still yellow ?
Good to hear, and can’t wait to read both this and Batman: Earth One. 🙂
I was in the room during this exchange and remember JMS not being real clear in his answer. It appeared that he wasn’t really clear about what was going on with the line but I got no indication that the format of the line had changed. What I initially took away from his answer was that the content in the OGN would be released in singles after being released in the OGN. This would be a reversal of the normal procedure of singles first then a collected format. But then there was some confusion on the part of JMS and the individual that asked the question, so I figured I’d wait for an officially DC release to clean this up. When I saw this news yesterday, it looked wrong to me and figured you guys had an additional source then what was said at the Con. It looks like you didn’t. This is unfortunately what happens in the age of the internet: the ultimate telephone game.
And this is why every word "officially" stated at a convention should be recorded. Just video the damned panels and post ’em online and this crap won’t happen. Anything filtered through Newsarama or CBR or even here is subject to error. Give us the raw feed and let us decide what was said.
Was JMS’ response late with him stopping mid-sentence?
I’ll believe this when the two OGN are actual on shelves. I’m pretty sure I recall Geoff Johns saying at comic con this wasn’t happening anymore because Grant Morrison is doing everything you could with Batman right now. Can anyone back me up on this? I think he was asked randomly at the Green Lantern panel. On another note I have horrible memory.
Well thank Gozer it’s still got an O in front of the GN.
This is good news, yes? I ordered my hardcover from DCBS for half off cover price; can’t wait.
-J.
Did anyone attempt to actually contact DC to confirm this before reporting it or is this a case of blogs using each other as credible sources? "Facebook confirms that JMS said…"
@ halik – I’m pretty sure Johns comments were about doing a modern take on Batman, hence the reason an early version of Batman making mistakes and learning was more appealing to Johns and Frank.
Shane Davis’ name comes before JMS’s in that cover image
Thats odd
Returning to previous state of non-anguish.
Another reason why these panels should be filmed and put up on YouTube like all the other TV and movie related panels. Why don’t people film these? I’d love to see them.
@ironcladmerc: my guess is most comicons consider the panels one of the unique draws. if they put them on youtube there would be less of a reason to attend in person. just my guess.
Its ok Conor. Everyone else got it wrong too. We still love you.
Well, thats cleared up. Thanks, Conor.
But. . .It doesn’t change the fact that how anyone could come to the conclusion that they were pulling the plug on OGN’s from the original misunderstanding is a puzzle for the ages. It’s disappointing how comic fans will jump on something so clearly fictive for a chance to complain or rage.
Okay, that was a little odd. Glad we’re back on track.
Its no one’s fault really. Thats the viral nature of internet news in the 21st Century. We value speed (BREAKING!) over accuracy. When a large portion of media aren’t really professional (trained) journalists, and fact checking isn’t what it used to be, dumb little things like this become facts pretty fast.
Did JMS ended his email with ‘I got my eye on you.’?
Awesome news!
Cool.. Looking forward to these!
Come to think of it, in the first place everyone was just making an assumption that line was cancelled when JMS’ statement (which turned out to be incorrect) said no such thing. JMS doing another Superman story in singles does not necessarily equal Earth One line cancelled. I feel silly.
We’re not going to see Batman Earth One for a while anyway (Superman Secret Origins #6!)
Here is the actual transcript, taken from the DC Comics Podcast audio page:
Audience Member: "This question’s for Joe. With your Superman-Earth One story, is that going to be an ongoing graphic novel series, or is it going to be one-and-done, or do you have plans for other Superman graphic novels, if this not one-and-done?"
J Michael Straczynski: "What they’re going to do, as I understand it, is first the graphic novel will come out in hardcover, then it will come out in individual issues, and then more issues will follow to be gathered together in graphic novels."
AM: "So, it’s going to graphic novel hardcover first, then single issues going collected, then single issues again?"
JMS: "Correct, as I understand it."
AM: "That’s extremely confusing."
(laughter)
JMS: "To both of us. But we’ll work it out somehow."
The audio is at DC Comics Comic-Con page. The panel is "Superman: The Man of Tomorrow". The question comes towards the end of the panel, around 2:10 left in the podcast. It’s a download, no stream, but it’s there.
Kudos to iFanboy for taking responsibility for their reporting! Its so rare I almost didn’t recognize it.
This was such a relief to read. Considering I went on and on about how disappointing it would have been.
I’m glad DC got back to all of us on this. I really want this line to do well, because it’s nice to have a little variety in comics these days. It may do well or it may bomb terribly, but I’m glad to see DC is trying something new.
So, it’s great to see all us fans breathe a sigh of relief rather than attack.
Thanks to @ghettojourno for where to find the actual audio.