What's bothering me? Those of you who have unfortunately visited DC's The Source (The DC Blog) will probably know the answer to this question, and for those who haven't, I beg you not to!
Earlier today, DC posted an announcement on said blog, but this wasn't any ordinary post. It wasn't a brief preview, it wasn't an interview with a creator, it was an all out spoiler. And not just any spoiler, DC didn't give the visitors to the site a chance to not read the spoiler as it was in the title of the post! By this point you may be curious, at the very least you'll want to know what title I'm talking about but I won't tell you the spoiler, I won't even link to it because I want you all to avoid it all all costs, but the title in question, is 'Batman Incorporated'.
Fans of the TBU Comic Podcast will know that I, in particular, am a huge fan of this book. We regularly question the direction and outcome of this book but it is all part of the joyous ride of the series… and then to be told what's going to happen in the next issue, in such an un-apologetic manner. And this spoiler is big!
Now I am still looking forward to the issue, and the event that is going to happen within it is an exciting concept, but we have been robbed of the shock factor. Instead of finishing the issue with my mind being blown, I will now be counting down pages until the event happens. For the issue to overcome this, the context and the execution of the event must be perfect, but I am bitterly disappointed in DC.
I can only assume that DC are wanting to promote this title, it has received little attention by them before this and this must be the issue where they expect to cash in. Now I've said before that I appreciate DC is a business, I don't begrudge them advertising their products in any manner they see fit, except for this! We have seen in the past how DC will at least wait until the day the issue is released before posting a "This just happened" article where the viewer has the option to read the spoiler, but to preemptively spoil the issue… I don't understand the mentality behind it. Sure, they're trying to cause a buzz and garner excitement for the issue, but the buzz could come after the issue is released, when the surprise is more effective for those who have read the issue.
I won't go into detail about how I feel about the actual reveal as I don't want to spoil it, but I will say this. I'm not concerned with the content of the spoiler, at least in terms of what it means for the title, what I am angry about is the mentality behind releasing such a major spoiler. So if you can abstain from looking at the spoiler I think you'll be better for it, but if you succumb, check out DC's The Source. But come on, you only have to wait until Wednesday for the real thing.
Posted by Joe Jinks
