Thoughts & what ifs about a theoretical Real Multiverse.

[llozymandias]

Imagine that the Australian comics industry didn't collapse after WW II.


     Btw a thriving canadian comics industry would not automatically keep John Byrne from doing the Superman reboot of 1986.  And even if it did, how do we know that we would not have gotten an even worse reboot instead?


     Imagine that DC Comics remained an independant company, or formed its own conglomerate.  Instead of ending up a minor subsidiary of TimeWarner.  The family that owned DC (into the 60s on our earth) makes some investments that pay off & make them billionaires.  On this earth when movies & tv shows are based on DC characters, DC retains creative control & gets a bigger cut of the revenue.


     Imagine that Timely/Atlas's attempted early-mid 50s relaunch of its superhero line was a commercial success, & was the start of the silver-age of comics.


     Imagine that Continuity Comics was a commercial success.  It had great characters, some pretty good stories, & Neal Adams.  A blockbuster movie/tv series (or more than one) based on its characters would have provided Continuity the revenue it needed to thrive.


      Imagine that the anti-comics witch hunt of the 50s didn't happen.  And for that matter imagine that the WW II vets continuued to read comics.

[TELLE]

     Btw a thriving canadian comics industry would not automatically keep John Byrne from doing the Superman reboot of 1986.  And even if it did, how do we know that we would not have gotten an even worse reboot instead?

But we can always dream.  I'm sure in one universe at least it happened.  Maybe in that universe the Crisis didn't happen.  I don't know what I'd prefer: Byrne remaining a Canadian citizen (yikes!) or no Byrned Superman.  Tough call, but that's what the multiverse is for.

Imagine that DC Comics remained an independant company, or formed its own conglomerate.  Instead of ending up a minor subsidiary of TimeWarner.  The family that owned DC (into the 60s on our earth) makes some investments that pay off & make them billionaires.

Jack Liebowitz would have to die in that universe --maybe an angry Jerry Siegel could pull the trigger (or, in an echo of the myth of the death of Balder, the Donenfields could direct a blind Joe Shuster to do the deed).

Imagine that Continuity Comics was a commercial success.  It had great characters, some pretty good stories, & Neal Adams.  A blockbuster movie/tv series (or more than one) based on its characters would have provided Continuity the revenue it needed to thrive.

Neal Adams would have to be dead in this universe as well, in order for Continuity to thrive.

[llozymandias]

Of course we can always dream.  We should always dream.


    If the Donenfields were a billionaire family they could have bought out Jack Liebowitz.  Then they simply tell him to go away.  Nobody needs to kill anyone.


    Maybe a comics loving billionaire buys Continuity.  Neal is signed to a contact that keeps active in comics.  


     Imagine that Genesis West was still in business.


      Imagine that Pacific Comics survived.

     
      Imagine that Blackthorne was a commercial success.  And they successfully launch their Timeline Color Comics imprint.


      Imagine that TSR Comics was a commercial success.  They become one of the top 2 or 3 in the industry.  Their superhero line is also a success.


      Imagine that First Comics stayed in business.  Sable tv series is a hit in the tv ratings, gets renewed for several seasons.  Other successful movies/tv serieses based on First characters follow.  First Comics becomes one of top 3 in industry.


       Imagine that Eclipse Comics survives & thrives.  A blockbuster Airboy movie &/or tv series is made.  Cut of revenue from movie/tv series (as well as merchandising) helps Eclipse keep its product on schedule.  Thus the readers don't lose interest in Eclipse.  Eclipse becomes one of industry top 3.


        Imagine that Capital Comics stays in business.  movie/tv rights are optioned.  Fees help keep Capital in business.  Later successful movies & tv series based on Capital character are made.  Capital becomes one of industry top 4.


        Imagine that Archie Comics does launch its Spectrum imprint.


        Imagine that Archie/Red Circle Comics was a commercial success.  Superhero line active to present & beyond.


        Imagine that Tower Comics was a commercial success.


        Imagine that Marvel launches Excelsior Comics & it's a success.


        Imagine that Broadway Comics Group stayed in business.


        Imagine that Marvel's "New" Universe was a commercial success.

[TELLE]

Most of those imagines sound like nightmare dystopias to me --those companies were awful and deserved to fail.  Of course, somewhere, somewhen, they didn't.

As to the Donenfield/Liebowitz billionaire issue, the way I understand Jones' argument in Men of Tomorrow is that Liebowitz actively maneuvered the Donenfields out of control while Harry Donnenfield's lifestyle, pseudo-criminal past, and philosophy almost guaranteed his marginalization.  Not to mention he was not as shrewd an investor as Jack.  I don't think it's as simple as "if they were a billionaire family" --but I'm sure in some universe it is.

[llozymandias]

One thing that doomed most small press publishers was sporadic output.  Ie they couldn't keep to a schedule.  sure most of the time it was time it was a cash-flow problem.  Eclipse's "Total Eclipse" mini-series had delays of a year (or more) between issues.  Most people lose interest when stuff like that happens.  Only anal-retentive weirdos (like me for one) would bother waiting that long between issues.  If stuff like that happened on a regular basis with DC & Marvel, those companies would have gone out of business.  I think it's a given that those companies are better run than their counterparts on our earth.


      H L Hunt (one of the richest people on earth.  as well as a major antisemitic crackpot.) started his oil fortune by winning a poker game.  Iow not all successful investers are smart, some are just super-lucky.  In Jack Liebowitz's possible defense: he operated as most businessmen of the time did.  Pretty much all industries fought against the unionization of their employees.  Most unions were infested (if not outright controlled) by mobsters.  Why would he want to give the mob even more influence in his business?  Also it's possible that he couldn't afford to give his employees health (among other) benefits.  Imagine that Jack liebowitz finds himself in that famous poker game, & wins.  On this earth Jack builds one of the biggest fortunes on earth.  He buys out the Donenfields.  Here he runs DC more like a hobby.  On this earth he loves comics & for him money is no object.  Here DC's employees are the best paid &  DC provides better benefits, royalties, etc. than anyone else.

[TELLE]

Quite possible on both worlds,  given his early union experience (although I contend that he actually could have "afforded" to treat his employees well --he would just have to settle for a few million dollars less in profit for himself).

Most of those publishers would be right at home in the Image and post-Image era where books come out later and later but it doesn't natter because everyone waits for the trade paperback collection.  Most of the actual comic series I still read only come out once a year, if I'm lucky.

[llozymandias]

At the time few if any businessmen offered benefits of any kind.  


     I wonder if those companies helped make the tpb market.  How you ask?  Simple people got tired of getting burned.  Why get into a story that gets stopped halfway through?  If that.  At least with tpbs, you know you will get the "whole" story.

[llozymandias]

One of the more interesting possibilities is parallel universes where the "rate" at which time "flows" is slower (or faster) by an infinitesmal fraction of a second.  For this thread i'll concentrate on earths that are "behind" by a decade or two or three or four, etc..  Also what could happen on those earths if someone from our earth were able to travel to them & conduct business there.  the only super-science or technology involved here is the means to travel throughout the multiverse.  for want of better names i'll refer to these earths by the years they are "in".


        Earth-1995:  Lois & Clark gets salvaged.  fiasco of "Batman & Robin" movie never happens.  


        Earth-1985:  Crappy Superman IV movie prevented.  Jerry Siegel's career is restarted.  If nothing else he is one of scriptwriters for Superman movies.  Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Jack Kirby,  start getting super-royalties incomes.  This happens on certain other earths, as well.


        Earth-1975:  Salkynds have no involvement with Superman Movies.  Reeve movies still get made, but they are done better.  Jerry & Joe are consultants on movies.  Jerry is one of the main writers.


         Earth-1965:  Jerry remains at DC.  When Adam West "Batman" tv series is made it's done a lot less campy.  Ie better.


          Earth-1955:  Jerry returns to writing Superman.  Modern (from our earth) special effects are used in George Reeves tv series.  Luthor & other Supervillains used in series.