Jann Jones: When I moved into the role of Coordinating Editor and started doing the sign off on the kids’ books of the Johnny DC line, I saw that they were really good, solid books, but I didn’t feel like I could give them to a four year old or a five year old, or just any kid in general. Despite their connection to the animated projects, they were still dealing with the more serious issues – cases where if the heroes don’t save the day, it’s implied, or shown that people will die. I think that’s kind of heavy to put on a younger audience.

Some of them were very serious in tone as well. They were good reads, don’t get me wrong, and we had great creators working on them, but they weren’t making me laugh. Likewise, I have a very religious sister, and when she would go through my bundle of comics, there was very little that I would feel comfortable with handing her to give to my nephews to read. I wanted to make sure that there was a place for that in the DC Universe.

JJ: In my books, the danger is more mischief. If heroes don’t save the day, no one’s going to die; a city isn’t going to be destroyed. It’s nothing like that. Super Friends is more about helping in the community and cats stuck in trees and problem solving. This book, in particular, is really geared to a younger audience. Shazam and Tiny Titans, I feel, can be ready by adults and kids and both audiences will find the humor and the joy of the stories. Super Friends really is geared to the3 same audience as the toy line. So it’s an exciting way to fill out the relationship between Mattel and DC, and allow a segment of the company to interact with a licensee in a way.

Why are they using this ugly art style?

Because it matches a line of toys they have coming out.

I'm glad to see this. I buy the current kiddie books for my kids, and I'll probably add these.

What they should do is make a consciously kiddie, but let 'er rip with Silver Age style stories (as Linda points to). They might pick some surprising sales from "older kids."

The art looks cute to me, albeit childish. I'm sure the stories will be fun too. This is the kind of stuff I'd love to order for my school system once they're collected in trades.

But here's what bugs me about this concept ~ when I was little, ALL superhero books were "for children", and they managed to achieve that without going out of their way to consciously dumb down the plots, pull back on the violence or "cartoon-up" the art styles. The standards were just implicity understood, and the books reached a huge children's audience.

Jann is patting herself on the back for creating this wonderful sideline for DC, but if the company had done things right in the first place their main titles would work just as well for children, if not better.

It would be nice for DC to give a kids title to their first string writers. Tell Busiek, Johns, etc., "Here's your regular book assignments, plus you're writing our Legion kids title."

Writing good stories for children is not easy.

Writing good stories for children is not easy.

The art looks cute to me, albeit childish. I'm sure the stories will be fun too. This is the kind of stuff I'd love to order for my school system once they're collected in trades.

But here's what bugs me about this concept ~ when I was little, ALL superhero books were "for children", and they managed to achieve that without going out of their way to consciously dumb down the plots, pull back on the violence or "cartoon-up" the art styles. The standards were just implicity understood, and the books reached a huge children's audience.

Jann is patting herself on the back for creating this wonderful sideline for DC, but if the company had done things right in the first place their main titles would work just as well for children, if not better.

This weirdo Power Girl dolly we keep posting, is she from that line of toys?

Because it matches a line of toys they have coming out.

The art looks cute to me, albeit childish. I'm sure the stories will be fun too. This is the kind of stuff I'd love to order for my school system once they're collected in trades.

But here's what bugs me about this concept ~ when I was little, ALL superhero books were "for children", and they managed to achieve that without going out of their way to consciously dumb down the plots, pull back on the violence or "cartoon-up" the art styles. The standards were just implicity understood, and the books reached a huge children's audience.

Jann is patting herself on the back for creating this wonderful sideline for DC, but if the company had done things right in the first place their main titles would work just as well for children, if not better.

I just don't subscribe to this byrnian pholosophy at all. I think that they way things are now going is probably the right way for comics to be, especially superhero comics. Comics for kids are available in reasonable numbers and do seem to be selling fairly well. If the numbers for comics like Spider-man adventures grow and grow then more comics like that will be produced. I would go so far as to say If the market wants it within ten years most books would be like them as standard. If so fine.

Personally I think things will remain mostly as they are ie a core collection of younger age books a majority of teen to adult books and smattering of just adult themed books. Like it or not the childrens market has shrunk because of the many distractions kids now have. Comics need to appeal to as broad a spectrum of readers as possible these days.

The art looks cute to me, albeit childish. I'm sure the stories will be fun too. This is the kind of stuff I'd love to order for my school system once they're collected in trades.

But here's what bugs me about this concept ~ when I was little, ALL superhero books were "for children", and they managed to achieve that without going out of their way to consciously dumb down the plots, pull back on the violence or "cartoon-up" the art styles. The standards were just implicity understood, and the books reached a huge children's audience.

Jann is patting herself on the back for creating this wonderful sideline for DC, but if the company had done things right in the first place their main titles would work just as well for children, if not better.

If the numbers for comics like Spider-man adventures grow and grow then more comics like that will be produced. I would go so far as to say If the market wants it within ten years most books would be like them as standard. If so fine.