DC has announced that starting with its January 2020 comics, it will be doing away with all of its various imprints. DC Vertigo, DC Zoom, and DC Ink will all be closed in favor of a new strategy that brings all of the comics under the DC brand name.
All DC books will now feature age labels which will consist of “DC Kids” with a focus on readers from 8 to 12-years-old, “DC” will be for 13 and above, and “DC Black Label” will be for readers 17 and above. Black Label will be a reassignment of the name, and all projects previously announced for it will appear under that label. Previously announced DC Zoom and DC Ink projects will receive new age labeling. All books currently published under DC Vertigo will be moved to DC Black Label.
“We’re returning to a singular presentation of the DC brand that was present throughout most of our history until 1993 when we launched Vertigo to provide an outlet for edgier material,” said DC publisher Dan DiDio. “That kind of material is now mainstream across all genres, so we thought it was the right time to bring greater clarity to the DC brand and reinforce our commitment to storytelling for all of our fans in every age group. This new system will replace the age ratings we currently use on our material.”
“What we’ve done here is apply an ages and stages organizing philosophy that will strengthen what we’re already doing well, whether that is our move into the young adult and middle grade audience or our long track record of success with creator-driven pop-up lines.” added DC publisher and chief creative officer Jim Lee. “We will also continue to publish creator-owned projects, and will evaluate and assign to the appropriate label to help our fans find the best books for their interests. These new labels not only bring greater consistency and focus to our characters, but they also open up a wealth of new opportunities for the talent working on our books.”
Creator-specific imprints such as Gerard Way’s “Young Animal” will continue on.
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