DCComics.com just relaunched and like any new version of a website, I feel a bit lost. There is a lot of information on the site with scrolling tweet bars, rotating banners, and flashing advertisements. It appears very busy, at least on first blush. I am sure with time I will get used to this. This is the Beta version of the site as well, so hopefully some things will get cleaned up.
There is a character specific section where you can open up a sort of 'Who's Who' page for some of DC's biggest characters. Here is the Supergirl page: http://www.dccomics.com/characters/supergirl
It is a short review of her origins but it plays up the difference between Supergirl and Superman by playing up the 'no affection for humanity' angle.
Here are some quotes:
But what would have happened if he wasn’t raised by the decent, humble souls that gave him his morals? What if he arrived on Earth a teenager—with all the attitude and rebellion that comes with the territory?
It subtly implies that Supergirl doesn't have a sense of morals. Or that Zor-El and Alure weren't 'decent souls'. Yes, teenagers have some sense of attitude and rebellion as they grow. It doesn't mean they are immoral or out of control.
And this quote:
Still learning to control her awesome powers and lacking her cousin’s self-restraint, she may even be more dangerous than the Man of Steel.
So Superman is dangerous? And Supergirl is more dangerous? She is lacking self-restraint?
But we have already seen this new Kara have some restraint and morals, stopping her tiff with Superman when innocents became threatened. And we have seen her confront Reign to save the people of NYC.
Anyways, you know what isn't on that Supergirl page? Anything about how she is a good soul, a hero (even if a reluctant one), a nice person, a smart person, a loving person. Much like with the pre-DCnU publicity, it seems DC wants to focus on Supergirl being an angry and isolated young woman.
Luckily, the comic really hasn't played out that way. Thanks to the creative team of Green and Johnson and Asrar for that.
As for the site as a whole, as I said, I am still finding my way around. For me, the area of the site that needs the most work (or the most homework by me) is, ironically, the comics page. The new page opens up to 3 highlighted comics, a bar of buttons to hone down to character specific comics, and then thumbnails of comics on sale.
The old site's set up was simple to navigate. The opening page was a list of the current comics on sale. The menu bar was broken down into the upcoming month's with subsections of the comics on sale each week. It was easy for me to see which comics were going to be on sale that week. Now, that breakdown via month and week isn't as upfront. There is an 'On sale date' button that opens up a month calendar but doesn't seem programmed to open up to specific week's yet. And I like to look months in the future to see what is going to be on sale then. This way I can add titles to my pull list at my LCS in advance. I can't do that now.
And yet, other people have commented they think this page's set up is an upgrade from the old. So maybe I'm the problem. Wouldn't be the first time.
8 comments:
I wish web developers would stop with all the flashing/moving/scrolling/irritating stuff that they seem to shoehorn in to everything nowadays. We don't all have ADHD but we soon will have if they get their way. That main banner ad at the top which stretches the width of the page looks nice... until you realise it changes every 5 seconds or so. It's incredibly irritating when you're trying to read something when 1/3 of the page is constantly altering. I ended just scrolling down to get it out of my sight. Poor, poor, POOR design. I'll probably just add it to my AdBlocker so it never loads in future. I've got a fairly high screen resolution but I assume that people using lower screen resolutions would just see the rotating ads and not much else.
Anyway, I don't know I'm moaning about. They'll soon probably close off access to the entire site to people like me who refuse to go on Facebook so I guess I'd better enjoy it while I can. As the saying goes: if it ain't broke then we're sure as hell going to make sure it is soon.
Oh, and the DCU blog is broken too. Where you once were able to see actual previews from upcoming issues, you now just get the text. Apparently the gallery feature has gone or is broken.
I know the site's in beta but you'd think they'd check stuff a little better before making it live.
Luckily the comments section works fine - whew! Oh hold on. Facebook comments only. Nothing like a good old bit of segregation to keep the wrong types out, eh? :P
Unfortunately the site is now much more like the Marvel site which I stopped going to because it was extremely difficult to find out what should be simple info; what is on sale now and what will be on sale in the near future organized by date. The date function doesn't work.
While you can click on a specfic hero and see recent issues it isn't divided in an intelligent way. Wonder Woman only has one book while Batman has about a dozen related books. I would like to see the headings based on the divisions they created with the relaunch: The Dark, The Edge, Batbooks, Superman books and so on. Then list the individual titles underneath so that you could pick the whole group or one title. I would still then let visitors see titles by date or by group or by character. It wouldn't be difficult and would be far easier for people who buy their comics.
And don't forget they got rid of the Discussion Boards. I really hate that. "Comments" just aren't an adequate substitute, especially when you're interested in an ongoing discussion about a topic that isn't related to a specific issue.
Thanks for the comments.
I agree with everything said.
It is very busy.
The solicits are tough to navigate.
There are no true message boards.
Hopefully, DC will see the comments around the internet and see that some changes need to be made.
I am not on Facebook; I am on Twitter. Being linked to Facebook and Twitter makes sense in this social media world. But that shouldn't be the only avenue for comments.
DC's Supergirl page is odd. I'm reading that book and what they're saying on the site is not what I'm taking from the book. Weird.
It's almost like they write a background for Kara ages ago, scrapped that idea for the comic, but still used the background for the website.
I think the cover of Supergirl #1 is awful and it's too bad DC is using it on their site The expression on her face is just fowl.
So you are told to write a synopsis of the Supergirl character and you decide to do this by starting with an entire paragraph about what makes Superman good and say that Supergirl is none of these things!
If Superman was raised by anyone but midwestern americans with midwestern american values he would be angry and dangerous and apparantly...a girl. I'm pretty suer deaging him and giving him a vagina is what would make him a 'Supergirl' and not anything else.
I agree Nikki. It's like the writer hasn't read the book.
But DiDio said Gates' Supergirl was 'as mature as a 40yr old woman'. So we know how closely the powers that be are in touch with these titles.
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