DCU has now begun the releasing of comics up to a year ago. Excitingly, this means that DCU can create a unique community of people who experience the same comics as everyone else. On top of that people new to comics can experience the joys/not joys of reading individual issues as they come out.
I want to create a community of shared experience and offer everyone something they can get on no other service. DCU is uniquely positioned to create the greatest online community of shared reading experience. For the small price of 75 dollars a year, everyone can enjoy reading comics together and share their experience. Every week, DCU release a new batch of 15ish comics that pass the year mark. This means everyone can enjoy the big reveals of the DC Comics universe together and share their thoughts on the latest issues without as big a financial barrier.
I’ve been wanting a shared reading experience ever since I started reading with Marvel Unlimited but quickly realized Marvel Unlimited doesn’t have the ability to gather a big community around it specifically. DCU is the first company that can and that’s really exciting. So I’ve been working on the Ultimate Comics Community Project ever since the Ultimate DCU library was announced.
I will be doing the following to help make this a great experience.
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Maintaining and Expanding a DCU Reading Order.
For now, that just includes Rebirth. However, along with adding fixes to the library, I plan on adding features like follow a creator, recommended orders for particular ages, and adding features like recommended pull list. The reading order is already 54 pages, but I’m quickly expanding it. You can check out the order here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17dpDIP4Fi4wGjv37vxxFhnaMZ8BQGmbJ-ic2fX7QkH8/edit -
Releasing New to DC List every week.
On Sunday Night, I will be releasing a list of all the new comics coming to DC at 9:00 PM PST. This will include 1 or 2 picks which will be entrance points for new readers. Whether it’s a reboot or a new Volume, there’s always some place to join DCU. I hope to eventually add summaries to the various issues. -
Releasing my reviews every week
Like Comicbook.com and others review comics weekly, I plan on reviewing all the new comics that I read every week and giving a score on a simple rubric. I can’t review everything because I don’t have that much time but I will do my best. -
Releasing an Article weekly about some element of DCU.
This week for example I released an article called “What is DC’s Summer Of Events” which begins on Tuesday on DCU. Next week, I’m working on an Article about the end of Tomasi’s Superman run called “Nothing Gold Can Stay”. These articles will be DCU specific either about upcoming events or events going on in DCU right now. I’m leaving this open to my discretion. -
Bringing back Best Post of The Week
This one is my fault. I used to give people a place to post the best post every week, but I had some tech issues and gave up. I’ve found a better way to make the post which should fix the issue. -
Bringing back DCU recommended reads list
This one is also my fault. I will be creating a list of the various book clubs and my own personal recommendations to give you a list of everything you should read. This will include the DCU Book Club Epics, DCU Book Club, Legion of Superhero’s Clubhouse, my Rebirth Highlights Collection, and finally the entrance comics of the week. Other book clubs will be included if you tell me you want to be added. -
Special Event Focused Reviews
I will be working on an event focused review series which will start with The Summer of Events and tell you everything releasing that week from the Summer of Events and Justice League family series. I will give extended reviews of these titles. -
A place to track your pull list
This is a longer term project but I want to give everyone the experience of organizing a pull list and reading comics from that pull list and/or watching you get behind. This standard comic problem in the real world will be fun in the digital. In a few days, (hopefully Monday) I will release a post called share your pull list and I will publicly display it on a doc (with your permission) This doc will let everyone track the most popular series on DCU and maybe even give you the ability with DMing in Community 2.0 to connect individually about What you’ve read.Now, I’m only one busy student who has a lot on his plate (AP test start Monday), but I want this project to start now because I know it can be something massive. BUT I need your help. One of the biggest barriers to anyone who does an article, report, or book club is the lack of comments. This isn’t a critique, but a standard fact. All of this can only happen and be incredible if you guys participate. I already know many of you will be reading these series, so be more vocal about what you liked and share with others! DCU has SO SO SO SO SO much untapped potential even when it’s already arguably the best online forums in the internet. Please help me! And if I don’t do something feel free to do it for me. Example if I don’t post a what were your favorite posts of the week post, please write it! Also, I love coming online to work on my reading order and seeing people with it open. It keeps me going!
Thanks again
-Nathan.Payson (Your friendly neighborhood reporter who still doesn’t understand commas.)
P.S On top of all this stuff in the General and Comic Books Section, I also write my own Superhero Universe which already includes 11 different issues over two different series. This universe releases Monday Mornings/ Sunday Nights. Right now I’m releasing Soldier Vol. 1.