DC Comics can’t seem to catch a break lately.

And if you just thought, “Rightly so!” I’d tend to agree with you.

Let me count the ways The House That Superman Built is ailing:

1. The rumor that DC and Warner Bros can’t seem to make a decent Superhero Film without throwing buckets of money at Christopher Nolan.

2. The whole Orson Scott Card Adventures of Superman public relations debacle.

3. The seemingly forced removal of the controversial WTF? Certified Banner on DC’s April comics.

4. The recent Publisher’s Weekly article detailing how sales of the New 52, once credited with bringing back fans to comics, are dropping wildly… Amazing since many of their books still cost $1.00 less than most of Marvel’s crap.

5. The Jerry Ordway thing.

Honestly, I saved the “Jerry Ordway Thing” for last because it’s the topic that bothers me the most… Mainly because numbers 1 through 4 are self-inflicted wounds that affect corporations and #5 affects a human being. Warners/DC have been so clueless for so long on how to make superhero films, there’s no wonder they need someone like Nolan to commandeer that mess. The Powers That Be at DC had to have known hiring Orson Scott Card would/could be a lightning rod for critics of the author’s beliefs. And most of their comics suck so hard (mostly as a result of hiring 90s retreads to recreate the worst era in modern comics), I’ve seriously thought about DUMPING the entire line due to poor management, stupid editorial choices and a truly horrific line-up of writers and artists.

Which brings me to Problem #5– which actually dovetails into Problem #4 in a way. Jerry Ordway has been a stalwart DC employee for years. I have never heard anyone say one bad thing about the man. He‘s not a jerk or a head case… And he’s already an artistic legend in his own lifetime. But as detailed on Steve Niles Tumblr page, Ordway can’t find work– despite being willing to do anything and everything DC has ever asked him to do. He states succinctly that he’s capable of working at the same strength and talent level as his heyday… But he’s being passed over for reasons unknown.

Meanwhile, the publisher is actively promoting and employing artists with arguably 1/10th of Ordway’s talent. I’ve actually stopped reading some of the DC Trades and Hardcovers I’ve bought because I couldn’t stand the art in them… All this from a company which produces some of the most visually dependent books of all– comics. When you look at the adolescent hen scratching that passes for professional art in some of DC’s (and other publishers’) books nowadays, I think you’ll agree with me that it’s horrifying to think there’s no place for someone like Jerry Ordway in the American Comic Book Industry.

At 55, Ordway is far from being over the hill. DC’s Dan Didio will be 54 this year. Jim Lee will be 49. Anybody who’s seen Ordway’s recent work knows his is a career that’s far from over. It’s time for every Comic Book publisher to start acting like they know this– and hire the man immediately. I don’t know one fan who wouldn’t buy a comic book because Ordway was drawing it… But I do know hundreds (if not THOUSANDS) who would purchase one Next Wednesday if the artist was involved.

All-Star Western Vol 2 The War Of Lords And Owls - Recommended
Archer And Armstrong Vol 1 The Michelangelo Code
Archie Best Of Dan DeCarlo Vol 4 HC - Recommended
Army Of God Joseph Konys War In Central Africa
Art of Todd McFarlane The Devil’s In The Details
Avengers Infinity
Batman Gotham By Gaslight (New Edition) - Recommended
Broadcast
Civil War (Marvel Prose Novel) – Oh, hell no!
Crossed Vol 5 HC
Crossed Vol 5 HC Signed Edition
Crossed Vol 5
Dance Class Volume 4 On The Way To Paris HC
Danger Girl G.I. Joe HC
Doctor Who Series 3 Vol 1 Hypothetical Gentleman
Downtown HC
Frazetta Sketchbook Deluxe Slipcase Edition - Wanted to buy it– too pricey!
Frazetta Sketchbook HC
Geronimo Stilton Volume 12 The First Samurai HC
Hairshirt HC
Harvey Horrors Chamber Of Chills Softie Vol 2
Joe The Barbarian – Own the Hardcover. Recommended
Kick-Ass 2 Prelude Hit-Girl HC - Little girl with a BIG head, just like the author!
King Aroo Daily And Sunday Comics Volume 2 1952-1954 HC
Luminous Incal HC (Deluxe Edition) – Too damn expensive…
Marvel Universe Iron Man Comic Reader
Marvel Zombies Destroy – I actually HATE this book!
Mice Templar Vol 3 A Midwinter Night’s Dream – Own the Hardcover
Muse HC (Deluxe Edition)
Nancy Drew And The Clue Crew Vol 2 Sleuths HC
Nancy Drew And The Clue Crew Vol 2 Sleuths SC
New Crusaders Rise of the Heroes
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No Place Like Home Vol 1
Peanuts Vol 2
Red Lanterns Vol 2 The Death Of Red Lanterns
Rocketeer Cargo Of Doom HC
Rocketeer Cargo Of Doom HC DM Edition - Recommended
Severed - Was completely unimpressed!
Shade
Sleeper Omnibus HC – Early Brubaker. Good Brubaker.
Sonic Saga Vol 2 Order From Chaos
Spider-Man Dying Wish HC – Hey, I have a dying wish…
Steve Ditko’s Monsters Vol 1 Gorgo HC
Superman The Reign Of Doomsday – Never read this!
Tank Girl Everybody Loves Tank Girl HC
Ultimate Comics Iron Man
Valiant Masters Ninjak Vol 1 Black Water HC – Reprints of 25¢ Box Comics!
Warhammer 40K Death Of Antagonis
Will Eisner Last Day in Vietnam Memory HC
Wizard’s Tale – Own the Hardcover

Alice In The Country Of Clover Cheshire Cat Waltz Vol 4
Bakuman Vol 18
Barrage Vol 1
Blood-C Vol 1
Demon Love Spell Vol 2
Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden Vol 11
Heroman Vol 3
Mayo Chicki Vol 2
Naoki Urusawa’s 21st Century Boys Vol 2
Negima Omnibus Vol 6
One Piece Vol 66
Oresama Teacher Vol 13
Pokemon Adventures Vol 15 Ruby And Sapphire
Pokemon The Movie Kyurem Vs The Sword Of Justice
Psyren Vol 9
Rosario+Vampire Season II Vol 11
Skip-Beat 3-In-1 Edition Vol 4 (Volumes 10-12)
Strobe Edge Vol 3
Trigun Multiple Bullets
Vampire Hunter D Vol 19 Mercenary Road
Vampire Knight Vol 16
WINX Club Vol 6

Activity Volume 2
Adventure Time Vol 2
Adventures Into The Unknown Archives Vol 2
Albert Dorne Master Illustrator HC
Al Capp Life To Contrary HC
Alpha Girl Vol 1
Archie Archives Vol 8 - Recommended
Astonishing X-Men Vol 10 Northstar – Own the Hardcover
Batman The Black Mirror – Own the Hardcover
Blake And Mortimer Vol 8 The Voronov Plot
Blake And Mortimer Vol 9 The Sarcophagi Of Sixth Continent Part 1
Bloodshot Vol 1 Setting The World On Fire
Cats Of Tanglewood Forest HC
Catwoman Vol 2 Dollhouse
Chimpanzee Complex Vol 3 Civilization
Daredevil By Mark Waid Vol 4 HC - Recommended
District 14 HC
Fanny And Romeo
Forbidden Worlds Archives Vol 2 HC
Grimm Fairy Tales Vol 13 - Not with your money!
Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Vol 2 Creation Myths HC
Johnny Red Vol 3 Angels Over Stalingrad HC – Recommended
Judge Anderson Psi Files Vol 3
KISS Greatest Hits Vol 3
Long John Silver Vol 1 Lady Vivian Hastings
Long John Silver Vol 2 Neptune
Lucky Luke Vol 22 Emperor Smith
Lucky Luke Vol 23 A Cure For The Daltons
Lucky Luke Vol 24
Marvel Noir Wolverine And The X-Men – Own the Hardcovers
Messages In A Bottle - Recommended
Mitch O’Connell World’s Best Artist SC
MMW Captain Marvel Vol 1 SC
Nemo Heart Of Ice HC - Recommended
New Avengers By Brian Michael Bendis Vol 5 HC
New Teen Titans Games – Own the Hardcover
Orbital Vol 3 Nomads
Orbital Vol 4 Ravagers
Pantalones TX Don’t Chicken Out HC
Ravine Vol 1
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Seduction of the Innocent (Crime Novel)
Showcase Presents Justice League of America Vol 6
Spera Volume 2 HC
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Spooks Vol 2 Century Club - Recommended
Superman Vs Shazam
Treasury Victorian Murder Compendium Vol 1
Unearthing Limited Edition HC
Unearthing SC
Warlord Of Mars Dejah Thoris Vol 3 Boora Witch
X-Men Wolverine Gambit (New Print)
X-Treme X-Men Vol 1 Xavier Must Die
XIII Vol 8 Thirteen To One
XIII Vol 9 For Maria
XIII Vol 10 El Cascador
XIII Vol 11 Three Silver Watches
XIII Vol 12 The Trial
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Air Gear Vol 27
Battle Angel Alita Last Order Vol 17
Cage Of Eden Vol 9
Kitchen Princess Omnibus Vol 3