Come September, DC Comics will relaunch all of their titles. Each comic they release will be renumbered to issue #1 to be a launching point for getting new readers interested in comics. Even comics that have been around since the earliest days of the comic book company, Detective Comics and Action Comics, are relaunching as number ones. (Find out Friday what the difference is between a relaunch and a reboot.) These comics will not be reprints of older stories, but brand new stories brought to life by some of the biggest and brightest stars and up-and-coming creators in the industry. Part of the new strategy includes the day and date release of each comic digitally so readers can now download the same comics that they could go to a store to purchase. (We’ll speak more on this topic on Website Wednesday) Shaking up the print and digital comic world is no easy task and DC Comics has laid out an extensive marketing plan connected to the September relaunch which DC Comics calls The New 52.

With the goal of gaining new readers, DC Comics needs to spend a lot of time getting the word out about their plans. Some of the plans are subtle, like the changing of costumes or putting a different writer or artist on a certain title, while other plans are far more ambitious. Some of the more ambitious plans like gaining new readers and the day-and-date digital downloads of comics are attempting to position the company for future successes. With media, print, digital and in movie advertising plans in place, DC Comics is taking the steps to start moving up from the number 2 comic book company to surpassing the number 1 comic book company, Marvel Comics.

DC Comics plans huge media coverage for the relaunch to gain new fans and encourage current fans to read the new titles. They also plan a co-op marketing program with retailers that will pay 75% of the marketing fees for stores wishing to advertise The New 52. DC believes that a number one issue is a big draw for new readers wishing to read a title. The belief is that if a reader does not know the history of a character that a number one issue is a great place to start. With 52 number one issues in September, new readers, lapsed fans and die-hard comic collectors will all find things that they’ll love.

DC also plans variant covers, variant editions, deep discounting on six different titles, television advertising, and other efforts to create buzz for The New 52. Promotional materials are being drafted and retailers are encouraged to get the word out knowing that new readers will help their bottom line profits.

I love reading comics and DC is my preferred company of choice. I also love marketing and reading about the steps DC Comics is taking to promote and create buzz for their September relaunch deeply interests me. DC is a division of Warner Brothers and Warner Brothers has a ton of experience marketing new movies. It remains to be seen how successful the September relaunch of The New 52 will be but I for one hope DC is able to get the new readers they want so that the comic book medium can thrive into the future.