Publishers Weekly reports that DC Comics is leveraging the success (box office, if not necessarily critical) of Watchmen, the movie. The “After Watchmen” comprehensive marketing campaign will “highlight and support a wide range of its superhero, science-fiction, and adventure titles. [It] is intended to take advantage of the enormous media attention and consumer interest in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s Watchmen graphic novel and bring attention to broad range of genres and comics titles on the DC list.”
DC’s initial efforts will focus on about 20 comic book series, including Brian Azzarello’s Joker, Garth Ennis’s Preacher, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, Brad Meltzer’s Identity Crisis, Moore’s V for Vendetta, Brian K. Vaughan’s Y The Last Man, and Bill Willingham’s Fables. The chosen titles are “likely to appeal to new fans as well as to established comics fans looking for something new. The program will include the launch of AfterWatchmen.com,” a new web site scheduled to debut 11 March, and a 32-page After Watchmen, What’s Next? booklet, which will highlight the list of After Watchmen titles.
DC Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing Steve Rotterdam said, “We recognize that the success of Watchmen opens doors to new readers, and we’re more than happy to use this opportunity to bring new readers into our world.”