Patton Oswalt Reacts to DC/Nielsen Contract, Panders to Own Cliche

Patton Oswalt is officially boycotting DC Comics.

Now, on to real news.

As reported on Bleeding Cool, DC has contracted Nielsen to poll retailers and readers to survey fan response to its New 52 titles. This is an interesting move for DC, as Nielsen has traditionally measured broadcast media. In lieu of an electronic box recording preferred programming, shoppers will have to resort to verbal communication when approached by human beings inside of area comic retailers.

Readers will express their satisfaction or lack thereof and DC will make the necessary changes to ensure consistent readership.

This, at the very least, shows initiative. DC is surveying the market to determine what readers want. While the approach is (for lack of a better term) novel (read: annoying), it gets the job done. Whether or not diehards are pleased, both DC and Marvel have taken steps to appeal to younger and more progressive audiences in hopes of upping readership. DC just happens to be the first to start asking about it.

At the end of the day, it may benefit them.

Nay, it will.

And I bet you cash on the barrel head that Marvel would do the same thing.

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Returning to fake news, Mr. Oswalt will continue to frequent his area shop. Furthermore, he has purchased his last DC comic. Posting on Twitter, the comedian decried, “Don’t go to @MeltdownComics today unless you like getting buttonholed into douch-ey, stultifying ‘New 52’ surveys.”

Given the state of print media, question the state of your douch-ey, stultifying comedian before boycotting an imprint trying to retain a shred of relevance.

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Mr. Oswalt may contact the author directly via email at PeterLang@unwinnable.com.