Things We Saw Today: Vertigo Comics Is Officially No More

DC Comics launched its gritty, edgier Vertigo imprint 26 years ago. Since then, it’s undergone numerous revampings and relaunches, but it’s now been officially canceled. Its current books will be given a chance to wrap up their storylines (or transition over to Black Label, another DC imprint), but you can expect to see Vertigo titles disappear by January, 2020.

As someone who didn’t get into comics until I was in college, Vertigo’s books, which were designed specifically for adult audiences, were a huge entry point for me. Sandman, Y: The Last Man, Preacher, Fables—Vertigo’s books were proof that making something “edgy” in no way meant quality had to be sacrificed.

It showed that “adult” content wasn’t just sex and violence but a place to tackle weighty issues. They changed the landscape of comics, proving that comics were very much both a respectable interest for adults and a genuine art form, both visually and in the writing. They did that. And as DC said in a statement today, “That kind of material is now mainstream across all genres.” (via Polygon)

Corporate thinking & creative risk-taking don’t mix.DC nixing Vertigo was a longtime coming. But hey, we changed the game & we had a blast doing it!Honored to have worked with so many incredibly talented creators & editors & thx to all our fab readers! #VivaVertigo #Bergerbooks

— Karen Berger (@karenpberger) June 21, 2019

What’s your favorite Vertigo book or memory?

• Good news! Cell phones are not causing you to grow horns. (via Gizmodo)
• A new study shows just how much the Hyde amendment hurts women and other pregnant people. (via HuffPost)
• Wow! Mark Rylance has resigned from the Royal Shakespeare Company over their relationship with BP. (via The Guardian)
• An audience member asked Trevor Noah about reparations for disenfranchised white people and Noah explained why that isn’t a thing.
  

  Trevor on reparations. #BetweenTheScenes pic.twitter.com/mby825Pumc

  — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) June 21, 2019

• Queer Eye’s Tan France took John Mulaney shopping! (via YouTube)
• Rihanna took Seth Meyers day drinking! (Technically, it’s Meyers’ show but let’s be real. No one takes Rihanna anywhere. She takes you.) (Also YouTube)
• This is amazing news out of the Supreme Court:
  

  The state of Mississippi didn’t want black folks to hear the case of Curtis Flowers. 41 of 42 black jurors were blocked as the case was tried six different times. The Supreme Court just stepped in. Props to ⁦@InTheDarkAPM⁩. Keep light in dark places. https://t.co/tgegp1qYFq

  — Ava DuVernay (@ava) June 21, 2019

(image: DC/Vertigo)

Joyous Friday! What’d you see today?

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