This will be of no surprise to you. I used to collect comic books. I collected until I got married and my (er, I mean our) budget was re-prioritized. Growing up there was something special about re-reading the same stories over and over again as well as tracking down missing editions at local comic shops. I loved the details in the comics. I also knew the collection was going to make me rich. Little did I know that comics wouldn’t make me nearly a rich as being a blogger.

My parents really supported my comic reading and collection. I think they were simply happy that I could actually read. The pictures really helped. As a hopeless geek there was something special about the connection that I had between the characters. I could really relate to them. Well all of them except Flash. I have never been fast. I also really like placing things in numerical order in acid free bags but that’s an entirely different blog post.

This week the comic community has been in an uproar about DC Comics’ new logo. In the past on IBD we have reported on other responses to logos. The post on the new Gap logo unveiling and then return to the original Gap logo comes to mind. The new DC logo hasn’t been well received by readers. I like it. Though I can hear goatee wearing, red heads across Fort Collins, Colorado screaming about the use of gradients.

The further custom options available with the redesign provide flexibility and depth when it comes to multiple uses. According to the DC Comics blog “The new identity is reflective of the company’s mission to fully realize the value of a rich portfolio of brands, stories and characters, distinguished by incredible breadth and depth across publishing, media and merchandise.”

The DC Blog goes on to say “The design of the new DC Entertainment identity uses a “peel” effect – the D is strategically placed over the C with the upper right-hand portion of the D peeling back to unveil the hidden C – symbolizing the duality of the iconic characters that are present within DC Entertainment’s portfolio.” As with most things printed I could imagine that the “peel” could become a nostalgic link to the paper copies that will go away, sooner rather than later.

This concept is evident in photos of the app, also on the blog. Nicolas Aparicio, Executive Creative Director at Landor’s San Francisco office, the design firm behind the logo says, “The new identity is built for the digital age, and can easily be animated and customized to take full advantage of the interactivity offered across all media platforms.” I have to think more purposeful when it comes to designing for the new age. Of course it is hard for me to think of comics in any other format.