DC Universe: DC Daily

Into The ‘Verse!

DC Universe arrived last year with two new series to offer its potential subscribers.  While the bulk of the attention was focused on Titans, the second series definitely deserves some love.  That series is DC Daily.  It is a news and entertainment show that covers everything DC Comics, from books and films to games and collectibles.  It is hosted by Tiffany Smith, a young lady that most DC Comics fans will recognize since she’s been all over the comic convention scene, appeared on multiple television and streaming shows like DC All Access and Attack of the Show!, and worked for multiple geek-centric companies such as The Nerdist, Netflix, and Collider.  Smith is extremely likeable and a legitimate geek.  She knows her stuff and can go toe-to-toe with some of the heaviest hitters that appear on the show.

Smith opens each episode with a brief update on any and all upcoming things related to DC Comics.  She also teases a discussion that takes place later in the episode that is only available to DC Universe subscribers.  These discussions vary by episode, but usually consist of panels talking about upcoming films, the latest episode of Titans, taking a look at a current DC comic book or a particularly significant classic title, or revisiting classic films or television shows that are available on DC Universe.  Some of the panels include interviews with actors, comic artists and writers, or other key members of the DC world. Then Smith will usually toss things over to Hector Navarro for an update on DC TV before summarizing the show and moving things over to the daily panel.

The panels primarily consist of a rotating group that includes Tiffany Smith, Clarke Wolfe, Hector Navarro, Samm Levine, John Kourounis, Harley Quinn Smith, Brian Tong, Sam Humphries, John Barrowman, Markeia McCarty, and Whitney Moore.  Tiffany Smith, Wolfe, Navarro, and Kourounis usually handle mediation duties while other panelists give their opinions on different topics.  Some of the lean more towards DC’s films, especially Levine, while others dig deeper into the comics like Tong and Humphries.  Harley Quinn Smith brings a unique perspective to the panel as the local vegan in the group.

Other segments include one-on-one interviews with people like Minka Kelly (Dove from Titans) and Dan DiDio (current co-publisher of DC Comics).  My personal favorite segment is a recurring one that features Samm Levine taking a tour through the Warner Bros. Archives where we get to see props from television and cinema.  Many of these props end up on the set of DC Daily.

The show also has special episodes that are interviews or panels about specific projects involving DC Comics.  John Barrowman has been interviewed for many of these in the last few weeks.  On New Year’s Eve, a short music video was released celebrating all of DC Comics’ biggest accomplishments over 2018.

Some of my favorite moments from the show include an interview with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, a discussion about DC’s Nuclear Winter special, and a look back over the career of Marv Wolfman, a legendary comics writer perhaps best known for his work on The New Teen Titans and Crisis on Infinite Earths with artist George Perez.  He and Perez co-created some of DC’s most popular characters such as Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, and Deathstroke.  Wolfman also co-created the Marvel characters Blade and Destiny.

The show is meant to be a vehicle to promote DC Comics and the DCEU, but that doesn’t mean that the show always views DC’s productions in a good light.  In a recent panel discussion of Batgirl: Year One, some of the panelists, especially Markeia McCarty, questioned DC’s decision to have lower tier villains like Killer Moth be the primary villain in a series meant to give readers the basis for the future of Batgirl.  John Barrowman has also been vocal about DC’s need to “lighten up” some of their stories on the page and on the screen.  It’s these types of voices that let viewers know that DC Daily is more than just a big lovefest for the company.

DC Daily is a very fun and informative show that gives viewers a look at the world of DC Comics that you can’t get anywhere else.  The news is informational and the panels are often laugh-out-loud funny.  I have learned who shares more of my opinions on the show and also who I respect despite having different views.  I watch the show every day and sometimes revisit specific episodes on the weekend.  Check out the episodes that are available on YouTube or, better yet, subscribe to DC Universe and get all of the shows!

As always, thanks for reading.  I received a few Blu-rays and DVDs over the holidays that I need to watch and I hope to review some of them here real soon.  I’ll also be posting about upcoming conventions in the near future, so if you want your convention mentioned in the post, let me know!