Arrowverse's Crisis on Infinite Earths to be 5-Part Crossover

We must have watched different shows.

 

Not everyone has had a chance to watch COIE yet. We don't get it here in the UK until January and then we may not get the Batwoman episode.

 

Particularly unfortunate, since it's by far the best of the three installments aired so far.

 

Where in Walmart have people found the comic book? We didn't see it in the book section nor at the checkout stand.

But we are also in a black neighborhood, so they might deprive us

 

It was in the self checkout area.

 

They're usually with the collectables, like the trading cards and that kind of stuff.

 

Batwoman is not airing in the UK? How about Black Lightning?

 

It's not started yet (and it's usually a week or so behind on netflix)

 

Its on Netflix and only season 1 is out on Blu-Ray.

 

I think season two of BL comes out at the end of the month (though only the dvd was showing on amazon last time I looked.)

 

The second season of Black Lightning is only being released on DVD (at least in the States, and it looks to be the same in the UK).

IMO, it's not at all a good look for Warner that all the DC shows with white leads and predominantly white casts get a proper Blu-ray release, while the one show with a black lead and a majority black cast gets treated like something they found on the bottom of their shoe.

 

In the UK season one of Krypton is only available on DVD for some reason.

 

I'm sure you're using hyperbole but in reality that just means that those of us who collect DVD get to see it while those of us who collect Blue Ray don't.

 

What it means is that Warner has singled out Black Lightning among all the current live-action DC shows for substandard treatment on home video. That's not hyperbole (though it is admittedly a "First World problem").

 

Many, many shows have had blu-ray releases for one or some seasons and then DVD only for the rest (The Americans is one such show but hardly alone). Some shows get the first few seasons released, often only on DVD, but never a complete set as sales end up insufficient. While the surface optics might appear unseemly re: Black Lightning, it is far more likely a bean counter move than a “let’s stick it to the visible minority” show.

More and more content providers are releasing DVD for shows to the “I don’t care about HD” (of which there remain MANY) and reserving HD releases for online streaming or downloads à la iTunes (or similar). It’s not racist (at least not deliberately), it’s economics.

 

Those "surface optics" are the "look" I was referring to, and something one might think Warner would be sensitive to, were this not a niche complaint they're confident isn't going to become a headline controversy.

Still.

Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Gotham, Krypton, Titans, Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing: Blu-ray (and DVD) releases through the main Warner Home Video division.

Black Lightning: no Blu-ray, manufactured-on-demand DVD only through Warner's boutique Warner Archive subsidiary.

One of these things is not like the others -- in more ways than one.

As you acknowledge, those optics suck.

I do agree with you, however, that it's probably more economics-driven from Warner's perspective than anything. They did release the first season of Black Lightning on Blu-ray, and they have the sales numbers from that to work from. Presumably, it must have sold abysmally, even compared to such basic-cable marginalia as Krypton. There is a stink of racism here, but it's actually probably more attributable to viewers and home video purchasers than it is to Warner.

 

That sounds like white rationalization...unless you have full stats that show otherwise..I think it is a sign of some low level unconscious racism.

So not KKK level, conspiracy type, but seems to show that CW doesn't have anyone of color (or truly sensitive to those issues) working in those departments

 

It's not a manufacture on demand thing, I pretty clearly remember seeing DVD sets of the first season in stores.
I just checked Amazon and season 2 is coming out on New Years eve, and it appears to be a regular release too.

 

https://www.wbshop.com/products/black-lightning-the-complete-second-season-mod

It's right there in the title of the listing at Warner's official store ("MOD"), as well as further down in the product details ("Made To Order DVD"). (You're right, though, that the first season was not MOD, but was a regular Blu-ray/DVD release through Warner Home Video.)

"MOD" doesn't mean it's necessarily DVD-R, however. The way Warner Archive works is that apparently at least some DVD releases get an initial factory pressing, albeit probably a limited one. I preordered as soon as the listing went up (DVD sucks but it's better than bupkis), and my discs are factory-pressed. After that initial print run, however, I gather they may default to DVD-R. (All Warner Archive Blu-rays are factory-pressed.)

 

Oh, I was going by the Amazon page, which doesn't say anything about it being MOD, and the price is pretty standard. I thought MOD stuff was usually more expensive than standard releases.
It is a odd that it's going right to MOD, that's usually for older more niche stuff. I've never seen a brand new release go straight to MOD.