DC COMICS NEWS - GLOBALLY CONNECTING DC FANS, ONE SUPERHERO AT A TIME

The top stories for you today, comic book fans, is that Superman hates wearing underwear, Batman is dying to be a parent again, and that Wonder Woman has lost her tiara in Power Girls cleavage. Now for more top breaking news please check out the following interview I did with my mate Damian, who's the Head News Editor at 'DC Comics News'.





1) What are your own origins, Damian? Plus what path did you take in life prior to getting to where you are today?   I was born in Australia and grew up in Melbourne. I have an Italian heritage and am very proud of my family roots. I am 33 years old, a father of two, and am married to an amazing woman. I love my sports, I keep fit, enjoy going to the movies, collect DC merchandise, and am a Tech Geek too.

Interesting combination, isn't it?! 

I work for an Australian based website as a technology leader full time, and my work on 'DC Comics News' I conduct in my own time. My fitness has me training 4 to 5 days a week, I love to get away into my own world and Spotify allows me to tune out of everything else and concentrate in the gym. My kids and wife are the center of my world plus I have a close group of very special friends that I hold dear to my heart.

2) How did ‘DC Comics News’ come about? Plus what is your role within the scheme of things.   I am a huge Pop Culture fan, and over the last decade my interest and hobby has grown. I am a huge Batman fan too, and as part of keeping up with the latest news I regularly check a ton of websites.

One of them was Dark Knight News, and in August, 2013, I noticed they were advertising for new writers so I applied and was lucky enough to get a role in the team. A few months went by and I found out that the owner of the site also ran DC Comics News. I asked if I could write for that site also, and early in the new year I was honored to be asked to take over the role of Head News Editor in which I still hold today.

As the 'Head News Editor' I manage a team of 12 people that are rostered in small groups across each day of the week, and I am responsible for the content on the site for our News and Opinion articles. Branching out from that I have also been running a portion of our social media presence, increasing our facebook footprint, creating an Instagram user experience, and also growing our Twitter following. I am lucky to have a good level of autonomy in my role and I enjoy that.

3) In your own words how would you describe your site? And what would be its biggest boon?   We're a fan based site that covers everything from News, Film, Comic Book reviews, Graphic Novels, Merchandise, TV Shows, and community content all related to the DC world. We create content for DC fans globally to enjoy across our main site and social media outlets. 

4) What song would you say best represents your fan-site and why?   Great question. I am a huge Batman fan so I'm swayed in that direction. I would have to say "Sightings" from "The Dark Knight Returns" animated film soundtrack. This song represents the curiosity and "want" that the people of Gotham have in understanding how the Dark Knight impacts their city and lives. I'd like to think that we are working towards our site playing a key role in the lives of our DC fans in a similar manner.

5) If you could get a celebrity – either living or dead – to promote your wares, who would you choose, and why would you want to choose this particular person?   Hands down it would have to be Stephen Amell. I have become a big Green Arrow fan and am a huge fan of the show. I've been keeping up with Stephen Amell (on his facebook page) and have observed how he collaborates and connects with his fans. With his charm and down to earth personality, its really a breath of fresh air seeing a celebrity who can relate and build a warm connection with his fans. I like his approach, sense of humor, and his ability to entertain people. He would be an amazing ambassador for our site. 

6) What have you learnt about yourself through this endeavour? And were their any unforeseen obstacles you had to contend with along the way?   Time management is key to my role, and with our site operating out of L.A most of our staff are based in America. I have a young family and a full time job so balancing time to manage the site and the rest of my responsibilities is key. I have been able to hone and improve on my own writing skills along the journey which has been great, and with that comes the challenge of co-ordinating a cross-regional team.

When you manage different personalities across the globe, whilst trying to make sure that the content on the site is a good viable product, things can be quite challenging at times. At the end of the day, you do your best. You keep communication at an optimum level and ensure your team is happy. Good sentiment amongst the team ensures that we operate a great website and that keeps our fans happy. 

7) During your time in this field, what is the one thing that has kept you in good stead?   My wife -- Her support and patience while I stay up late to do my part for our site has been great. I love my family and they keep everything in perspective for me. 

8) If ‘DC Comics News’ had a motto, what would it be?   Globally connecting DC Fans, one superhero at a time!

So there you have it, my friends, 'DC Comics News' by my mate Damian. When you have the time please feel free to click on over to their facebook page, twitter stream, and website. Go on. It'll open up the world of comic books on a global scale.