DC Comics unleashes a new universe of superhero titles
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAYUpdated 2h 41m ago | 17 | 14
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DC Comics has a new strategy to be No. 1 in comic books: all-new No. 1's.
By Jim Lee, DC Comics
Justice League: One of DC Comics' top titles is the first one getting a re-do.
Starting this summer, the publisher will re-number its entire DC Universe of titles, revamping characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and others from its 76-year history for a more modern and diverse 21st century.
The first book to be released under this new era: Justice League No. 1, out Aug. 31. The series by writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee reunites the famous lineup of Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman.
Johns promises a focus on the interpersonal relationships within DC's trademark superteam. "What's the human aspect behind all these costumes? That's what I wanted to explore," he says.
MORE:What's behind DC Comics' big change?
In September, an additional 51 first issues will make their debut, introducing stories that are grounded in each character's specific legend but also reflect today's real-world themes and events. Lee spearheaded the costumes' redesign to make characters more identifiable and accessible to comic fans new and old.
"We really want to inject new life in our characters and line," says Dan DiDio, co-publisher of DC with Lee. "This was a chance to start, not at the beginning, but at a point where our characters are younger and the stories are being told for today's audience."
In an even more important move in the competitive comics industry, DC is making all of the re-numbered titles available digitally via apps and a DC website the same day they arrive in comic shops. It marks the first time that a major comics publisher has done so with its popular superhero titles.
The company has come in second to Marvel every year since 2002 in market share, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.
While the two companies are making millions off movie adaptations of their comic books, print sales for both have dropped in recent years, as new technology gives readers many more options.
"We're allowing people who have never bought a comic book in their lives to download them on portable media devices and take a look," Lee says.
"Having the ability to give people access to these comics with one button click means we're going to get a lot of new readers."
What does this mean, I wonder, for newer books, like Red Robin, Batgirl, Batman Inc, or Birds of Prey? All of these going back to #1's, too? Going to make these characters younger? Why do they keep pullings stunts like thise?
Wait...are they going to launch a Batman #1 and just undo that Dick is Batman in Gotham? Or are they going to launch a Batman #1 and leave Dick as Batman in Gotham...and find something else for Bruce to do? Cause you can't really relaunch from the beginning a Batman story with Dick as Batman. Without...you know...using the last 3 years of comics. This is stupid.
From what I can tell, it looks like a lot of things will be okay. The Spectrum Corps, Batman Inc, and things like that will likely still be around. I don't think they are eliminating any characters. Birds of Prey, Nightwing, and Batgirl will still be around (Though apparently Batgirl is going back to Barbara, which pisses me off). Red Robin will likely just be Robin... or maybe it'll still be Red Robin. But from what I can tell, the Bat Family is safe as can be.
you know what? fuck it, I'm excited. Could be good, and its not like the stories I read as a kid are suddenly gone. They right there, in my longbox, not fading away. Bring on the change and rebooting, I say.
This sounds rad. They announced ten of the titles, with the creators today. Wonder Woman, Hawkman, Aquaman, Mr. Terrific, and Firestorm all sound awesome.
I think this will live or die by the creative teams. I remain apoplectic that Kurt Busiek isn't doing any of the fifty-two books, but he said he's too busy.
They didn't. But it does feel like they will. Then again, we had Crisis in the 80's, Zero Hour in the 90's, Infinite Crisis in the 00's and this in the '10s. Maybe we'll go 10 years before another reboot.
Of course, this leads me to wonder if the issue really goes back to the initial Crisis. They rebooted the DCU back then, introduced new origins and a single universe, yet they did a poor job of telling us these new origins right away (how long was it before they told us the new Wonder Woman origin?) and some writers took the first opportunity they could to re-introduce pre-Crisis elements back into continuity (and here I will go Bill Simmons on you and not make definitive references because I can't think of any off the top of my head, but insist that this is fact and that everyone knows this.). Maybe had they done a better job here we wouldn't be bitching about another reboot.
While I can't say I'm too crazy about the idea of the reboot, I am very curious to see how it will happen; I never finished Brightest Day, but I assumed something big was coming at the end. I think it'd be kinda neat if the current DC universe "ended" due to repercussions of Blackest Night, but I dunno if that's still possible in terms of ongoing stories, or if something else has/will come along.
This isn't a reboot. They're keeping most of the current history intact while changing some things here and there. I'm actually not hating all of this as I was when it was first announced, based on everything I've seen lately.
bps21 said:
Is there any confirmation of what they're doing with Batman titles?
Yes. Bruce is gonna be the only Batman going forward. Batman and Robin will continue on with Bruce as Batman and Damian as Robin. Bruce will also star in Batman: The Dark Knight, Batman, and Detective Comics, as well as being in JL, and I guess JLI based on the cover.
Dick is going back to being Nightwing, with a new costume but his time as Batman is going to be a part of his history, so it's not changing that.
Birds of Prey is also getting a reboot, with a new team featuring Poison Ivy, what looks like Katana, Dinah and some other chick.
There will be new Catwoman and Batwoman series.
Also, people who love the current Batgirl series with Steph... how do you feel about THIS?
Yes, that is Barbara Gordon...
Other things that have been announced:
Scott Lobdell will be writing Teen Titans, which will have 7 members, none of whom have ever met before. So no more YJ crew there. Though Lobdell is also writing Superboy, so I'm thinking Connor might be on TT still at least.
Lobdell is also writing "Red Hood & The Outlaws" which has Jason Todd leading a group of anti-heroes including Starfire and Red Arrow/Arsenal (with his arm back).
The GL books have Green Lantern #1 with Geoff still writing.
Green Lantern Corps which has Guy and John leading "an elite group of green lanterns."
There is also a Red Lanterns ongoing, as well as "Green Lantern: The New Guardians" which has Kyle leading a team with one member each from all of the Rainbow Corps.
George Perez is writing and drawing Superman, which means it'll show up once every 6 months.
No word yet on any news regarding Tim Drake/Red Robin, Steph post-Batgirl, Supergirl or Kid Flash yet, which has me worried.
I was really interested in seeing what would happen with Dick and Bruce both being Batman and Batman Inc. so thanks for keeping me from getting interested in your product, DC
it's always driven me fucking nuts that Barbara is still in a wheelchair. In a universe where people are constantly coming back from the dead she's still crippled? So I'm glad that's being undone. But I don't like her replacing steph.
This isn't a reboot. They're keeping most of the current history intact while changing some things here and there. I'm actually not hating all of this as I was when it was first announced, based on everything I've seen lately.
it's always driven me fucking nuts that Barbara is still in a wheelchair. In a universe where people are constantly coming back from the dead she's still crippled? So I'm glad that's being undone. But I don't like her replacing steph.
This shouldn't really be in a spoiler tag, this entire thread is one big spoiler about shit they're gonna be doing in the near future.
I disagree with you there, because that's like saying "in a universe where people are constantly coming back from the dead, it doesn't make sense why Uncle Ben hasn't been resurrected". It's because 1.the constant coming-back-from-the-dead is fucking stupid and every company should cut way back on that bullshit anyway, and 2.it's an integral part of this character. Spidey isn't Spidey if Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacey are brought back to life, because their deaths caused major changes to this character which should be kept permanent. Same thing with Barbara being paralyzed. It made her character more interesting, not less, while she was Oracle. In the chair, she's unique and distinct and totally unlike anyone else in her world. Out of the chair, she becomes just another chick in a mask. Now it's possible that some writer could handle it in an intelligent and fascinating manner, true, but what are the odds that anyone beside Gail Simone or someone like that could actually pull it off?
It's in a spoiler tag because it's the biggest news and the one big change they've actually done so far. It's also a habit from the main place I post at about comics to put images in spoiler tags because it stretches the page.
I disagree with you there, because that's like saying "in a universe where people are constantly coming back from the dead, it doesn't make sense why Uncle Ben hasn't been resurrected". It's because 1.the constant coming-back-from-the-dead is fucking stupid and every company should cut way back on that bullshit anyway, and 2.it's an integral part of this character. Spidey isn't Spidey if Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacey are brought back to life, because their deaths caused major changes to this character which should be kept permanent. Same thing with Barbara being paralyzed. It made her character more interesting, not less, while she was Oracle. In the chair, she's unique and distinct and totally unlike anyone else in her world. Out of the chair, she becomes just another chick in a mask. Now it's possible that some writer could handle it in an intelligent and fascinating manner, true, but what are the odds that anyone beside Gail Simone or someone like that could actually pull it off?
I really disagree with the comparison to Spider-Man, mostly because her disability is not a part of her character, it's part of her current interpretation. Barbara was a hero long before she was paralyzed, so it's not comparable to Spider-Man's primary motivation to become a superhero. Instead, it changed how she did it. I think a better comparison is probably Dick Grayson's switch from Robin to Nightwing: like Barbara, Dick becoming Nightwing changed who he was in a rather significant way, as he was now his own man rather being in the Bat's shadow. Barbara's role as Oracle is similar, in that she is no longer just a regular vigilante, but now the Spymaster/Switchboard Operator of the entire Superhero community.
Now I think her not being disabled is probably a less significant change than Dick going back to being Robin, but it certainly will regress her a bit. She can still fulfill her role as Oracle, but it takes away the uniqueness of seeing a disabled hero who found a new niche. It's one of the few role-switches that really worked well for the character. But the decision is likely to give new readers a look at who they probably associate with Batgirl the most, since she is always the girl in the cowl in anything outside of the comics as well as in most alternate universes.
But hey, it is being written by Simone, so I'll try it.
Justice League Dark by writer Peter Milligan and artist Mikel Janin will feature the "World's Greatest Supernatural Heroes," including John Constantine, Deadman, Shade the Changing Man and Madame Xanadu.
A new Swamp Thing ongoing written by Scott Snyder
A new Animal Man book written by Jeff Lemire
Demon Knights featuring Etrigan in the middle ages written by Paul Cornell
Voodoo, based on the character from Wildstorm's WildC.A.T.S. will be written by Ron Marz
I, Vampire... a spinoff from House of Mystery written by Josh Fialkov
Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE using the Grant Morrison Seven Soldiers version of Frankenstein and also written by Jeff Lemire
and a Resurrection man comic written by DnA
STILL no word on Tim Drake, but apparently Didio answered a fan response on facebook saying "not to be worried" about that, so... we'll see.
I really disagree with the comparison to Spider-Man, mostly because her disability is not a part of her character, it's part of her current interpretation. Barbara was a hero long before she was paralyzed, so it's not comparable to Spider-Man's primary motivation to become a superhero. Instead, it changed how she did it.
Yeah, but I also mentioned Gwen Stacey dying, and I'd say that one is perfectly comparable. It was the tragedy which really turned a young rookie superhero into a somewhat traumatized adult, and completely changed their entire world forever. Not an origin story, but probably the single most defining moment of their life after they became a superhero.
But hey, it is being written by Simone, so I'll try it.
It is? Huh. Didn't see that part. Well, this might not suck, as long as she's got some good ideas for it and it's not just something that was 100% forced upon her by the editors.
Tim Drake is forced to step out from behind his keyboard when an international organization seeks to capture or kill super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he must team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and a hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash in TEEN TITANS #1, by Scott Lobdell and artists Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund
Tim Drake is forced to step out from behind his keyboard when an international organization seeks to capture or kill super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he must team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and a hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash in TEEN TITANS #1, by Scott Lobdell and artists Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund
Soooo..... Tim Drake is now The Falcon? (The White Falcon?).
You know, I just read something on CBR that I think the writer of Batman Inc said the book wasn't being cancelled, but put on hiatus. So now I'm wondering if this new deal is only for a limited time, something like Age of Apocalypse, where it only lasts for a few months before going bavk to normal.
Yeah, Batman Inc goes on hiatus in August and then comes back in January as a 12-issue mini to wrap up Grant's run on Batman. As much as I hope (and I do) that this whole thing would end like that, I won't be holding my breath.
I don't mind Tim's costume; I actually like it a lot more than the Red Robin costume, which was one of Alex Ross' worst Kingdom Come ones. But just from what I can discern, I'm not particularly happy with the changes on Titans.
And I don't think Superboy's a robot, but it looks like they are pushing him back to his Cadmus days when he was just out of the tubes or something. This might be to bring him in line with the Young Justice cartoon.
Oh, and a few more Wildstorm titles (actual interesting ones, too) have apparently been integrated into the DCU.
