http://www.comicbookmovie.com/dc_comics/news/?a=38469http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/07/2 ... comic-con/
Jul 29th 2011 By: David Uzumeri
The New 52: What We Really Learned About the DC Relaunch at Comic-Con
At San Diego Comic Con 2011, the editors, writers and artists behind DC's New 52 initiative -- in which they're relaunching every DCU book soup to nuts in September -- pulled back the curtains a bit to show how the sausage is made, and gave a lot more hints as to the nature of what we're going to be seeing when Flashpoint concludes, confirming that Flashpoint is indeed the story where we'll see the transformation of the old DC Universe into the new one. So, what did we learn about the New 52 at Comic-Con? We've got the breakdown and analysis.
Q: When Did DC Comics Pull The Trigger on the Relaunch?
A: A few months ago, by their own admission -- most likely as Brightest Day was wrapping up, considering that ended with a few loose plot threads that will seemingly be ditched by the relaunch. Grant Morrison stated he started working on Action Comics #1 in March, so at least that early, but it's also possible that when Morrison started his work on the title, the reboot was smaller in scope and only affecting certain titles.
DiDio stated straight out that his original pitch was all-new #1s except for Action and Detective, but the Powers That Be (perhaps President Diane Nelson?) felt they wouldn't be taken seriously unless they relaunched those two titles as well. Either way, the fact that the relaunch didn't leak until May is a good sign that this must have been a relatively recent decision, since changes this sweeping don't stay secrets for long. So while it's been in the works for a few months, it certainly hasn't been planned for years like many other recent DC events like Blackest Night and Flashpoint, which were teased years before their release.
Q: What's Staying and What's Going from the Old DCU to the New?
A: While a lot is unclear as to the exact makeup of the new DC Universe, there are quite a few things we do know. For one thing, the WildStorm characters -- including Midnighter, Apollo, Voodoo, Grifter and the crew -- have been integrated into the DCU's history, seemingly replacing the Justice Society as the reason why Earth hasn't been blown up by forty billion alien dictators before Superman's arrival.
While Stormwatch, by Paul Cornell's admission, has been working underground for decades, the concept of the gaudily-dressed superhero as public figure is relatively new, created in the past five years by Superman. As a result, the "modern" DC Universe as we know it is compressed into that five-year time period, and Executive Editor Eddie Berganza claims to have built a timeline to that effect that we won't see, at least for a while. Batman's career will extend a decent period of time before that as an urban legend in Gotham City, allowing Grant Morrison to continue with his grand Batman story -- and the myriad legacy sidekicks Batman has had -- to keep going undisturbed. Doing this restores Superman's status as the World's First Superhero in the DC Universe, even if he isn't the world's first superhuman.
As for the Justice League itself, apparently Cyborg is a founding member who will, according to Johns, later go on to join the Teen Titans, seemingly keeping the Wolfman/Perez run in continuity. Confirming that, Scott Lobdell stated that his Teen Titans title won't be the first iteration of the team in the DC Universe, but seemingly the first one featuring these characters (Red Robin, Superboy, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, etc.)
Francis Manapul confirmed on Twitter that Barry Allen still died in the Crisis, which means that that story still takes place; in an interview with, well, me, Grant Morrison stated that Nix Uotan will play a major role in Multiversity, which means that Final Crisis must have occurred in some form. Exactly how these series happened without the existence of the Justice Society is unclear, and Manapul declined to comment on who the Flash was (or if there was one) during Barry's absence, continuing to leave Wally West's status in the new DC Universe completely unknown. And if Wally West never existed, then the Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titans would be totally different, and we're looking at a Mexican Train of falling dominoes we're unlikely to see the results of until a while into the relaunch.
Q: So is this a really a reboot, or a relaunch?
A: It seems clear not that this is just a relaunch. The entire history of the DC Universe is not being swept under the rug of the New 52; certain elements are, but many of the defining moments will still have occurred, likely in different forms. This could lead to tangled mess of is-it-or-isn't-it-real continuity similar to what occurred after the first Crisis, or it's possible that Berganza's timeline is sufficiently exact, and distributed enough, that everyone's on the same page with the new history of the DC Universe.
Unquestionably, some characters are more affected than others -- Batman's history seems to be almost entirely untouched, while Superman seems almost entirely rebooted. In fact, when asked what Superman stories were still in continuity other than his death and return, Berganza was forced to resort to iconic elements of his origin such as the explosion of Krypton and being raised by Ma and Pa Kent, implying that almost everything else about him is being reimagined from the ground up.
Q: Is There Any Chance of Going Back to the Former Status Quo?
A: In short: no.
DiDio categorically stated that nobody would remember the old DC Universe, or Flashpoint. When asked about Booster Gold, Dan Jurgens intimated that even that character might not. DiDio was adamant about there being no "trap doors," no characters remembering past events, nothing to even imply the existence of a DC Universe before this one from a storytelling perspective. This was the entire purpose behind renumbering even Action and Detective -- to make absolutely clear the degree to which they're willing to commit. This is the new DC Universe, and it's up to the readers to decide if they want to live in it.
I think this quote is awesome : They've effectively alienated their core fanbase in an effort to appeal to a new group of readers that they've always wanted, but have never gotten, because quite frankly, that group doesn't exist.DC Comics and the Nonsensical Reboot
"Everything Will Change In A[n Unwanted] Flash..."
This summer, DC Comics launched "Flashpoint," a massive event that would reshape the DC Universe, but we didn't know how. It was speculated that some things would change in the ongoing continuity, and that some things from the altered reality presented in "Flashpoint" would carry over. Well, today, DC Comics announced their plans for the future of the heroes and villains we know.
"The rumors of a massive DC Universe reboothave been confirmed. In September, comic fans will be the recipients of 52 #1 issues as the entire line of DC Universe titles gets a relaunch. Everyone from Superman to Booster Gold will be getting a revamp, which includes redesigns and a "younger" continuity," states the press release that hit the web earlier today.
That's right. They're cancelling almost every book that they have and starting fresh, which sounds great to the "prospective new readers" they are always talking about, but what about the fans and collectors? Recently, DC hit a landmark with Action Comics #900, which saw the return to form for Superman after a stellar run starring Lex Luthor. This 900th issue was a major accomplishment, as the series has ran for that long without a single reboot, renumber, or cancellation... until now. DC also has recently launched several very good titles, such as "Batman: The Dark Knight," "Batman Beyond," "Superboy," "Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors," and others, that are all solid, but only in the single digits in their publication runs, and they are going to be ending along with the other tentpole series like "Batman" and "Superman," which both also reached issue #700 last summer. All these cancellations and shakeups that happen every couple of years has led to an incredibly high number of short "ongoing" series, which end up seeming like a bunch of miniseries.
Aside from the numbering problem, I'd be remiss if I didn't say how great the DC lore has been over the past couple of years. Batman has transformed and branded himself globally, Dick Grayson ascended to the mantle of Batman, Superman has finally gotten back to his good ol' ass-kicking self, Green Lantern Hal Jordan has returned and championed the Corps through some major crises that were great, such as Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night, and Booster Gold has become a more mainstream hero, saving the universe without anyone really knowing it. The world of DC has become a great, modern mythology rich with solid characters and stories, and now they are wiping the slate clean, making all the heroes younger, and giving them new costumes...
Yes, that is Superman back there with the high collar (how does he hide that under his civvies when he is Clark Kent), a clunky looking new "S" shield, and... no red undies. Hal Jordan Green Lantern looks about the same... just a lot younger. Batman looks like he did a couple of years ago, as it seems we will never be seeing his new look that we just now got used to. The Flash looks unnecessarily clunky, not agile and quick like he should. Wonder Woman looks similar to her previous redesign which happed a whole ONE YEAR AGO. And... is that Cyborg? People care about Cyborg? And is Aquaman a male model?
I love Jim Lee, and I think his work is almost always solid. But this idea of "modernization" has just ended with gratuitous overkill. People aren't going to see this stuff and say "I recognize these heroes, I should pick this up," but instead will say "What the hell is going on? These all look like kids trying to be heroes that I recognize... for the mostpart... is that supposed to be Superman?!" I'm not going to blame Jim Lee for this, but it is mostly his doing.
Now Geoff Johns, on the other hand... He has been my personal god and my favorite comic book scribe. His reinvention of Green Lantern has been nothing short of incredible. The 2009 event series "Blackest Night" swept the comic world by storm and is one of the best comic stories I've ever read. However, he was overextending himself over multiple books and events, and it showed with "Brightest Day" and a couple of issues of his "Flash" reboot. And now, after crafting this massive "Flashpoint" event that has been hyped for a year now, he is going to undo everything he has already done, as well as everything all the other writers that have put their souls into this company have done. For what?
I admit, I think it'll be nice to finally see a solid Justice League of America book with the big members of DC like Batman and Superman since they haven't been members of the JLA for a few years now, and the book has been suffering due to poor writing and a roster of little known or little liked characters. But do they really have to say "screw this noise, let's start EVERYTHING over again"?
Also, what is the incentive to keep reading until the reboot? We already know that everything that happens doesn't matter at all, so why bother reading since it's all going to be erased anyways.
Well, now it's time for a conspiracy theory of my own that I can only hope will happen at this point. DC will be launching 52 titles, which is, coincidentally, the number of alternate universes in the DC lore, as well as the amount of weeks in a year. Maybe this whole thing will be yet another event, and be a reintroduction to all the characters and places in the DCU, and maybe it will end in a year, and then the normal numbering and series will continue in a continuity close to what we already have right now. Yeah, we'd have a year of pointless storytelling to deal with, but in my opinion, that would be more entertaining knowing that we'd get to return to the worlds and storylines we have become invested in over the years.
What is the point of dragging characters back to square one? Readers care about characters that learn, age, grow, stories that go somewhere, lead to new things, bring us new places, unfold over time and draw from a rich past. Until today, I've had the utmost faith in Geoff Johns, and I've stood beside DC in their events, even during periods of time where weak issues dominated the racks (for the mostpart), but this is ridiculous. They've effectively alienated their core fanbase in an effort to appeal to a new group of readers that they've always wanted, but have never gotten, because quite frankly, that group doesn't exist. Sure, people get interested and pick up comics here and there, and sometimes that develops into collecting. The influx of comicbook based movies has also helped a little by almost being commercials for the comics, also leading to more people picking up comics. But "rebooting" everything WILL NOT magically attract a whole new readership in droves. In fact, they might lose readers, as all of the stories we have already read will be null and void, and we have to start the whole thing over again, which is a lot of reading, a lot of work, and hardly rewarding.
Maybe this is a knee-jerk reaction, and I hope to whatever god or gods that may or may not be that I am wrong with my frustration and anger, and that this pans out as a fun ride that is enjoyable. But it is quotes like "fans will see a new approach to our storytelling," "start, not at the beginning, but at a point where our characters are younger and the stories are being told for today's audience," and "redesigns and a "younger" continuity" that raise concern with me.
As a friend of mine said today, "How is it entertaining to see Hal Jordan running around while worrying about the recession?" Great question, my friend, great question.
MedioCORE
5/31/2011
I detest this we must get new fans at the cost of screwing the old fans mentality, which seems to have pervaded various forms of fandom.
Now its interesting that the Wildstorm characters are being merged into mainstream DC continuity, the same way Fawcett characters and a host of other company character's DC acquired were merged after the Crisis of infinite Earths. This not only destroys DC's previous history and continuity, but Wildstorm's as well. I guess we miss the black humour, government over throwing aspects of the Authority.
My personal thoughts on this whole business are on the apprehensive side. There were loose ends I was interested in, such as how did the GLC become so weak in the future, why are they using a different oath, one which sounds suspiciously more militant. Now the story most probably won't be told, and even if they did do such a story it will be for a different continuity. I am also worried they are rebooting the Legion (again), after all that effort to get the classical LSH back, with freaking Paul Levitz writing them.
Lastly Jim Lee along with Rob Liefeld was involved in that heroes reborn crap Marvel churned out a decade and a bit ago. I am sure that had more sales, but frankly it really didn't do much story telling wise (partly because the continuity just reverted back to the 616 universe continuity). To be fair, I only read liefeld's avengers, and I didn't touch Lee's contribution.
