DC Comics Reboot

[Villano]

Dire Bear, I get most of my info at comicvine.com, newsarama.com, and comicbookresources.com.

Most info is pieced together by press releases and interviews. DC has said that some characters will no longer exist and others will have their history either completely or partially rewritten. They also said the Morrison's Batman and Johns' Green Lantern work will remain intact.

This is part of the reason people are upset. It appears everything is being rebooted to one extent or another except the Morrison and Johns stuff, which as KnightErrantJR says, looks like favoritism.

For example, Brightest Day (written by Johns) still exists, but Firestorm, who appeared in the story, is now being rebooted (from DC press release "Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond are two high school students, worlds apart – and now they’re drawn into a conspiracy of super science that bonds them forever in a way they can’t explain or control").

And we have Aquaman, which will be written by Johns. He's said that Aquaman will remember the events of the Flashpoint mini-series (also written by Johns) which was set in an alternate universe.

As to Time Drake/Red Robin, the description of Teen Titans is, "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."

So, Wonder Girl is totally rebooted and it sounds like Tim was never Robin and this is the first time he's meeting the other characters.

And Kid Flash is Bart Allen, Flash is Barry Allen, and Wally is...I don't think they've said if he even exists now.

As for Batgirl, I have no idea if she was ever Oracle, but I think I read that they were making her younger. I'm honestly not certain on that one.

So it's a hard reboot on some things, soft reboot on others, but they are going to carry over everything written by Morrison and Johns but it's supposed to make things less confusing.

 

[Dire Bare]

So it's a hard reboot on some things, soft reboot on others, but they are going to carry over everything written by Morrison and Johns but it's supposed to make things less confusing.

I think it will be simpler, less confusing, for folks jumping in at issue(s) #1 . . . but for long time fans, yeah, it seems pretty confusing. Will it be less confusing in September? Somehow, I doubt it.

And again, why do we need Batman #1, Detective Comics #1, Batman: The Dark Knight #1, and Batman & Robin #1?!?!?! I realize this is nothing new and these multiple redundant titles have all been around for a while . . . but if we're going to streamline and simplify things, how about just Batman #1 and that's it?

But again, when it comes to details of how far the reboot reaches with individual characters . . . there's definitely a bewildering variety of changes ranging from minor to major and the hints DC is releasing are frustratingly vague . . . but I'm finding it hard to separate solid hints from fan (and news reporting) assumptions. Forex, nothing in the quote you gave me about Drake tells me he wasn't formerly Robin and Red Robin . . . but today I've seen the same assertion that he wasn't on iO9. Is it possible Drake took a sabbatical, but was pulled back into the superhero world from his "keyboard"? Gordon's Batgirl is another good example. A lot of folks seem to be assuming her wheelchair is retconned away, and it might be, but I don't think we know that yet. She wouldn't be the first comic book hero to be miraculously cured from a paraplegic state!

I guess it doesn't really matter, we'll all find out soon enough in September. I guess it just goes to show how crazy we all are about this stuff!

 

[Jamdin]

And again, why do we need Batman #1, Detective Comics #1, Batman: The Dark Knight #1, and Batman & Robin #1?!?!?! I realize this is nothing new and these multiple redundant titles have all been around for a while . . . but if we're going to streamline and simplify things, how about just Batman #1 and that's it?

I would have liked to see some other character(s) in Detective Comics than Batman for a change. Slam Bradley, Elongated Man and Human Target quickly comes to my mind.

 

[Villano]

Gordon's Batgirl is another good example. A lot of folks seem to be assuming her wheelchair is retconned away, and it might be, but I don't think we know that yet. She wouldn't be the first comic book hero to be miraculously cured from a paraplegic state!

I think people are assuming things because she's supposed to have been de-aged. I guess they are assuming that she's going to be knocked back to the age she was when she started being Batgirl.

I don't think there's any solid info on her other than the fact that it's Barbara Gordon again.

I would have liked to see some other character(s) in Detective Comics than Batman for a change. Slam Bradley, Elongated Man and Human Target quickly comes to my mind.

YES! If I was in charge of the reboot, I would have a Batman solo title, Batman & Robin for the duo, and have a rotating cast of detectives and Gotham characters for Detective.

Of course, Batman sells, so it makes sense to put him in a dozen books from a business perspective.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I would have liked to see some other character(s) in Detective Comics than Batman for a change. Slam Bradley, Elongated Man and Human Target quickly comes to my mind.

Quastion...eaither one (my pref would be vic as quastion and renee as his partner)

 

[Klaus]

DC has released the solicitations for the relaunch titles, and Tim Drake is still Batman's former sidekick.

Justice League #1 and Action Comics #1 will be set in the past, and then jump to the present with their #2.

 

[Villano]

Some more news: DC Roadshow Hits Dallas ? Million Dollar Ad Spend, Justice League Beyond And Black People Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

I found this part to be the most interesting:

Many of the new 52 books will have six issue story arcs, and Dan DiDio states that if sales are bad on a title, they won’t wait very long to cancel it. He wants strong sales across the line.

Anyone else think that about 1/4 of the relaunch titles won't be around after 6 months?

 

[Felon]

Six-issue story arcs are the order of the day now, because they lend themselves to the trade paperback format. A lot of folks want something they can put on a shelf--expensive as they are, it's hard to see comics as disposable. Personally, I prefer at least a year's worth of stories, but what they seem to be moving towards is a small trade followed by a bigger "omnibus" compilation.

In some cases, as with Boom Comics publishing Makr Waid's Irredeemable and Incorruptable, we don't even get that. Just four issues, plus some sketches and excerpts from B-grade comics.

Cancelling unusccessful lines does sort of make sense. I think it's perfectly sensible to just let a comic story play itself out and then that's it for a while. Leave fans craving more, rather than become disinterested by weak stories that just exist to fulfill a monthly commitment.

 

[megamania]

I'm curious how Marvel will react to this if it succeeds or fails.

 

[Villano]

I'm curious how Marvel will react to this if it succeeds or fails.

So far...they're making fun of it.

Marvel Still Acting Like Marvel? Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

As to how they will react in the future, well, I suppose that depends on what defines success. In terms of percentage of monthly comic sales, I think Marvel does in the low-to-mid 40s and DC does in the mid-to-high 20s. After things settle down after the first issue sales bump, if DC only gains a point or two, I doubt Marvel will care.

I'm not sure what they'll do if DC overtakes Marvel. Honestly, I don't really see that happening. I think DC will lose some old readers, gains some new ones, lose some of those new readers over time, and everything will end up about where it is now.

If the reboot totally bombs...I'm sure Marvel will just make fun of it some more.