New DCU

The New DCU: Thoughts, Concerns and Hopes

So, for those of you who aren't as wired into the comic book world as I am, DC Comics announced that it will be relaunch some regular and launching some new books, all with #1 come September. This is a big deal when it comes to two comics that have almost 1000 issue series such as Action and Detective Comics. DC stated that they wanted to refresh concepts for the 21st century and make their characters more accessible, as well as celebrate the diversity of our world. Well, fan reaction, to be mild has been mixed. Many are concerned about continuity, whether the stories and characters they love have been erased from existence. Others are concerned that characters of prominence seem to be missing from solicitations and book descriptions. Also, while DC stated their commitment to diversity, many have, rightly so, pointed out that their first image of the Justice League, was 5 white guys, one african-american male hero and one white female hero. Not quite really diverse. And as for the diversity about characters, it isn’t that much different than it was before, and perhaps a tad worse, especially when it comes down to the diversity of creators, gender, racial and sexuality wise. I, however, am hopeful.

Why? Well I would direct you to article on Newsarama that addressed the accessibility and the ‘relaunch’ nature, by comparing to Doctor Who and discussing how DC’s goal is make the concepts behind the characters to be simple and easy to jump on. Link: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/write-or-wrong-68-dcnu-doctor-who-110614.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Newsaramasite+%28Newsarama.com%29&utm_content=Twitter

And, you know what, that’s smart. They are telling comic book shops they can return the 1st 3 issues if people don’t buy, and they are accessing new readers (also with the news deals with bookstores like Barnes & Nobles and being able to download them on he same day they new in stores) - but my friend Michele is excited about buying a Wonder Woman #1. She wants to read good stories about characters she knows of and likes from other mediums, and be able to get in on the ground floor. So, I think on that level it works.

Today, and for the last couple DC is saying that continuity is not being rebooting, but it simply means compressed. Much like Doctor Who since 2005, you don’t have to watched the old show to catch on. Hell, you didn’t have to watch seasons 1-4 to jump onto 5. Which means big and more recent events like Identity Crisis will exist but Panic in the Sky from the 90‘s might not. And i think, in a few instance it’ll more like the Star Trek movie, where some things with be ‘rebooted’ or changed to help things make sense. Maybe make characters younger, or in the case of Babs Gordon, walking, and maybe some more embarrassing stories or confusing timelines (I’m looking at you Hawkman) will be streamlined.

I think what, in light of those comments, concerns me the most is the possibility of some characters not existing, not so much that they won’t have books. I think there will be a wave 2 in early 2012 with Batman Inc. Books like the JSA and Outsiders will be included, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pulp book like Doc Savage, maybe doing something with the Red Circle, and maybe doing something with some of the older Titans/Infinity Inc characters. However, while the possibilities are there for Ryan Choi to be alive and a supporting character in Fury of Firestorm, the question of whether Speedy or Connor Hawke exists if Green Arrow is younger is of concern. If Superman is the first Super Hero, do the JSA exist, or only some of them, or were they something else than what we knew. Are some of the legacy characters that are cult favorites, be wiped away in order to stream line continuity? That is a big question for a lot of fans.

And about diversity, there is a very good argument that DC is very diverse and can be very diverse, but editorial has to challenge creators to use and utilize those diverse characters in compelling and real ways. Instead of four books with all of the male Robins, why not have one with Cass Cain and Steph Brown, or the Outsiders, which has been one of the most diverse books, with one of the first African-American superheroes, Black Lightning, who has 2 daughters (one of whom is gay) both who are superheroes.

Again, I’m excited. I trust many of these creators. I think, however, letting fans know there will be a wave 2, and address some of fan;s fears about the futures of characters like Wally West and Donna Troy, would be helpful- but I’m sure they want to focus on Sept. and not have fans waiting for next January. And I would encourage DC to look to bloggers like NerdyBird at http://www.thenerdybird.com/ and DCWomenKickingAss at http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/ -have real concerns about the diversity of creators and diversity of characters. NeryBird wrote a great piece about Oracle vs. Batgirl and Gail Simone and her did an interview that was fantastic. But people love their characters, and when DC says they are about diversity and there isn’t a whole lot of change in terms of diversity when it comes to the solicits, well it’s understandable that fans are concerned. And fans, I have faith in these creators, and I understand the want to not be shackled by continuity. To be free to do new and creative things with their characters. I’m ok with compression and I’m ok with streamlining of their history. I’m ok with new books that don’t highlight my favorite characters. But what I would like is for these characters to still exist or possibly could exist. I would like that commitment to diversity to be real, both in characters and in creators.

And as for what’s next, I think there will be wave 2. Maybe in October and maybe in early 2012 along with Batman: Inc. Look for #1’s of books such as JSA, Outsiders,a 2nd Flash book called Speed Force, a pulp book aka Doc Savage or Spirit, something to do with the Marvel Family, something with some of the women of Gotham such as Huntress, Steph Brown and Cass Cain, Batman Beyond and either Superman or JL Beyond, a new Zatana and Xombi, and maybe a 2nd JSA book for Power Girl or some other characters.

Also remember this. Captain Marvel, Captain Atom, the Blue Beetle, the Question, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters...all of these characters were that were created by other comic book companies that were acquired by DC. And while most of the focus was that converging of the multi-verse, especially 5 earths into one earth with one history. But while it created many, many headaches with characters like Hawkman, but it made characters from Fawcett, Charlton and Quality comics part of the DC Universe. And now, the relaunch/reboot will take characters like the THUNDER agents, Milestone characters like Static, bringing back Vertigo characters, and Wildstorm characters into the DCU. And while I don’t know the status of the Red Circle characters, if they have those licenses still, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in a Wave 2.