So about a year ago, DC rebooted almost all of their continuity,m cherry picking here and there certain events that now made up a 5-6 year history of their heroes. What it has done, is hugely help the comic book industry as well as their bottom line, but it also has made many of their heroes much younger - most iconic heroes are anywhere from their early to late twenties. One of the bad things is that many legacy characters such as Wally West who was very popular Flash and Donna Troy the former Wonder Girl, have still yet to appear (and that's just to name a two).
One of the complexities that DC has been doing with for some time, and now continues to do with this reboot (which I'll refer to as the New 52 from now on) is take other comic properties that they have brought and integrate them into the DC Universe. When the Original Crisis on Infinite Earths, many of these other comic properties (Fawcett Comics, Quality Comics and Charlton Comics) were on other Earths, as well DC's own properties that had originally appeared during the 1940's. What that Crisis did was integrate those characters from those Earth (and thus those companies) into one DC Universe. This caused many problems along the way that DC tried to rectify later in events such as Zero Hour and Infinite Crisis. With there maxi-series 52 and with the Final Crisis mini, they established that there are more than one Earth, some which resemble the worlds that used to exist, even though the characters remained on the original Earth. With the New 52, DC has tried to once again integrate the Wildstorm and Milestone Universe into the DC Universe.
Now, I see two criticisms of having so many characters (many of which are similar) in the same universe. The first, is it's too much, and depletes fans ability to keep track of the movements of the Universe, which can be frustrating if you enjoy following that. Secondly, a lot of fans feel that there are many teams that seem to be doing the same thing, or if they want to introduce more teams into the DC Universe they need to be much more specific about what those teams mission are.
Before we begin, DC has tried to diversify their books, which I will talk about - and I think it's great. The only large areas that they could do better in is the espionage/spy genre and more books that appeal to larger audiences such as female readers. They have a good job with at least 1-2 War Comics, Horror books, even books set in the future and the past.
So here's one of today's exercises, which is for me to try to describe the mission statement of all the DC's team books as they exist right now. So here we go:
Justice League - DC's top team - really a window into how their top characters deal with each other, and have introduced the past of this new DCU as well. JL is this DCU's first superheros and their first superhero team, and to the public the best line of defense for the Earth.
Justice League International - this title is ending, and the idea was the UN's version of the JL, with a much more internationally diversified cast.
Justice League Dark - Originally DC's top magical characters banding together to face a large magical threat, now DC has tried to link them to the JL through the character of Steve Trevor and the US government organization called ARGUS. The JLDark 'work' for ARGUS, but also in their first mission find a large magical threat to the world.
Stormwatch - The idea behind Stormwatch (originally a Wildstorm team that morphed into a JL-like team called the Authority notably with a Batman and Superman like characters who were gay lovers) is that this is a centuries old organization of superhumans that keep the world safe from unknown threats without being seen. If the JL and their affiliates are seen in public or employed by governments, Stormwatch are beholden only to more powerful group called the Shadow Cabinet which we know very little about. Mostly comprised of Wildstorm characters.
Teen Titans - Red Robin, former partner to Batman, saves a group of teenage superhumans from an organization called NOWHERE who are trying to make them weapons. Three of these teenagers have connections to the JL members Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash.
The Ravagers - Teenage superhumans who were capture, abused and tampered by NOWHERE now escaped and on the run.
Team 7 - A new titles that chronicles the worlds' government (esp. the US) response to the emergence of superheroes and the creation of the Justice League five years ago. It features many characters who exist five years later.
Suicide Squad - The US Gov. program which employs super-villains on suicide missions for the US, usually against some sort of super-powered threat.
Birds of Prey - A team of female superheroes brought together by Black Canary, who operate mainly in Gotham, usually against more secretive threats and at times are proactive against villains. Originally started as the due of Black Canary and Starling recruiting help for a mission and has continued.
Red Hood and the Outlaws - Red Hood, Arsenal and Starfire - not a huge amount of direction. Less of a team book than the others. Mostly the idea is that Starfire saved Red Hood, Red Hood saves Arsenal, Arsenal knows Starfire and Red Hood, and they all hang out.
Green Lantern Corps- Focuses on Earth Green Lantern's Guy Gardner and John Stewart interacting in with the large Green Lantern Corps.
Green Lantern: The New Guardians - Earth Green Lantern Kyle Rayner interacting with the other Lantern corps because for some reason a ring from each other corps came to Kyle.
Demon Knights - A group of adventures during Medieval Times. Very Magnificent Seven esque -thought the writer has used some Arthurian mythology to keep them together.
Legion of Super Heroes - A group of young super powered aliens inspired by the heroes of today in the 31st Century to fight evil.
Legion Lost -A group of Legionaries from the future that came back to stop a threat to the past now lost in time.
Also a note: DC's War books have been Our Men at War, GI Combat and Blackhawks. The first two have chronicled storylines of regular military in a world of superhumans with a new Sgt. Rock and Easy Company. Blackhawks was a paramilitary organization that dealt with super powered threats. DC has also set up a couple of governmental organizations too. In Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE - SHADE is US organization that seems to have been created in response to the emergence of superhumans. So far, the organization more tends to deal with the more horror/scifi/other dimensional threats to the DCU. The DEO seen in Batwoman seems to be more of a NSA/FBI type of organization dealing with individuals with super powers, and ARGUS seems to deal with the JL and with the US government collection of mytical/technological artifacts that is has collected. The UN has Checkmate, which seems to have a more proactive stance against all superhumans and has delved into the areas of genetically and technologically tampering with people to be weapons.
The only issue with many of these teams is maintaing the mission of why the team/group should remain together - and at times that can lost even with the best writers. I think the books that need that reminder of why they team exists mainly is the Outlaws, Birds of Prey, Stormwatch and the New Guardians. In part 2 of my post, I'm going to suggest mostly team books that I think should make up DC's 4th and 5th Wave of books.
3. Red Hulk - a big player on the Avengers of late, one whose own titles is going to be transferring to his daughter, the Red She-Hulk. The Red Hulk alias is Thunderbolt Ross and his death would be redemptive for the character and might spurn the Hulk characters in a new direction.
