DC to reboot EVERYTHING after Flashpoint?

[Charles RB]

That I did not expect.

Fifty two #1's in one month, all starting from a "early days" of the characters? That's too much, surely. Aside from the big names like Superman and Batman, won't most of them steal each other's thunder? And what about titles that were following on from older stuff? Secret Six and Batman Inc are buggered for a start!

It seems a bit odd, especially as writer upon writer tried to undo as much of the post-Crisis reboot as they could.

(News ganked from CBR's Tobias March)

[Donald M.]

The desperation is palpable.

The younger audience they say they're going for is certainly interested in superheroes, they're just not interested in Superhero comics.

This isn't going to change that.

[beetlebum]

Yeah, I'm surprised too.

I'm elated with the JLA going back to the original seven though.

When I first started reading comics, I read all of the trades of Grant Morrison's run.

That's the JLA I fondly remember and am nostalgic for.

But for the rest?

It seems a bit arbitrary for something like Xombi to go back to issue one, when it's on issue three now and won't even get to issue 10 when this happens.

Or something like Batgirl, the current run of which I'm enjoying very much.

I guess, in addition to wanting to make money, they also want DC to be more "accessible" to people who are just getting into comics, and they're doing so by starting at one so people won't get lost in continuity.

It seems like they're taking a cue from the Ultimate line.

[carabas]

That I did not expect.

Fifty two #1's in one month, all starting from a "early days" of the characters?

Im not seeing anything about them all starting from the early days.

It seems just a renumbering and not much more.

[beetlebum]

In an interview with USA Today, DC Editor Dan Didio has indicated that this is not going back to the beginning, but to an early point in their careers, with the Justice League being comprised of the original seven- Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter. They plan on giving a modern take on the origin of the classic super team.

...............

[Iangould]

I get the impression it's a CoIT level reboot - they keep the elements of the past they like but scrap whatever they don't like.

So, for example, I suspect Ted Kord is probably still dead, Jaime is still Blue Beetle and the New Gods are probably still dead too.

[Paul McEnery]

Can we start calling it the House of Run-Out-of-Ideas?

[J. Robb]

It seems like they're taking a cue from the Ultimate line.

That would be the smart thing to do. Start a new line, leave the classic line for the old fans (and as an out if the new line fails.)

Instead, this looks like the usual semi-reboot they do, which cause as many problems as they're supposed to solve. It seems to be the only card in DC's deck.

[Charles RB]

I guess, in addition to wanting to make money, they also want DC to be more "accessible" to people who are just getting into comics, and they're doing so by starting at one so people won't get lost in continuity.

It seems like they're taking a cue from the Ultimate line.

Though unless they're planning a big marketing and distribution push at the same time, how will this even work? (Assuming it's about younger audiences and not getting attention from Marvel) It's also got a key flaw that Ultimate Marvel didn't have: it's starting with lots of new comics, Ultimate Marvel had two and grew from there so you knew what to get. Here, there could be too much signal to noise.

As Donald says, they seem really desperate.

[Iangould]

From the article:

"We looked at what was going on in the marketplace and felt we really want to inject new life in our characters and line," Co-Publisher Dan DiDio told the newspaper. "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 a letter to retailers, DC's Senior Vice President-Sales Bob Wayne explained that the new No. 1 issues "will introduce readers to a more modern, diverse DC Universe, with some character variations in appearance, origin and age. All stories will be grounded in each character's legend -- but will relate to real world situations, interactions, tragedy and triumph."

"Some of the characters will have new origins, while others will undergo minor changes," he wrote. "Our characters are always being updated; however, this is the first time all of our characters will be presented in a new way all at once."

[Iangould]

Though unless they're planning a big marketing and distribution push at the same time, how will this even work?

All ongoing superhero titles are going to simultaneous digital and print release - and I suspect they'll try to market this to players of DCU online.

[beetlebum]

Ultimate Marvel had two and grew from there so you knew what to get. Here, there could be too much signal to noise.

As Donald says, they seem really desperate.

From your own link: On Wednesday August 31 DC will only be shipping 2 titles; Flashpoint #5 (the final issue of the miniseries) and the all new Justice League #1. All 51 other titles will be released in September.

So see, they're starting with two titles too. :p

And I'd imagine there'd be some sort of big push to get these titles out.

[beetlebum]

Also, I think the success of the Green Lantern movie is something else they may be counting on.

[Matt Algren]

They said there'd be a bunch of #1 issues, not that they'd continue with #2 issues as well. I'm betting on this being similar to the month after Zero Hour in 1994.

[beetlebum]

Yeah, you're right.

It could be a temporary #1, like Zero Hour's #0.

Though the article did say:

"Some of the characters will have new origins, while others will undergo minor changes," he wrote. "Our characters are always being updated; however, this is the first time all of our characters will be presented in a new way all at once."

... which throws things up in the air.