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DC rebooting (some of) its universe


The NZA

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welcome to the 21st century, DC!

 

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Quote: Starting this summer, the publisher will re-number its entire DC Universe of titles, revamping famous characters such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and others from its 76-year history for a more modern and diverse 21st century.

 

The first book to be released under this new era: Justice League No. 1, out Aug. 31, a series by writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee that reunites the famous lineup of Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman.

 

Johns promises a focus on the interpersonal relationships within DC's trademark superteam. "What's the human aspect behind all these costumes?" he says. "That's what I wanted to explore."

 

In September, more than 50 more first issues will debut, introducing readers to stories that are grounded in each character's specific legend but also reflect today's real-world themes and events. Lee spearheaded the redesign of more than 50 costumes to make characters more identifiable and accessible to comic fans new and old.

"We looked at what was going on in the marketplace and felt we really want to inject new life in our characters and line," says Dan DiDio, who co-publishes DC with Lee. "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 an even more important move in the competitive comics industry, DC is making issues of all the renumbered titles available digitally via apps and a DC website the same day they arrive in comic shops. It marks the first time a major comics publisher has done so with its popular superhero titles.

The company has come in second to Marvel every year since 2002 in market share, according to Diamond Comic Distributors.

 

While the two companies are making millions off movie adaptations of their comic books, print sales for both have dropped in recent years, as new technology gives readers many more options.

 

"We're allowing people who have never bought a comic book in their lives to download them on portable media devices and take a look," Lee says. "Having the ability to give people access to these comics with one button click means we're going to get a lot of new readers."

 

He says what makes this plan so ambitious is that it's not just about changes in characters or costumes but setting the stage for how comic books will be consumed in the future.

"We're trying to set the table for the DC Universe's future success and health."

To our comics retail partners,

 

In the time I've worked at DC Comics, I've witnessed any number of industry defining moments. But today, I bring you what is perhaps the biggest news to date.

 

Many of you have heard rumors that DC Comics has been working on a big publishing initiative for later this year. This is indeed an historic time for us as, come this September, we are relaunching the entire DC Universe line of comic books with all new first issues. 52 of them to be exact.

 

In addition, the new #1s 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.

This epic event will kick off on Wednesday, August 31st with the debut of a brand new JUSTICE LEAGUE #1, which pairs Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, together for the first time. (Yes, this is the same week as FLASHPOINT #5.)

 

We think our current fans will be excited by this evolution, and that it will make jumping into the story extremely accessible to first-time readers - giving them a chance to discover DC's characters and stories.

We are positioning ourselves to tell the most innovative stories with our characters to allow fans to see them from a new angle. We have taken great care in maintaining continuity where most important, but fans will see a new approach to our storytelling.

Some of the characters will have new origins, while others will undergo minor changes. 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.

 

Dan DiDio, Bob Harras and Eddie Berganza have been working diligently to pull together some of the best creative teams in the industry. Over 50 new costumes will debut in September, many updated and designed by artist Jim Lee, ensuring that the updated images appeal to the current generation of readers.

 

The publication of JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 will also launch digital day-and-date for all ongoing superhero comic book titles - an industry first.

 

On Wednesday, June 1st, this initiative is expected to be announced in a nationwide feature article, and we're hopeful the news will be picked up by media outlets around the world. Throughout the month we'll reveal more details of our plans with articles in both the mainstream and comics press and on June 13th the Diamond catalog solicitations for all of the September titles will be released, followed by the June 29th street date of the print version of Previews.

 

DC Comics will support this initiative with an innovative mix of publicity, promotional efforts and retailer incentives designed to maximize your opportunity to increase your DC sales. We will discuss additional details of these incentives when we get closer to solicitation later in June.

 

We'll be updating you more through email as September nears. But today, I hope your share our enthusiasm for this historic news!

 

Sincerely,

 

Bob Wayne

SVP, Sales

DC Entertainment

i guess this was inevitable, but putting # 1's day 1 up digital, too? bold move, props for that.
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If I'm missing something intengral I apologise, but is DC honestly just using digital distro as an excuse to relaunch all their shit like they do every 3 years anyways? Big who cares. Apps like Comixology update their DC catalogues monthly anyways.

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Isn't everything that was just said word-for-word what the Ultimate line was supposed to be? Welcome to 1998, DC.

 

In an even more important move in the competitive comics industry, DC is making issues of all the renumbered titles available digitally via apps and a DC website the same day they arrive in comic shops.

 

That shit I approve of wholeheartedly. It just might get some of you comic book "fans" to stop stealing, since I don't think a goddamn one of you sets foot in a comic book store with any sort of regularity. :2T:

 

I remember when I first started reading posts here, I was thinking "Shit, these guys must have a really massive pull-and-hold list" but no. Nonono.

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If I'm missing something intengral I apologise, but is DC honestly just using digital distro as an excuse to relaunch all their shit like they do every 3 years anyways? Big who cares. Apps like Comixology update their DC catalogues monthly anyways.

Isn't that Marvel you're thinking of? I think Punisher has had a dozen #1s in half as many years. :sarcasm:

 

Isn't everything that was just said word-for-word what the Ultimate line was supposed to be? Welcome to 1998, DC.

That's what she Nick said. :2T:

 

That shit I approve of wholeheartedly. It just might get some of you comic book "fans" to stop stealing, since I don't think a goddamn one of you sets foot in a comic book store with any sort of regularity. :2T:

 

I remember when I first started reading posts here, I was thinking "Shit, these guys must have a really massive pull-and-hold list" but no. Nonono.

Hey, I resent resemble that remark. As do Nick, Joel, etc. etc.

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Folks like Panch and I kept it real, but I've lost 3 giant fucking collections now and have no intention of purchasing singles past neccesity. Obviously I still buy trades and am waiting for the day Marvel brings their awesome sub service with Apple to Android. Or at the very least someone needs to fucking digitally distribute Powers since none of my local stores have it.

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Isn't that Marvel you're thinking of? I think Punisher has had a dozen #1s in half as many years. :sarcasm:

 

Bit've a difference between relaunching a few poorer characters and changing the mythos of everyone and everything in the universe every few years for an 'event'.

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well, i should hope not.

 

i cant speak for the others, but me? i borrow a digital copy from the internets, read it, then return it by deletion. totally different.

 

That's more like stealing it, reading it, then going back and killing the clerk. You're a monster.

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  • 5 weeks later...

For the most part I'm more excited about this than annoyed, while on the costume side of things shit's horrible but they're fixing a bunch of heroes that have been woefully broken for years (Batgirl, Hawkman, even Ressurection Man is getting a new series) plus they're apparently keeping a lot of things the same as they were which works for me cause there's a lot of things about post-crisis DC I would probably change. That said, the lack of a Power Girl and Secret Six boys makes me sad and I'm still on the fence on the whole "John Constantine is now DC's Doctor Strange or something" angle, we'll see about that.

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wait, constantine's coming over from Veritgo? not sure how i feel about that, but then i havnet read his series since he was in india like a year or two ago anyway - i think mike carey was the last consistent writer i saw on there.

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Hellblazer will continue as it always has to the best of my knowledge, the DCU John Constantine (first seen at the end of Brightest Day, though to be fair he's popper up periodically throughout the years and was even obliquely mentioned in the third or forth arc of Hitman) is about mid-30s age and obviously doesn't swear as much but is for the most part the same character, he'll be heading up the Justice League Dark book.

 

I never saw Swamp Thing or Animal Man as Vertigo-only constructs but maybe that's cause I never got to the later stuff.

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I hear the next DC crossover event will involve Dr. Manhattan discovering the DCU Earth and attacking, and though Swamp Thing, Animal Man, and Constantine fight valiantly to stop it it comes down to the combined forces of Jack Knight, Tommy Monaghan, Jesse Custer, and Morpheus to stop him. I hear that in one of the later issues Jonah Hex learns the Anti-Life equation and takes him, Sgt. Rock and The Losers into space to battle Darkseid.

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To be honest I would actually read a book about a Lantern who was just really bored and uncaring about everything that happened but only if it were written by like Bob Burden or somebody. Of course I would also read a Larfleeze (Orange Lantern) solo book if that tells you anything.

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Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Constantine and The Endless are pretty much the only Vertigo characters that are in the main DCU. That John should be the same one, although I'm curious if, after the reboot, there's going to be a splintering between the two. Where Hellblazer maintains the continuity and the other guy starts fresh.

 

Also, Larfleeze forever! I like the idea of the orange ring just creating a cast of characters to suit the stories purpose.

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Well since Vertigo Constantine ages in real time and DCU version obviously does not then there's gotta be some difference.

 

But yeah, Larfleeze is the best DC character to come out in the last 30 years, hands down. Though apparently ther's going to be a second Orange Lantern due to pictures of the rainbow Corps or whatever they're called. How somebody else got a ring is anybody's guess.

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