Something stood out to me from the preview of this week’s Green Arrow #12 (Potentially the last of the Brightest Day tie-ins, ignoring the Aftermath series? Have I missed anything?):
Jason Blood has to “reclaim” the Demon, just like the Swamp Thing had to be “reclaimed” by Alec Holland at the end of Brightest Day (the series). Scenes like this are really the best argument against rumors that DC is planning to reboot the entire DCU following Flashpoint, because… Well, if you were going to reboot the entire DCU, why spend so long telling stories that restore old status quos beforehand?
Think about it: Blackest Night and Brightest Day combined restored Aquaman, Hawkman (and, for a short while, Hawkwoman), Firestorm, Martian Manhunter, Reverse Flash, Captain Boomerang, Max Lord, the 1980s version of Hawk and Dove, Swamp Thing, a DCU John Constantine and now the Demon, all to something closely resembling their “classic” status quos, while also relaunching Green Arrow and Birds of Prey books to something resembling prominence. If DC really planned on rebooting its universe, wouldn’t that all seem like a waste of effort…?
It depends, I guess, on whether the restorations of titles and characters really “took” with readers. If they didn’t, then the gamble of starting all over may seem worth it, despite the fact that that’s pretty much just happened – although, given reactions to the second relaunch of Marvel’s Ultimate line in three years, you have to wonder at what point reboot lethargy starts to kick in, and everyone stops caring altogether.
May 25th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
I thought DC would completely reboot after Flashpoint until I read about this ‘Dark’ Justice League. Now I believe they will create an ‘Ultimate’-style line with Flashpoint related characters like Thomas Wayne-Batman and Project-Superman, etc.
I agree that the building up of characters from Brightest Day would become just a waste of time if they planned to start fresh. Unless these plot threads are just red-herrings.
It’s really too bad, though. I was hoping for all new #1′s as a good kick-off point to really get back into buying and reading comics. I only came back comics for Flashpoint. Still fun to read theses boards, though; and much more cost effective.
Honestly, I’m happy sorting through my back issues and re-reading what I already have.
May 25th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
As a rule, if your readers aren’t enjoying stories, sweep them under the rug and move on to the next tale. A universe reboot event would be a huge mistake. As a rule, never provide unhappy collectors with anything resembling a “jumping off” point.
May 26th, 2011 at 5:43 am
The only reboot that I’d really like to see from Flashpoint is that Identity Crisis didn’t happen.
May 26th, 2011 at 8:20 am
‘Reboot Lethargy’ might work for them. IF DC thought they could create a universe that would have more universal appeal, they wouldn’t care what the current 100,000 readers thought if they thought they could capture five times that number by rebooting everything to the beginning, and making a handfull of other basic changes.
I think that the creation of their own ‘Ultimate Universe’ is the much more likely outcome of the ‘bombshell’ revelations announced the other day.
May 26th, 2011 at 8:20 am
@Shawn Kane: +1
Yes, my fave b-listers have been restored, but JLA and Titans are in shambles, Flash seems to have stumbled, WW is styimed yet again, and it looks like Green Arrow (my other fave b-lister) is a trainwreck so a reboot may not be superfluous. That said, +1 to @Cisco Kid.
May 26th, 2011 at 8:21 am
maybe they reboot back to the moment when either barry allen originally died, or to the point he came back…his existence is wiped again and wally takes over
May 26th, 2011 at 8:45 am
The one thing that everyone seems to be ignoring is the fact that this might not be a line wide reboot. This mini series, according to Geoff Johns himself, is central to Barry and Batman, Thomas Wayne. I can see some things being rewritten, Reverse Flash’s proclivity to changing the past, and some of these characters being introduced to the DCU proper but they have already streamlined some characters, Superman and his family, re-organized others, Batman and his family, while introducing new drives for others, Green Lantern and the characters of Brightest Day. To me a line wide reboot would be disasterous for a lot of the line that is running smoothly but crazier things have happened in comics before, such as Peter Parker making a deal with the devil to reverse his mistake which was the basis of his character from the beginning.
May 26th, 2011 at 8:49 am
The restoration of the bond between Eclipso and Bruce Gordon is another piece that goes in the same direction. If the scenario depicted in the article is believable, then the bombshell would be the undoing of the Superman marriage, any way they do it.
May 26th, 2011 at 8:54 am
As I’ve said elsewhere, there WON’T be a total reboot. They may be hush-hush about what happens after Flashpoint for the most part… but they have told us at least 2 things about the post-Flashpoint world that point towards a reboot being pretty obviously a false fear/hope. (For tge record, it would be a fear for me).
Anyway, there were at least 3 titles announced (and perhaps more that I forgot about as well?). One is Aquaman which, doesn’t tell us a lot I suppose if you’re already willing to accept that they’d scrap all tge recent set-up for other characters and stories for a reboot.
The other two, though, are more telling: Red Lantern Corps and Justice League International. Let’s say the DCU WERE starting from scratch. How do you pull off resetting Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Flash to square 1, restart the JLA… and at the same time, launch a brand new JLI title that seems likely to feature Booster and Bruce Wayne?! How do you put GL history back at square 1… but still include a brand new Red Lantern book?
That’s without going into the fact that, while there is a convenient break in many stories coming up, the break certainly doesn’t seem like an end to building up future storylines. Legion? Teen Titans? Swamp Thing? Isis (who is supposed to help Swamp Thing)? The new Aqualad? Everything happening in the GL books? Batman, Inc?
Look, I’m sure they’re going to try to pull off something big, but who ever has completely jumped on board with “Team Reboot” has already lost.
May 26th, 2011 at 8:56 am
My longshot bet is the universe has changed after Flashpoint but not a reboot. We get to see what “changes” to the timeline went down such as when Barry returned and we learned that his arch foe Zoom traveled in the past and killed Barry’s mom and framed his dad. I see this as being like One Year Later where we learned about changes from when the big three were gone. I know Dan was happy with the One Year Later increase in sales but not to happy it didn’t last long. Aquaman One Year later had a good jump in sales but Kurt left the title and the real Aquaman “died” and no one cared and it was cancelled.
As for Marvel’s Ultimate line I wish they would just let the line die. The Death of Ultimate Spiderman should be the end of the whole line in my humble opinion. It is just a distraction to the main line now. New people interested in the death of ultimate spider are puzzled about the two different Spiderman books. How can Amazing Spiderman go on if he dies in Ultimate Spiderman? Trying to explain that has yet to work out. Oh they are two different characters with the same name.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:13 am
I’m hoping the launch will be Elseworlds stories. There are too many plot threads after Brightest Day (Firestorm going off in 90 days, Aquaman investigating an Atlantean connection to Mera’s peoples attack, Hawkman looking for Hawkwoman, etc.) for there to be a relaunch. Perhaps there may be titles from Flashpoin that may carry over. A Cyborg series? Secret Seven? A new Shazam concept ?
May 26th, 2011 at 9:26 am
My two cents (new to this board): my feelings are that DC is not ready for another reboot and yet the DCU is currently a bloated mess and every Event complicates it more and detaches readers. A Ultimate DC Line would have to have four titles (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and, later on, Justice League), and only four monthly titles, set in current time. The past and future would be explored a new (a bonus would be the complete ban of time travel). Other heroes would be introduced on second features and mini-series. if DC is interested, I have the whole game plan laid out for them. Call me. As for the big news: they´re going with the Multiverse and further complicate things.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:28 am
Doesn’t matter what they do. I already stopped buying paper comics.
By changing the industry from a mass market to a direct collectors market they have cut off future generations from the joy of reading comic books in a significant way. This generation gets their fix at the movies or through the video games.
Either way I’ll keep reading but nothing they do now will ever get me to give them my money again.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Declining market share.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:36 am
I’ve an idea, or maybe more of a suggestion: Could it be, that part of what they’d do, is make the titles less interconnected (maybe just some of them)? There’s plenty of complaints about how comics are so history dense these days that it keeps new people from picking them up. Perhaps if Flashpoint overturns the whole applecart, the resulting books would be sort of “soft reboots” with a continuity more like the 50s & 60s where the characters existed in a shared Universe, but no one was in lockstep with the other?
May 26th, 2011 at 9:39 am
I’m on the fence. I HATE that they went back to all the silver age versions of the characters(REALLY HATE hal Jordan). I do like what they have done with Batman! I have never read a more interesting Batman than now! Grayson as the Bat is Awesome!!! I wish Bruce stayed dead in fact! I wish the universe would keep evolving. I also hate Barry but would have been happy if Bart remained the Flash even though I’m a Wally guy. What I’ve always loves about the DCU is that the characters age and evolved. Not so keen on going back.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:41 am
For my money I think its going to be more of a OYL style thing. They’ll use Flashpoint as a way to fastforward the main universe’s timeline. So the storylines can start “fresh”.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:45 am
I tend to agree with those who tink this won’t be a reboot. New number ones doesn’t immediately mean reboot. It just means a restart. Which doesn’t – at least in my mind – mean the same thing.
That said I do expect there will be some changes as a result of Flashpoint. I’d be disappointed if there weren’t.
May 26th, 2011 at 10:09 am
They’ve been setting up too many things to do a “reboot” in my opinion. First and foremost is Morrison’s run with Batman. This seems like a lot of work to just throw away. Also, hints have been dropped for the last year pointing to this fall being something big. Odds are whatever is planned, Bruce knows what’s coming and is preparing. When you factor in the rest (Wonder Woman and her mess, Superman and his long stroll, the Green Lanterns, Flash, Justice League, Blackest Night, Brightest Day, War of the Supermen…. the list goes on) they could just be potentially going for a restart instead of a reboot. The numbers are getting a little high, including Action Comics 900, sooner or later they have to restart these things. I’m sure they’ll just make an event out of it.
Also, they said after Blackest Night that death will be different and more permanent in the DC Universe so this is probably all a part of the plan. I do like the idea that someone had of also having stories of this alternate universe including Thomas Wayne as Batman. Some crossovers would be kind of cool too. There is definitely a lot of potential for stories of Thomas coping with the loss of his wife and son driving him to be Batman. Depending on the author I’d give it a read.
May 26th, 2011 at 10:10 am
I see it being more like a post Age of Apocalypse thing. New characters created in Flashest Night will either leave their timeline and join ours or be recreated in ours (Britannia, Canterbury Cricket, etc.) and maybe one or two personal history hiccups result (like Barry’s mother dies again or Bruce Wayne suddenly owns casinos).
I can’t see how a full reboot would be a good idea, especially after EVERYTHING Bruce Wayne just went through with time travel to add layer upon layer of history to the Batman origin. Apart from all of the previously referenced Silver Age Status Quo returns, we also have things like Booster Gold actually having served time for his museum thefts, the return of Bart, Connor and all that ground work re-establishing the Legion of Superheroes in TWO titles.
What we need is a return to the status quo WITHOUT a reboot! Have Superman defend Metropolis! Have Green Lantern battle space monsters instead of other rainbow ring-wearing wielders! Let Wonder Woman go back to being herself! Bring back Captain Marvel from his weird publishing limbo! Give us a Justice League that doesn’t have to shout “We ARE the Justice League” every issue just to prove they’re worthy of the name!
If DC Comics wipes the slate clean and gives us all new #1 issues, they may create a jumping on point for new readers. But they’d also create a jumping off point for an even greater number of angry fans.
May 26th, 2011 at 10:54 am
Isn’t DC’s version of the Ultimate line the Earth One books? So I don’t think that’s what’s going on.
I agree that they’ve spent way too much time setting things up the way they want to just undo it all again. Then again, DC hasn’t been the best at long-range planning these last few years…
May 26th, 2011 at 10:58 am
Given the ridiculous amount of love certain characters have been getting lately, maybe they’re just announcing that they’re changing their name from “DC Comics” to “Hal & Barry Comics”?
May 26th, 2011 at 11:02 am
The whole reboot thing came about as a rumour and everyone just ran with it despite any evidence…
May 26th, 2011 at 11:07 am
Screw all of this SA nonsense that DiDio & his lapdog Johns have put together.
Lose Hal Jordan
Kill off Boring Allen and restore Wally as the one main Flash!
I could care less about the SA nonsense. I loved that DC let their characters grow and evolve. Now they are tossing it all aside.
FIRE DAN DIDIO
May 26th, 2011 at 11:29 am
Has there been any kind of official statement from DC that they plan to reboot all their titles after Flashpoint? If not, then talk of the entire DCU being rebooted should be treated as any other unconfirmed internet rumor until verified.
May 26th, 2011 at 11:32 am
No, there hasn’t been an official statement or announcement of any kind. It’s just rumor and hearsay based on the August solicits a few weeks back. Storylines are being wrapped up, and Flashpoint is the only title being released on Aug 31st. People immediately deduced that 2+2=5 and assumed a reboot is in the offing.
May 26th, 2011 at 11:34 am
One of the reasons I don’t read DC books much anymore is because the same types of stories keep being repeated, whole events centered around characters dying and coming back and dying. (Yes, I know Marvel does it too, but their line seems fresher now for some reason.)
One of the reasons I got bored with Robinson’s JLA run is not the line-up (which is, to his credit, different), but it’s the same types of stories (eclipso’ed heroes, dark supergirl, crime syndicate). And I’m sorry, whatever the lasting implications are, Flashpoint is Elseworld. We don’t need another Crisis or Zero Hour reboot too…
May 26th, 2011 at 11:34 am
Wow, DC continues to swim in their huge mess of chaos and confusion. Reboot or not, I’ve stopped reading all DC universe titles since they decided to bring back Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. I always tell people, if this company always wants to live in the past, what’s the point of picking up new titles? It’s always the same old rehash, and everything ALWAYS goes right back to square one… the same status quo.
The only time DC had me excited was during a period in the 90′s when I beleive they made a genuine effort to move FORWARD with their characters. Aquaman became really cool, got that “hook” for a hand and a nice updated look/outfit. Wally West became really comfortable as the Flash. Kyle Rayner was the last Green Lantern, and Ron Marz did an amazing job with that character, and to me, was much more modern and interesting than boring Hal (who actually became my favorite new villain in Parallax!) Connor grew on me when he became the new Green Arrow after Ollie’s death. I could go on. My point is, that was their biggest chance for them to stick with their guns and move forward, but they blew it, and now I suppose they’re forced to keep pumping out all these gimicky events and rehashed golden age/silver age characters and stories. The only comics I read these days are a couple Vertigo titles and independants. Marvel has the exact same problem. It’s always gimmicks, events, reboots, relaunches, new numbering on their books, back to old numbering on their books, etc, etc… what a big mess!!
May 26th, 2011 at 11:35 am
Why the hell would they reboot? Anyone who thinks they are going to a flat out dope.
The one thing they should certainly do is NOT listen to the morons on message boards. I read a good deal of DC, and I can’t think of many titles or characters that need or would benefit from a reboot.
May 26th, 2011 at 11:57 am
Is this actually an article? This has some of the worst… I am almost ashamed to call it this… “journalism” I have ever seen.
May 26th, 2011 at 11:59 am
given that Multiversity is happening soon… maybe there will be a new set of books that will spin out of the end of Flashpoint set in this new world or in a new world starting over… while not throwing out the continuity that is being laid down I can see many titles being phased out in the current continuity. or using a weekly series — and team titles to play out the sequenses and storyline that are running…
Superman,Wonder Woman, Batman GL Flash Aquaman all could be the new books while the other titles continue telling the tales of the classic DCU … I have a feeling we will see the ground floor with new number ones for a good many DC titles…
May 26th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Personally, I hope there is a reboot, current storylines be damned. Streamline the books, return the characters to their core purposes, maybe pull back on the power levels for a few of them, and have at it. I’m not saying return them all to their origins btw. You could just give them a quick origin page, ala All-Star Superman and jump in with the new stories. Do I think this will happen? Nope. It’d be fun to see though.
May 26th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
It will take a lot to get me back buying comics regulary again. Thanks to Flashpoint for this….
May 26th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
yeah I wish the DCU relaunched with a DC universe not so obsessed with stepping backwards but keep other characters dead and move on with their replacements I mean really bringing back the JLI? Generation lost was kinda bad in my opinion since they didnt really stop maxwell lord. I enjoy the JLA title as it is and don’t beleive the original team could even be together anymore (seriously you can’t let go barry and hal wiped Bruce’s mind that is his power screw why they did it)
start a brand new DCU with Dick as Batman, Wally as Flash, Kyle as GL NO JSA (like the book but they should just be like a (world war 2 title)
or possibly an ultimate DCU would be nice but DC refuses and wants to be stuck in the past forever
no idea what they are planning but I beleive DIck is going back to being Nightwing (groan) and the Justice League of Titans as I call them is probably being canceled so just leaves Batman inc. for me until thats ruined
May 26th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
There’s a new generation of fans that is tired of DC’s obsession with the god awful 90′s and its excessive violence and legacy characters. We want the real deal, not pale imitations of the originals. The horrendous decision to turn Batman into a legacy character was the worst move yet. Stop catering to middle aged fanboys still whining over Rayner and West and move on. The 90′s are over DC. Unfortunately I don’t foresee any major improvements until new blood is infused into editorial.
May 26th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
best thing imo for DC to do is done in ones stories for like the next two years as an audience rebuilding thing.
May 26th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
ENOUGH! Marvel and DC ENOUGH! We have had and endless SLOG of reboots, huge “EARTH SHAKING EVENTS” Deaths, re-births from before Identity Crisis. ENOUGH! This is why Ive given up on the big 2 and only read the Hellboy and BPRD. Even if Mignola doesnt know where he is goign with the overall story it sure feels like he does and the main focus is on STORYTELLING not on creating an event to sell comics to fanboys so you can prop up your sagging dsales and investors. ENOUGH!
May 26th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I dunno about a complete reboot, but im kinda expecting some changes to the DCU’s history. Reverse Flash is mucking with the timeline, i expect him to somehow change some character histories or origins to better suit what DC wants to do.
I mean, reboot or not, there will be big changes, that’s a fact. I plan on them topping 12 return
May 26th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
I dunno about a complete reboot, but im kinda expecting some changes to the DCU’s history. Reverse Flash is mucking with the timeline, i expect him to somehow change some character histories or origins to better suit what DC wants to do.
I mean, reboot or not, there will be big changes, that’s a fact. I plan on them topping the 12 returned in Blackest Nigh
May 26th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
I think it’s rather obvious that everybody wants to see the status quo returned to … the point at which they started reading comics. The JLA of the satellite years was perfect for me.
However, it does seem that DC has too much invested in character changes in the last few years to dump them outright. I’m sure that each of us readers have our own ideas of what we would like to see if there were a reboot. But we have to face the facts: 1) there either will or won’t be a reboot; and 2) not everybody will be satisfied with the post-Flashpoint DC Universe.
Myself, I don’t care for all of the ‘dark’ character changes that have occurred. I wish Superman would dropkick Lobo beyond Antares.
May 26th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
I can’t see how they’re going to reboot it when we know they’ve got a JLI series launching soon which will go from the continuity of JL:GL which in turn is from Countdown to, Infinite Crisis, and all the aftermath ones, along with 52.
Also the Red Lantern series which was meant to be starting in June/July which has been solicited without it being featured. Now that would be continued from GL: Rebirth, Sinestro Corps, Blackest Night etc. And this was mentioned again at the end of the latest GL:EW issue so it’s still going to happen, clearly.
So if they’re going to reboot the DCU, it can’t possibly be everything. Besides, if Geoff Johns is doing the rebooting with Flashpoint, then all his work over the last 5 years or so will have been for nothing because he’s built up a lot of stories with GL, which is carrying over into the GL film.
I’m really eager to find out what’s going to happen but I really can’t see it being a 100% reboot like COIE.
May 26th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
I don’t think that DC Comics will do a complete reboot, but probably a partial reboot to fix characters that been completed foobared over the past few years; or due to legal reasons. I would think that Superman, due to the what’s happening in 2012, and Wonder Woman are prime candidates for a reboot. I would hope that a reboot brings back Hawkwoman. And, of course, something might happen to the Justice League roster.
May 26th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Just my theory:
Flashpoint will end with Barry Allen “correcting” whatever went wrong to bring about the Flashpoint version of the DCU. However, he will make some sort of mistake, and we will go back to a DCU where Superman was the first major superhero. I could even see a scenario where Barry is given a choice between 2 different timelines, one where his mother is alive and happy, one where he is buddies with Jay Garrick. “Sorry Jay.”
In September, we get a soft reboot, with an Aquaman #1, Hawkman #1, Firestorm #1, Martian Manhunter #1, Deadman #1, Flash #1, Wonder Woman #1, and a new Superman series, not necessarily replacing Superman or Action Comics, but a new, refocused Superman title (Superman: Man of Steel, maybe?).
Also, besides the JLI and rumored Dark JLA book (which by my guess will be a Gail Simone/ Ethan Van Sciver collaboration, blending members of the Secret 6 with some formerly-Vertigo-only characters), now would be a good time for that Johns/ Lee JLA book everyone wants.
I’m probably wrong about all of this.
May 26th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
all i will say is this: How many reboots,revamps, or line-wide continuity changes worked for WILDStorm’s characters? I was 13 when IMAGE formed, was an avid EXTREME Studios and WILDSTorm fan, and the consistent changes in such a short of time made me realize that my $ was better spent on other things than stories creators make irrelevant in a few years.
Fast Forward now: I am an adult and with rising costs of gas, electric, property taxes, why spend my disposable income on a revamp again? Sorry DC, but Wally West was my generation’s FLASH. Most people I know found out about BArry Allen through the movie CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, and not his comics that their parents (who are now in their 60s) read.
This is why I read fresh stuff from Zenescope, BOOM!, and IDW
May 26th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
There is, IMHO, a likely ‘soft’ reboot of some sort coming. Let’s not forget that there’s a big muck-up coming in 2013 with the Superman copyright, which is going to require some sort of action. Also, there was a specific bit in the announcement about the announcement.
Also, having these big storylines puts these characters firmly in the minds of the fandom, which is actually a great place from which to reboot.
May 26th, 2011 at 5:37 pm
I don’t think anyone has mentioned the one thing that is obvious to me … Thomas Wayne as Batman in regular continuity as part of Batman Inc post-FP.
May 26th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
Here’s what I’m hoping will happen. I hope they take all the silver age back-from-the-dead DC characters and put them together in thier own seperate universe. That way, all the fans who want to read the same stories about the same characters doing the same things they’ve been doing for the last fifty years can be appeased. Meanwhile, the rest of the DCU can move forward with sidekicks growing up and dead people staying dead etc. This way, everyone gets what they want.
May 26th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
Everything in it’s right place? Ted Kord is still dead and other characters that don’t belong dead still dead. Hawkgirl mess. Captain Marvel nightmare (come on captain thunder in fp? Lame!). I think dc would do it anyone because they are nuts.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
They aren’t “rebooting” anything. More like reinvigorating some parts of their line that have grown stale.
I’ve heard about a Geoff Johns/Jim Lee Superman book, but I would much rather see them do the Justice League.
They need to take cues from what the DC Animated Universe was like, especially with Justice League Unlimited, and make this stuff more reader friendly, where it is accessible to kids (no more horrible books like the Rise of Arsenal). Let different creators handle the different franchises and bring them all together under the vision that Johns and Lee have for the whole line/universe.
Also, let Grant Morrison do whatever he wants. Multiversity sounds amazing. Can’t wait to read that.
May 26th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Here Here Michael Cross!!!
Wow, DC continues to swim in their huge mess of chaos and confusion. Reboot or not, I’ve stopped reading all DC universe titles since they decided to bring back Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. I always tell people, if this company always wants to live in the past, what’s the point of picking up new titles? It’s always the same old rehash, and everything ALWAYS goes right back to square one… the same status quo.
The only time DC had me excited was during a period in the 90′s when I beleive they made a genuine effort to move FORWARD with their characters. Aquaman became really cool, got that “hook” for a hand and a nice updated look/outfit. Wally West became really comfortable as the Flash. Kyle Rayner was the last Green Lantern, and Ron Marz did an amazing job with that character, and to me, was much more modern and interesting than boring Hal (who actually became my favorite new villain in Parallax!) Connor grew on me when he became the new Green Arrow after Ollie’s death. I could go on. My point is, that was their biggest chance for them to stick with their guns and move forward, but they blew it, and now I suppose they’re forced to keep pumping out all these gimicky events and rehashed golden age/silver age characters and stories. The only comics I read these days are a couple Vertigo titles and independants. Marvel has the exact same problem. It’s always gimmicks, events, reboots, relaunches, new numbering on their books, back to old numbering on their books, etc, etc… what a big mess!!
I still read the books but don’t pay for em.
Get rid of Hal and Barry and I might give you my money DC
May 26th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
“Every comic is somebody’s first,” they say. Well, every reboot is somebody’s jumping on point, and somebody else’s jumping off point. With prices these days I keep a sharp eye out for jumping off points. DC has provided handsomely, and the Ultimate Universe has as well, and I’m saving some serious cash. “One More Day” broke my heart but my wallet is less broke now as a result. The only vote you have is your greenbacks. Times change and monthly comics may be going the way of the buggy whip and electric typewriter. Another generation and likely they’ll be gone except as a somewhat unique form of antique for some collectors. Same with terrestrial radio–has been magic to most Americans for 100 years or so but the new generation has so many alternatives that are as cool or cooler, especially their own i-pods and such, that radio’s slice of the pie is becoming a sliver. Times do change.
May 26th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
I agree that a complete reboot would be a great jumping off point for many fans, including me.I think that Clark & Lois being married is going forward, not backward.Well I look forward to reading all of Flashpoint( the main series ) and then maybe it’ll be time to close the book on comics collecting. We’ll see ???
May 27th, 2011 at 7:38 am
Man, isn’t this like the ninth time Jason Blood and the Demon have been separated, then put back together? If you can’t think of another story for him, don’t use him. (See also: Deadman’s alive again!…ooh, maybe not.)
May 27th, 2011 at 10:05 am
>I mean really bringing back the JLI?
Given the success of Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Avengers I can see DC trying to replicate that with JLA, JLI, and JLA Dark (which will feature the supernatural characters).]
The worst thing that will happen in September 2011 is that there will be changes in the DCU that will make things interesting for both long-time and newer fans.
LL
May 27th, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I’m conflicted about this because i have friends who wouldn’t mind a reboot since DC/Marvel is too convoluted with no proper chain of command of what to accept is cannon and a reboot would be the perfect way to do hat.But im liking the revamp dcu despite th nostalgia and would miss it.
So just do more dc earth one comics.
May 27th, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Superman isn’t selling well by anyone’s standards. Outside of event books Marvel is killing DC in the mid range. JLA is completely off the rails. They have a mess. What I do not get is most of the mess comes from failed efforts of creators who are rebooting things or making big changes.
I do know that almost every single “Flashpoint” tie-in makes me more excited than the current status-quo.
That says a lot.
May 27th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
Oh, baby … from your lips to God’s ear. I love DC, but a complete reboot … I don’t think I could stay with them after that. How many times can they change the rules before they lose us completely. For me, this may be the last time.
May 28th, 2011 at 7:48 am
It just occurred to me how DC’s made a living for almost 30 years telling event stories about how messed up its continuity is. Well, duh, I say to myself.
May 28th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Given the recent DC habit of undoing all the previous #1 renumbering events, with Action, Detective, Wonder Woman, Adventure and others all showing prodigious issue numbers, they have been building a market for the full history of the DCU in trade form.
A full reboot flies in the face of this, as do the error suggestions above.
The rebuilt status quo will continue. Multiversity is coming. Using one or some of the other universes enables DC to please everyone, with some self contained series and other interlinked ones.
Some plot simplifications may flow from Flashpoint, but the success of series like the Levins Legion and the Morrison expansion of the Bat sub-universe can’t be denied.
If it is a reboot I’m done with DC. And that’s coming from a serious fan since 1989.
May 29th, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Why reboot a restored DC Universe?? Because as a whole, the writers at DC have no idea what they’re doing. From deciding that Dr. Light was a rapist (Identity Crisis), to blaming continuity problems on Superboy-Prime punching the “magic wall of reality”, or whatever it was, to bringing back the multiverse, to having Darkseid wear jeans, to continually making such a big damn deal over someone “dying” (Batman) when over in a different book they’re bring yet another character back from the dead. Oh, and anything ever ever done by Judd Winnick.
May 29th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
If DC reboots everything, that’s where I’m stepping off.
May 29th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
As long as the reboot erases Damian Wayne from existence I’m all for it.
May 29th, 2011 at 11:40 pm
“let Grant Morrison do whatever he wants.”
After Final Crisis and the mess he made of the Bat books, that statement made me shiver in fear.
May 31st, 2011 at 4:33 pm
I hope DC reboots the decision to hire Didiot and Lee-ate.
March 30th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
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