So, if you have been following this blog for some time, you know that I have invested an awful love of time in reviewing DC’s NEW 52. Well, apparently, after four years, they have somewhat decided to abandon the NEW 52. In a press release DC issued on Friday, February 6th, they declared that “Iconic Super Heroes & Super-Villains Universe is Diversifying To Make Room for More Types of Storytelling, More Fans.”
Oh really? Tell us more.
“DC Entertainment launches a bold new direction for the DC Universe (DCU) that is even more inclusive and accessible to a wider group of readers as the publisher continues to evolve comic storytelling for its next generation of fans.” Translation: the comic market is changing and we better figure out what to do about it or else we may have to move BACK to New York from our new home in Burbank! “Beginning June 3, the DC Comics line of comic books will consist of 24 brand-new series that will begin at issue number one, as well as 25 on-going, best selling fan favorite series that will continue without a break in the issue numbering.” Translation: we’re getting rid of all the low hanging fruit and only keeping the Top 25 titles.
Dan Didio declared: “This heralds in a new era for the DC Universe which will allow us to publish something for everyone, be more expansive and modern in our approach and tell stories that better reflect the society around us.” Translation: we are going to try and go back to what we FIRST SAID back when NEW 52 came around-we’re going to have comics featuring women, men, minorities, straight and gay. Or, as they declared, their diversified reading audience. “Whether you’ve been a DC fan your whole life, or whether you are new to comics – there will be a book for you beginning in June.” Translation: please buy one of our titles!
Jim Lee said: “Truly there will be something for everybody as we simultaneously celebrate our rich legacy while embracing new voices and concepts.” Translation: PLEASE BUY OUR BOOKS! “A first look at upcoming storylines will be the focus of DC Entertainment’s Free Comic Book Day issue – DC COMICS: DIVERGENCE – available Saturday, May 2.” Okay, so we go from NEW 52 to CONVERGENCE to DIVERGENCE to a whole New World. So what, is this now a song from ALADDIN? “More than half-a million free issues of the DC Entertainment sampler will be given away at comic book retailers globally.” Translation: PLEASE BUY OUR BOOKS!
Dan Didio added: “In this new era of storytelling, story will trump continuity as we continue to empower creators to tell the best stories in the industry.” Translation: we just threw the baby out with the bath water and continuity, the thing that allows comics to have some kind of relevance, just went out the window with it. So, a good story means it’s better than continuity? Well, sure…if you are WATCHMAN, or DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, or any of the EARTH ONE books. But you’re HONEST AND TRULY Deep Sixing continuity? Why? Because Marvel has decided to try and merge their multiple universes into one big ball of poop so you’re following them?
That having been said, DC will publish 24 new #1 issues along with the 25 existing titles that will continue from where they left off in March. Now, they are continuing their NUMBERING…who the hell knows WHAT kind of stories we’ll get! And I may be a bit HASTY in saying they are trashing the NEW 52. They are just de-emphasizing the continuity and emphasizing diversify. What I love the best is the buzz words that ends up in the full press release. Words like “fresh”, “offbeat”, “irreverently funny”, “keenly focused”, “accessible”, “inclusive”, “modern”, and my personal favorite, “contemporary tonality”. Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?
"We're seeing more diversity in our audience,” said Didio. “We're seeing a younger crowd." So, can we see the end of Mature books? Or T rated books? Is everything now going to be aimed at an audience who CAN’T afford all their titles and insult the intelligence of those of us dropping a ton of coin? Hope not because your adult comic fan is STILL your bread and butter!
That having been said, here’s the scoop…or the poop…on the 25 titles that will get the live on AFTER CONVERGENCE.
ACTION COMICS by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder. This is the same great team that has put a nice shot of energy into this title, although the last story arc did get under my skin. IF the NEW 52 storyline is to continue DESPITE CONITUNITY ISSUES, this should be a nice cornerstone of the line.
AQUAMAN by Cullen Bunn and Trevor McCarthy. This could be a winner or a stinker. Bunn’s work has been real uneven with his most recent work, SINESTRO and LOBO being very disappointing. Let’s face it: Lobo is a stinker from the word go. Can’t totally blame him-I’m sure DC Editorial thought it was a good idea. McCarthy? Well, he’s done a bunch of work, including his lengthy run on the previous NIGHTWING series. So, Jeff Parker and Paul Pelletier are out.
BATGIRL by Cameron Stewart, Brenden Fletcher and Babs Tarr. This is the current team that DC claims is such a hit with fans. Again, maybe fans who are pre-pubescent females. I want Gail Simone back!
BATMAN by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Now, they are claiming things will be different following CONVERGENCE. The way I see it-why mess with success.
DETECTIVE COMICS by Brian Buccelato and Francis Manapul. See above comments.
BATMAN SUPERMAN by Greg Pak and Ardian Syaf. Ditto
CATWOMAN by Genevieve Valentine and David Messina. Garry Brown is out as artist, and David Messina is in. This could be interesting as Messina’s style is…interesting. He has done wotk for IDW, Marvel and Image but has also erotic comics including SALLY POTTER, THE BIG PERVERT and THE “X” FACTOR.
DEATHSTROKE by Tony Daniel. Again, why mess with a good thing. And Daniel has pretty much stayed on deadline with no fill-ins so far.
FLASH by Rob Venditti, Van Jensen and Brett Booth. This is a great team that replaced an equally great one. Let’s hope that continuity DOES mean something
GOTHAM ACADEMY by Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl. Oh man: couldn’t this title have been sucked up in the CONVERGENCE? Well, if we’re responding to diversity and a younger audience…
GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT by Ray Fawkes and Juan Ferreyra. Ben Templesmith exits, Juan Ferreyra enters. He is an Argentinian artist who has worked on FALLING SKIES, ABE SIMIEN, CHOPPER, REX MUNDI and others.
GRAYSON by Tim King, Tim Seeley and Mikel Janin. Yeah…I got no complaints here as this book continues to grow on me. Now, DON’T SCREW IT UP!
GREEN ARROW by Ben Percy and Richard Zircher. Ben Sokolowski, Andrew Kreisberg and Daniel Sampere are all gone off this one. Percy comes from the literary world where, besides writing for THE NEW YORK TIMES and TIME, has published novels including THE LANGUAGE OF ELK and THE WILDING. Richard Zircher? Any relation to PATRICK ZIRCHER or is he changing his name to be diverse?
GREEN LANTERN by Robert Venditti and Billy Tan. Same creative team here. Now if they can just get Hal to stop being such a whiny superhero!
HARLEY QUINN by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and Chad Hardin. Same creative team and the same jokes. THIS will fit into DC’s new humorous titles line.
JUSTICE LEAGUE by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok. The Amazo storyline was in place before CONVERGENCE. Let’s see where this takes us.
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED by TBD, Travel Foreman & Paul Pelletier. I SO LOVE TBD’s work, as I have been reading it in solicitations all my life, so he MUST be good! Travel Foreman did some nice work on ANIMAL MAN and, if this means Pelletier is INKING HIM…wow!
LOBO by Cullen Bunn and Cliff Richards. Oh God…they couldn’t cancel this? Or at least give us back the REAL Lobo?
SECRET SIX by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham. And exactly WHERE is issue #2? That being said, it’s nice to see Eaglesham back in the fold!
SINESTRO by Cullen Bunn and Brad Walker. Really? And who is Brad Walker? He was the artist on GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS. At least they found a gig for him when the canned that title!
NEW SUICIDE SQUAD by Sean Ryan and Carlos D’Anda. Well, we knew this book was staying, with the movie in the works. Sean Ryan stays, Tom Derenick, and Rob Hunter leave and Carlos D’Anda comes on board, having worked on STORMWATCH and DEATHBLOW.
SUPERMAN by Gene Luen Yang and John Romita Jr. Geoff Johns steps away from the Man of Steel and leaves Gene Luen Yang is his place. He got into comics by getting a Xeric Grant and from there won an Eisner for his graph novel AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. I guess he should be able to put a fresh spin on Superman being a true stranger in a strange land.
SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN by Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke. Same great taste and still less filling. So I guess a reboot doesn’t mean Clark and Lois will be doing the Horizontal Bop anytime soon…
TEEN TITANS by Will Pfeifer by Kenneth Rocafort. Just keep repeating to yourself: diversity, younger audience, diversity, younger audience…
WONDER WOMAN by Meredith Finch and David Finch. This is not Azzarello and Chaing but then again, it’s not Strazynski. The verdict is still out on this title.
And here are the 24 new titles:
BATMAN BEYOND by Dan Jurgens and Bernard Chang. Now this could be interesting. Now that Terry McGuiness has made his way into the NEW 52 Universe, will this tie-in to what has come before? Or is this a total reset? Oh yeah: Conituity…doesn’t count, right?
BAT-MITE by Dan Jurgens and Corin Howell. Again, DC plans on putting out humorous superhero titles. Well, I can hear Paul Reubens voice and I somehow hope they dig up old issues of JERRY LEWIS and BOB HOPE and find out what funny is. Although, it IS Jurgens so…
BIZZARO by Heath Corson and Gustavo Duarte. Who and who? Orson wrote the movies JUSTICE LEAGUE: WAR, BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM and JUSTICE LEAGUE: THRONE OF ATLANTIS. Duarte is, acocording to Wikipedia, a Brazilian cartoonist “known by his usually silent comics”. Anyway, I guess Bizarro is no longer that poor creature who died during FOREVER EVIL. And this is supposed to be funny. Great: and entire comic devoted to Bizarro World. This is either going to be brilliant or absolutely horrible!
BLACK CANARY by Brenden Fletcher and Annie Wu. Because Fletcher knows so much about writing female superheroes. Oh yeah: he has Black Canary’s alter-ego co-starring in BATGIRL. So, that means instead of having a possible mate for Green Arrow someday, we’ll have a creepy super hero with a cell phone.
CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER by Ming Doyle and Riley Rossmo. So, our favorite anti-hero gets a new title and a new numbering system(third one in his comic career). Doyle has done a bunch of things, including a handful of Vertogo books, so I guess that will give Constantine a darker feel. Rossmo has done a bunch of things, most notably DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE.
CYBORG by David L. Walker and Ivan Reis with Joe Prado. I’m loving the artist team her! Walker? He’s currently at work on a SHAFT comic. And DC promises Cyborg is one of the characters they plan on reinventing. What…again?
DARK UNIVERSE by James Tynion IV and Ming Doyle. Wow! Mr. Doyle is going to be busy! He’s writing CONSTANTINE and drawing this, which is what used to be JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK. Guess this has a title change based on the upcoming movie by Guillermo del Toro. And James Tynion IV? We all know what he can do with a script!
DOOMED by Scott Lobdell and Javier Fernandez. First off: Scott Lobdell, who is still stuck in the early 90’s, is writing it! No one knows for sure what this book will be but Fernandez has gone on social media saying how thrilled he is to be working with one of his childhood heroes. Yeah…I’m thinking Doomsday gets reborn!
DR. FATE by Paul Levitz and Sonny Liew. This could go either way. Levitz is great when he is on and not so great when he is not. Liew is best known for his work on MY FAITH IN FRANKIE and THE SHADOW HERO that he did with Gene Luen Yang. Who is THIS Dr. Fate? Is he from Earth 2 or is this someone new?
EARTH 2: SOCIETY by Daniel H. Wilson and Jorge Jimenez. Didn’t Earth 2 go away right before or during CONVERGENCE? I’m so confused! However, if anyone is going to write this, it should be Wilson, who has been writing the EARTH 2: WORLD’S END title.
GREEN LANTERN: LOST ARMY by Cullen Bunn and Jesus Saiz with Javi Pina. So, why do I think this is going to be a combination of all the cancelled Lantern series rolled into one possibly sloppy mess. Now, with Bunn writing this and SINESTRO, maybe continuity won’t be totally out the window. I do look forward to Saiz and Pina’s work, as both have been active and can turn out some nice stuff if given the chance to.
HARLEY QUINN/ POWER GIRL by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Justin Gray and Stephane Roux. Well, when these two teamed up for a run in HARLEY QUINN, who knew this would result? But it takes Palmiotti, Conner AND Gray to write it? That’s a bad mix. Give me Jimmy and Justin or Jimmy and Amanda. One gives us killer stories and the other funny stories. But a killer, funny story? Meh…
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA by Brian Hitch. Say no more: we have out winner!Brian Hitch writing, Brian Hitch illustrating. Brain Hitch does it all! What kind of team is he putting together? Don’t forget-this is the genius who gave us The Authority. Again, this is TRULY the winner in my eyes of the new batch!
JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Howard Porter. What would you expect after JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000? Basically this is the previous book set one year later. I personally love that book, so I am excited about this!
MARTIAN MANHUNTER by Rob Williams and artists Ben Oliver with Paulo Siqueira. Let’s see how this goes, as Rob Williams has done some American books but is most known for working on 2000 AD and JUDGE DREDD. Ben Oliver has also worked on 2000 AD on JUDGE DREDD, but has also done some work on THE AUTHORITY and THE LOSERS, plus some Marvel work. His style is nice. My only thing is what can we expect from this version of Martian Manhunter?
MIDNIGHTER by Steve Orlando and ACO. Don’t know who Steve Orlando is? Well, he’s fairly active on Twitter and writes UNDERTOW for Image. ACO ha done a bunch of DC covers and a few issues, including some WONDER WOMAN work and his style should fit right in with this title. Now, is this going to be a badass Midnighter or one who spends half his time being tough and having his time smooching with Apollo? I don’t have a problem with that, but how successful was that with BATWOMAN? Don’t forget: DC Editorial had big issues with stories and that led to the exodus which led to changes.
MYSTIC U by Alisa Kwitney and Mauricet. This is the question mark of the new titles, as DC has been very hush about it. In fact, they don’t even list Mauricet as the artist. Their own web site claims “stay tuned for artist info!” Internet speculation attaches Kwitney to Tim hunter, so this could be DC’s attempt to bring back a character that has long been a fan favorite. Or, it could be a place to stick Klarion now this his horrible book is gone.
OMEGA MEN by Tom King and Barnaby Bagenda. I hope this is a rebooting of the classic 80’s series as that would make me literally jump for joy! If so, in Tom King’s hands, this title would rock! Add to that, the amazing art of Barnaby Bagenda and this book could be a major surprise and a hidden gem.
PREZ by Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell. For those too young to remember, PREZ: FIRST TEEN PRESIDENT was short lived comic that DC put out in 1973. Created by Joe Simon and Jerry Granedetti, it was four and done, with a fifth issue that showed up in the infamous CANCELLED COMICS CAVALCADE. He has made various appearances over the years and has actually been referenced twice in the mythology of the NEW 52: as past president on Earth-23 and as the immortal president of Earth-47. But this could be the real deal! Now if this is played straight, this could be awesome! Mark Russell is best known for the graphic novel GOD IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, which he did with TOO MUCH COFFEE MAN’s Shannon Wheeler. Caldwell is best known for his work on the Wonder Woman story that ran in WEDNESDAY COMICS.
RED HOOD/ARSENAL by Scott Lobdell and Denis Medri. Basically, this is RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS minus STARFIRE. Of course, this could also be a great buddy book like the classic GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW series. Nah-who am I kidding? I am not a huge fan of Medri’s work, as it has that same quirky feel that Kenneth Roquefort has. Personally, it’s a buddy book that may or not work.
ROBIN, SON OF BATMAN by Pat Gleason. Well, with the demise of BATMAN AND ROBIN, we get this. It should look amazing and we just need to see how good Gleason is as a storyteller. If he can do that AND keep on deadline, what with doing both writing and illustrating, this could be a great book. If his writing is weak or the book is plagued by fill-in artists, Damian could end up back in the Bat Cave for an extended time-out with Bat Cow!
SECTION EIGHT by Garth Ennis and John McCrea. The team and characters from HITMAN return! LIFE IS GOOD! And Ennis and McCrea are doing it! As I mentioned with Hitch’ JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, this could also be a major winner! Face it: there’s an entire generation of comic fans that don’t know what this team can TRULY do. Think about it: the team responsible for HITMAN, DICKS, and THE BOYS (which ended in 2012 and had a dedicated but small following) are together again on characters they delivered to us back almost 20 years ago. I expect this to be a laugh a minute book that will push the boundaries of what Ennis can get away with.
STARFIRE by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner and Emanuela Lupacchino. So, I am guessing this will be another humor book. How many titles is Palmiotti and Conner doing? Let’s see: two Harley titles and this. Do we really NEED another humor book? I mean, really!? I will start asking for JERRY LEWIS and BOB HOPE to come back along with SUGAR AND SPIKE. What about DOBIE GILLIS or ANGEL AND THE APE? FOX AND THE CROW? STANLEY AND HIS MONSTER? Should I go on?
WE ARE ROBIN by Lee Bermejo and Rob Haynes with Khary Randolph. And all I hear in my head is the commercial for Farmer’s Insurance (we are Robin…bom de dum dum bum de dum!). So, killer artist Lee Bermejo teams up with Rob Haynes, who has a lot of credits to his name, but not so many in recent years(his most notable work for DC is work he did for BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE. Bermejo did a great job writing BATMAN: NOEL and has a Vertigo book called SUICIDERS in the works for this year. Where this book will either succeed or fail is in the premise with a group of teenagers banding together to help Batman. It all comes out of DETECTIVE COMICS: ENDGAME #1 in March.
So that’s the scoop, with what DC promises will be more titles during the rest of the year. As with most titles, I will give them a read and see what sticks. But story over continuity? That still bothers the hell out of me!
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