There’s been a whole lot of fuss since the news broke last week about DC Comics relaunching their entire line of monthly series this fall with new #1 issues.
In the real world, it’s obviously a sales and publicity stunt. Within the DC Universe, this is a result of changes to the timeline brought about by Flashpoint, which ends in August. Many fans are not pleased by this announcement, as it potentially throws out years (or even decades) of continuity and publishing history across the board.
I can understand their feelings. The DC Universe gets heavily retconned (or Geoffconned) every few months nowadays, so this is nothing new. Yes, it sucks, and you’ve heard me grumble about the retcons many times on this blog, but unfortunately it’s the status quo.
However, unlike just about every other retcon out there, Flashpoint was designed from the get-go to change things by moving forward instead of backward. This relaunch is proof of that. More importantly, it addresses a very serious problem that has plagued DC Comics, and the comic book industry as a whole: bringing in new readers. Their plan reminds me of Marvel Comics’ Ultimate line, but with a much more ballsy approach in that it’s not an alternate universe; it’s the primary one.
People who are considering getting into comics will feel much more comfortable picking up a #1 issue than a #76 or something in the hundreds. Hell, even longtime comic fans are often loath to start reading a series that’s got a huge backlog!
I do think it’s rather dumb to renumber historic mainstays like Action Comics and Detective Comics, however. Those have always survived marketing ploys like this; why throw away their publishing history now? Even if you’re going to reboot the universe, the numbering of those two books at least should’ve kept going.
I have reservations that some important DC Universe characters may be swept away with this relaunch, but it’s too early to tell. I’m also excited about new books like The Fury of Firestorm, and probably The Flash. At any rate, that’s enough of the general stuff: since you’re reading this blog, it’s obvious that what we all want to know is how the relaunch will affect Green Lantern.
Well, the relaunch does include the core Green Lantern book, which will keep its current creative team of Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke. Green Lantern Corps also gets a new #1, with the creative team from Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors taking over (Peter Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin). Emerald Warriors itself is being cancelled, as Guy Gardner will be part of the new Justice League International as well as appearing in Green Lantern Corps.
In its place, we’re getting a new book that features a character from each of the other color Corps entitled Green Lantern: New Guardians, featuring the creative team currently finishing up Green Lantern Corps, Tony Bedard and Tyler Kirkham. Even more shocking: this new team of multicolored Lanterns will be led by none other than Kyle Rayner! Finally, the previously announced Red Lanterns book is also coming.
It’s been stated by Geoff Johns that recent stories like Blackest Night and “War of the Green Lanterns” will continue to affect the new Green Lantern series. I’m not quite sure how that would work given how many of the relaunches are starting from scratch, but I’ll guess we’ll have to wait and see.
At the end of the day, I just want good stories. If the relaunch means we’ll actually get Green Lantern stories in his own damned book and we can keep the other Corps separate, then I’m all for it! Unfortunately, we’re still going to be mired in event storytelling, as both Johns and Dan DiDio have made clear. I guess we can’t have our cake and eat it, too.
I like and agree with your take on this event. As a comic book store owner, here in Lexington Ky, I will be in a position to read and sample all the new things hitting the shelf in September. I like the idea, but I worry of the outcome of all of this. The comic industry for individual shops is shakey enough, without pissing off customers by losing established history of the numbering system. I’d expect titles like Action and Detective to wait a year or so, and bump their numbers back to original (like WonderWoman did a year ago).
All together I really like the idea of the DC Reboot. but as with anything in life the devil is in the details. We will see if the sweeping changes really stick (I completely agree with you on the Action Comics and Detective Comics changes being only temporary) On the Green Lantern side of things, Green Lantern: New Guardians sounds alot like Kyle Rayner will become the universe’s number one greatest babysitter! “Awww come on guys, don’t fight, can’t we all just get along despite our Emotional Spectrum differences?”