Today, August 31, DC Comics, that big comic company over the other side of the globe, jumpstarts its entire product line with the release of Justice League #1.
JL#1 will just be the tip of the iceberg as DC has cancelled all its product line and will be relaunching 51 other comics in a bid to make comics relevant to the current market whose interests, I suspect, are more attuned with stuff like computers, handheld gaming consoles, iPads and iPhones, mobile phones, and a social networking site called Facebook.
I haven't had time to delve into what-has-really-been-happening-that-has-led-to-DC-relaunching-everything but I feel that it has to do with not being able to capture a new audience. I understand sales of comics has slipped a notch or two and it has been fighting a losing battle for readership with more immersive media. And then there's also the possibility that new readers are not getting into comics because they feel there's so much history to backtrack that they'd rather take on something else.
Marvel Comics, if I understand correctly, tried to counter this with their "Ultimate" series and as far as I've read online, they've succeeded in getting new readers interested.
DC has taken the bolder step, IMHO, and decided to drop everything and instead relaunch its titles in what it hypes as the "New 52", starting with what is supposedly the flagship title -- Justice League.
From what available teasers and materials I've seen so far, JL#1 seems to be a re-telling of how the Justice League, composed of DC big-wigs Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and curiously, Cyborg, got assembled. It's going to be the same for several of the 51 other DC titles that'll be launched this September. There are however some titles that'll be somewhat continuations from their previous incarnations. And according to online sources including Wikipedia's entry on the DC reboot, much of the history and legacy of DC will remain intact such that storylines such as Blackest Night, Brightest Day, and Batman: The Killing Joke are part of the continuity.
So, will this reboot fly? I certainly hope so for DC's sake. Much of DC's universe is so convoluted that it certainly needs a reboot. The past "Crises" stories didn't succeed in cleaning up the mess so an entire sweep, just like this reboot of its entire line, might just be the right stroke for DC. It will also allow new readers to come onboard. For fans like myself who have not paid that much attention to what has been going on, the reboot serves as an invitation to once again take a peek into what's "new".
Am I interested? Certainly. But I'm not about to go off and spend thousands of pesos on all 52 titles. A quick visit to the comics shop recently told me I have to spend some Php 150 - Php 200 on a new ish. More if the comic title was in demand. With those prices, a collected edition might be more practical (and that's the most likely path I'll be taking). But I'll certainly be keeping tabs on what people will say about the new 52 DC titles.
Of the 52 titles that have been PR'ed, the ones that have piqued my interest include:
Justice League - with powerhouse tandem of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee joining forces on the flagship title.
The Flash - with Francis Manapul writing and drawing, this might be interesting
Action Comics - will star a Superman from his early days as a super-powered do-gooder and what makes this series more interesting is that it will be written by comic book rockstar, Grant Morrison. I'm not so taken with Rags Morales' artwork but hopefully it'll be better than the work he has done on Identity Crisis.
Legion of Superheroes - with Paul Levitz back in the writer's helm of this series, it can get interesting. I've been a long-time Legion fan (even creating my own version of the Legion in the 90s) so this will be one series I will most likely follow ish-per-ish.
Stormwatch - I'm 50/50 on this although I'm picking this only because I always have an interest on anything Stormwatch. It will be interesting to see how this former Wildstorm title makes it in the DCU continuity -- and with no Weatherman at that!
Grifter - another former Wildstorm title taken into the DCU fold. How will anti-hero Cole Cash survive in a world inhabited by the likes of Supes and Bats? Makes for an interesting storyline, hopefully.
For more of the low-down on what will happen to the DC universe you've come to love, head on over to Tor.com where Tim Callahan breaks down each of the new 52 DC titles and dissects them complete with his reco to buy it or not. You may not like his recommendation (especially if you're a fanatic of a title or two, or three) but you'll get more insights before you decide to spend the pesos (or dollars or yen) on a title.
