DC RELAUNCHING entire Universe in September

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The Mike

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This isn't an ultimates universe or a side pocket thing, the entire DCU is set to be rebooted to number 1.

USA TODAY said:
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DC Comics unleashes a new universe of superhero titles
By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY

DC Comics has a new strategy to be No. 1 in comic books: all-new No. 1s.

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."

It is all set to be hit off of Flashpoint and apparently takes the DCU to a point where they are more mid-twenties than anything else. 50 Titles set to be rebooted and all those not in those 50 will be cut completely and trashed.
 
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Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

Interesting to see where my two batman subs go then.
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

This reads off of something from The Onion.

It's good that they're starting from scratch though. I remember when Birthright came out and THAT was supposed to be Superman's definitive origin, but I think that idea lasted all of about 5 minutes.
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

Will Power Girl's book still be around that's practically the ONLY DC title I still get.
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

Superman had Man of Steel then Birthright and then Secret Origins as his "definitive" origins. People are going ape____ over it.

From Bleeding Cool:

In September, all the DC Comics published set within the DC Universe will be renumbered with new issue ones.

Every comic continuing from September will be relaunched with a shiny #1. Every. Single. One. With no current plan for the renumbering to reverse to any so-called “legacy” numbering.

And with those issue one renumberings, will come a new rejigged status quo. And yes, characters will be changed. Some may no longer exist. There will be new books, new creators, new teams, new characters and new… new. With no current plan for the new status quo to be undone or reversed.
The current Flashpoint story running through the DC Universe and ending in August has rewritten the history of the DC Universe. How much of it, if any, will be reflected in the September titles?

“The first rule about FLASHPOINT is, don’t talk about what comes after Flashpoint” quotes Chief Creative Office of DC Geoff Johns. And I think we can take that literally. DC creators have been asked by their editors to sign rather restrictive NDA agreements to continue working on titles.

But Bleeding Cool hasn’t signed anything. More today on what this might mean for specific books. Some of it will be accurate. Some of it will be warped in the telling. And some of it will have changed…

In September, Bleeding Cool has been told that DC Comics will publish a new Justice League ongoing comic book by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, the first title these two have worked together. Even if it’s been a while coming.

It will feature Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and several other characters following the current Flashpoint crossover. It’s the return of the World’s Greatest Superheroes to the book for the first time in years.

Geoff Johns is the Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment, a Co-Producer of the upcoming Green Lantern Film and the writer of many of DC Comics bestselling titles of the last five years, including Green Lantern, Blackest Night, Brightest Day, and the Flashpoint event.

As well as being Co-Publisher of DC Comics, Jim Lee is best known for revitalising the X-Men for Marvel and co-founding Image Comics in the nineties, for his Batman work for DC in the noughties, and designing the DCU Online MMORG right now. While his comics work has been sporadic, it remains some of the best selling in the industry.

And it looks like he might have been spending some time preparing this comic. I first reported its existence over two years ago, well before Geoff Johns and Jim Lee had been promoted, and have been keeping up with it since. So if nothing else, Jim Lee’s had some lead time.

Not International. Not Dark. And also not Of America. Just the League.

More to come…
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

I wonder if Sideshow gets the license and announces it at Comic-Con if they'll have to do the new Jim Lee designs since that'll the new status quo?

A LETTER ON THE DC UNIVERSE AND SEPTEMBER 2011

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
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

^^So nothing's getting canned or am I being too hopeful?
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

Older readers are dropping off, so they've decided to go after the younger market ("today's audience") instead. Being old I don't care about yet another reboot of characters I'm already familiar with. Especially younger versions of them.

And 52 titles? Maybe they should think about trimming the fat.
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

This is so much horse!@#$. So all the titles I've been keeping track of in trade form (because individual-issue comics are all paced for collections anyway these days) just cease to exist? What's going to happen to all this crap they've been doing? Why'd they even bother bringing Barry Allen back if they were planning to do this?

You know why you're always in second place, DC? Because you people always have to muck around with your continuity. No, what you've had these past thirty or so years post-crisis isn't perfect, but I think writers and artists who have been making do with the hand you've dealt has been good at turns, and certainly better than re-booting all this !@#$. You're only muddying the waters further, and I hope it makes DC Entertainment take a long, hard look at Johns and Lee and DiDio, for that matter.

Have fun re-doing Heroes Reborn, DC. It wasn't cool or hip or fresh when Lee did it for Marvel fifteen years ago and it won't be now.

ARGH!:monkey4:mad::banghead
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

Well this is gonna sink faster than a meat turd. Mike, you should start a bracket for just when they'll go back to the original issue numbers. :lol
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

I like this idea! Gives people like me a chance to get "caught up/start afresh."
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

Why is it that every new department head thinks they can do better than what was established before them? So what happens now with the DC legacy? The JSA, the golden age, the silver age, Crisis and the multiverse?
Flashpoint is already a disappointment for me already! Really? The Reverse Flash is responsible for re-writing the DC Universe when Parallax with all his powers couldn't even resurrect Coast City?
When the Anti-Monitor, destroyer of the Multiverse, could barely cause an effect on the costume design?

So if they're in their 20's, we don't even have Kyle Rayner. There's only one Green Lantern for sector 2814. What happened to the Color Lanterns?

Has Batman taken on Robin yet? Which Robin? Grayson or Drake?
Which WonderGirl? Troy or Cassie?
Has Superman met Luthor, yet? No Conner Kent.

:gah: This is awful!!

Yeah, Ill buy the first few issues. (He comments, while sharpening a large Butcher's knife.):blissysmi
 
Re: DC Rebooting entire Universe in September

We should start a DC Death pool. How long it takes for DC to drop this idea on it's ass. Whoever's closest wins the pot. :lol
 
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