So, the DC reboot* is upon us, and it’s time to make some decisions:
- What new series should I buy?
- Should I stick with print, or go digital?
I’ll tackle the second question later. For now, here are the books I was looking at when the New 52 was first announced, and what I’m looking at now.
Buying
Flash
As with Action, it was the creative team that got me excited about the fifth relaunch in as many years. (Seriously, DC, pick a direction and stick with it.) And as with Action, every interview, every announcement since then has chipped away a little more at my interest. But then Francis Manpul posts a new piece of artwork, and I feel like can’t possibly pass it up. TENTATIVE YES.
And yes, that’s a sad verdict for someone who’s spent the last 15 years running a Flash fan site, but it is what it is.
Justice League Dark
Love the concept, hate the title. I had high hopes for this when it was announced, but the execution of Flashpoint: Secret Seven, by the same writer and featuring many of the same characters, has me worried. TENTATIVE YES.
Demon Knights
The complete opposite of Action Comics. When I first read about it, I thought, “Hmm, that sounds sort of interesting, but I just don’t know.” But everything I’ve heard about it makes me more interested. DEFINITE YES.
Regarding Demon Knights and Justice League Dark, it seems that the Matt Wagner/Amy Reeder Vertigo series has made me a fan of Madame Xanadu. Who would have expected that?
Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
I really liked the Seven Soldiers version of the Frankenstein monster, and the idea of him as a sci-fi secret agent sounds like a lot of fun. Plus the Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown miniseries was enjoyable (despite a dip in the middle issue), so I’m on board for this one. DEFINITE YES.
Resurrection Man
I keep meaning to read the articles about this, but somehow keep forgetting to come back to them when I have time. So I still don’t know a whole lot about it, but the concept is interesting enough to make it a TENTATIVE YES.
The Shade
Announced as part of the second wave of new titles, the 12-issue miniseries launches in October. I like the character, especially the modern interpretation, and I really enjoyed the 4-issue miniseries James Robinson did back in the 1990s, so I’m on board for this one as well. DEFINITE YES.
Considered, but Skipping
Action Comics
Grant Morrison brings Superman back to his roots. Sounded great at the time, but the more I’ve heard about the actual direction, the less interested I’ve gotten. PASS.
Teen Titans
I’ve been burned too many times, and I think what I really liked about the series was the Wolfman/Perez dynamic, which I’ve come to realize is never going to exist again. I actually think it’s a good thing that they’re taking the book in a new direction, even though it’s clearly not for me. PASS.
Hawk & Dove
As fond as my memories are of the series 20 years ago…I just can’t. PASS.
Deathstroke
I liked his solo series back in the day, but between my changing taste and the emphasis on ultra-violence, I don’t have any interest in the new version. PASS.
(OK, except for the issue where he destroys the 405 freeway. I live in LA and commute on that damn thing. It’s a revenge fantasy.)
In Summary…
So that’s my DC Comics pull list for September. 5 comics out of 52 (plus The Shade) may not sound like much, but considering I was only reading one DC proper title before Flashpoint, it’s actually a pretty big increase.
Edited to add: For context, this brings the DC Universe back up to 50% of my active pull list. The rest is 1 Vertigo (The Unwritten), 3 BOOM! (Elric, Farscape & Darkwing Duck, at least until Farscape & Darkwing Duck end in a couple of months), 1 Dynamite (Wheel of Time) and 1 Aspen (Lady Mechanika). Mostly sci-fi/fantasy, with the closest to a traditional superhero being Darkwing Duck.
How about you? What are you planning to pick up?
*Of course it’s a reboot. They’re resetting the system, with some things altered and others preserved. They installed a service pack, and now they’re rebooting. People use the term reboot to mean starting over completely from the beginning, but if we’re going to use the computer metaphor properly, that would be a wipe-and-reinstall.
Oh god, my pull list just keeps getting bigger and bigger…
September Pull List:
-Action Comics
-Aquaman
-Batgirl
-Batman
-Batman & Robin
-Batwoman
-Blue Beetle
-The Flash
-Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE
-Green Lantern
-Green Lantern Corps
-Green Lantern New Guardians
-Grifter
-Justice League
-Nightwing
-Stormwatch
-Superboy
-Superman
-Teen Titans
And I’m tentatively trying the #1s of the following before I decide whether to pull..
-Animal Man
-Justice League International
-Static Shock
-Swamp Thing
-Demon Knights
-Legion of Superheroes
Okay, so I just counted that for the first time and it’s a staggering 26. Half of the 52. Wow, I hadn’t realized that til just now. After this first month, I’m hoping I can cut it down to, say, 15-20 books a month, but we’ll see what happens…
Demon Knights. Kind of feel like I have to put my money where my mouth is and support risky, original storytelling in DC comics.
Flash and Shade I’m in for the long run.
I’m picking up issue 1 of Black Hawks and Grifter. Black Hawks so I can publically complain about how much I hate it (because I loved the original) and Grifter because the 13 year old me thinks he’s awesome.
What are the Flash related announcements that have chipped away at your interest?
I don’t like that it appears he’s not with Iris (yet?), never mind the timeline questions that raises, his relationship with her was a vital part of who Barry Allen was. That said, I’ll ride along just for the art for now.
I’d rather get into it in another post, but just about everything that’s been said about the book from San Diego onward has left me feeling that much colder to the book.
On the plus side: I like the idea of reintroducing the Rogues individually, introducing new villains, finding new ways to challenge a speedster, and exploring the speed of thought as well as movement. I’m open to redesigns. I appreciate the fact that once the decision was made to stick with Barry, they decided not to jettison the supporting cast that Geoff Johns was building. And the art is incredible.
For me, it’s the Batman books (7 I believe), Action, Flash (for better or for worse), Justice League, and JL Dark. Maybe Wonder Woman due to the art. I think that’s it. Severely less than I’m currently reading.
I got even more respect for Grant Morrison’s skills and motives after reading SuperGods.
So far I am only having Flash, Justice League and Nightwing pulled. Happy to see Dick flying solo again and as his own character. Considering Batgirl and Batwoman. Other than that… just my regular pull list titles all two of them.
Oh man.. not really feeling the reboot.
I’ll be waiting for Trade paperbacks, thank you very much 😀
For now, only interested in the Flash, Blue Beetle and possibly the JLI.
Etrigan’s team book…maybe too. But other than that? Pass!
Will keep an eye out for scans/previews of Justice League, Flash, Nightwing, anything with Jay Garrick in it. Not buying a danged thing past 2006 Flash, Impulse & Justice Leagues.
If all had gone well? Would have purchased Speed Force, Flash, Justice League, Nightwing?, Justice Society, anything with Superman, Booster Gold, maybe Green Lantern Corp (is Kyle actually in that as he wasn’t on the cover even though others were?), Green Arrow? and more action figures than you can shake a stick at.
Guess this is probably my last post for the foreseeable future. It was fun. (Well, it was fun at the very beginning anyway.)
For September I’m getting:
-Action Comics
-Aquaman
-Batgirl
-Batman
-Batman & Robin
-Batman: The Dark Knight
-Batwoman
-Catwoman
-Detective Comics
-The Flash
-Green Lantern
-Green Lantern Corps
-Green Lantern New Guardians
-Hawk and Dove (loved the series 20 years ago and so can’t resist trying this out)
-Justice League
-Justice League International
-Nightwing
-Red Lanterns
-Superman
-Teen Titans
-Wonder Woman
I’ll also be getting the Shade miniseries.
I’m actually excited about the possibilities in new DCU!
Will still read Flash, will still read LSH (which appears to not be all THAT affected by the timeline changes. Thank god. For once, no reboot for the Legion)
Have been a long-time Superman reader but even after all the Morrison interviews, I’ll read the first issue or two of the new books to see if I like them. A proud Superman fan, but if the story stinks, I ain’t buying it. (Thank you Grounded)
As for new titles, Legion Lost definitely. Cornell’s new books strike me as the strongest, Demon Knights and Stormwatch. All-Star Western looks promising, with Hex in 19th century Gotham and a back-up featuring other DC favorite Wild West characters.
Totally agree on the Wagner/Reeder Xanadu. It’s my main reason for checking out both Demon Knights and JL: Dark
Can’t wait for Lopresti’s art on JLI as well.
So I’ve decided that I’m gonna take this on a week by week basis. I have certain titles that I’m most likely gonna be interested in but otherwise I’m going to look at every New 52 issue every week for the month of September. If/when they launch new titles I’ll look at those too but I’ll skip the minis thank you. So far I’ve enjoyed Justice League, Action Comics, Justice League International, & Stormwatch. I won’t be continuing SW though. Future titles include:
Deathstroke
Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE
Green Lantern
Resurrection Man
Nightwing
Aquaman
The Flash
The Fury of Firestorm: The Unnecessary Subtitle
The Savage Hawkman
Of these I might not even pick some of them up. I might get hooked on titles not even on my list. Who knows? See you next week…