Our series on reactions to DC’s September relaunch continues. Last time we looked at the Justice League titles. This time it’s the Green Lantern collection of comics, which appears to be less of a reboot and more of a restructuring.
Green Lantern · Green Lantern Corps · Green Lantern: The New Guardians · Red Lanterns
DC Comics is revamping their characters and entire publishing line this September after Flashpoint in what appears to be the largest-scale shake-up since Crisis on Infinite Earths ushered in a new era back in 1986. As you might imagine, here at Speed Force, we all keep an eye on DC’s output. The four regular contributors here have written up our first impressions of the new line-up. [Edit: restructured to break things down by series instead of by commenter.]
Justice League · Wonder Woman · The Flash · Green Arrow · The Fury of Firestorm · Aquaman · Justice League International · Mister Terrific · The Savage Hawkman · Captain Atom · DC Universe Presents
DC has officially announced 48 of the 52 comics being relaunched in September. The remaining books are sure to include Action Comics and Superman, and covers have leaked featuring Superman, Supergirl and Superboy. It seems a safe bet that unless one of the younger heroes is headlining Action, that wraps up the 52 series.
Conspicuously absent from the DC Reboot (from a Flash fan’s perspective): Justice Society (of the JSA roster, only Mr. Terrific has appeared so far) and the second Flash book, Speed Force, announced by Geoff Johns last summer.
While Barry Allen headlines The Flash and Bart Allen appears as Kid Flash in Teen Titans, there appears to be nowhere in the initial wave for fans to read about Wally West or Jay Garrick.
Factor in the emphasis on younger heroes, the implication that Barry Allen is still learning the ropes in the new series, and the focus on keeping things simple for new readers to figure out, and you have to wonder whether Jay and Wally even exist in the new DCU.
I asked as much on Twitter, and The Flash co-writer/artist Francis Manapul replied:
https://twitter.com/#!/FrancisManapul/statuses/78942736841060352
It’s neither a confirmation nor a denial, but at least the writer working on the new book wants to keep them around, if the higher-ups allow it.
Reportedly there are more series planned for the following months. We know, for instance, that Batman, Inc. will relaunch in 2012 after a hiatus to allow Grant Morrison to work on another project, and we know that Batman Beyond will be back, though it’s not among the 52 books announced for September.
Are there plans for Wally West and Jay Garrick in a second wave of launches? Have they been wiped from existence? Are they still around, sitting on the back burner, waiting for someone to use them? Are their fans (OK, Wally’s fans) still willing to wait after years of false starts, broken promises, and generally being jerked around?
Update: Dan Didio has this to say about the Justice Society (thanks, @SpeedsterSite):
AS for JSA, we have decided to rest this concept while we devote our attention on the launch of the three new Justice League series. As for other characters and series not part of the initial 52, there are plenty of stories to be told, and we’re just getting started.
So it sounds like the “back burner” approach, at least with Jay and the JSA.
Today, DC announced its teenage superhero titles, including the new Teen Titans series.
Tim Drake is forced to step out from behind his keyboard when an international organization seeks to capture or kill super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he must team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and a hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash in TEEN TITANS #1, by Scott Lobdell and artists Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund.
Tim Drake’s actually named. That’s clearly Cassie and Connor. Not sure about the other two women, but Jim Lee mentions adding new characters. As for Kid Flash, they seem to be going out of their way not to name him. His personality sounds like Bart Allen, but the shoulder symbol is the one usually used for Wally West. Can Dan Didio shed some light on this?
All of these characters have history with the DC Universe that existed before the team is built, but it might be just slightly different. But I think in capturing the voice and the spirit of these characters, I think they’re exactly who people think they are.
Newsarama adds that it’s Bart Allen, which certainly fits with Didio’s “exactly who people think they are” statement.
I wonder if he’ll still be a time-traveler? If he’ll still be Barry’s grandson? He could be a distant descendant (the way the Tornado Twins originally were in the Silver Age), which would remove one of the problematic aspects of Barry Allen’s return (namely that he’s supposed to be ~30 and has a teenage grandson, and even though he’s capable of traveling through time, he doesn’t use the ability to actually raise his kids).
13 titles left. Barry and Bart Allen are confirmed. Is there a place in the new DCU for Jay Garrick or Wally West?
Update: Several people, including Craig MacDonald and Scott Mateo, pointed me to this second image, which appears to be the actual cover for Teen Titans #1.
Update 2: Live Pa pointed out that there’s some more info in the discussion on Brett Booth’s blog.
Three major launches from 1940-2005 (four if you count Showcase #4 and Flash #105 separately, which I suppose I should if I’m counting Flash: Rebirth separately from Flash vol.3), with remarkably consistent creative teams. Five relaunches from 2006-2011.
Things have changed a bit…
The linkblogging catch-up continues! DC insists that September’s line-wide relaunch is not a reboot, but the name seems to have caught on. Some commentary and news around the web…
Before the announcement (reacting to rumors)
After the announcement
And lots more, of course!