DC Relaunch September 2011

Well, unless you have been under a rock, most fans must be aware that DC are having a relaunch of their comic verse. Now it is not a hard reboot, ie, a complete restart with all new origins as they did in 1986. What they are doing here is tweaking the history of some characters, cherry picking the best of their history, possibly wiping out the worst while trying to give it all a fresh start so new readers or people who left comics can come back on board without feeling as if they are bogged down by years of confusing comic continuity. Two heroes in recent years have been selling well and consistently for DC and those are not going to have any major changes. They are the Batman and Green Lantern titles. The other titles have been flagging or losing ground steadily.

In the interest of this blog, two of the titles are Superman and Wonder Woman. Both have not been consistent in drawing in and or keeping new readers. Why this is could be debated till the cows come home but the fact is, that both characters need something to make their sales better. DC have identified both books has having to undergo greater changes. So come September we are possibly going to see new origins for both these characters, while trying to possibly ( we are not sure) keeping the best stories with them (like the Death of Superman) and establishing new status quos for them in this new DCU.

Teaser for Action # 1

Superman will have two books. Grant Morrison is going to write Action Comics # 1. Yes, you heard me. And this will be set in the past and rewrite Superman for the 21st century and possibly revisit Superman's roots. Superman is 73 years old and this current Boy Scout version is not a definitive version and the Lois and Clark angle is fairly new. So what kind of Superman will we see? Now this teaser image by Rags Morales, who will be the artist for this book, I am in love with. You see the working man and the Superman. I really hope Morrison touches on the Golden Age Superman who was a tough guy who took no crap and stood up for the common man. You think Batman is a badass? Superman was actually the original one.

Superman #

Superman # 1 is going to be written by George Perez and drawn by Jesus Merino. While Action is set in the past, this title is set in the present. So are we going to see the Lois and Clark marriage? While it has its fans, it also has been very dull and done very little in developing Superman or progressing the mythos and DC has had 15 years to do it. So from my point of view if they are relaunching this title, I do not see the marriage as necessary at all. But then I am biased. I never bought into the marriage. It usually is glossed over to make things work and no pertinent questions for this couple are really ever addressed.

Wonder Woman is going to be written by Brian Azzarello and drawn by Cliff Chang. I am a little anxious about this title because I'm not sure what angle they will approach her. Will we see the warrior and ambassador? The secret Id? Will leave home for Steve Trevor or will they try and give her, as Perez did, a genuine reason to want to become a hero? I hope it is the latter and they not only show us a kick-ass, empathetic warrior but a woman who can enjoy life and not have to rely on a cad to show her how to be human when she has humanity in her already. She is just culturally different and a hero, a stranger in a foreign land with unique responsibilities: that's her challenge.

New DCU Justice League by Jim Lee

The book that I am sure that will be successful for DC is going to be Justice League. Written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Jim Lee. Two superstars in their field with a line-up that most fans have been longing to see. Sure we have had tweaks to uniforms and you will hear fans moan about it. But fans moaned about uniforms before the reboot and about the line-up too. Fans will always moan. Sales is what will talk and define where we end up. So sure I don't quite like Wonder Woman's entire look. I would have preferred a warrior skirt if we had to dispense with the star spangled panties and I miss the gold on her uniform. But I can live with it if the stories are good. Classic Wonder Woman will always be around in other media. Superman's lack of trunks and seaming does not bother me, cause he has his colors and I see the vital cape, blue tights and the S shield. I see Superman still. And if he can be written as a compelling character who is not as damn reactive and whiny as he has been for the last ten years and a good leader, then I am happy.

Super/Wonder hook up in the New DCU?

Now the first arc in the Justice League is to be set in the past and then the second arc will be start in the present. So we will be seeing a new origin for the League getting together. There are rumors of Superman and Wonder Woman romancing each other as well. So knowing all we know, is it possible that we will see this romance touched here and in Action? Will DC try to have their cake and eat it by having our pair in the past and Lois and Clark in the present? I would be very excited to see DC attempt a proper romance for these two because as you know Action 600 was a cowardly cop-out by them. A young Clark and Diana having the hots for each other is canon and makes sense but I would hope this time it is explored properly. One issue dedicated to this pairing is rather unfair to its fans. And importantly we do not want either being used as a tool to show how wonderful Steve and Lois is by comparison. I have had DC do enough of that to Diana for the last 20 years. I want them to get something real and it done respectfully. Else do not do it at all. And how about writing a story that develops organically? Too often we have Lois and Steve shoved down our throats in most media for the sake of tradition even when Diana and Clark have chemistry with other people and even when they, Lois and Steve, don't deserve our hero/heroine. So cautiously optimistic and wary about the rumored romance and hopeful about the relaunch.