DC Comics revival sparks fervent fan interest

Approximately one month ago, DC Comics rebooted its entire line of superhero comics titles. Action Comics, Detectives Comics, Batman, Superman, all numbering above the 700's, restarted with issues all starting at one. 52 new comic series, dubbed the New 52, have landed on the shelves, telling stories of younger, fresher heroes only about five years into their careers. Superman is the world's first hero, while Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and the rest soon come out of the woodwork.

Though there is some precedent for the decision in stories like Crisis on Infinite Earths and Marvel's Ultimate line, the reboot caught both retailers and fans blind-sided when it was announced in July. The Internet, as is normal, exploded with cries of hatred and condemnation, but the trial period is actually over. Starting with the Aug. 31st Justice League #1, the 52 new books hit the stands each Wednesday in Sept. And though the initiative hasn't played itself out, we're finally at a place to look and pass a little judgment.

Statistics, by and large, are in favor of DC. They advertised heavily, and that seems to have paid off. Hundreds of decaying comic shops around the country found customers, both old and new, returning to see the updated stories. And while many cried that this was their last time buying DC, many more seemed to say it was their first time. Every single one of the New 52 sold out its first printing. Some of the bigger books like Superman, Action Comics and Justice League, have flown into their third or fourth. DC even offered returnability, where retailers that weren't selling books could return them to the publisher. And for an industry that's notoriously rough on its retailers, offering them those kinds of incentives gave them a lot of good faith.

We're also starting to see some of the broader creative implications. Geoff Johns, the Chief Creative Officer of DC, has had incredible success rebooting franchises like Green Lantern, Teen Titans and Superman, while Grant Morrison has had similar experiences with Batman. And the reboot is really built off of those two ideas. Let's restart, get back to basics and redefine what it means for these guys to be heroes.

It's worked. Superman has become a working-class icon, much like his original ‘30's appearance, putting down bullies of all shapes and sizes. Wonder Woman has returned with an edge of horror and mythic implications. The Flash is a combination of CSI and Silver Age science. Even Aquaman, renowned for his lame powers and abilities, has taken on a meta quality, where the world sees him as the butt of one cruel joke. And the best part is each and every one of these stories is accessible, yet deep. I'm introduced to these characters at the same time I recognize them, and that's not an easy feat to pull off.

But, even as I'm praising the reboot, glad that it's taken place, I can't help but wonder about some of the negatives. DC Comics has always distinguished itself in two ways. One, its heroes' age, and they age well. Robin is a kid, then goes to college, then gets a job and becomes Nightwing. When the first Flash dies, his sidekick dons the mantle and takes over. Yes, Batman and Superman started when they were young. They were brash and bold, but now they've gained experience and wisdom. They're passing that down to their protégés, learning to deal with a newer, grittier world and all the while, they're still best friends. Those relationships are lost in the New 52. These characters aren't war buddies, connected by their paths and living in the present, they're all new. And while it is very exciting to see the ups and downs in the beginning of their careers, we've lost those unique, dynamic relationships.

Secondly, DC has, for better or worse, introduced dozens of new characters. They took names from forgotten World War II heroes and gave them a place. They worked hard to make each and every one matter. They're pulling in new characters, new concepts and giving them life on the page, rather than telling the same stories about the same characters over again. And while some characters are getting much needed love (Resurrection Man and Animal Man being the two most prominent examples), others are completely absent. Wally West, who was the Flash for more than 20 years, is completely absent.

But I see DC's point. Those kinds of relationships are exactly what's right and wrong about comics. There's a shared universe and continuity; Batman's actions have an effect on Green Lantern's. But stripping themselves of some of the chains of continuity has liberated them to tell stories that they couldn't before.

And for somebody that's walking into a comic shop to pick up their first book, it's a relief that they can without finding themselves burdened by all the unspoken backstory. Telling new, young stories allows us to watch that backstory grow for ourselves, rather than read anthologies from the ‘70's or Wikipedia. It also allows us to trim the fat from many of these histories. Do I need to dwell on the fact that Aquaman was turned into an octopus wizard called the Dweller of the Depths? No. I can just say that didn't happen. We don't need to remember all the unsuccessful stories, aborted arcs and lame additions. We can just excise them now.

In the end, DC has done exactly what it set out to do. They attracted thousands of new readers to comic shops that had steadily been losing business over the past 10 years. They reinvigorated and renewed franchises that had gotten bogged down in its own history. And they stretched their wings to tell stories that weren't guaranteed to work or sell a lot of issues, but they were still good stories. The influx of the New 52 may or may not sustain itself, but if one out of every 10 readers becomes a fan and comes back in Oct., the industry is still looking at massive growth. And that growth looks like it starts now.