For months now there has been speculation as to what state the DC Universe will be in after their big summer event, Flashpoint. While all the details have not been released yet, we are getting various reports about some of the big changes. Originally DC had announced that the only DCU title that would be shipping on August 31st would be Flashpoint #5. This was because the ending of Flashpoint is supposed to change the landscape of the DCU pretty drastically. Now USA Today is reporting that one other title will be shipping that day. DC will be re-launching Justice League with a new number one on August 31st with the blockbuster creative team of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. This version of the Justice League will be bringing the big guns back together. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman will be heading the relaunch of the team.
Justice League will not be the only title getting a new number one issue after Flashpoint. In a bold move DC is going to renumber their entire line and start each title over. There will be over 50 number one issues shipping in September. Jim Lee is also redesigning more than 50 costumes to make them more recognizable to all fans. This is what co-publisher Dan Didio had to say about this move when USA Today asked him about it, “We looked at what was going on in the marketplace and felt we really want to inject new life in our characters and line. 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.”
With that bombshell there was yet one more big announcement today. All of the new, or renumbered, ongoing series DC will be released digitally day and date. This means that every one of their titles will be available to download digitally the same day they are released in comic shops. This is the first time a major publisher has done this.
While I’m sure there will be a lot of whining and complaining because of the renumbering, I see this as a good thing. As an employee at a comic shop the most common question I get is, “I want to try such and such book, where is a good place to start?” I think this will help bring in new readers to a lot of the titles. Books that have large intemidating numbers that make people feel like they have to know years and years of continuity to start reading tend to scare new readers away. Love it or hate it you have to admit this is a very bold move for DC!
Source: USA Today