DC Comics Starts It All Over Again

by | Jun 1, 2011 | Comics

The Full JLA

Jim Lee and Geoff Johns' JLA

In September of 2011, the entire DC Universe will start from scratch.  That month 52 new titles will debut, all #1’s, and all with new creative teams. The move spins out of the FlashPoint storyline, a summer storyline where Professor Zoom, the reverse Flash (one of Flash’s most deadliest of enemies) has altered time to change the world.  A world where Bruce Wayne and his mother died, while his father Thomas lived and became the Batman, where Superman was never found by a kindly pair of farmers and raised as their own, where Aquaman and Wonder Woman battle for control of what is left of Great Britain, and where nothing is as it should be.

The new DC Universe is being created whole cloth by the two creative visionaries of the new DC Universe, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee.

Johns is responsible for the revitalization of dozens of heroes including the JSA, The Teen Titans, Green Lantern (and the entire corps), Superman, and most recently Flash.

Jim Lee most famously revitalized the X-Men in the 90’s, but also created his own universe in WildStorm, and has recently had terrific runs on Batman, Superman, and the All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder title.

Together they will be taking on the Justice League (one of only two comics to be released on August 31st from DC Comics).

So what does the future look like for the DCU?

Update: Comic Book Resources has updated the creative teams of a bunch of titles.

  • A new title starring Superman written by Grant Morrison.
  • Birds of Prey #1 – This new ongoing series will not feature the work of longtime “BoP” writer Gail Simone. In fact, many tried and true approaches to books will be getting a second look at DC in September.
  • Teen Titans #1 – The new start for the teen team will be written by “Red Robin” scribe Fabian Nicieza.
  • Justice Society of America #1 – Only one of a number of current titles that will welcome a creative team shift, the future of the original superhero team will apparently not involve current writer Marc Guggenheim.
  • Wonder Woman #1 – Don’t expect the recent changes from writer J. Michael Straczynski to stick when the Amazing Amazon sees another new #1 hit.
  • Green Lantern #1 – Even with a new #1, Green Lantern remains in Johns’ hands, and readers can expect the effects of major crossovers like “Blackest Night” to stay in place moving forward.
  • Hawkman #1 – While fans have known a “Hawkman” series by James Robinson has been in the works since the writer mentioned it on a panel at New York Comic Con, Bleeding Cool’s Rich Johnston has been reporting the rumor that the book will be drawn by “Batman & Robin” and “Outsiders” artist Philip Tan.
  • Aquaman #1 – No surprises here. The already announced series featuring the sea king by Johns and Ivan Reis will be part of the relaunch wave.

Another Update – June 2nd

DC Comics The Source has published a post titled “The New Justice” where they introduce 11 titles with their creative teams.

  • Justice League – Writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee
  • Wonder Woman – Writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang
  • Aquaman – Writer Geoff Johns and artist Ivan Reis
  • The Flash – Writer/Artist Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
  • The Fury of Firestorm – Writers Ethan Van Sciver, Gail Simone, and artist Yildiray Cinar
  • Green Arrow – Writer JT Krul and artist Dan Jurgens
  • Justice League International – Writer Dan Jurgens and artist Aaron Lopresti
  • Mr. Terrific – Writer Eric Wallace and artist Roger Robinson
  • Captain Atom – Writer JT Krul and artist Freddie Williams II
  • Braver and Bolder – Told by some of comics’ most exciting writers and artitsts

Update – June 3rd.  Back to Bleeding Cool, where Rich Johnson is now reporting  – DC Relaunch: Four Green Lantern #1 comics in September.

  • Green Lantern #1 by writer Geoff Johns, artists Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy.
  • Green Lantern Corps #1 starring Guy Gardner, John Stewart and more. Writer Peter J. Tomasi, artists Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna.
  • Green Lantern: The New Guardians #1, a team made up of Rage, Avarice, Fear, Will, Hope, Compassion and Love under the leadership of Kyle Rayner. Written by Tony Bedard, art by Tyler Kirkham and Batt.
  • Red Lanterns #1: Previously announced, Atrocitus and the Red Lantern Corps in their own series. written by Peter Milligan, art by Ed Benes and Rob Hunter.

There’s a ton of possibilities, and I’m actually quite excited by them.  I imagine this won’t go much more than a year, and in the end the powers that be will just relegate this to a shelf on a wall and call it “new earth”, and bring the “Earth Prime” status quo back.

But just for a second, imagine What If?  Chat with me in the comments, and make sure you read how this ALMOST happened in 1986.