DC's "new" timeline revealed at NYCC

[Frontier]

Well, Snyder has been an "everything happened" type of writer since the first Metal, so that's not too much of a surprise, but it doesn't sound like they're making sweeping changes but just bringing more stuff back.

[Last Son of Krypton]

From Bleeding Cool:

"The big DC Comics Free Comic Book Day title was meant to be Generation Zero, an epilogue to Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth's Flash Forward, and would lead into the Generation volumes that would end with Generation Five – otherwise known as 5G. It would also show off the new DC Timeline.

A version of the story appeared in Flash #750, but it was then meant to be followed by an expanded version for the Free Comic Book Day title, tieing in with Death Metal and setting up 5G to come.

Then DC publisher Dan DiDio was fired and everything changed. 5G was no longer a line-wide transformative future for the DC Universe, but now restricted to a planned imprint/mini-event. The DC Timeline lost being fixed to certain periods in history and the length certain characters had been around amended to something closer to the usual version. And suddenly the Generation One story was not quite the done thing. I understand it was rewritten, to remove aspects about Wally West changing the timeline to changing the reality of the multiverse instead.

But after it was printed in time for Free Comic Book Day, things changed even more. The pandemic hit and DC Comics looked at its schedule and plans more closely. A number of books disappeared and a number were delayed. And one of those disappeared comics, the Generation line of books – and the Free Comic Book Day Generation Zero book that would lead up to it.

However, the Flash Forward epilogue story has been scheduled to be collated in the Flash Forward collection published today."

Full article: https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dc-c...h-forward-tpb/

[Last Son of Krypton]

[sifighter]

I have to admit this is about what I expected, but also a little disappointed that while it leads in Death Metal and does actually seem to make sense and fit into the story of the whole "Anti-crisis" thing, that its not really cool that they are only releasing this right now in the Flash Forward TPB. I think it would be appreciated if it was released digitally for free or something.

Other then that I'm actually okay with this. I like the idea that Wally would do his best to try to fix things while also taking into account that the bad things that happened can't just be erased to make things perfect and that there may need to be choices made if some of New 52 history, as we see with Zero Year, should remain in tact instead of some Pre-flashpoint history. I'm glad it wasn't another Zero Hour with Wally trying to make the perfect history and going mad with power as some feared. I also think it makes sense that given all that is going on in Justice League, Hell Arisen, and Death Metal that universal forces would try to stop him. I also hopes this means that when Death Metal comes to an end that we will see something similar to this so that we can go "okay so this is the actual history of these characters, thanks for actually showing us this time".

[DragonPiece]

I have to admit this is about what I expected, but also a little disappointed that while it leads in Death Metal and does actually seem to make sense and fit into the story of the whole "Anti-crisis" thing, that its not really cool that they are only releasing this right now in the Flash Forward TPB. I think it would be appreciated if it was released digitally for free or something.

Other then that I'm actually okay with this. I like the idea that Wally would do his best to try to fix things while also taking into account that the bad things that happened can't just be erased to make things perfect and that there may need to be choices made if some of New 52 history, as we see with Zero Year, should remain in tact instead of some Pre-flashpoint history. I'm glad it wasn't another Zero Hour with Wally trying to make the perfect history and going mad with power as some feared. I also think it makes sense that given all that is going on in Justice League, Hell Arisen, and Death Metal that universal forces would try to stop him. I also hopes this means that when Death Metal comes to an end that we will see something similar to this so that we can go "okay so this is the actual history of these characters, thanks for actually showing us this time".

May be a way of not having to prop Scott Lobdell up more, given his recent contreversies. Especially since this story doesn't actually impact anything anymore.

[Noodle]

May be a way of not having to prop Scott Lobdell up more, given his recent contreversies. Especially since this story doesn't actually impact anything anymore.

It's still a giant middle finger to the people that actually bought Flash Forward monthly and now have to buy a near $20 trade to get the epilogue that was intended to be a free release.

[sifighter]

It's still a giant middle finger to the people that actually bought Flash Forward monthly and now have to buy a near $20 trade to get the epilogue that was intended to be a free release.

Yeah this is kind of my thinking, I can divorce Wally West the character who has existed for Decades from Lobdell the writer. Also I would argue, not vehemently as I don't like fighting, that since Wally and his Manhattan powers along with his knowledge of the multiverse/timeline appear to be a big part of Death Metal at this point in time that this story actually has some impact on events to come.

[vasir12]

I feel like the meaning (or maybe the actual content) of this has changed. Before, Wally's efforts would led to the retellings in the Generations one shots, but I I'm almost certain those were canned.

Now, I think they just wanted to wrap this loose thread up so Death Metal can act as the new universe changer.

[cranger]

It's still a giant middle finger to the people that actually bought Flash Forward monthly and now have to buy a near $20 trade to get the epilogue that was intended to be a free release.

It seems as much a prologue to Death Metal, too. I don't think DC expects anyone to buy it just for it, so everyone is in the same boat though if they just want this in print.

[Noodle]

It seems as much a prologue to Death Metal, too. I don't think DC expects anyone to buy it just for it, so everyone is in the same boat though if they just want this in print.

It would be the same in digital since it looks like they're not putting the issue out at all outside of the collection.

Also, Death Metal is only one issue in. If it's that important to fans of it you can still walk away with minimal investment. I've already bought 6 issues of Flash Forward. It does screw over both sides, though.

[cranger]

It would be the same in digital since it looks like they're not putting the issue out at all outside of the collection.

Also, Death Metal is only one issue in. If it's that important to fans of it you can still walk away with minimal investment. I've already bought 6 issues of Flash Forward. It does screw over both sides, though.

I did not read Flash Forward, did it feel incomplete without this epilogue? That does suck. I imagine whatever impact it has on Death Metal will be addressed in Death Metal, it just seems like something that if it was read before #1, some of the scenes would have a little more importance, but not much.

[Noodle]

I did not read Flash Forward, did it feel incomplete without this epilogue? That does suck. I imagine whatever impact it has on Death Metal will be addressed in Death Metal, it just seems like something that if it was read before #1, some of the scenes would have a little more importance, but not much.

It was more the fallout from Heroes in Crisis and Wally trying to redeem himself for what happened. But it did explain how he got the Doctor Manhattan powers and what he was trying to do with them. I know Wally was in Death Metal #1 (I haven't read it, so I don't know how big of a part he plays in the series) so it might explain to readers of Death Metal some things like how he got his new powers.

Flash Forward, though, ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and states that next part would be the Free Comic Book Day issue, so it is important to that story, sadly.

[Robotman]

So is Ted Kord dead and Babs is once again Oracle?

[ducklord]

That Teen Titans picture was bugging me ("When did the Titans fight Grodd, and why is Grodd so prominent in a Titans picture?"), until I realized that it's probably supposed to be Beast Boy, and the colorist goofed.

[Vordan]

So is Ted Kord dead and Babs is once again Oracle?

No. Ted was dead and Babs was Oracle at one point, but Babs cured herself and Ted got better. The reason they shoved this into the FF trade and didn’t bother to give it a stand-alone release is I don’t think DC is actually going to use it going forward for whatever happens next.