Predictions for 2021

[LordUltimus]

Any ideas as to what's in store for next year?

[sifighter]

-At least one JSA book, they've had a big come back in Doomsday Clock, appeared in Death Metal, currently in the Injustice franchise, and not only have the stargirl show but the upcoming Black Adam movie to show them off. If there was ever a time to use them it would be now.

-Titans Academy (or a better name Titans Together) there have been way too many hints as of late that the older titans will come in to train the newer titans, and not just future state but also Death Metal and Endless Winter.

-A multiverse book, lets face it a lot of series have been focused on the multiverse and the justice incarnate have been showing up so why not just have one big multiverse book.

-A digital exclusive event, this one is a bit out there but I imagine that if they want to sell people on DC digital exclusives that they will try their hand at a digital only comic book event to gather attention.

[Ascended]

I agree with the JSA and some form of "Titans Academy" though not necessarily under that name.

Hopefully Naomi season 2!

Presumably there'll be a number of digital books and OGN type bookstore/Scholastic offerings, and I kinda expect those to eclipse the effort the direct market gets....though whether DC actually has the brass to go through with this like they said remains to be seen.

I do expect more synergy between the comics and larger media, but also more comics that are self-contained and stand alone, like DCeased and Superman Smashes the Klan.

[Noodle]

Batman.

.....that's all that needs to be said, really.

[Nite-Wing]

Batman who laughs will do stuff
Harley Quinn will probably do stuff
Batman will do things

Everyone else I'm not so sure about

[km_sus]

DC have mentioned cutting their line back a little (or maybe that's specualtion?), so I anticipate a smaller number of books going into March.

First of all, I definitely think Waid is getting Superman. There've been too many hints and nods towards it, I would be very shocked if it didn't happen. The question is if Waid is getting both Superman titles? People on the Superman board have namedropped Gene Luen Yang as the possible "other writer". I though SStK was great, so I hope he gets a shot at an ongoing. As for Jon, I think he's getting returned this year. With Didio, Harras and crew gone, Bendis off the book (although still keeping Legion?) and the fairly widespread negative reception from the age-up, I'm pretty sure it will happen some time this year. As for Supergirl... maybe? Her TV show is still going - so synergy - but her sales don't seem to be that great. If DC is trimming the line, I think Supergirl is on the chopping block.

We already know Tynion is staying on Batman. Tomasi off or on Detective? Hard to say. I don't have much complaints or predictions about the Bat line-up this year. Again they might cut down the bat-family titles. Batgirl has just gotten off a tremendously bad run, which was predicated by a string of middling to bad runs, so I wouldn't say I'd be surprised if it dropped off. Red Hood might be ending, but I think it could continue with maybe Williamson writing, as he is writing the Future State story. If DC was smart, they'd fold characters into one book, meaning they'd have to share. Take a Batgirls book for example. Barbara might not sell well on her own, but couple Cassandra and Stephanie on there and their collective fanbases might give DC their desired sales. I could see that happening too.

I predict Wonder Woman will get a high profile writer. DC wants to come back strong for the new year and lately, ever since Rucka left the book, WW hasn't been getting any attention or (subjectively of course) any good runs. I think DC wants to bolster WW with a high profile author; I just cant figure out who it will be. I also agree with "sifighter" and "Ascended" above me. There'll definitely be more digital and elseworlds stories like DCeased and YA stuff like 'Shadow of the Batgirl'. I also expect a lot of the Future State stuff to fold into continuity as well. The Future State ideas weren't bad, but no one likes a time skip. Readers like things to be built up to over a long period of time (see Jon Kent).

[Gaius]

Wonder Woman Historia hopefully gets a solicitation date, probably near the later half of the year or whenever Wonder Woman 1984 gets a release date.

At least that’s all I care to see.

[Holt]

A new Suicide Squad relaunch, probably featuring some of the characters from the new movie.

[kurenai24]

Probably the same old same old, Batman, Harley, the rest all doing the same things they've been doing for years.

What I personally want is to see them implement what's shown in Future State; it seems like heroes can freely travel between the multiverse/different earths, I want that to be a thing in 2021 so we can have books focusing on the other earths,Titans Academy is a thing I want to see happen, and I want all the new characters introduced in Future State to be introduced in the present.

[Robotman]

I would actually love to see a Titans Academy book. Yeah it’s a bit too close to the X Men concept but I think DC desperately needs a book to showcase all of their young heroes. Basically something similar to the Young Justice tv show.

[Ra-El]

If Future State is successful, DC will try to implement the anthology format on the mainline.
The most likely candidates are Action Comics and Detective Comics, instead of 22 pages of only Superman and Batman, we may get 48-64 pages, with Superman and Batman as the main story, with one or two other stories from smaller characters. So in Action we could get Superman, Supergirl and Conner and in Detective, Batman, Robin and Batwoman.

Waid will get one of the Superman books, Yang or Taylor will get the other one.

Whatever DC does with the Green Lanterns after Morrison won't be as good.

Naomi season 2 will come out, aside from that Bendis will write either Green Arrow, The Question or some Checkmate book with both.

DC will realize the crap decision they made by cancelling John Constatine: Hellblazer, so they will ask Spurrier to do at least 3 graphic novels on Black Label.

[lemonpeace]

I predict I'll be able to read Green Lantern again

[Ascended]

DC have mentioned cutting their line back a little (or maybe that's specualtion?), so I anticipate a smaller number of books going into March.

I'm pretty sure it's been "officially" said that the line is getting cut back. We just don't know by how much yet, but I'd assume it'll be a similar number to the employee culling, and I want to say (don't quote me on this) they said they cut about 30-40% of their talent pool. But again, I could be wrong; this was....what, August? By 2020 standards August was ten years ago.

So to that end, I'm expecting a few more team books and a few less solo's; perhaps a Birds of Prey title instead of Batgirl, a Gotham Knights book instead of Red Hood, stuff like that.

Considering that the scraped 5G plans seem to have evolved into the Future State event it seems that DC hasn't completely abandoned the idea of advancing the overall narrative forward, so I wouldn't be entirely surprised if Alfred remained dead, Clark's identity remained public (or he at least remained earth's representative in the United Planets) and the Titans start training the multitude of teen heroes floating around homeless right now. And odds are a few things from Future State will trickle down into the main canon as well, the new Wonder Woman seems likely and if DC doesn't try to capitalize on the new gender fluid Kid Quick and use them going forward I will eat my hat (I'll also eat my hat if DC does this in a way that isn't obviously pandering or insulting to that community).

[The no face guy]

Jim Lee stated that they were going to go with a core of titles that sell well, and cut back on those that are not selling well. We've already had the first cut which will include Hawkman, John Contantine and a bunch of others.

COVID has really placed hurt the big two financially (Marvel/DC) I found out Marvel cancelled both Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, and Black Cat after a few issues because they're looking to re-launch them once things return to normal. They tried soley digital sales for these titles, but it didn't catch on, the direct market still rules the roost.

So it is possible they could put JSA on hold until the direct market returns to full capacity, or they might opt for it now. I think Green Arrow won't get launched now until after COVID, which I'm fine with, always better to give a title a rest here and there, and it will probably be better to release it when they have more money for multimedia promotion for the character.

[Digifiend]

I would actually love to see a Titans Academy book. Yeah it’s a bit too close to the X Men concept but I think DC desperately needs a book to showcase all of their young heroes. Basically something similar to the Young Justice tv show.

Well, it's not like X-Men is doing the school thing any more anyway!