Is Anyone Just Not Interested in New Comics?

[Timothy Hunter]

DC Comics seemed to have a pretty cohesive universe going from the Silver Age to before Flashpoint. Obviously there were retcons, reboots, and abandoned plotlines, but you felt that there was a ongoing narrative from Pre Crisis to Post Crisis that was shattered during the New Fifty Two. Continuity wise Rebirth and onward brought back elements of Pre-Flashpoint, but it seems to me that the damage was done and the characters today aren't the same ones from 1960 to 2011.

[Tzigone]

DC Comics seemed to have a pretty cohesive universe going from the Silver Age to before Flashpoint. Obviously there were retcons, reboots, and abandoned plotlines, but you felt that there was a ongoing narrative from Pre Crisis to Post Crisis that was shattered during the New Fifty Two. Continuity wise Rebirth and onward brought back elements of Pre-Flashpoint, but it seems to me that the damage was done and the characters today aren't the same ones from 1960 to 2011.

I'd say quite a few were drastically reshaped before 2011 (Wally to some extent, Aquaman (didn't even keep his name), the Hawks, Donna, Supergirl (several people by then), etc.). COIE is the first one you think of there, but there were definitely others that just rewrote entire histories/narratives before that. I started reading DC about five years ago(started with 1990s comics, then read various eras) and some of those changes were just as big as some of these, to me. Maybe not as many, but definitely some. I definitely prefer the older school on several of them. But I would say the biggest issue now is that it never settles. We never have a coherent, consistent continuity, even if it's different from the one that was in place pre-2011.

Edit: back to the subject line - I'll admit, there's not a lot I'm interested in right now. Liked Arthur and Mera's characterization last I read, but haven't followed up since there were throne issues back when she was pregnant, I think. Will probably eventually binge read those (I really don't have the patience for the monthly model and would save up several to read even back when I started with Marvel in the 1990s). I liked the family stuff in Superman, but then that all got ruined (IMO). Damian was better and mellower, and then look what happened to him more recently. And I was kinda interested in WW at one point, but they always seem to ruin that. And won't keep Steve or use him well. Same for Etta, really.

I'm not a reboot fan - it's why for years I only read Marvel (I'd heard about COIE), and then quit it with One More Day. Heck, I deliberately only read pre-New 52 stuff at first thinking since I knew it would all be erased anyway, I wouldn't get upset/disappointed with the reboot changes. Didn't work. So basically I've read very little pre-Rebirth New 52 because of that. But even before then, there was edginess and grimdark. I mean some pain and loss are expected. But it just went so far long ago. I don't read anything of villains going evil (including Hal). But in the '90s stories, I had some good stuff with Dick (with his solo), Kon, Tim, Steph, and that entire generation, really. Well, those all went down the tubes (again IMO) in the earlier 2000s. Jaime was good (though I still like Ted, too). But Lian got killed off, and Identity Crisis, the crapfest happened, so by mid-decade, I'm almost completely uninterested. There's a few glimmers, but mostly with new characters that hadn't yet had a chance to have horrible things happen to them/do horrible things.

But basically for me the problems with modern comics - well, yes, no consistent world/history is an issue. I love continuity. But understand I'm not the best audience to cater to, from a business perspective. But grimdark, massive death and destruction, constant events interrupting stories, heroes frequently being killed (sometimes later resurrected, to the the extent I don't care if they die) for shock value, always there's a hero in the middle of falling to the darkside, it seems like. I want heroes, who do great things and triumph over evil and good, even if flawed. But those don't seem popular anymore.

[kcekada]

I"m very disinterested.

DC's history was chewed up and regurgitated way too many times. One of my favorite teams, the Legion of Super Heroes in on its' fourth reboot! Titans has been a mess for years. I have no idea who was and who wasn't a member of the JLA over the years. And the poor Justice Society!!!

Who needs any of this crap?!

[Jekyll]

Agree completely. I just don’t care anymore and haven’t since the new 52.

[married guy]

Although the rot set in with the handling of the Flash, DC really lost me with the New 52 reboot.
They threw out SO much and got so little back in return, and even the titles that started strong stuttered and faulted, either cancelled or limping to their merciful ends.
Nothing DC has released in the last 20 years has had me truly excited as a fan.
I stick with characters I love as long as I can, but still am forced to drop books through apathy or dissatisfaction.
I have gone from 20 titles a month to 2.

I'm enjoying stuff from Image and BOOM! far more and have for quite some time.

[TheBatman]

I mean, 1960-1985 Superman isn't even the same character as 1986-2011/Present Superman.

As a Batman fan, I say that the guy Batman was in 1960 was already gone by 1970. Luckily, in that case, the character we got was an improvement. Unfortunately, that Late 60's/70's version of Batman was gone by the end of the 90's.

For fans of certain characters, the damage was done long before flashpoint.

[Flash Gordon]

There's something for everybody out there, just have to find it. Lots of amazing comics.

[Stanlos]

Flashpoint/new 52 broke me.

Rebirth offered hope but certain people wanted their ..."contributions " from the crappy 52 to stay on which essentially poisoned the stock.

Then we have all new stuff centered on Death Metal and the cosmic Doorknobs.

Soooooooooooo yeah not really interested.

[Timothy Hunter]

There's something for everybody out there, just have to find it. Lots of amazing comics.

There's plenty of good comics out there, but there has been so much meddling done with the DC Universe that I don't really follow characters on a monthly basis anymore and instead only really care about the creative teams when it comes to modern comics.

I'm not trying to look at the past through rose tinted glasses because there were always terrible comics, but the talent that is currently at DC seems really cheap and subpar in general.

[The Kid]

I've kinda been at a place where at least when it comes to DC, continuity doesn't matter anymore. Now I just find teams and runs I think will be a good story and stick with those. It's why planned miniseries or AU stories are my favorites nowadays.

[WebLurker]

I was never much of a DC person, but I get stuff primarily by characters I'm interested in and I'm not too fussy about internal continuity with DC. Heck, I've been more interested in their YA graphic novels stuff than most of the regular comics they've been offering.

[Celgress]

I've lost interest in most of the DC line including the Superman Family of books which once were a staple of my DC fandom.

[Robanker]

The 86-'11 period may be my favorite as a whole, but there are good books now and there were bad books then. I'm glad to be getting new stories to read every week on top of the wealth of back content now available through DC Universe and DC's printed collections.

So no, I'm still very interested in new comics, and if you're losing interest I'd say try some other publishers to revitalize said interest. Sometimes you just need that ONE book that really brings your love for the monthlies back.

And yeah, some are objectively worse. Bruce Wayne has suffered a lot, for example, but some new characters and books are very engaging. As with all things, branch out. You'd be surprised how many good books are being published right now.

This is from someone who bounced in '11 and came back with Rebirth.

Comics will literally never be the same as you encountered them the first time. Look at the old timers who complained when you were passionate about the current books. Learn from their mistake. Enjoy past and current material and keep looking for other stories to read that excite you. Not DC, but I'm loving Once & Future over at BOOM. Give it a look, dude.

[BohemiaDrinker]

I actually am interested in new comics. It's old comics I'm not interested in.

Sure, right now everything is up in the air and continuity is more of a clusterfuck than it ever was, and these things need to be fixed, but there's a sort of energy in the air that tells me that DC is about to try things that are actually new. Don't get me wrong, I have preferences as much as anyone. But as long as DC is moving forward and trying new things, I'll give it a shot.

It's way better than someone 20 years older than I trying to recreate their childhood.

[lemonpeace]

I actually am interested in new comics. It's old comics I'm not interested in.

Sure, right now everything is up in the air and continuity is more of a clusterfuck than it ever was, and these things need to be fixed, but there's a sort of energy in the air that tells me that DC is about to try things that are actually new. Don't get me wrong, I have preferences as much as anyone. But as long as DC is moving forward and trying new things, I'll give it a shot.

It's way better than someone 20 years older than I trying to recreate their childhood.

I'm essentially here with it, especially that last part. I felt that last line spiritually.