Examining "Rebirth's" Treatment of Legacy & Promise of a Less "Grimdark" DC Universe

[CBR News]

A longtime fan and a New 52 newcomer discuss what "DC Universe: Rebirth" means for DC Comics, and what they hope to see in the months ahead.


Full article here.

[Uncle Yetibacca]

What about the wildstorm characters?

[GreenLanternRanger]

The More legacy/optimism and less gridmark the better.

[Keanu]

Let's hope it really carries over into the films as well. DC movies have squandered untold amounts of potential as they stand.

[qwerty3w]

Is Zack Snyder's version of Batman and Superman my Batman and Superman? No. Too grim. Too dark. He tried something new, and it was widely panned. Why? Because it was different than what we are used to seeing. Did I love it? No. But I preferred getting a new story with new interpretations of these classic characters than I did getting a frame-by-frame retelling of "All Star Superman" or "Long Halloween," because I've already read those stories. I want something new.

The more these characters are inconsistently written, the less it feels any of them actually has a identity other than the look and the abilities. Why would we even attach to these characters if there isn't much to attach to?

Novelty seekers should try out new characters, rather than wanting the same character acting like a different character.

[Confuzzled]

The more these characters are inconsistently written, the less it feels any of them actually has a identity other than the look and the abilities. Why would we even attach to these characters if there isn't much to attach to?

Novelty seekers should try out new characters, rather than wanting the same character acting like a different character.

DC has built a rich foundation of elseworlds and their iconic characters have been depicted through a myriad of contrasting tones simply because they have been around for three quarters of a century now. Testing the flexibility of the character is a good thing.

[pogofan]

There is not a single writer or artist in the world of comics I trust more than Geoff Johns.

I wish I shared that trust. I think he gets carried away with fanfic-level ideas when he doesn't have someone to rein him in. Case in point: Green Lantern. The Corps, originally an explorer / peace-keeper group, as a police force? Seven lantern colors? One big crossover event after another?

That said, there's no doubt that he cares about the idea of legacy in the DC universe (or multiverse). And I certainly trust his judgment more than that of anyone else in DC's management (not that that's saying much), so to the extent that he's taking control from Didio, Lee, Harras, et al., that should definitely be a net plus.

[pogofan]

There is not a single writer or artist in the world of comics I trust more than Geoff Johns.

I wish I shared that trust. I think he gets carried away with fanfic-level ideas when he doesn't have someone to rein him in. Case in point: Green Lantern. The Corps, originally an explorer / peace-keeper group, as a police force? Seven lantern colors? One big crossover event after another?

That said, there's no doubt that he cares about the idea of legacy in the DC universe (or multiverse). And I certainly trust his judgment more than that of anyone else in DC's management (not that that's saying much), so to the extent that he's taking control from Didio, Lee, Harras, et al., that should definitely be a net plus.

[Buried Alien]

They just need to demonstrate discipline in sticking with the plan. Ten years ago, we were also promised a brighter, happier DCU after INFINITE CRISIS, which lasted all of five minutes before King Shark was devouring people in graphic detail in the pages of GREEN LANTERN. Things were supposed to brighten up (pun intended) after FINAL CRISIS and BRIGHTEST DAY too, but nope...more darkness.

I trust that DC *can* do it; I just hope they demonstrate the willpower and discipline to actually see it all the way through this time. It's been a bit like watching an addict recover: there are grand promises, sincere attempts, setbacks, and falls off the wagon. Hope it sticks this time.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Anduinel]

What about the wildstorm characters?

Midnighter's supposed to be showing up in Nightwing's new book. No word on any of the others yet.

[CrimsonRain666]

What about the wildstorm characters?

They will probably be put back on their own earth. DC is doing the same thing with Milestone characters. No more Static teaming up with the Titans....thank God!

[CrimsonRain666]

I'll believe the "Less of the Grimdark DC Universe" when I see it. They said the same thing a few time post Final Crisis.

[Matt D]

I wish I shared that trust. I think he gets carried away with fanfic-level ideas when he doesn't have someone to rein him in. Case in point: Green Lantern. The Corps, originally an explorer / peace-keeper group, as a police force? Seven lantern colors? One big crossover event after another?

That said, there's no doubt that he cares about the idea of legacy in the DC universe (or multiverse). And I certainly trust his judgment more than that of anyone else in DC's management (not that that's saying much), so to the extent that he's taking control from Didio, Lee, Harras, et al., that should definitely be a net plus.

That was my one problem with the issue. Geoff didn't seem to want to point the finger at himself as well. He's someone who gave us so many great ideas and reclaimed concepts and brought them into the present, but at the same time, he's also the one who tore off arms and blasted off faces and torn down heroes as much as anyone in the last thirty years. That sort of "maturity" and coolness in extreme was in his work almost from the get go, and it really shows up by Black Reign and then with the dissonance of Infinite Crisis' mix between nostalgia and gore. I don't think the world is a better place for Barry Allen no longer being good for the sake of being good but instead having a tragic origin. He's always been one to go overboard with gore when something more subtle might work better. Blaming Watchmen is a brilliant metatextual device, but I worry from the text and the interviews I've read that Geoff isn't owning up for his own hand in this, even if it's a hand balanced by all the good he's done over the years as well. I think he's gained wisdom over the years, but at the end of the day, the same people are in charge who drove the ship through most of the post 2000 darkening. That's worrying.

The other problem in my mind, is how sustainable this will be. What happens next time they need a big story? Will Ted Kord be killed just to make it seem important? I think we saw the diminishing returns of that. It's ok to make the heroes stand up against the darkness but what makes the DC heroes great is how they overcome it. I think, for this to work, the good guys need to win for a while. And I don't know how long that can be sustained because it's a lot harder to build something up than to tear it down. It's a lot easier to deconstruct and to portray the worst of a character (which can still be interesting, after all), than to find compelling positive elements of one week after week, month after month, year after year.

I'm optimistic but I've been burned before.

[Fairyprincess]

A full range of comics should include both shadows and light.....

[Pinsir]

I do not understand this 'DC is grimdark' crowd. If you want Silver Age stories, why not just read some Silver Age stories?