Jim Lee Perfectly Explains Why DC Comics' "Rebirth" is Not A Reboot

[CBR News]

DC's co-publisher breaks down exactly why labeling the publisher's Rebirth initiative a reboot is incorrect.


Full article here.

[Jedibanner]

DC's co-publisher breaks down exactly why labeling the publisher's Rebirth initiative a reboot is incorrect.


Full article here.

As i've read most of the Rebirth comics so far, many of them feel like, if the characters are suppose to be back to the same as they were before the 52 rebirth, many of them don't feel like what they used to be. Barbra Gordon was the Oracle...the way she is now in her new comic as Batgirl, feels like she's a tween who has memory of being the Oracle. Superman has a son now?

Overall, not all books are that good IMO. Some are interesting but, most are a pass so far, won't go further than #1's.

[TheIronDuck]

The only reboot here is Jim Lee's career starting over.

[Redvector]

"The New 52 isn't being scrapped or ignored" Of course it is but they're not doing it all at once. It will be dismantled piecemeal a little at a time until it's just gone. He's hoping that we won't notice it slowing being erased.

[Hank XTC]

It is a great retcon, but they should stop using these parallel lands and crisis for a while, because it has been exploited to exhaustion in recent years and make sure that the main reality will work.

[Krysmopompas]

Lee totally took this idea from Grant Morrison, who's been speaking and writing about the DC Universe being sentient for at least the past 15 years.

[BertoFlyingFox]

Alternate realities are tiring. It's pretty much a crutch for comic book creators/writers. They can retcon what doesnt work and change the tones of the characters to today's standards. Or, they can just do a bunch of "shocking" mini-series that overall mean nothing for the universe.

One future has old Batman fighting mutants. Another has Thomas Wayne as Batman fighting Martha Wayne as Joker. Batman Inc is all but a confusing mess now, don't know what "reality" it stands in any more...same goes for Watchmen, whatever reality they pull out of their butts to write that story off. Maybe Silk Spectre is all of a sudden a cellphone-obsessed tween.

It's a reboot, just one that mixes New52 with everything before it.

[Alkaidswrath]

Not a reboot, but there are definitely some retcons popping up. Like Amanda Waller being a Large woman again and Krypto looking like a regular dog and not a gigantic alien wolf. Other than those two I cant think of any specific changes they have made that would be an undoing of any New52 stories or characters.

[TheIronDuck]

Not a reboot, but there are definitely some retcons popping up. Like Amanda Waller being a Large woman again and Krypto looking like a regular dog and not a gigantic alien wolf. Other than those two I cant think of any specific changes they have made that would be an undoing of any New52 stories or characters.

That Krypto change didn't matter long. I'm Starting to become slightly concerned for the mental health of Peter Tomasi.

[GlennSimpson]

Not a reboot, but there are definitely some retcons popping up. Like Amanda Waller being a Large woman again and Krypto looking like a regular dog and not a gigantic alien wolf. Other than those two I cant think of any specific changes they have made that would be an undoing of any New52 stories or characters.

Sometimes people who are thin become large, that doesn't require a retcon. I'm betting the other was just a mistake.

[Alkaidswrath]

Sometimes people who are thin become large, that doesn't require a retcon. I'm betting the other was just a mistake.

I realize that putting on weight doesn't require a retcon. The possible issue is that pre-flashpoint Waller and New52 Waller have very different backgrounds. Original Waller was older and a congressional aide with a doctorate in political science, while New52 Waller is much younger with military training and previously served on Team7 with Deathstroke and Grifter and others. I am curious to see if they address this at all in the upcoming Suicide Squad Rebirth title.

[Username taken]

I'm not sure DC themselves have fully decided what this is.

It's obviously still the new 52 universe but elements of the previous continuity is filtering in.

At this point, it's hard to say what it is.

[CrimsonRain666]

I'm guessing one of the first books to go will be the one with the Chinese Super-Man. According to the LCS, it's probably the lowest seller of the Rebirth books..and they have already cut their orders drastically. Interesting concept...but why they couldn't just create a brand new Chinese character instead of having him be a a new Superman is beyond me.

[Pandarifically Delusional]

I'm guessing one of the first books to go will be the one with the Chinese Super-Man. According to the LCS, it's probably the lowest seller of the Rebirth books..and they have already cut their orders drastically. Interesting concept...but why they couldn't just create a brand new Chinese character instead of having him be a a new Superman is beyond me.

Couldn't agree with you more. It feels like lazy writing to just make a different racial origin of an existing superhero rather than give them an original superhero. Frankly, I find it surprising that more people don't find that sort of thing disappointing.

[MatchesMalone]

Okay so multiple versions are allowed.

Then why did Arrow have to kill off it's Suicide Squad characters?