REBIRTH and the DCEU: Synergy and the Lack of Consistency

[AcesX1X]

hello all,

i would like to start out this post by saying that i am a huge fan of the rebirth. as a wayward former dc reader, i was brought back to the dc side through a combination of movies and the rebirth. since rebirth has started, i have bought every single dc comic under that banner.

as a fan, i could not be happier. the creative energy i see in all of the titles cannot be adequately described. i have not seen this much honest and positive commitment from a publisher ...ever.

that said, i would like to talk about synergy. the matching up of media across formats. the application of it and the lack of it in some cases. perhaps it's because dceu is going strong, or perhaps there are many promises for rebirth. or maybe as a reader of marvel comics as well, i have come to expect a certain level of "synergy" between the comics and the movies.

either way, i have noticed a great amount of synergy in the rebirth and then a surprising lack of it in other cases. this isn't really a value judgment, more an observational thing. i hope to use this as an opportunity to track where we have synergy and where we do not.

and also discuss whether we think it's needed or not. so with that said, here are the synergies and non-synergies i have noticed.

synergy

• wonder woman - clearly being synergized to match closer her emerging movie persona. to what level of detail, we are slowly finding out
• suicide squad - team structure synergized to match the movies
• amanda waller - physique synergized to match viola davis
• harley quinn - synergized to closely match her cinematic appearance
• supergirl - synergized story to match national city, deo, and earth parents ties from television show
• green arrow - synergized inclusion of diggle

non-synergy

• aquaman - does not match movie version whatsoever
• deadshot - still a white man (?)
• enchantress - not an archaeologist but an "illustrator"
• supergirl - still maintaining parts of new 52 backstory, no sister, no j'onn j'onzz, no astra (yet)
• superman - jimmy still white
• flash - iris still white

that's all i can think of. if i missed anything, let me know. really just curious what you guys thoughts on this are. clearly dc wants some synergy, but doesn't feel like it has to synergize to everything. maybe the marvel approach to synergy isn't what dc should be aiming for at all.

[AcesX1X]

also i should note that batman's comic universe and his movie universe have become entirely separate. he may be a case of displaying where synergy is not needed.

and jon kent (son of superman) seems to be an attempt at synergizing with superman returns rather than MOS version of superman.

[GlennSimpson]

I would speculate that it is being left up to each writer/editor to decide how much to pull in from other media. Also, while I have no problem with changing a character's race, I think it only tends to happen when there's a restructuring. So Jimmy Olsen and Iris had already been established in the New52 before, so I doubt they will do a change there.

I figured they were going to kinda do a "Nick Fury" with Deadshot - actually replace the person in the role so that he looked more like the movie even if (in this case) the names would be different. But then they killed off the black version so I guess not.

[Drz]

Deadshot's new origin was given in Suicide Squad #1 and it resembled heavily what the movie showed us.

Just missing the pimp hat and skin color.

[adrikito]

Is impossible have everything..

I would like to see Harrison Wells in Flash but nothing... fans have godspeed(probably a copy of zoom) and a similar Wally(kidd flash)..

that black actors play characters, that is no reason to change these characters in the comic if they always were white people.. But as I said... Despite this, exist a similar Wally..

[Lightning Rider]

I think synergy is fine when the goals of a writer and a movie/show writer coincide, but I think it can cause a lot of problems for a character, painting them into a corner with regards to image or backstory. The DCEU is taking bits from a bunch of different eras and stories, mixing and amalgamating character traits and looks. They're synthesizing. Whereas each comic book should have its own unique feel and its own story to tell free from all but the most important particularities.

The racebending is already controversial, and not just because of aesthetics but the character changes that came with it. If I'm correct, Wally was made black in the comics because Iris was cast as black in the show. They screwed that up so bad that years later, they have to explain that there are really two Wally's. Jimmy Olsen on Supergirl doesn't feel like Jimmy because he's not a charming underdog, he's a super masculine half-model/half-athlete with a lot of confidence.

Then you have things like inserting Diggle. I don't see him serving much of a purpose in the comics, and one of the principal complaints of Green Arrow was how similar to the show they were making Ollie (basically stoic, apolitical, and not like the Ollie we've known for decades). Inserting Felicity was also highly unpopular.

Things like the SS lineup, a costume, a physique, that's fine. But more than that becomes iffy IMO.

[AcesX1X]

i guess the question being - what is going to be the definitive version of these characters going forward? not for nothing, but i don't consider deadshot's race to be an essential aspect of his character. but then again, i suppose there is someone who does.

on the flip side, i think jimmy olsen still plays an important role in the dceu. i would consider it a major loss to remove him simply because his movie counterpart was killed off.

[Crazy Diamond]

Deadshot's new origin was given in Suicide Squad #1 and it resembled heavily what the movie showed us.

Just missing the pimp hat and skin color.

Cowboy hats are pimp hats now?

I would want DC to focus on telling interesting stories but for the most part that ship has sailed. So if they want to do synergy, they should bring in the aspects of the characters that worked in other media. I don't want the comics to have to pivot to what happens in film or TV or animation 100% and the same goes vice versa. If Batman starts having a pink tutu in the movies don't really need to see that in the comics. But if a lesser-known character in the comics catches on in the movies or TV then would expect to see them used more and used well in the comics.

[Frontier]

If it means we get books with characters who have wider media presence, sure, but I don't want to see continuity or characterization changed just to match the movies and/or TV shows unless they're handled well and serve a positive purpose.

Then you have things like inserting Diggle. I don't see him serving much of a purpose in the comics, and one of the principal complaints of Green Arrow was how similar to the show they were making Ollie (basically stoic, apolitical, and not like the Ollie we've known for decades). Inserting Felicity was also highly unpopular.

Kreisberg bringing in Felicity wasn't well-received, nor that run in general, but Lemire's adapting Diggle to the comics actually worked out pretty well I think.

[Lightning Rider]

i guess the question being - what is going to be the definitive version of these characters going forward? not for nothing, but i don't consider deadshot's race to be an essential aspect of his character. but then again, i suppose there is someone who does.

on the flip side, i think jimmy olsen still plays an important role in the dceu. i would consider it a major loss to remove him simply because his movie counterpart was killed off.

There's the thing, which characters have a definitive version and which don't? I think Aquaman is more malleable than the rest. Having 2 versions of him don't matter, and his rugged 90's look could always make a comeback. But as you say, something like Deadshot's skin color doesn't matter as much to his character.

Killing Jimmy off in the comics because of an in-your-face dark cameo inserted by Snyder would be ridiculous. Being alive and dead in the movies should have nothing to do with the comics.

[Waterfall]

After seeing how Flash line was almost destroyed? Thanks but no thanks.

[AcesX1X]

Killing Jimmy off in the comics because of an in-your-face dark cameo inserted by Snyder would be ridiculous. Being alive and dead in the movies should have nothing to do with the comics.

and then there's the relationship with supergirl. which depending on your perspective is either a positive change or negative. personally, i think it's an interesting step. although if she's teenaged in the comics, it's a bit disturbing to think of her starting a relationship with jimmy olsen.

i can accept some things can be synergized and not. what is confusing is the mixed messaging being delivered by the brand. what can we expect, what should be off the table? i would love to have someone from dc comics comment on the concept and what they feel their obligations are as wb crafts a true "universe" adapted from their characters.

[Aahz]

not for nothing, but i don't consider deadshot's race to be an essential aspect of his character. but then again, i suppose there is someone who does.

Based on his family background it doesn't make much sense for him to be non white.

I think in general that they shouldn't drastically change characters that are continuously featured in publications. Thats something they should only do after reeboots or maybe with characters that were out of publication for a few years. Something like the new 52 Deathstroke series, where they seem to constantly change his past (or the past of his family) and even gave him black hair (despite him being blond in flash backs in earlier issues) is really annoying for the readers.

[Sirzechs]

i guess the question being - what is going to be the definitive version of these characters going forward? not for nothing, but i don't consider deadshot's race to be an essential aspect of his character. but then again, i suppose there is someone who does.

on the flip side, i think jimmy olsen still plays an important role in the dceu. i would consider it a major loss to remove him simply because his movie counterpart was killed off.

Smallville killed off Jimmy Olsen and fixed it in the end, CIA man was not Jimmy Olsen

[Sirzechs]

Based on his family background it doesn't make much sense for him to be non white.

I think in general that they shouldn't drastically change characters that are continuously featured in publications. Thats something they should only do after reeboots or maybe with characters that were out of publication for a few years. Something like the new 52 Deathstroke series, where they seem to constantly change his past (or the past of his family) and even gave him black hair (despite him being blond in flash backs in earlier issues) is really annoying for the readers.

The most important thing about Deadshot is his daughter and last I check non whites can have that as well so no Deadshot isn't tied to race.