Examples of Pre-Flashpoint Canon Reasserting Itself in the DC Universe

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Here's the current version:
Black Lightning - Cold Dead Hands (2017-) 006-020.jpg

Upon closer inspection, it appears that both Superman and Black Lightning are wearing their New 52 costumes here.

[Rod G]

Here's the current version:
Black Lightning - Cold Dead Hands (2017-) 006-020.jpg

Upon closer inspection, it appears that both Superman and Black Lightning are wearing their New 52 costumes here.

Well, fancy that.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Yet another appearance of what sure appears to be Robin's classic costume in the most recent issue of Deathstroke.



Along with the last issue of Batman, which included all of Batman & Catwoman's old costumes, but had Robin in his New 52 gimp suit, it appears that Rebirth's penchant for largely restoring Pre-Flashpoint continuity while also sprinkling in some of the New 52's visuals continues...

Meanwhile, in Justice League, Priest reaffirms that Cyborg has never met Slade Wilson, so looks like we'll all have to wait for Doomsday Clock to sort that out. My guess is that the emotional connections established by the New Teen Titans, and Young Justice eras are somehow key to whatever Dr. Manhattan is up to in the DCU.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Well, fancy that.

You realize that, even though its in the New 52 costume, the actual event it portrays is from before the New 52 (like way before, like the 1970s), right?

Meanwhile, in Justice League, Priest reaffirms that Cyborg has never met Slade Wilson, so looks like we'll all have to wait for Doomsday Clock to sort that out. My guess is that the emotional connections established by the New Teen Titans, and Young Justice eras are somehow key to whatever Dr. Manhattan is up to in the DCU.

I highly anticipate the mental gymnastics that Johns is going to have to perform to explain why Dr. Manhattan just so happened to harbor an intense hatred of legacy characters...

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I highly anticipate the mental gymnastics that Johns is going to have to perform to explain why Dr. Manhattan just so happened to harbor an intense hatred of legacy characters...

If my theory is correct, the removal of the JSA appears to be an accident on Dr. Manhattan's part that began the unraveling of the DCU. Once that first string was pulled, I think the watchmaker in Manhattan couldn't resist continuing to pull at the various relationships that bind the DCU together. Remember that Tim Drake was removed because he was re-establishing too many of those threads.

While clearly that wasn't the intention of Dan Didio & Jim Lee when they instigated the New 52 reboot, erasing the JSA, New Teen Titans, and Young Justice eras robbed the DCU of much of its heart and soul. If Dr. Manhattan is indeed trying to figure out what makes the DCU tick, removing those particular pieces to see if it still functions without them makes a lot of sense.

[MajorHoy]

Yet another appearance of what sure appears to be Robin's classic costume in the most recent issue of Deathstroke.



Along with the last issue of Batman, which included all of Batman & Catwoman's old costumes, but had Robin in his New 52 gimp suit, it appears that Rebirth's penchant for largely restoring Pre-Flashpoint continuity while also sprinkling in some of the New 52's visuals continues...

But, did they show his legs? His pixie-shoes?

They can easily take his New52 costume and tweak the top to look more like his red-vested look, but if he isn't bare-legged, wearing scalloped-briefs and pixie-booties, it's not really the "classic costume".

[Bored at 3:00AM]

But, did they show his legs? His pixie-shoes?

They can easily take his New52 costume and tweak the top to look more like his red-vested look, but if he isn't bare-legged, wearing scalloped-briefs and pixie-booties, it's not really the "classic costume".

I have often thought that they didn't need to totally redesign Robin's suit so it's not so ridiculously impractical for a non-powered child to be wearing. Just keep the classic mask, vest, logo and yellow cape and put it over a green body suit made of whatever hi-tech kevlar body Batman is already wearing.

That way, you've got a recognizably Robin-looking costume, but without the pesky need to explain why Batman is being so recklessly dangerous with his underage sidekick's gear.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

This looks like the classic Robin, but slightly more plausible.



Whereas this just looks like a poorly designed mess to me that doesn't evoke anything but the 1990s.

[MajorHoy]

This looks like the classic Robin, but slightly more plausible.

Only if by "classic Robin" you mean Tim.

And look at this contrast:

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Its Dick's classic costume. The light-colored cape with the collar, the simple, non-stylized R, etc. all make it clear. Question is: why is it a flashback to Dick as Robin talking about Bruce when that issue simply had Jericho in his current look.

[phantom1592]

Yet another appearance of what sure appears to be Robin's classic costume in the most recent issue of Deathstroke.



Along with the last issue of Batman, which included all of Batman & Catwoman's old costumes, but had Robin in his New 52 gimp suit, it appears that Rebirth's penchant for largely restoring Pre-Flashpoint continuity while also sprinkling in some of the New 52's visuals continues...

Meanwhile, in Justice League, Priest reaffirms that Cyborg has never met Slade Wilson, so looks like we'll all have to wait for Doomsday Clock to sort that out. My guess is that the emotional connections established by the New Teen Titans, and Young Justice eras are somehow key to whatever Dr. Manhattan is up to in the DCU.

Gosh I hope so.

I'm actually a fan of both the costume itself and the history that goes with it. If you want to say that Batman and Robin updated the Robin suits in modern years... fine. But I REALLY hate the retconning where they never exisited in the first place. Why did Robin have an 'impractical' costume?? He's a young acrobat and relied on freedom of movement. End of story. Armor is heavy and restrictive and it wouldn't work for him.

Why does Superman have trunks? 1) It's a kryptonian fashion, 2) His mom made the suit, 3) He LIKED them... Regardless of whatever else is going on with modern sensibilities... I really hate seeing a hero 'suddenly' ashamed of his costume/name/tropes. That breaks more immersion for me than anything else.

Dick had the shorts because he loved that costume and it worked for him.
Jason wore that costume because it was the 'robin' costume and he was proud to wear it.
Tim's was actively more protective because Jason died.
Damian is own thing...

Most of this has been examined to death over the decades anyway... so retconning to the point that Dick and Jason lose their history is just... bad.

[Buried Alien]

Gosh I hope so.

I'm actually a fan of both the costume itself and the history that goes with it. If you want to say that Batman and Robin updated the Robin suits in modern years... fine. But I REALLY hate the retconning where they never exisited in the first place. Why did Robin have an 'impractical' costume?? He's a young acrobat and relied on freedom of movement. End of story. Armor is heavy and restrictive and it wouldn't work for him.

Why does Superman have trunks? 1) It's a kryptonian fashion, 2) His mom made the suit, 3) He LIKED them... Regardless of whatever else is going on with modern sensibilities... I really hate seeing a hero 'suddenly' ashamed of his costume/name/tropes. That breaks more immersion for me than anything else.

Dick had the shorts because he loved that costume and it worked for him.
Jason wore that costume because it was the 'robin' costume and he was proud to wear it.
Tim's was actively more protective because Jason died.
Damian is own thing...

Most of this has been examined to death over the decades anyway... so retconning to the point that Dick and Jason lose their history is just... bad.

Have to agree with phantom. I'm not comfortable with the idea of rewriting history...even fictional history.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Have to agree with phantom. I'm not comfortable with the idea of rewriting history...even fictional history.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

I don't think the original Robin costume is going anywhere. It has appeared too many times since Rebirth to be an editorial oversight. My guess is, like Batman's various costumes, the New 52 gimp suit is just going to be retroactively added as another suit Dick Grayson wore in his early days. I would just rather they use something more evocative of the original costume, rather than something evocative of something you'd see in a Batman/Robin gay porn

[The Darknight Detective]

Have to agree with phantom. I'm not comfortable with the idea of rewriting history...even fictional history.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

I don't know. Sometimes things that worked in one era work less so in another. As for the original Robin suit, the only reason I would want it to continue existing is for nostalgia's sake and nothing more.

[Sodam Yat]

I don't think the original Robin costume is going anywhere. It has appeared too many times since Rebirth to be an editorial oversight. My guess is, like Batman's various costumes, the New 52 gimp suit is just going to be retroactively added as another suit Dick Grayson wore in his early days. I would just rather they use something more evocative of the original costume, rather than something evocative of something you'd see in a Batman/Robin gay porn

Same here. I don't think it's going anywhere either. It's more plausible for him to have multiple outfits in his early days. Even in Pre-52 Dick stated to Babs about his dislike for his original costume.

Personally, the New 52 outfit looks better, because it's more modern, but I prefer DC not to rewrite history. His original costume should be kept in continuity for historical purposes, imo.