DC Universe: Rebirth (part one) - The day Earth Prime stood still · 4:40am Jul 1st, 2016
Alright, after summarizing the surprising amount of corporate hijinks that compose DC's EPIC! adventure to crawl out of a sales' hole, up to the top and then falling back to the hole only to dig even deeper. But enough of that already. We're here today to see how is DC going to get out of the new hole they're in with this new shovel called DC: Rebirth.
If you put attention, you can hear DC's directive saying 'pleaseworkpleaseworkpleaseworkpleaseworkpleasework'.
Oh, but this is not just nice looking label over a bunch of tittles, plus some relaunches. Actually, it's kinda like that, but with some different moves, like:
- For starters, the renumbering of Action Comics and Detective Comics back to their three digits issues that used to make the AC/DC couple the longest regular comic series (just like in One Year Later).
- Include a common theme that gives the different stories a sense of unity, but with enough freedom to also tell their own stories (just like in Blackest Night/Brightest Day).
- Go on record saying that the creatives will have more liberty, but that there was also a constant and direct talk among different teams to agree on a general direction as editorial without clashing against each other (just like in DCYou).
- Change the logo to reflect the change (just like in The New 52) but also make sure it has a design that recalls the previous logos so it doesn't come out of nowhere (just like the DC Spin logo back with JLU and Smallville).
Yep, a new era is going to start (again).
What I'm trying to say here is that, by the looks of press notes, interviews, previews, promotional art and descriptions, it looks like DC's people not only are learning from their mistakes, but also took note on what did work back in previous attempts to get at the top. The fans noticed this when all of that came out and by the weeks before DC Universe: Rebirth #1 everyone was ready to say "okay, you guys screwed it up a lot, but we're ready to forget and forgive".
And I am ready too, so no more ado and let's dig right into DC Universe: Rebirth #1 and see if the hopes and dreams of an entire fandom are met with a sentiment of determination... or if it doesn't happen and a new Great Comic Crash is right around the corner.
You know Justice League Unlimited's theme is playing each time this image is seen... actually:
Alright, we open with an detail plane of the inner works of a wrist watch and a narration going on about the relationship of the narrator with his father, who gave him said watch (thankfully not involving war stories narrated by Christopher Walken). As the scene changes to a space image of earth and then to storm clouds, the narrator says how he used to be optimistic until the hardships of life started to darken his view on life. That, until the day he met his hero, who gave him hope and inspiration, but all of that has been ripped from him now.
The narrator goes over on how he is used to be out of reality, but that he always finds his way back thanks to a lightning rod grounding him. Then the scene goes to Gotham and the narrator tells us that Bruce Wayne can help him. Sure, because when you're outside of reality, the only hero crazy prepared enough to pull you back must be the Goddamn Batman.
Actually, it's another take on it. Our narrator thinks of Bruce Wayne can help him but not because of how OP he has become (good work, Snyder), but rather because Bats understands loss and also because he never gives up. The narrator tells us of a familiar connection to Bruce and how it may be enough for them to reconnect and bring him back. I like that interpretation of Batman, saying he's not that powerful as some memes make him look, but instead he's persistent and determined, which is what really drives him to be the hero he is.
We get into the Bat-Cave, where Batman (in full costume for a reason) is investigating the recent mystery of the Three Jokers. A lightning bolt cracks and there's suddenly a storm of electricity inside the Cave. An ominous voice calls for Bruce's name while the narrator tells us that he's worse than dead, that he is forgotten.
Now, we have our first crowning moment of AWESOME! with both narration and art on a single panel/page:
And suddenly, Five Years of mistakes become redeemable.
Yes, Wally West. The Fastest Man Alive, the Flash for an entire generation (over two decades in real time) is now back. Some backstory here: You see, Wally got retgone-ed during The New 52 and ever since, a good chunk of the old fandom not only complained over it, but directly gave up on DC and its decision of not bringing him back.
Wally is desperately trying to get Bruce to remember him but he can't. Wally thinks it's because their connection isn't that strong and he starts to fade. Over this, Wally decides to tell Batman his name and that he has to find out what's happening, also reminding him of the letter his father wrote to him. The letter in question was written by Thomas Wayne from the Flashpoint timeline and main cause of The New 52 existence. So, the clues are laid in front of the detective for him to figure out what the hell is going on.
Wally is pulled back into a storm of lightning. I assume it's the Speed Force, but it looks more like the pre-Flashpoint version, rather than the current one. The story says nothing on the matter so is up to debate. Anyways, through Wally's memories we get a quick telling of his origins as Kid Flash, then his time with the Teen Titans, the original Crisis, his life as Flash, the return of Barry Allen and finally a quick recap on how Flashpoint changed the universe into The New 52.
We get to know that the The New 52 reboot actually erased ten years of history to the DCU and that it wasn't a phenomena. Something actually made it happen and that it's been working on it from even before Flashpoint. It's described as a darkness infecting the DCU as a hand reaches from a blue electricity (a cold contrast to the yellow lightnings so far) towards the reader.
There's something, or someone, causing the DC Universe to become darker and edgier: Dan Didio!
That was Chapter 1: Lost . Yes, this is that kind of comic, thematically divided in chapters. I'm not that fond on those comic books because that's what issues are for. A good comic should be able to work with its format, not against it. However, is not that big of an issue (no pun intended), and the story is engaging enough to let the extension pass.
So, how does Chapter 2 starts? Why, inside a retirement house with an old man running away from the staff. Hmm, didn't know Springfield was part of the DCU. But no, it's actually played for drama as the old guy only wants to escape being locked up. Wally appears in front of him and we get to know this is Johnny Thunder, a Golden Age hero who could do anything through wishing it to his pentadimensional genie, the Thunderbolt. He later fused with it. Comics are confusing.
Due to the electricity surrounding Wally, Johnny confuses him with the Thunderbolt. Through dialogue, we learn some things about Johnny Thunder, like the fact he's also starting to remember the pre-Flashpoint universe and that the Justice Society of America still exists in The New 52, who were in a similar situation to Wally West's. Johnny implies this world's JSA disappeared because of him and that he's been trying to bring them back ever since then. The scene ends with Johnny desperately trying to call for the Thunderbolt genie but nothing happens as he's dragged by the retirement house staff.
So, another subplot is presented as Wally starts to bounce from place to place also discovering future plots that may be related to this whole "darkness infecting the DC Universe" concept.
First we get a mysterious blonde woman in a police station being interrogated. She claims she knows everything's going to be alright because she's seen the future. Oh and she had a Legion of Super-Heroes (which got the retgone treatment) flight-ring with her. Then we go to Ryan Choi (another retgone character) getting a distress call from Ray Palmer/The Atom, who asks Ryan to rescue him using his back-up equipment. Then we see Ted Kord (former Blue Beetle and yet another retgoner) helping Jaime Reyes (current Blue Beetle and kinda retgone too) to understand and control the alien blue scarab that gives Jaime his power suit. Ted wants to make a hero out of him, but Jaime is understandably reluctant to have an alien artifact fused to his spine. Jaime leaves and Ted is visited by Doctor Fate (take a guess of his status with the reboot) who informs Ted that the scarab is actually magic.
The following scenes are shorter and more straightforward. Damian Wayne/Robin is celebrating his 13th birthday and has an idea (with a very Grinch-like smile). The Hal Jordan/Green Lantern updates the new GL, Jessica Cruz. And finally, Jackson Hyde discovers and accepts he's the new Aqualad (and that he's gay, which is relevant for reasons).
My exact face when I got this far into the comic.
Finally, we see Pandora, who was involved in the creation of The New 52 after Flashpoint, addressing who may be the darkness we saw before. She says it can only understand evil but that the DC Universe and its heroes embodies hope and goodness itself. Pandora says that their unbreakable values are going to undo the corruption. She's starts insulting the darkness but then she's cut short by exploding in a quite familiar way.
If you recognize this scene, then you already know where this is going.
And so ends Chapter 2: Legacy and I'll stop here before the review reaches yet another page.
Critique:
So, what's there to say of the book so far? Well, that I love it. Yes, I know this is just the first half but, to be honest, halfway is a good moment to decide if a book is worth reading or not. Here's why.
First of all, I'm all the way down with the premise. The old DC Universe from before Flashpoint is coming back, but it isn't a full "let's pretend nothing of this happened". There's an actual level of maturity in here. The narrative, and by extension the staff behind the book, tells us that the problem started from before The New 52 and that it is how most of stories have gone far into the "darker and edgier" side of the spectrum.
There's a general feeling of sadness and worry around the comic, specially in Wally's narration and during Johnny Thunder's scene. But alongside that, there's also hope. We get to see adventures being set, ready to start and a lot of what was missed from the old tittles is either back or working its way back. Hell, Ted Kord/Blue Beetke was killed half a decade before Flashpoint in a move that a lot of fans pointed out as gratuitously dark and yet, he got brought back. Same goes for Ryan Choi/The Atom, who also got killed in a fans-angering move that set the internet on fire back in the day.
All in all, this comic is looking an awful lot like a reconstruction work, driving towards a more idealistic version of the story it's telling, but also addressing it's less popular parts. The best example of this is Pandora's scene. She represents The New 52 as a whole. She's basically the spirit of the reboot, which is now dead. But instead of just killing her to make way for the new story, she gets her last words, where she shows her respect for the DC Universe and its characters, basically telling the reader that, even if The New 52 bombed, there was a good intention behind it.
But there's one last question: Is this the promised "return to form" for DC Comics?
Well, with just this first half, I would say yes. We get to see new stories being set, but the past and backstory is addressed. Nothing is outright erased just to get an easier clean slate to work with. In fact, the story is working with the current setting instead of against it, so at least we have that going.
Will it be enough? Well, join me tomorrow and we'll catch up to the rest of the comic and find out.
See you guys then.
I guess we can agree they're taking the right directions on a lot of points, but is it worth judging it now ?
there will always be some terrible stuff happening, at least they learned from the new 52 that only emo kids that lives in a cave and like to cut their veins for the glory of animes, could really love it.
i wouldn't call the new 52 bad, heck i liked the Flashpoint arc, there was just as you said, a lot of wrong turns and choices.
I hope we just don't get something "like it used to be" it would feel a bit redundant
but something new, carrying the same spirit.
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Yeah, that's why I like they're not doing a full erase on The New 52, but instead reintegrating the old DCU back. That's an acknowledgement of both, present and past, so what comes in the future isn't just a "return to the old status quo" but instead an actual advance by retaking the original spirit.