FLASHPOINT! September 2011: The New DCU

In September, DCE will re-launch their entire line of DCU set comic books with 52 #1 issues – 13 #1 issues each week in September.

At first, I was, like so many other fanboys and fangirls – the sane and the insane; the sober and the intoxicated; the losers and the winners – just a tad peeved that DC would have the audacity to renumber all of their DCU books to #1 and “reboot” the various continuities to an unknown (as far as the readers are aware) point.

What would happen to Morrison’s epic Batman revitalization? 

Would Morrison get to finish his BATMAN, INCORPORATED story?

What is to become of MY Legion of Super-Heroes (finally returned after almost two decades among the missing)?

Would the bloody awful and extremely ill-conceived JMS Wonder Woman status quo be the “true” status quo?

Would MY characters – Dick Grayson, Donna Troy, Wally West and Kyle Rayner – be regressed or removed entirely?

What’s going to happen third and fourth generation characters such as Damian Wayne, Tim Drake, Cassie Sandsmark, Conner Kent, Bart Allen and Steph Brown?

I’ve always been a DC acolyte and there are very few things they’ve done that really irked me.  But this time, I was ready to pitch a fit (like too many others) about this change.

As DC has been rolling out the “solicits” and art previews and announcements, et. al. for the post-FLASHPOINT DCU, this little black duck’s tune has changed. 

Things are looking good, so far. 

The more announcements I read, the more excited I’m getting for the change.

However, I’m waiting with bated breath for the full “official” announcements for Batman Family of Books and the Superman Family of Books. 

For the last couple of years, both Families of Books have been on opposite ends of the spectrum.  Where the Bat Books (under the stewardship of Grant Morrison [and to an extent Paul Dini]) have been excelling with brilliant characterization, complex storylines and fun adventures, for the last year, the Superman Books (the JMS abomination and Paul Cornell mishigas) have been awful. 

We know there will be a Morrison written Superman book, which will kick butt to the Nth degree.  But that leaves everything else from the two Families of Books up in the air.

I’m hoping DiDio, Johns and Lee do right by the Batman Family and the Superman Family.

I’m hoping DiDio, Johns and Lee do right by the New Teen Titans and current Teen Titans.

I’m hoping DiDio, Johns and Lee do right by the by John Constantine and Swamp Thing.

I’m hoping DiDio, Johns and Lee do right by the by THE Legion of Super-Heroes.

(I’m also hoping Damage is brought back.)

Right now, it’s just wait and see.  I’m keeping an optimistic disposition, though.