Is DC Comics Planning Another Reboot?

By Nick Tylwalk | Jan 22, 2016

It’s a valid question, one that’s got the comics world all abuzz just as the East Coast hunkers down for the latest Storm of the Century. Is DC Comics planning another reboot?

The answer is yes. And no. Sort of? It depends on how you define the word “reboot.” If all you mean is to launch all titles over with new #1 issues, similar to what Marvel just did coming out of Secret Wars, then Bleeding Cool says that’s what you’ll get in June, when some DC series will go away (after they hit #52, naturally) and surviving series, meaning “anything tying in with a film and/or TV show,” will relaunch.

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If you mean throwing all the continuity out the window and starting with a fresh slate when you say “reboot,” then no, probably not. Again from Bleeding Cool, Rich Johnston says we can expect “a little Titans Hunt-style retconning,” but not a complete do-over. That’s probably wise, considering that the New 52 relaunch was less than five years ago, and even that wasn’t a full-on reboot, considering the Batman and Green Lantern titles kind of kept rolling along.

Adding to the intrigue, both Dan DiDio and Jim Lee have tweeted out teaser images prominently featuring a single word:

So whatever DC Comics is up to, they’re at least intending it to be a creative rebirth, regardless of whether it’s a rebirth of the company’s fictional universe.

Could there be some relaunch fatigue from a stunt like this? Possibly, and reaction around the internets is already sour. Still, comics fans tend to vote with their wallets regardless of what they might say online, and if DC can catch their interest by matching up the right characters and creative teams, it would be silly to think new #1 issues won’t sell. History tells us they will.

Much more on this to come, I reckon.