Jim Lee On Why Rebirth Isn’t A Reboot

Jim Lee claims Rebirth is not a reboot

Rebirth is a line-wide event for DC comics that changed everything. One Superman died. Wally West came back from edge of existence, and most importantly, many titles were rebranded with new #1’s, with some series ending and new ones beginning. But is Rebirth a reboot? DC Co-Publisher Jim Lee doesn’t think so, and gives his reasoning as to why:

"What we are is one of the first shared universes that had multiple Earths, or at least that commercialized that idea. The first that had multiple versions of characters, and the idea of alternate realities. I think that’s part and parcel with DC. If you look at ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ to even New 52, they’re all attempts to do some bookkeeping, and tighten up everything. But then you saw the mythology itself almost has its own sentience and will to define itself, because it’s stories are kept in all our heads, and expressed through our creativity and the work that we do. In a way, it has spoken and said, ‘No, there must be multiple versions.’ And that seems to resonate with the fans.So yeah, I think it is an embracing of, ‘Hey, these are the things that have always defined DC, made DC unique and interesting, and we love the fact that there are generational aspects. Those are things that we kind of overlooked or put to the side when we did New 52 that we’re bringing back into it.I think what’s cool is, we haven’t jettisoned the continuity. New 52 is within continuity, it’s not a reboot. We’re just pulling it through, and I think that’s the smart decision to have made."

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Lee does have a point in that most line-wide reboots drastically change if not completely ignore previous continuity, but honestly I feel like he’s really splitting hairs here. Everything was re-launched with a new #1 and while you are not ignoring The New 52 continuity, there is a major change in the status quo that affects everything. That pretty much seems like a reboot to me. Potato, potatoe….

h/t CBR