The year 2015 has indeed been a game-changer for DC comics as the comic publisher is hitting on all cylinders revamping its characters and promoting newer story lines. The publisher has also created waves in the big-screen space with a powerful roster of live-action adaptions lined up including Batman v Superman – Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), Wonder Woman (2017), Flash (2018), Aquaman (2018) , Justice League Part 1 and Part 2 (2017) and (2019) respectively.
Going toe-to-toe with rival publishers Marvel Comics who are spinning out their latest mini-series Secret Wars, DC Entertainment’s major over-hauling event Convergence too is having a dramatic heft over the 75-plus –year history of DC Comic characters. Convergence which had put the publisher’s superheroes line on hold for over two months early this year has featured alternate incarnations for some of the most popular DC characters including the likes of the Kryptonian Superman and the Caped Crusader Batman. Debuted on 1st April this year, Convergence was a nine-week event offering nearly 40 additional two-part storylines that also concludes both the previous weekly series, New 52- Futures End and Earth 2 – World’s End.
With Convergence almost wrapping up, DC Entertainment is all geared for the official launch of ‘DC You’ on June 3. The promotion event re-launches DC’s entire superhero comic line including 21 new comic book series. Confirming the major overhaul, DC Entertainment co-publisher Dan Dido stated that the new launches would be, “a new era for the DC Universe which will allow us to publish something for everyone, be more expansive and modern in our approach and tell stories that better reflect the society around us.”
Adding to the slate of the familiar comic heroes, the launch would showcase some new titles including Mystic U, a fantasy-based series by novelist Alisa Kwitney. Newer titles to the list include The Omega Men, a political thriller about a terrorist organization set in space, Midnighter, about a mercenary who can predict his opponents’ moves before they make them, and Prez, a dystopian satire set in a future America where the President is a teenage girl elected via Twitter. Apart from these serious titles, DC Entertainment promises fine humor in the upcoming Harley Quinn, Batmite, Bizarro and even the darker and black-comedy series Section 8.
Re-booting some of the existing characters, reader will see Constantine as a modern-aged magician in Constantine: The Hellblazer by the creative team of Ming Doyle and Riley Rossmo. A new Black Canary title by Batgirl co-writer Brenden Fletcher and artist Annie Wu repositions the superhero as the lead singer in a rock-band and a stand-alone Cyborg series with a newly re-tooled Cyborg which will be handled by Ivan Reis and Dave Walker. The redesign could very well pave the way for the live-action adaption of the superhero in the upcoming Justice League movies.
Joining aboard DCE, the award-winning writer, Geoff Johns (creator of American Born Chinese, The Shadow Hero) would be penning the upcoming reincarnated Superman series where the Man of Steel loses his powers and finds his secret identity exposed to the world thanks to Lois Lane’s reporting in titles including Superman and Action Comics.
While the comic publisher has made promises to promote a different styled and approach to its story-telling genres in its bid to be more expansive and modern, readers can expect newer story lines for DC’s fan-favorite Justice Leaguers as well. The scarlet speedster, The Flash will introduce a newly incarnated villain, the Reverse Flash, Batman would give Commissioner Gordon a chance to don the mechanized Bat-suit replacing Bruce Wayne and Green Lantern would now be posing as a renegade on the run from the authorities following the disappearance of his fellow Green Lantern Corps explained in Green Lantern Corps – Lost Army series.
While readers can anticipate a horde of comics coming their way, the first set of DC You hits the shelves and digital outlets this Wednesday.
