A little over a month ago, DC Comics announced they are relaunching their entire line of monthly comics and resetting them back to #1 starting in September. For those of you not familiar with the monthly numbering system, let me give you an overview: each comic book series numbers each issue, starting at #1. Every month, the number increases. For example, if issue #1 comes out in June, #2 is in July, #3 in August, etc. It may not sound like much, but for collectors and hard-core fans it is everything. Missing a number means missing a piece of the story, a piece of the collection. And when you have a comic book series, like Action Comics, that has reached over #900, that’s a lot of potential continuity holes.
So why would DC Comics reset all of their titles back to #1? In their own words, they want to create a jumping on point for new readers. In the process, they are tweaking a few things in the DC universe. Many fans are upset about this move. They feel it will ruin the continuity and history of certain titles. I, however, feel it is a good move on DC’s part. There have been other resets, reboots, reimaginings and redesigns in the past, and there will be more in the future. But they have never hurt anything in the long run. Superman is still Superman. Sure, in the past he may have died, changed costumes, changed powers and even had a mullet, but he is still the Man of Steel. As long as the stories are interesting, the art is good and prices don’t climb too high, the fans will still be there.
The great Stan Lee, creator of many classic characters such as The Fantastic Four, Spider Man and Iron Man at one time said that comic books should be accessible to everyone, that every issue should read as if it is your first time reading a comic book. I believe that it is this spirit that is behind the “New 52” relaunch. So with this, I encourage you…no…I CHALLENGE you, in September to find your local comic book store and give the “New 52” a shot. I am not saying buy all 52 #1’s, but find on that interests you and give it a read. Give one to your kids, your friends, your friends kids….just give it a chance.
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