COMICS PORTAL: On Board with Rebirth … So Far!

Some weeks, I have no idea what I’ll be chatting about in this column until the last second. Not this week! This time, I’ve been anxious to weigh in on DC’s Rebirth coming this summer!

We don’t yet know a lot about this event yet, but I like what I see so far! Let me share my thoughts on it with you.

DRAWING THE LINE AT $2.99!

I don’t know how they’re going to be able to afford to do it, but me and my wallet want to thank DC for sticking to the $2.99 cover price when Marvel is hovering around shifting theirs from $3.99 to $4.99.

With that lower cover price, I’ll be able to sample many different comics as they are “reborn,” as it were.

We all know the math: If you buy three books at $3.99, you could have purchased four $2.99 comics for the same amount of money.

Of course, quality is what will determine the value. If you like the three books more than you would the other four, then it’s worth the purchase. DC’s challenge is to make sure fans feel they’re getting the most bang for their buck with their product.

What worries me is, will DC/Warner Bros. be able to take that kind of loss (if there is one) on all their books? How will they ever stay afloat financially?

That’s something to consider, but for now, I’m going to enjoy this policy as much as possible!

NUMBERING AND RE-NUMBERING

I have to wonder, has our attention span as readers been reduced to no more than 50 or 52 issues on a title?

DC now says they’re going to relaunch each title at number one, with two notable exceptions. I’ll get to those in a minute.

I mean, Marvel recently relaunched their books at number one. Granted, the collectors love those issues. But what about those of us who are readers, who actually crack the books open for the story? We can’t buy a book numbered 50 or higher?

I wonder at times if there should be NO ongoing titles, just miniseries’ or one- or two-shots with the stories in them. I’m sure collectors would go nuts trying to figure out how to categorize and store them, but I think it’s something to be considered at least.

Back to the exceptions – Action Comics and Detective Comics. I’m glad they’re going back to the original numbering so they can hit issue #1,000 before too long. I do worry, however, what will happen to those titles AFTER that takes place. Will fans give up on them until the next 1,000 mark?

REBIRTH AND REFOCUSING

I’m a big fan of Geoff Johns, and I’ve particularly loved his “Rebirth” events with Green Lantern and the Flash. I always think that by understanding the core of the characters, you make a better comic. Again I say, if the only way you can write a character is to radically change him or her, you need to find a different person to write about.

I mean, I truly liked Grayson, which turned Dick Grayson into a super-spy. But I have to admit that it felt really terrific when he recently put on his Nightwing costume again. In my opinion, THAT’s who he really is. Even when he was wearing Bruce’s Batman garb, it didn’t completely work for me.

On the other hand, the updated Batgirl is a big hit! I see the new costume just about everywhere these days. And I’m all for it. Please understand – Gail Simone’s version of the heroine was classic to me. I just felt she needed an upgrade, and the new team accomplished that.

Classic characters are classic because they work for us. You can tinker with some to make them more accessible, but don’t change the essence of him or her. You can make Bruce Wayne a lighter guy, but his Dark Knight persona needs to remain within a certain range for readers today to “get” him.

The trick is, as of this writing, we don’t know what creative teams will be on the various titles. That will make a big difference, I think, to fans. With Scott Snyder leaving Batman, putting his friend and often co-creator James Tynion IV on the title will keep me there! Other writers, I’d have to wait and see.

DC HAD TO DO SOMETHING

DCYOU didn’t fly like the New 52 did. Sales had significantly dropped since DCYOU was started, so the company had to do something, and quickly!

I look at nearly all of DC’s characters, and I admire them. I want to be more like them. I want to follow their adventures.

While I am hesitant about these “making things new again” events, I’m hopeful given that their following the formula that I liked in the past. However, what happens when the sales start to dip again, as they inevitably must? Will DC stick with telling stories that are true to the cores of their characters? I hope so!

Let me sum up where I stand at this point: I’m on board with Rebirth so far, looking forward to seeing what Mr. Johns and DC have in mind! Hope it’s great!

Based on what we know, are you looking forward to Rebirth? Or have you been “Rebirthed” out by now? Please share your thoughts below!

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