COMICS PORTAL: Here Comes DC’s Rebirth!

This Wednesday will be the beginning of the newest DC Comics event – Rebirth! DC Universe: Rebirth #1 will be available in two days! Eighty pages for just $2.99!

Of course, DC hopes they’ll get a response closer to The New 52 than DCYou, but we’ll see.

Rebirth is getting quite a lot of attention already, and some stores are doing special things to highlight this DC event.

OPENING AT MIDNIGHT

You’ll have to check with your local comics shop, but I’ve noticed several stores are opening on Tuesday night late – some at 11:30 p.m., others closer to midnight – so they can get that debut issue into the hands of fans as soon as they can! There may be contests and other fan-related fun happenings, too!

Initially, the only book available then was the aforementioned Rebirth #1, but it seems that Marvel’s on board as well. Some stores will also be selling the newest books from the House of Ideas at midnight.

But that’s not all! Many of these stores will also have their subscriptions pulled and ready for you to pick up at that time as well!

Don’t expect every store to do this, though! Most shops will open at their regular times on Wednesday. Again, check with your local comics store to see what’s going on there!

SPOILERS

These days, especially with so many social media outlets, it’s easy for folks who get an early look at a title to talk about what’s coming. Geoff Johns, who’s continuing to hurry up the DC/Warner Bros. organizational ladder, asks that you not share “spoilers” so people can genuinely enjoy the changes coming our way. Since he’s not likely to be writing much in the near future, I’m inclined to follow his advice.

However, I have to admit that I’ve seen a couple of spoilers even though I’m doing my very best to avoid them.

It’s really tough because some online people are extremely good at grabbing our attention. Headlines that tease me about Batman in particular make me stop and look. That’s how I read something ahead of time! AUGH!

I like to read a story completely fresh if at all possible. We’ll see if I can make it until I get Rebirth #1! Two days to go!

NEW 52 OR DCYOU?

What’s the fan reaction going to be? Will we have long lines waiting at comics shops’ doors as we did in The New 52, or will it start with a quiet “huh?” like DCYou?

I think it’ll hit somewhere in between. The New 52 was quite the big thing, reworking many characters for the first time and all. Fans, including collectors, wanted in on all those number one issues, so they were there early waiting for the stores to open.

What’s going to soften the blow of Rebirth is that we’ve had The New 52 already. How many times can we start over before fans get tired of it or start taking it for granted?

Personally, I hope this is the last “reboot” we’ll see for a long time. I understand that DC wants to attract as much attention (and sales) as possible, but even the most faithful of us can get worn out eventually.

Will Rebirth attract those fans who are still angry about The New 52? I really doubt it – some people seem to enjoy ragging on DC too much! And they want to return to the way DC was prior to The New 52. I mean, I get it – I loved all those wonderful stories and the way the characters behaved then. But it was a different time, and also I’ve read those! I’m ready for something different. That’s why I enjoy the DC movies as well as the comics. I don’t know what to expect as far as surprises go, and I like that! And the way sales were dropping, we’d have likely seen the end of DC before long, I believe. My suggestion? If you loved those wonderful stories in issues past, buy them, then pull them out to read again occasionally! And there are other comics that keep that tone alive these days, so I support them, too!

In my opinion, DCYou was a noble experiment, often giving lower-tier characters their chance to shine. But the “big guns” need to thrive in order to attract fan attention for Bat-Mite and Bizarro and the like. It was smart of DC to change course when it became clear sales were falling and wouldn’t get back up.

NOW WHAT?

Moving forward, I’m going to sample every Rebirth #1 as well as the first issues. Will I continue on with all of them? That’s doubtful, but it’ll at least give me a chance to pick the best of the bunch as far as my reading tastes go! And I’ll hopefully be able to talk about what’s going on more intelligently that way!

What should other fans do? At the very least, I would consider giving those characters and groups you like a chance to start. If something doesn’t keep your attention, then by all means, let it go. I appreciate DC sticking with $2.99 per issue, making it more likely that I’ll hang on to as many of their titles as possible.

Granted, I’m a big DC Comics fan. Always have been and likely always will be. The first thing I ever read was a Batman annual. I had the same experience as Frank Miller did – he opened up a Batman title “and fell in.” Me, too! I’m hoping Rebirth will give many comics readers that experience as well!

However, I’m a fan of great storytelling regardless of the company producing it! I read great books from Marvel, Image, AfterShock, 1First Comics, IDW, and many others! I’m on a ceaseless journey to find excellent stories no matter where they can be found! Hopefully, you are, too!

What do you think about Rebirth? What books are you looking forward to? Which ones will you avoid like the plague? Share your thoughts below!

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