dc’s comic book universe is an uninviting mess of continuity reboots
uninviting mess of continuity reboots
uninviting mess of continuity reboots and it’s all your fault
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magazine of the best comic books of the
magazine of the best comic books of the 1980s when comic book issue numbers
1980s when comic book issue numbers
1980s when comic book issue numbers reached the triple digits starting from
reached the triple digits starting from
reached the triple digits starting from the beginning isn’t sure and figuring
the beginning isn’t sure and figuring
the beginning isn’t sure and figuring out where to start is a puzzle worthy of
out where to start is a puzzle worthy of
out where to start is a puzzle worthy of The Dark Knight himself
The Dark Knight himself
The Dark Knight himself DC’s solution cut the cord and start
DC’s solution cut the cord and start
DC’s solution cut the cord and start from square one over and over again
from square one over and over again
from square one over and over again this means canceling all their existing
this means canceling all their existing
this means canceling all their existing comic books and taking the established
comic books and taking the established
comic books and taking the established canon or continuity and rewriting it
canon or continuity and rewriting it
canon or continuity and rewriting it starting off new books at issue number
starting off new books at issue number
starting off new books at issue number one
one
one Regina know who I am Jedi we could
Regina know who I am Jedi we could
Regina know who I am Jedi we could easily dismiss continuity reboots as
easily dismiss continuity reboots as
easily dismiss continuity reboots as being a shallow and predictable way for
being a shallow and predictable way for
being a shallow and predictable way for publishers to make more money by drawing
publishers to make more money by drawing
publishers to make more money by drawing in new fans every time a new reboot
in new fans every time a new reboot
in new fans every time a new reboot happens a lot of hype and media buzz
happens a lot of hype and media buzz
happens a lot of hype and media buzz comes out of it and inevitably fans buy
comes out of it and inevitably fans buy
comes out of it and inevitably fans buy the new comics and curious would-be fans
the new comics and curious would-be fans
the new comics and curious would-be fans get on board that conclusion does the
get on board that conclusion does the
get on board that conclusion does the publisher a great disservice however as
publisher a great disservice however as
publisher a great disservice however as comic books are still made by people who
comic books are still made by people who
comic books are still made by people who are themselves huge comic book fans yes
are themselves huge comic book fans yes
are themselves huge comic book fans yes DC wants to make money but they also
DC wants to make money but they also
DC wants to make money but they also genuinely want people to enjoy what they
genuinely want people to enjoy what they
genuinely want people to enjoy what they make and do justice to the pop culture
make and do justice to the pop culture
make and do justice to the pop culture icons they’re responsible for who are
icons they’re responsible for who are
icons they’re responsible for who are you a friend back in the 1950s DC
you a friend back in the 1950s DC
you a friend back in the 1950s DC rebooted their now iconic superhero the
rebooted their now iconic superhero the
rebooted their now iconic superhero the flash sales of the original flash Jay
flash sales of the original flash Jay
flash sales of the original flash Jay Garrick were low and DC solved this by
Garrick were low and DC solved this by
Garrick were low and DC solved this by simply introducing a new flash this time
simply introducing a new flash this time
simply introducing a new flash this time named Barry Allen with an origin story
named Barry Allen with an origin story
named Barry Allen with an origin story similar to gasps besides they’re named
similar to gasps besides they’re named
similar to gasps besides they’re named ninth or achter had a connection to the
ninth or achter had a connection to the
ninth or achter had a connection to the other and Allen’s flash existed
other and Allen’s flash existed
other and Allen’s flash existed alongside but separate from Jay Garrick
alongside but separate from Jay Garrick
alongside but separate from Jay Garrick in an entirely different universe a 1961
in an entirely different universe a 1961
in an entirely different universe a 1961 storyline titled flash of two worlds
storyline titled flash of two worlds
storyline titled flash of two worlds would later introduce readers to the
would later introduce readers to the
would later introduce readers to the concept of parallel universes and began
concept of parallel universes and began
concept of parallel universes and began bc’s multiverse the popularity of this
bc’s multiverse the popularity of this
bc’s multiverse the popularity of this story led DC to bring back some of its
story led DC to bring back some of its
story led DC to bring back some of its other classic heroes and crossovers
other classic heroes and crossovers
other classic heroes and crossovers between these parallel worlds now called
between these parallel worlds now called
between these parallel worlds now called earth 1 and earth 2 became more and more
earth 1 and earth 2 became more and more
earth 1 and earth 2 became more and more common you’re going to find what I have
common you’re going to find what I have
common you’re going to find what I have to
to
to very difficult to believe you’re from a
very difficult to believe you’re from a
very difficult to believe you’re from a parallel earth as time went on the
parallel earth as time went on the
parallel earth as time went on the writers attempted to tie the threads of
writers attempted to tie the threads of
writers attempted to tie the threads of all these different timelines together
all these different timelines together
all these different timelines together things actually got more complicated and
things actually got more complicated and
things actually got more complicated and more Earth’s where necessary further
more Earth’s where necessary further
more Earth’s where necessary further crossover events proved to be very
crossover events proved to be very
crossover events proved to be very successful both commercially and
successful both commercially and
successful both commercially and critically but in the end ICI ended up
critically but in the end ICI ended up
critically but in the end ICI ended up with too many heroes too many parallel
with too many heroes too many parallel
with too many heroes too many parallel worlds and too many comic books to keep
worlds and too many comic books to keep
worlds and too many comic books to keep track of so begins the mother of all
track of so begins the mother of all
track of so begins the mother of all comic book reboots 1985’s crisis on
comic book reboots 1985’s crisis on
comic book reboots 1985’s crisis on Infinite Earths where DC literally took
Infinite Earths where DC literally took
Infinite Earths where DC literally took a torch to their entire comic book
a torch to their entire comic book
a torch to their entire comic book lineup deciding based on popularity
lineup deciding based on popularity
lineup deciding based on popularity which heroes to keep and which to get
which heroes to keep and which to get
which heroes to keep and which to get rid of in a huge event spending dozens
rid of in a huge event spending dozens
rid of in a huge event spending dozens of issues all of the parallel worlds
of issues all of the parallel worlds
of issues all of the parallel worlds came together and eventually merged into
came together and eventually merged into
came together and eventually merged into a single universe now called new earth
a single universe now called new earth
a single universe now called new earth it’s important to note at this point
it’s important to note at this point
it’s important to note at this point that both Supergirl and Barry Allen both
that both Supergirl and Barry Allen both
that both Supergirl and Barry Allen both died during the story heroically
died during the story heroically
died during the story heroically sacrificing themselves to save the
sacrificing themselves to save the
sacrificing themselves to save the multiverse but wait how can that be
multiverse but wait how can that be
multiverse but wait how can that be since both of those characters are still
since both of those characters are still
since both of those characters are still around in comic books published today
around in comic books published today
around in comic books published today that’s because everything is wrong none
that’s because everything is wrong none
that’s because everything is wrong none of it matters and everything that
of it matters and everything that
of it matters and everything that happens we’ll always get undone that
happens we’ll always get undone that
happens we’ll always get undone that secret of the universe billions of
secret of the universe billions of
secret of the universe billions of people making billions of choices
people making billions of choices
people making billions of choices creating Infinite Earths the next reboot
creating Infinite Earths the next reboot
creating Infinite Earths the next reboot came in 1994 during an event called zero
came in 1994 during an event called zero
came in 1994 during an event called zero hour crisis in time as you can see it’s
hour crisis in time as you can see it’s
hour crisis in time as you can see it’s almost always appropriately labeled a
almost always appropriately labeled a
almost always appropriately labeled a crisis in this storyline how Jordan’s
crisis in this storyline how Jordan’s
crisis in this storyline how Jordan’s Green Lantern has gone insane and using
Green Lantern has gone insane and using
Green Lantern has gone insane and using the combined power of the entire Lantern
the combined power of the entire Lantern
the combined power of the entire Lantern Corps recreates the universe once more
Corps recreates the universe once more
Corps recreates the universe once more this time the reset outlined which
this time the reset outlined which
this time the reset outlined which storylines DC wanted to keep intact and
storylines DC wanted to keep intact and
storylines DC wanted to keep intact and which were now considered non-canon
which were now considered non-canon
which were now considered non-canon again based on popularity and same
again based on popularity and same
again based on popularity and same feedback giving fans what they wanted
feedback giving fans what they wanted
feedback giving fans what they wanted would fail to be the Rosetta Stone that
would fail to be the Rosetta Stone that
would fail to be the Rosetta Stone that DC needed to revitalize their declining
DC needed to revitalize their declining
DC needed to revitalize their declining franchises many of their new and
franchises many of their new and
franchises many of their new and rebooted series were canceled after just
rebooted series were canceled after just
rebooted series were canceled after just a few years unlike the successful and
a few years unlike the successful and
a few years unlike the successful and well-received crisis on Infinite Earths
well-received crisis on Infinite Earths
well-received crisis on Infinite Earths reboot of the 80s the 19 eret of centric
reboot of the 80s the 19 eret of centric
reboot of the 80s the 19 eret of centric zero hour was largely rejected by fans
zero hour was largely rejected by fans
zero hour was largely rejected by fans and it’s easy to see why with crisis on
and it’s easy to see why with crisis on
and it’s easy to see why with crisis on Infinite Earths a total continuity
Infinite Earths a total continuity
Infinite Earths a total continuity reboot was a new and exciting concept
reboot was a new and exciting concept
reboot was a new and exciting concept with the individual heroes at its center
with the individual heroes at its center
with the individual heroes at its center zero-hour was a knee-jerk reaction to
zero-hour was a knee-jerk reaction to
zero-hour was a knee-jerk reaction to fan concerns and woodling sales
fan concerns and woodling sales
fan concerns and woodling sales throughout the years the confusion
throughout the years the confusion
throughout the years the confusion continued to pile on it became harder
continued to pile on it became harder
continued to pile on it became harder and harder to figure out which past
and harder to figure out which past
and harder to figure out which past storylines counted and which didn’t TC
storylines counted and which didn’t TC
storylines counted and which didn’t TC found itself back in an era similar to
found itself back in an era similar to
found itself back in an era similar to pre-crisis where in current fans were
pre-crisis where in current fans were
pre-crisis where in current fans were exhausted and potential new readers had
exhausted and potential new readers had
exhausted and potential new readers had no idea where to begin
no idea where to begin
no idea where to begin DC solution was of course to reboot
DC solution was of course to reboot
DC solution was of course to reboot their entire comic line again with the
their entire comic line again with the
their entire comic line again with the 2011 initiative the new 52 fairy
2011 initiative the new 52 fairy
2011 initiative the new 52 fairy you’ll kill everyone unlike previous
you’ll kill everyone unlike previous
you’ll kill everyone unlike previous reboots the new 52 spun off from a
reboots the new 52 spun off from a
reboots the new 52 spun off from a single event that completely reset all
single event that completely reset all
single event that completely reset all the continuity from scratch with only a
the continuity from scratch with only a
the continuity from scratch with only a few exceptions it was safe for DC to
few exceptions it was safe for DC to
few exceptions it was safe for DC to tell readers that the only thing they
tell readers that the only thing they
tell readers that the only thing they needed to get started in the new 52 was
needed to get started in the new 52 was
needed to get started in the new 52 was the new 52 itself would this be it
the new 52 itself would this be it
the new 52 itself would this be it the reboot to end all reboots tragically
the reboot to end all reboots tragically
the reboot to end all reboots tragically no what did you do to the world
no what did you do to the world
no what did you do to the world oh very that’s the beauty of all this I
oh very that’s the beauty of all this I
oh very that’s the beauty of all this I didn’t do any of it you first first year
didn’t do any of it you first first year
didn’t do any of it you first first year the new 52 was a huge success both
the new 52 was a huge success both
the new 52 was a huge success both critically and financially established
critically and financially established
critically and financially established readers were excited with the looks
readers were excited with the looks
readers were excited with the looks stories and direction taken by most of
stories and direction taken by most of
stories and direction taken by most of the new books and the hype around the
the new books and the hype around the
the new books and the hype around the initiative brought lots of new readers
initiative brought lots of new readers
initiative brought lots of new readers on board once the initial hype wore off
on board once the initial hype wore off
on board once the initial hype wore off however fans began to feel betrayed time
however fans began to feel betrayed time
however fans began to feel betrayed time went on many of the classic heroes began
went on many of the classic heroes began
went on many of the classic heroes began to behave less and less like the
to behave less and less like the
to behave less and less like the established pop culture icons they were
established pop culture icons they were
established pop culture icons they were based on bizarre retellings of things
based on bizarre retellings of things
based on bizarre retellings of things like Wonder Woman’s origin or Starfire
like Wonder Woman’s origin or Starfire
like Wonder Woman’s origin or Starfire and Superman’s personalities turn many
and Superman’s personalities turn many
and Superman’s personalities turn many fans away once again sales began to take
fans away once again sales began to take
fans away once again sales began to take a serious drop and now only a few years
a serious drop and now only a few years
a serious drop and now only a few years since the new 52 DC is once again
since the new 52 DC is once again
since the new 52 DC is once again rebooting much of its continuity with
rebooting much of its continuity with
rebooting much of its continuity with 2016 s DC rebirth so where will it end
2016 s DC rebirth so where will it end
2016 s DC rebirth so where will it end we think it’s safe to say that we may be
we think it’s safe to say that we may be
we think it’s safe to say that we may be stuck in this endless cycle for the
stuck in this endless cycle for the
stuck in this endless cycle for the foreseeable future until DC’s writers
foreseeable future until DC’s writers
foreseeable future until DC’s writers find the courage to stick with their own
find the courage to stick with their own
find the courage to stick with their own decisions those same fans that they
decisions those same fans that they
decisions those same fans that they placate will never be happy with
placate will never be happy with
placate will never be happy with whatever ends up on the shelves the DC
whatever ends up on the shelves the DC
whatever ends up on the shelves the DC Universe is not beyond saving but time
Universe is not beyond saving but time
Universe is not beyond saving but time and time again it’s been proven that a
and time again it’s been proven that a
and time again it’s been proven that a crisis is never a solution mark
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