DC to "Rebirth" in June

[BlueLanternKal]

“Rebirth” results in record-shattering sales for publisher

http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2016/08/31/dc-ships-12-million-comic-books-this-summer

With nearly 12 million comic books shipped this past summer, DC’s Rebirth is showing no signs of slowing down.

Comic book fans have enthusiastically embraced the superhero relaunch in staggering numbers. Since the debut of the initial book, DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH SPECIAL by Geoff Johns, combined sales have pushed 12 million physical periodicals through comic book retailers worldwide in record time. A total of 11 issues exceeded 200,000 units shipped, an additional 60-plus issues shipped more than 100,000 copies each and 21 issues have gone back to print multiple times.

Last June, DC launched Rebirth, one of the most ambitious publishing initiatives in the company’s 80-plus-year history. This new lineup of stories includes a combination of DC favorites, as well as new titles, and restarted most titles at issue #1. Top comic talent was recruited for the publisher’s iconic line of books, such as SUPERMAN, BATMAN and WONDER WOMAN, which became available twice monthly. In addition, DC’s two flagship legacy titles resumed their original issue numbering, also shipping twice monthly: DETECTIVE COMICS picked up with issue #934, while ACTION COMICS continued with issue #957.

“This is the biggest story in comics publishing right now—fan and retailer demand for these books is at an all-time high,” said John Cunningham, DC’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Marketing. “This summer we’ve sold more issues over 100,000 units than we did in all of 2015.”

The flagship book, Geoff Johns’ DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH SPECIAL, recently went back to press a fifth time and has sold nearly 350,000 copies. Best-selling writer Johns, who is also the company’s President and Chief Creative Officer, oversaw the creative direction of the entire Rebirth line of books. Working in tandem with DC Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, this line-wide launch focused on themes of hope and optimism and returned the DC Universe to a more closely knit superhero continuity.

“The overall response—from retailers, the creative community and, most importantly, the fans—has been nothing short of incredible,” said Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “We listened to what the retail and fan communities thought was missing from our books and took the necessary steps to produce stories that have re-energized comics. I’m so immensely proud of my amazing team of executives, including Dan, Jim and Geoff, for once again setting the bar for excellence in comics. “

“Hope, optimism and legacy are integral to the epic, universe-spanning stories that define what a ‘DC’ superhero is to me. As is building on the foundation of all the amazing writers and artist, as well as, characters that have been part of DC’s history and celebrating it,” said Geoff Johns, President and Chief Creative Officer, DC Entertainment. “I’m incredibly proud of the creative teams across the line and beyond grateful that readers and retailers have given Rebirth a shot. And, stay tuned for more stories and secrets about the mysterious machinations at play behind Rebirth to come!"

Rebirth titles are enjoying a 29 percent higher lift than the company’s previous relaunch in 2011, DC COMICS – THE NEW 52, with the top 10 titles being a combination of core classics, new titles and some surprises—including the top-selling book HARLEY QUINN #1, with more than 400,000 copies shipped.

“This was a huge publishing initiative that we completely believed in, but it can be a little daunting keeping the world’s greatest superhero stories fresh while at the same time classic and familiar for the fans,” said DC Entertainment Publisher Dan DiDio. “The combination of a return to classic superhero storytelling with new storylines, new creative teams and a new lower price helped add readers to the marketplace, and we’re dedicated to continuing to bring them the quality of stories that will keep them coming back for more.”

DC Entertainment Publisher and SUICIDE SQUAD artist Jim Lee said, “Our amazing writers and artists—such as Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti on HARLEY QUINN, and Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott and Liam Sharp on WONDER WOMAN—are hitting home runs with their books, and that’s bringing fans into comic book stores in droves. In addition, we are thrilled to see what Scott Snyder and John Romita Jr. are doing on ALL-STAR BATMAN, which is getting outstanding reviews from the press and fans across the board.”

Fans who missed out on these titles in periodical form will have an opportunity to catch up on story arcs such as “I Am Gotham” (BATMAN), “The Lies” (WONDER WOMAN), “Son of Superman” (SUPERMAN), “Lightning Strikes Twice” (THE FLASH) and “The Extinction Machine” (JUSTICE LEAGUE) when they’re released as collected editions, available through comic book retailers, bookstores and digital platforms beginning in January.

As a DC Comics fan, all this makes me so happy, I am so elated. t:t:

The King Is Back
[YT]NUIZvAe3RBg[/YT]

 

[Gee]

Justice League vs Suicide Squad 6-part event announced:
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016...de-in-comics-miniseries-exclusive-art-reveal/

The core of the comic-book event — which pits Batman and Superman’s superhero team against the covert team of supervillains working for ruthless government operative Amanda Waller — will transpire over six issues, two in December, four in January. It will also tie into “Suicide Squad” #9 and #10 and issues #12 and #13 of “Justice League” during January. “This is something DC had been talking about for a while, even before I came on,” said writer Joshua Williamson (“The Flash&#8221.The story will revolve around Batman questioning the need for Waller’s Task Force X in a world where the Justice League already exists. “He decides to put a stop to it,” Williamson said.

Jason Fabok on first issue.

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

Is it just me, or is Batman off to an extremely slow start?

I'm in agreement with others in singing the praises of Detective, though.

Not just you. It's been tough getting through, I might drop it.

 

[Victarion]

What I really loved about the rebirth titles is how dense with plot they are. Take Deathstroke. The two issues out have more plot between them than the two NEW 52 graphic novels I've read, Gods of War and God Killer.

 

[Sawyer]

Justice League vs Suicide Squad 6-part event announced:
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016...de-in-comics-miniseries-exclusive-art-reveal/


Jason Fabok on first issue.

That's two crossovers since Rebirth began that have been written by writers from outside of the titles involved. I wonder if there is a certain strategy to that.

 

[X Knight]

really looking forward to Teen Titans Rebirth as well as the Raven miniseries starting this month!

 

[BlueLanternKal]

Justice League vs Suicide Squad 6-part event announced:
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016...de-in-comics-miniseries-exclusive-art-reveal/

Yeah, I'm going to check this out for sure but..... But.....

I'm a little worried about DC pushing these events 4x per year.

My reasoning being that 4 events/year kind of looses the "special" of it and you run the risk of not having enough time to write and pencil a tight story. If something is going to be labeled an event it has to exceed the norm otherwise why even bother?

Two events a year gives them at least 6 whole months to work on a really good script.

But what do I know?

 

[Sawyer]

If they were pulling whole company-wide events that often, I'd probably agree with you. But the two we're getting right now encompass no more than 2-3 books. I don't think that's too extensive that it would be crazy to pull them 4x a year. This actually feels kind of subdued for the way comics have been going lately.

If they start pulling 6-8-10 books together for the events, though...

 

[Gee]

Yeah, the two events so far feel more like crossovers since they are happening in 2-3 books. Until they go overboard like current Marvel, I reckon we're good.

That's two crossovers since Rebirth began that have been written by writers from outside of the titles involved. I wonder if there is a certain strategy to that.

I believe it is to give the actual creative teams a break from all this twice-a-month release schedule.

 

[Scarecrow_King]

As long as the crossovers are good, I'm all for it.

One of the best things about reading the Batbooks in the late 90s/early 2000s was that, even though I was forced to read titles I didn't usually buy, it was ALWAYS worth it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Rebirth JLA writer revealed:

http://www.newsarama.com/30890-rebirth-jla-writer-revealed-jl-vs-ss-s-long-lost-super-villain-new-jetsons-title.html

DC Comics announced the writer of Rebirth's Justice League of America title, an all-new Jetsons title, and that a long-lost super villain would be returning as part of the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad winter event, as noted by Diamond Comic Distributors in a retailer-only report of its recent Baltimore summit.

Newly-exclusive DC writer Steve Orlando will helm the upcoming Justice League of America title. First announced in the initial wave of 'Rebirth' news this past spring, earlier this week the publisher revealed that the title would spin-out of the events of the December/January event Justice League vs. Suicide Squad.

And speaking of Justice League vs. Suicide Squad, several new details about the series have been fleshed out by DC. First up, this six-issue event series "will reintroduce a supervillain that hasn't been seen for some time" according to Diamond. In their own description DC seemingly refers to the villain as “an evil threat once thought lost to the DC Universe.”

"The day that Amanda Waller has long dreaded has finally come to pass: the Justice League has discovered the existence of Task Force X!,” reads DC’s official description for Justice League vs. Suicide Squad. “America’s paragons of truth and justice won’t take well to a government-sponsored team of black ops super-villains (with bombs implanted in their heads), but before the Justice League can shut down the Suicide Squad, a bigger problem looms: another deadly strike team is lurking in the shadows, one that could expose dark secrets throughout the DC Universe, with ties to the hidden truths of 'Rebirth.' Longtime enemies such as Batman and Deadshot, the Flash and Boomerang, and Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn will have to put aside their differences when an evil threat once thought lost to the DC Universe makes their return.”

More creators have also been added to the mix, with Justice League artist Tony S. Daniel now illustrating the core Justice League vs. Suicide Squad title with the previously announced Jason Fabok, and Nightwing writer Tim Seeley joining Rob Williams on the Suicide Squad tie-in issues.

“This story is another building block to ‘Rebirth,’” said DC CCO/President Geoff Johns, who also wrote DC Universe: Rebirth #1. “With all of our heroes back on the board, it’s the super-villains turn. And the events within will set the stage for ‘Rebirth’ Phase 2 as a surprising team emerges and another piece of the puzzle of the future of the DC Universe, and the past, comes into focus.”

Lastly, a Jetsons title by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti has been announced for DC's growing Hanna-Barbera line. Artwork was shown at the event, but neither DC nor Diamond have released it to the public.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Former MARVEL 'Young Guns' artist signs DC exclusive

http://www.newsarama.com/30889-former-marvel-young-guns-artist-signs-dc-exclusive.html

Current Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps artist Rafa Sandoval signed an 'exclusive' agreement with DC Comics. According to the artist's agent Ferran Toro, the 'exclusive' was offered after he completed the first three issues of Hal Jordan, and that Sandoval signed the agreement in late August. Long-time inker Jordi Tarragona will continue to work with Sandoval for the foreseeable future.

Sandoval is a nine-year comic book veteran, getting his start on 2007's Marvel Adventures Iron Man #5. He worked regularly for Marvel from 2007 to 2012 on titles like Incredible Hercules, Young X-Men, and the three part Ultimate Enemy / Ultimate Mystery / Ultimate Doom titles, even being designated one of their 'Young Guns' in 2010. In 2012 Sandoval jumped to DC, working for two years on various titles such as Catwoman and Suicide Squad, then transition to Valiant for Harbinger: Omegas and X-O Manowar.

In 2016, Sandoval returned to DC doing several fill-in issues of "New 52" titles before being tapped to be one of the lead artists on "Rebirth"'s Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps.

 

[Sawyer]

I believe it is to give the actual creative teams a break from all this twice-a-month release schedule.

Good point. Also probably to give it a sense of being a much more singular story, rather than being split between multiple writers.

 

[Victarion]

Any idea what that long-lost threat could be?

 

[Gee]

Rebirth JLA writer revealed:

http://www.newsarama.com/30890-rebirth-jla-writer-revealed-jl-vs-ss-s-long-lost-super-villain-new-jetsons-title.html

Aww yiiisss! The JLA book will be better than the actual JL one.

https://twitter.com/Williamson_Josh/status/771805284314419200

Since Orlando has written Midnighter, and will be doing a mini with him and Apollo, I'd be okay with those two being respectively the Bats and Supes of the team.

 

[CaptainWagner]

Rebirth JLA writer revealed:

http://www.newsarama.com/30890-rebirth-jla-writer-revealed-jl-vs-ss-s-long-lost-super-villain-new-jetsons-title.html

Sounds good! I just so hope this is the book where Martian Manhunter finally shows up in Rebirth!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

TEEN TITANS writer teases surprise sixth member with REBIRTH relaunch

http://www.newsarama.com/30891-teen-titans-writer-teases-surprise-sixth-member-with-rebirth-relaunch.html

Newsarama: Ben, there have been several iterations of the Teen Titans over the years. How would you describe what you're doing with Teen Titans as you launch a new run on the book in September? What should people expect from this Teen Titans?

Benjamin Percy: There are two touchstones that I've been looking toward: Geoff Johns' run and the [Marv] Wolfman/[George] Pérez run. I'll be channeling that history while also making the series my own.

The thing I've always loved about the Teen Titans, and the thing I'm having so much fun with right now, is it's a turnstile of storytelling possibilities. You've got detective stories available through Robin, and you've got horror stories available through Raven, you've got sci-fi stories available through Starfire, and comedy through Beast Boy.

And there is a sixth member of the team that has not yet been announced, who will open up another environment, another genre possibility.

So what should people expect? A high-octane, adrenaline-fueled soap opera. That's what's always made Teen Titans work in the past, and that's the torch I'm carrying with me into the future.


Newsarama: Will Damian play a lead role going forward? Or is it going to be a truly ensemble, team book?

Percy: It's an ensemble book, but every arc is going to focus on a character.

The trouble with reading and writing team books is that characterization can get really thin because of the crowd. So in every arc, we're going to have a focusing agent.

As you mentioned, the first arc belongs to Damian.

The emotional arc of the story, and the thematics of the story, must be about that particular character. So Damian's getting his turn with the first arc.

The second arc is going to belong to the as-of-yet-unannounced character.

After that, we're going to get into Raven. We're going to get into Starfire. And we'll really put them in the spotlight.


Newsarama: Are you giving characters like Raven and Starfire a new start with Rebirth? Because Starfire in particular had a few different portrayals in the New 52.

Percy: Starfire is a fantastic character, but I don't know if she's had quite the platform she deserves. I see her as an incredibly fierce, incredibly strong, alienated character who's trying to forge herself a path in this world.

She's somebody who fights — literally — with light on her side.

She gains her energy from the sun, and when you're facing shadows, as she will be in this first arc in particular, you need somebody like Starfire on your side.

If you think about how everybody loves an odd couple, from Kirk and Spock to Abbott and Costello to Sonny and Cher, Damian and Starfire are two adversarial characters who will play off each other in really interesting ways.

So here's a guy trying to wrestle people into submission, and she'll battle against that while trying to find an empathetic connection with this little dictator, and maybe even wrest control of the team away from him.

 

[idiot09]

Whats the difference between a JLA vs JL title?

 

[Sawyer]

The A.

 

[BlueLanternKal]

Whats the difference between a JLA vs JL title?

Usually...

JL includes the Trinity and are NOT government sanctioned.

JLA does not include the Trinity and are a government sanctioned alternative and deterrent for the JL.

 

[idiot09]

Usually...

JL includes the Trinity and are NOT government sanctioned.

JLA does not include the Trinity and are a government sanctioned alternative and deterrent for the JL.

Okay I'm even more confused now.So the JLA consists of Cyborg,GLs Aquaman and Flash?And why would they let the govt control them to be a deterrent agains the JL?

Sorry if I misunderstood by I googled it and I cant seem to find an answer.Thanks.

Edit : The only "JLA" run Ive read are the Grant Morrison's one. Is it like the same with Superman and AC where the characters are same but the story/villain is different?

 

[BlueLanternKal]

Justice League is THE Justice League that people are familiar with.

The Justice League of America line up for example would be Martian Manhunter, Catwoman, Katana, Simon Baz (Hal moved him to the regular JL), Hawkman, Vibe. They don't really have a definitive roster though. Or at least it's more malleable than the regular Justice League.

The operating difference is that the JL was founded by the Trinity and don't answer to any governments while the JLA is beholden to and founded by the American government.

Is that clearer?

 

[LongbowHunter]

Justice League is THE Justice League that people are familiar with.

The Justice League of America line up for example would be Martian Manhunter, Catwoman, Katana, Simon Baz (Hal moved him to the regular JL), Hawkman, Vibe. They don't really have a definitive roster though. Or at least it's more malleable than the regular Justice League.

The operating difference is that the JL was founded by the Trinity and don't answer to any governments while the JLA is beholden to and founded by the American government.

Is that clearer?

That is only true for the New 52. And even then in the end the batman/supes/etc team was called JLA again.

Mostly the JLA is just DCs main super-team. Sometimes they just drop the A to focus more on the internstional side of their operations or to not let it seem so US-centric (something I as a European can understand).
Sometimes they (and by they I always mean the respective creative teams during a certain time period) exchange the A for something like JL Unlimited or International or whatnot...

So to answer the question which started this all: Mostly theres no difference between JLA and JL, except for the early New 52 run. Mostly the JL or JLA is the main superteam in the DCU and sometimes there are smaller teams or proxy teams with with names like Justice League Europe etc.

 

[BlueLanternKal]

That is only true for the New 52. And even then in the end the batman/supes/etc team was called JLA again.

Mostly the JLA is just DCs main super-team. Sometimes they just drop the A to focus more on the internstional side of their operations or to not let it seem so US-centric (something I as a European can understand).
Sometimes they (and by they I always mean the respective creative teams during a certain time period) exchange the A for something like JL Unlimited or International or whatnot...

So to answer the question which started this all: Mostly theres no difference between JLA and JL, except for the early New 52 run. Mostly the JL or JLA is the main superteam in the DCU and sometimes there are smaller teams or proxy teams with with names like Justice League Europe etc.

Except the premise of JL being the normal JL and JLA being the government's JL is being kept for Rebirth. And that was a pretty good run by Brian Hitch. Wish his current JL was as good.

 

[Omegabat]

While I'd love more Midnighter by Orlando,I dont think DC will swap him for Batman in a JL team,it's unfathomable,I'd love to be proven wrong though.
Speaking of Batman, Tom King just revealed that the big villain of his first year of stories will be Bane

Bane comes out of a conversation I had with [current DC editor and former CA editor] Andy Khouri when he was my editor on Omega Men. He said, “Have you ever taken a close look at Bane?” I said, “Yeah, when I was a kid, I really liked that story, it was really frightening,” and he was like, “No, I mean have you ever really looked at that Chuck Dixon issue with his actual origin? Read it again, it’s the most f—ed up thing ever.”
It wasn’t just that he was born in a prison, it was that he was born and stayed in this cell for 17 years, and every night, it flooded and he almost drowned, and he had to tread water and eat raw fish. Just the willpower of surviving, that his origin is like Conan’s origin, pushing that wheel until he’s the only one left.
Andy totally sold me on that origin, and I realized that this character, the reason he was frightening and cool as a kid, was that he actually could beat Batman in a way that the Riddler, the Joker, the Penguin and Mr. Freeze, none of them will ever beat Batman on any real level. Bane’s actually done it and could do it again.
I wanted to read a comic where the two of them faced off, and one of them had to die. I was like, “Wait a second, I can do that. I write Batman.”
I can reveal that the second arc is called “I Am Suicide,” and as you see from the end of #6, that’s Batman forming his own Suicide Squad to take Psycho Pirate back from Bane. Psycho Pirate is the only way you can cure Gotham Girl, so Batman is becoming more and more obsessed with finding a cure for all the hopes he put into Gotham and Gotham Girl.
Our third arc will be called “I Am Bane,” and it’s the repercussions of Batman’s illegal mission into Bane’s territory to steal Psycho Pirate, and what goes wrong and what goes right in that mission.


http://comicsalliance.com/tom-king-batman-i-am-gotham-interview/

I'd love a well written Bane story with stakes sky high, fingers crossed it will be great because I am Gotham fell flat imo.