GL1
It's pronounced "glee"
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Yes. They are all of them retoolings of the characters' origins, without feeling the need to adhere to any mainstream continuity. How many different origins does Superman have now? How many times have we gone over Batman's first years? Even Hal Jordan has more than two origins, and he's got one of the most uncomplicated continuities of any DC character.
So what's this fixation people have with yet another retelling of the characters' origins? Just for the sake of having an alternate universe version of the characters? If that were the only reason, the All-Star universe should scratch that itch just fine.
Is it because people want a clean slate of continuity without all the complicated backstory that comes with a universe? That's a pretty deceptive reason, because after less than five years the Marvel Ultimate universe is hardly a paragon of clean continuity. If you don't believe me, let me ask everyone this: when did Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver first become members of the Ultimates? When does the Ultimate Galactus saga take place?
Is it because people want to see "updated" versions of characters, possibly grittier and more "modern" than their iconic true selves with radical reimaginings and racial differences? If that's the case then, well, I can't argue with personal preferences, but I personally think the talent at DC should have better things to do with their time than coming up with gangsta Batman and pop star Wonder Woman.
Or is it just because Marvel did it, so everyone wants to see what would happen of DC did it? 'Cause that's a pretty shallow reason.
I'm just trying to understand, here.
Heh.. interesting perspective.
I wasn't aware that Confidential retooled origins... all the stories I've read are supposedly in continuity, though retconned in.
I'm not sure what the number of origins, especially if some of those are irrelevant, means to you. It certainly doesn't mean anything to me. You obviously deduced that a simple retelling of origins is not the point, yet you continue with that disproved assumption. Odd.
While I understand that a silent few may have problems with the timing of how the Ultimate books meet, the strength of the book is that there's not much to remember. You get an ideal jumping on point every three-six months. You can't get that anywhere in 616. The lack of backstory is the strength of it's continuity, not the timeline.
But eventually you hit the nail on the head and admit you can't argue with it. Some people want to see these characters modernized and set in todays times with realistic consequences and reprocussions, and it has made Marvel's Ultimate line wildly successful. Some people want that for DC... WITH the backstory free continuity where no one can talk down to them becasue they don't know what a Crisis is. Ultimate lines aren't for people to get ANOTHER telling of the orign, it's for newbies to get their FIRST retelling of the origin, something that's good for everyone in the long run.
I understand those who are deeply engrossed in the current continuities don't get the appeal of an Ultimate line, but it doesn't take much induction to see that the market is there.