The New 52 Is Dead. Long Live The…New 49?

Not to be outdone by whatever Marvel announces on The View today, DC is trying to make waves of their own with huge changes to their entire line of comics in the wake of Convergence.

Up first, RIP New 52 branding.  It hasn’t made sense in a long time and I guess we are back to it simply being the DC universe.  (Unfortunately it doesn’t sound like we’ll be back to the Pre-Flashpoint DCU.  Sniff.)

DC announced they are adding 24 new titles with an aim towards diversity.  And those titles will be:

• Batman Beyond by writer Dan Jurgens & artist Bernard Chang
• Cyborg by writer David L. Walker & artists Ivan Reis and Joe Prado
• Dark Universe by writer James Tynion IV & artist Ming Doyle
• Doomed by writer Scott Lobdell & artist Javier Fernandez
• Harley Quinn/Power Girl by writers Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner & artist Stephane Roux (4 issue miniseries)
• Red Hood/Arsenal by writer Scott Lobdell & artist Denis Medri
• Starfire by writers Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner & artist Emanuela Lupacchino
• We Are Robin by writer Lee Bermejo & artists Rob Haynes and Khary Randolph
• Justice League of America by writer/artist Brian Hitch
• Bizzaro by writer Heath Corson & artist Gustavo Duarte (6 issue mini-series)
• Bat-Mite by writer Mark Russell & artist Ben Caldwell (6 issue mini-series)
• Black Canary by writer Brenden Fletcher & artist TBA
• Constantine: The Hellblazer by writer Ming Doyle & artist Riley Rossmo
• Dr. Fate by writer Paul Levitz & artist Sonny Liew
• Earth 2: Society by writers Daniel Wilson &artist Jorge Jimenez
• Green Lantern: Lost Army by writer Cullen Bunn & artists Jesus Saiz and Javi Pina
• Justice League 3001 by writer Keith Giffen and artist Howard Porter
• Martian Manhunter by writer Rob Williams and artist Ben Oliver
• Midnighter by writer Steve Orlando and artist ACO
• Mystic U (tentative title) by writer Alisa Kwitney & artist Mauricet
• Omega Men by writer Tom King & artist Barnaby Bagenda
• Prez by writer Mark Russell and artist Ben Caldwell
• Robin, Son of Batman by writer/artist Patrick Gleason
• Section Eight by writer Garth Ennis & artist John McCrea

As you can probably guess from the titles, a lot of these seem to essentially be relaunches of existing books.  Example, Justice League 3001 instead of 3000.  Earth 2: Society replaces Earth 2.  Red Hood and The Outlaws gets split into two titles, Red Hood/Arsenal and Starfire.  Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same I guess.

Speaking of which, the titles that have been cancelled to make room for all this are:

•  Earth 2
• Justice League Dark
• Justice League 3000
• Supergirl
• Batman And Robin
• Red Hood And The Outlaws
• Green Lantern Corps
• Star Spangled War Stories
• Infinity Man And The Forever People
• Secret Origins
• Red Lanterns
• Swamp Thing
• Aquaman And The Others
• Klarion
• Trinity Of Sin
• Batwoman
• World’s Finest
• Arkham Manor.

Surviving current titles are:

• Action Comics
• Aquaman
• Batgirl
• Batman
• Detective Comics
• Batman/Superman
• Catwoman
• Deathstroke
• The Flash
• Gotham Academy
• Gotham By Midnight
• Grayson
• Green Arrow
• Green Lantern
• Harley Quinn
• Justice League
• Justice League United
• Lobo
• Secret Six
• Sinestro
• New Suicide Squad
• Superman
• Superman/Wonder Woman
• Teen Titans
• Wonder Woman.

As well, DC announced their contribution to Free Comic Book, titled “DC: Divergence”.  The issue will offer an eight page preview for “Batman” by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, “Superman” by new writer Gene Luen Yang and remaining artist John Romita Jr. and “Justice League” by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok as they kick off the “Darkseid War”.

Additional sources:

• Newsarama (has some great art from most of the newly announced #1’s to give you a taste.)
• Bleeding Cool
• CBR

For Watson, here is Starfire’s new look…