Thoughts on DC Reboot

I'll say right from the start that these thoughts will be semi-incomplete, because I haven't read all of the comics involved here.  In fact, I've read only one, Justice League #1. I likely won't be reading most of the new series, because I've given up comic books. Now, I'm not going cold turkey, there are still some titles I'll be picking up in trade paperback, but, as of now, my days of buying monthly comics are behind me.  I think.

Because, see...I really liked Justice League. I'm not the biggest Jim Lee fan, but I liked his artwork on this issue, and I like the writing and the characters. It was exciting. New territory, really, and there's this feeling that the book could go anywhere. That's not a feeling you get too often when you've been reading comics as long as I have, and I'll get into my thoughts on the medium at a later date. But I was impressed with JL1.

What kind of has me glad I'm walking away from the hobby (mostly) at this time is the feeling that DC won't be going far enough with their reboot of their entire universe. Their boldest steps seem to be with Superman, and their really messing with him in Grant Morrison and Rags Morales's Action, casting him as a working man's hero. I have no problem with that, I've never been a huge Superman fan, and in fact the only time I've bought any Superman titles regularly where when they killed him back in the '90's, and All-Star Superman by Morrison (him again) and Frank Quietly. But titles like Batman and Green Lantern are basically picking up where they left off, transporting their old continuity into the the new universe. Where's the fun in that? Like Bridget Fonda* says in SINGLES, if you gonna have the operation, HAVE THE OPERATION. Stop trying to have your cake and eat it too.

I admire DC for the guts it took to even attempt this, it's a bold move and I wish them luck. I just don't think it's a bold enough move. I might end up picking up some trades down the road, Action intrigues me, I really love Green Lantern, and Justice League could be good, but nothing else I've seen so far really makes me think I'll be missing out on anything if I walk away from the monthly habit.

*Ugh, less than a week in and I'm quoting Bridget Fonda.