Broken Frontier

Rumors have been flying to why DC Comics planned to release only one issue in the last week of August, and now DC Co-Publisher Jim Lee’s talk with USA Today reveals that DC plans to reboot its entire line of characters with fresher looks and stories.

One can’t blame DC for wanting to flush convoluted stories and characters aged past their prime down the continuity toilet, but the real reason for this move is obvious when looking at their plans for digital comics. As of September 2011, all DC comics will become available both in store and online upon release. Combined with the refreshed characters, this will allow new readers to jump on board with a scheduled 52 reader-friendly #1 titles.

Marvel has been steadily providing more and more comics online, but DC is clearly looking to take the lead by offering all titles day-and-date while also combining it with a huge event to spur on sales. As worrisome as a reboot could be to long-time readers, and as heart-stopping it is for retailers to hear everything on their shelf will now be available online, DC’s new strategy to enter the digital age could not be more admirable.

Understandably, longtime fans will be saddened that each of DC’s wonderful characters and their amazing mythologies might be corrupted in order to get a new reader to buy a comic on his iPad. Perhaps a ‘reboot’ like Marvel did with its Ultimate Universe at the turn of the century was a better way to go… but perhaps once DC executes their plan, we’ll all be happily surprised.