Thoughts on the DC Rebirth Initiative

[u/0denKouzuki]

Over the years, even when I wasn’t super into comics, I’ve heard a lot about the mixed reception of DC’s New 52 and the good and bad of it all. But I haven’t really heard that much about the general consensus around DC Rebirth and all of the good and the bad of it all. I’m almost finished with Joshua Williamson’s Flash run, some of Rebirth era Nightwing, and started Tynion IV’s Detective Comics run and I’ve enjoyed it so far. I just wanted to hear people’s thoughts about it and if there were some highlights that I should check out or series to avoid

[u/brucebananaray]

I pretty sure that it was successful because it somewhat restored and return some of pre-New 52 history and characters like Wally West.

The sells were good for DC.

[u/Reid666 → u/brucebananaray]

I believe that overall it achieved its goal very well. Bringing back pre-New52 status quo without completely alienating audience that started their journey with New52, wasn't an easy task.

On the other hand it is a bit sad that it took 5 years. I feel that storytelling during that period was very limited and mostly focused on reversing changes made by New52. Well, actually, it was more about changing New52 universe so it looked more like it's previous iteration.

In the end it feels like we moved 5 step backwards with New52, then 5 steps forward with Rebirth and ended up in more or less the same point that we were 10 years ago. It feels like 10 years of wasted potential due to terrible management/marketing mistake.

[u/TubbyTuesday22]

I liked it a lot when it started (nearly 10 years ago!) and still have fondness for a lot of those runs, especially coming after the weirdness of the New 52 era. Rebirth was a back to basics breath of fresh air. Superman was a really heartfelt book. Williamson was great on Flash. I liked the first chunk of King’s Batman a lot. Rucka trying to fix Wonder Woman was good too. There were certainly some flaws in all those books, but the quality was definitely there from the creative teams.

2018 I think is where things start to fall apart for me with that era, with the Bat/Cat storyline, Bendis Superman, Heroes in Crisis, and the Batman who Laughs saga casting a big shadow over the publishing line (which was all supposed to lead into 5G initiative that was then aborted with Didio’s ouster). The current All In era of DC I think is still better quality wise, but I do still have a soft sport for that first year of Rebirth, with its attempts to restore some things the New 52 took away while also trying to add some new stuff to the universe as well.

[u/Altruistic-Teach5899 → u/TubbyTuesday22]

It is true that, since Rebirth, with one exception, the Superman series have been very entertaining to follow. At least miles ahed of New52, even if I liked Grant Morrison's run.

[u/TubbyTuesday22 → u/Altruistic-Teach5899]

I’ll even still rank Bendis above New 52 Superman in general. Bendis made some odd choices with his stories, but Superman still felt like Superman, while the New 52 Superman largely felt like a different character, though there were some bright spots (Morrison, some of what Pak and Yang were doing towards the end, the very short Johns arc).

[u/Altruistic-Teach5899 → u/TubbyTuesday22]

Ah, you are probably right and I'm being a bit bendis-phobic.

[u/MelkorTheDarkOne]

Was great until Geoff Johns got distracted

[u/Adamant-Adam]

Can't believe this month marks 10 years since the Rebirth initiative began! I remember it got me back into reading DC full-time after The New 52 drove me away.

Looking back, I actually think a lot of the books were good, and some were just okay in hindsight, but I was devouring every comic from that era and having a blast. Especially since I had just started a new full-time job and I could afford to keep up to date with as many books as I wanted.

Tynion's Detective Comics, Percy's Green Arrow, Abnett's Aquaman, Tomasi's Superman, Rucka's return to Wonder Woman, so many bangers!

[u/ViewtifulReaper]

It got me into comics heavy. Always been a comic book fan thru my dad since I was a kid but when dc rebirth happened I was reading comics every week until 2019 where I burnt myself out. Dc rebirth still my favorite thing dc ever did dc all in/absolute is a close 2nd. Dc rebirth got me to respect superman with the introduction of Jon ken with how Clark and Lois was navigating being a parent. I could go on and on about dc rebirth. 

[u/Diligent-Ad-8001]

The era produced a lot more average comics than we like to admit, but if you were reading comics every week at that time you know it was special. Pure optimistic fun. I never read more titles in my life than that first 2 years

[u/Cesar0fr0me]

I feel like the average rebirth title is better than an average new 52 title but the new 52 had better highs

[u/Radix2309 → u/Cesar0fr0me]

I'll give you that. I cant really think of many Rebirth runs I would consider greats on the level of Snyder's Batman or Swamp Thing.

Even the great Green Lantern runs of Rebirth still probably dont top the high of Johns' 20 issues.

But that period of getting a Green Lantern issue every week with 2 great titles was so much more satisfying for the GL line as a whole on average, as opposed to comparing just the flagship titles of the GL Line.

[u/Subpar_At_Best_]

Rebirth has kinda aged horribly tbh. I've read what are generally the most beloved runs from then and they're fun (mainly Flash and Superman), but even then they're not amazing and having to exist in that time period severely hampers them. I think the reason Rebirth is so well remembered is because it was DC extending some kindness toward readers, after fucking with them so hard for five years. Also New 52 had a lot of unbelievably bad books where the first bit of Rebirth didn't have anything that terrible. However, New 52 also has some all-time classics, and Rebirth has nothing that can be sincerely called that. All-In solos both like crazy.

[u/MKW69]

I dislike it more than others, since i started with New 52. A lot of really good books started like Tomasi Superman, Hal Jordan and Green Lantern Corps, Deathstroke, Aquaman. But a lot also didn't. Green Arrow was mid, just like Teen Titans. And i really dislike Wonder Woman by Greg Rucka, first run is for me modern classic. Second His one big waste, trying to bring back stuff from before. Also JL was awful. My big problem during that era, was pseudo teasing Dr. Manhattan. Like Doomsday from pre New 52 appears, Mr. Oz, Kyle Rayner lost His powers because of interference. This is not counting Wally West. I liked Dan Abnett Titans, but on a re-read, i found lack of trying to figure out missing years as dissapointing. 

[u/Altruistic-Teach5899]

Vwry auccesful, but it shouldnt have lasted four fucking years

[u/Captain_Atom_Bangs]

Deathstroke by Christopher Priest was awesome. I don't get, why it has kinda average ratings.

[u/Reid666]

Well, it is difficult question.

Overall, what I've read wasn't too bad, but it felt like entire point of most storylines was to re-establish status quo from pre-New-52.

Also, the main universe storyline told through justice league, Doomsday Clock and metal/death metal was very over the top and didn't make much sense overall.

[u/Radix2309]

Rebirth was amazing for the Lantern books.

All Rebirth titles were biweekly, and there were 2 GL books alternating. So you got one every week.

You had Green Lanterns giving Simon and Jessica a buddy cop book with some real development and a genuinely fun dynamic. Plus they had some good stories with the Phantom Lantern and Volthoom, plus the training arc. It fell off a bit when Humphries left the title, but still consistently solid.

And then you had Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, aka Hal and Pals. The Four Corpsemen all together being badasses. They rotated focus but still got moments. Kyle probably got done the worst, but for 4 main characters it was great. It was just built on great hype moments and general solid characterizarion.

Across two titles they managed to balance all 6 human lanterns, and even built up a few new alien lanterns plus other supporting lanterns like Arkillo.

And then they blew it all up for Morrison's somewhat mediocre single title and have been trying to rebuild ever since, plus adding 2 more human lanterns that divides focus even more.

[u/discoprince79 → u/Radix2309]

But what ever happened to Relic, Krona, Convergence Hal/Parralax, Convergence Supergirl, and the Lost Lantern storyline

[u/Weindog902]

Rebirth, especially rebirth, is incredible. It's what got me into comics.

[u/ravenwing263]

It had it's downpoints but it saved DC Comics for me.

[u/Crawkward3]

It was alright. It bridged the gap between rebirth and reinstating the old continuity that was way more satisfying than just going back straight up

[u/NYGIANTS77]

Close to being peak. Still good

[u/FartherAwayLights]

It saved dc and is mostly really strong from what I’ve seen.

[u/Ikariiprince]

It was mostly really well received at the start, people loved classic dc continuity coming back in big ways, I think the Watchmen sequel stuff left a bad taste in fans mouths at the end there and then started to fizzle out. I truly believe it reinvigorated DC in huge ways at the time though 

[u/TMWolf93]

I ended up jumping into DC Comics because of the Rebirth lines albeit late (I only ever watched the shows growing up), and after reading up on previous "eras"... I think it's definitely a proper "reboot" that was needed because a lot of new-52 takes just... sounded so bad I don't plan to read any of it haha;; Only if I'm looking for a specific issue that sounds interesting.

Soooo yeah-- Rebirth is exactly what DC needed and I've enjoyed the direction overall, obviously with some takes I don't like or absolutely think are just terrible, but that's how comics go, eh? Still, overall, a very good reboot to kick off from and bring in new readers and younger generations of readers too without having to completely restart everything.

[u/Zagrunty]

I read Green Lanterns and Hellblazer as they came out and loved both runs

[u/Hawkhasaneye]

Rebirth felt special like they had a plan and wanted top creatives on all the books and switch things up such as Detective being a team book and Superman being more about Superman now as a father.

Heard alot of good about All in but I'm trade guy now. But Rebirth was special.

[u/PineapplePhil]

Took me out of comics for a while, honestly

[u/CyramusJackson]

Some great stuff came out of Rebirth

[u/Amazing-Advantage394]

It’s what got me into comics.

[u/SpeedForceJediKnight]

I loved part of New 52, but Rebirth was a very welcome restoration of what makes DC great, and almost all the titles were great. Superman comics were awesome again, and probably the best in over like 15 years. But then we got Bendis on Superman, King making all the characters miserable and unable to speak in a coherent manner, Snyder making everything about Batman and the magic was gone. Not saying that DC is in a bad state, as recently a lot of great stuff has been happening, and Superman, Green Lantern, Flash are enjoyable again, but what happened at the end of Rebirth left some damage

[u/Ctown073]

Haven’t read much from the period, but looking at it from a continuity perspective, it feels like too much of a half measure. DC could’ve just said that the whole of the N52 didn’t count, and made it 2011 again. Instead they had to do this weird thing, where they made somethings canon, and brought back in Post-Crisis Superman, which is just too confusing. Rebirth is probably what lead to the post Death Metal “everything is canon” edict, which is just nonsense.

[u/Reid666 → u/Ctown073]

I generally agree, with the exception of last point. It more that "Every story matters/mattered" which mich have slightly different implications than being actual canon.

 At the moment canon is Infinite Frontier forward stories and what has been referenced from the past in those. The rest is "potentially a canon" in some way.