Previous Post Extraordinary. That Reads Like a belated April fool Gag for the fans from Newsarama, and if it wasn't for the scans as provenance I would have dismissed it as such. Succumbing to temptation and reading that piece I shake my head in profound dissapointment at the contentrather than a sense of excitement. I have read too much of this sort of fan-service from DC at this point in time, the notion that continually regurgitating its own continuity and deleted canon will bring in the readership it needs is completely wrong as all the publisher is doing is driving its product into an ever smaller niche audience of old fans rather than the wider general audience. How, in the span of just five years, have we gone from a vision for a fresh restart aimed at attracting new readers to so determinedly chasing the erased past and muddying both the waters and title characters with dead continuity? This publisher has lost all sense of where it wants to go. NEEDS to go.

In my opinion, DC's approach to comics has been terribly unsatisfying over the last decade. As it relates to the new 52 universe, I always saw it as a few notches above Marvel's 'Heroes Reborn' attempt. Better executed with greater scope, but way too similar and unsatisfying.

You have a very valid point regarding regurgitated continuity and deleted canon though. Where my disappointment starts is that continuity even needed to be deleted at all. I understand the need and urgency for new readership, but I don't believe the answer was (or ever will be) simply re-booting everything. Here's why:

It's been done way too many times.

It runs the risk of alienating readers who have invested money, time and emotion in the characters, their development and story lines which have meant so much. For those readers who become parents, it presents a disconnect. Losing their readership can some times mean losing a love for comics that is generational. That is, Granddad loved comics, Dad loved comics and now so do I. And maybe one day I'll pass that same love to my children.

I think the answer will always lie in excellent story telling, character development, compelling sub-plots and frequent jumping on points for new readership. We saw this model work for nearly 50 years; especially at Marvel.

The constant marketing gimmicks and re-boots at DC has been exhausting. But if they're willing to acknowledge that my four decade love of their characters still means something - and that it can co-exist with new readership - I think I can jump on board with Rebirth. After all, that's what Johns is REALLY trying to do here, right?

And giving me back the Wally I have told my kids about for nearly ten years is a good start.

By the way, great talking to you. I'm very limited in my ability to respond like I used to, but I really love your reviews across the various boards. Great work, brother.