| The New 52 | |
|---|---|
 Cover ofDC Comics: The New 52 #1, July 2011 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | August 31, 2011 – May 25, 2016 |
| Main character(s) | DC Universe |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Various |
| Artist(s) | Various |
| Collected editions | |
| DC Comics The New 52 | ISBN 978-1-4012-3451-5 |
| DC Comics The New 52 Zero Omnibus | ISBN 978-1-4012-3884-1 |
| DC Comics The New 52 Villains Omnibus | ISBN 978-1-4012-4496-5 |
The New 52 was the 2011 revamp and relaunch byDC Comics of its entireline of ongoing monthly superherocomic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint"crossover storyline, DC cancelled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new series in September 2011.[1] Among the renumbered series wereAction Comics andDetective Comics, which had retained their original numbering since the 1930s.
The relaunch included changes to the publishing format; for example, print and digital comics began to be released on the same day. New titles were released to bring the number of ongoing monthly series to 52. Various changes were also made toDC's fictional universe to entice new readers, including changes to DC's internal continuity to make characters more modern and accessible. In addition, characters from the Wildstorm andVertigo imprints were absorbed into the DC Universe.[2][3]
The New 52 branding ended after the completion of the "Convergence" storyline in May 2015, although its continuity continued. In June 2015, 24 new titles were launched, alongside 25 returning titles, with several of those receiving new creative teams. In February 2016, DC announced theirRebirth initiative with the release of an 80-page one-shot on May 25, 2016, and continuing through late 2016.
Following the conclusion of theFlashpoint limited series, DC cancelled and relaunched all titles set in the DC Universe with new #1 issues.[4] The new continuity features new outfits and backstories for many of DC's long-established heroes and villains. An interview with DC Comics executive editorEddie Berganza and editor-in-chiefBob Harras revealed that the new continuity did not constitute a fullreboot of the DC Universe but rather a "soft reboot".[citation needed] While many characters underwent a reboot or revamp, much of the DC Universe's history remained intact. Many major storylines such as "War of the Green Lanterns", "Batman: A Death in the Family" andBatman: The Killing Joke remained part of the new continuity, while others have been lost in part or in whole.[5] DC editorial constructed a timeline that details the new history and which storylines to keep or ignore.[5]
On August 31, 2011,Midtown Comics Times Square held a midnight event at which they began sellingJustice League #1 andFlashpoint #5. On hand to sign the books were DC Chief Creative OfficerGeoff Johns, who was the writer of both titles, and co-publisher and writer/artistJim Lee, who illustratedJustice League.[1][6]
On January 12, 2012, DC announced that after their eighth issues,Blackhawks,Hawk and Dove,Men of War,Mister Terrific,O.M.A.C., andStatic Shock would be cancelled and replaced with six new titles, which would reveal more of The New 52 DC Universe.[7] The new titles were dubbed the Second Wave:Dial H,Earth 2,G.I. Combat,World's Finest,Ravagers andBatman Incorporated, which was absent from the initial line of Batman titles, and would continue Grant Morrison's storyline from before The New 52 involving the conflict between Batman andTalia al Ghul.[8]
On June 9, 2012, DC announced that in September 2012, the first anniversary of The New 52 launch, all titles would get a zero issue, dubbed "Zero Month".[9] In addition, the Third Wave of titles was announced:Talon,Sword of Sorcery,Phantom Stranger, andTeam 7. With these additions to theline,Justice League International,Captain Atom,Resurrection Man, andVoodoo were cancelled.[10]
In October and November 2012, DC announced new titlesThreshold,[11]Justice League of America,[12]Katana,Justice League of America'sVibe,[13] andConstantine.[14]Threshold would be published in January 2013,Constantine in March 2013, while the others would be published in February 2013. DC later consolidated these new titles as the Fourth Wave of The New 52.[15]G.I. Combat,Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.,Grifter,Blue Beetle, andLegion Lost were cancelled as a result.[16]Young Romance: A New 52 Valentine's Day Special #1 was published as the 52nd title in February 2013.[15]
In January 2013, DC Comics announced the cancellation ofI, Vampire andDC Universe Presents in April 2013.[17] To celebrate the 60th birthday ofMad Magazine mascotAlfred E. Neuman, DC solicited variants drawn byMad artists for 13 titles being published in April 2013.[18]
Starting with titles released on January 28, 2013, all printed New 52 publications featured advertisements for the fictional news channel Channel 52. The two page back-ups, titledChannel 52, appear in all books, starting in February 2013, and replaced the previous "DC Comics: All Access" features. This news feature stars Bethany Snow,Ambush Bug,Vartox, andCalendar Man as reporters and anchors on the fictional in-universe news show. The art is provided by Freddie E. Williams II.[19] Each week brings new content regarding the current or future goings-on in the DC universe. Channel 52 and Bethany Snow make an appearance in the second season ofArrow.[20]
On January 30, 2013, DC announced that all titles released in April 2013 would be "WTF Certified". Each title would feature a gatefold cover and storylines and moments that will leave readers in a state of shock, including the return ofBooster Gold.[21][22] However, DC later dropped the "WTF Certified" branding and did not feature it on any of The New 52 books.[23] In February 2013, it was announced that DC Comics would launch two new politically motivated books as parts of the Fifth Wave:The Green Team: Teen Trillionaires andThe Movement. These would explore concepts similar to theOccupy Movement and the role money has in a world of superheroes.[24] A wave of cancellations was also announced for May 2013, includingThe Savage Hawkman,The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man,Sword of Sorcery,Team 7,Deathstroke, andThe Ravagers.[25]
In March 2013, DC announced that it would launch four new titles in June 2013, making up the rest of the Fifth Wave:Superman Unchained,Batman/Superman,Larfleeze, andTrinity of Sin: Pandora.[26] In April 2013, the cancellation ofBatman Incorporated was announced for July 2013. DC also solicited twodirector's cut one-shots for theSuperman Unchained book and the "Batman: Zero Year" story arc.[27] In May 2013, it was announced thatBatman Incorporated Special #1 would be published to finish off theBatman Incorporated series in August 2013.[28] Another director's cut one-shot was solicited for the "Trinity War" story arc, along with the cancellations ofDemon Knights,Legion of Super-Heroes,Threshold, andDial H.[29]
In June 2013, DC announced that all titles in September 2013 would be "relaunched" as a #1, featuring a villain from that respective book, as part of "Villains Month". For example,Detective Comics, which would have published issue 24 in September, would be released asDetective Comics #23.1 andPoison Ivy #1, with the issue being known by both titles.[30] It was the first major crossover in the New 52 since "Flashpoint" and spun out of the aftermath of "Trinity War". Each book featured3Dlenticular front and back covers.[31] DC also released 2D versions of the covers.[32] Some books published multiple "Villains Month" issues, while others skipped publication in September 2013. For example,Batman,Superman, andJustice League are some of the titles that published four issues, whileThe Flash published three issues,Aquaman and others published two issues, andGreen Arrow and others published only one.[31][33]
In addition to "Villains Month", a seven-issue limited series titledForever Evil, by Geoff Johns and David Finch, launched in September 2013 and focused on theCrime Syndicate, an evil version of theJustice League fromEarth-Three, as they attempt to take over Prime Earth in the Justice Leagues' defeat at the end of "Trinity War".[34] The "Forever Evil" event ran in other titles starting in October 2013, including three 6-issue tie-in books that launched:Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion by Brian Buccellato and Patrick Zircher;Forever Evil: Arkham War by Peter Tomasi, Scot Eaton and Jaime Mendoza; andForever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. by Matt Kindt and Manuel Garcia.[35] Other tie-in titles included:Teen Titans,Suicide Squad,Justice League,Justice League of America and the "Forever Evil: Blight" storyline inConstantine,Justice League Dark,Trinity of Sin: Pandora, andTrinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger.[35][36]Forever Evil #1 was also reprinted in a director's cut one-shot in October 2013.[35]
It was also announced in June 2013 that the "Batman: Zero Year" storyline inBatman would spin off into an event during November 2013, which would include other titles outside the "Batman" line of titles.[37] The event, initially conceptualized to tell Batman's origin in The New 52,[38] was featured in issue #25 ofAction Comics,The Flash,Green Arrow, andGreen Lantern Corps, along withBatgirl,Batwing,Batwoman,[39]Birds of Prey,Catwoman,Detective Comics,Nightwing, andRed Hood and the Outlaws in the "Batman" line.[40][41] The various books explored their characters' connections to Gotham City, and their first encounters with Batman.
On June 17, 2013, DC announced two new titles,Justice League 3000[42] andSuperman/Wonder Woman as the first titles of the Sixth Wave,[43] which began publication in October 2013. On July 16, 2013, DC announcedHarley Quinn, the third and last title of the Sixth Wave, which began publication in November 2013.[44][45] In August 2013, it was announced thatJustice League 3000's initial publication would be delayed to December 2013, following creative changes on the title.[46]
In October 2013, DC announcedBatman Eternal, a weekly year-long series which would feature Batman, his allies, and others in Gotham City.[47] It was announced in January 2014 that the series would begin in April of that year.[48] The cancellation ofKatana andJustice League of America's Vibe was also announced, with the titles' final publication in December 2013, whileGreen Team: The Teen Trillionaires would end in January 2014.[49] Following the release ofScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure, DC announced cover variants for 20 titles published in January 2014, featuringScribblenauts-inspired artwork.[50]
In November 2013, DC announced one-shot issuesSuperman: Lois Lane #1 andBatman: Joker's Daughter #1 for February 2014, featuringLois Lane and the newJoker's Daughter, respectively.[51] DC also announced that 20 titles being published in February 2014 would featuresteampunk-inspired cover variants.[52] As well, Johns revealed that the end of "Forever Evil" in March 2014 would mark the end of the first phase of The New 52, with a new phase starting in April 2014, "one that will see the introduction, and re-introduction, of a lot of characters, concepts and a decidedly new center to the DC universe."[53]
In December 2013, it was announced that another weekly year-long series titledThe New 52: Futures End would begin publication in May 2014, with a free zero issue forFree Comic Book Day. The series would be set five years in the New 52's future. Co-writer Jeff Lemire stated that the series was "an exploration of DC's past, present and its future."Batman Beyond made his New 52 debut in the series.[54] Solicitations published in December 2014 also revealed that 22 titles to be published in March 2014 would feature variant covers based onRobot Chicken, to promote the secondRobot Chicken DC Comics Special.[55][56]
In January 2014, DC announcedAquaman and the Others,Justice League United,Secret Origins andSinestro ongoing series andForever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1 for publication in April 2014. In addition, DC revealed thatJustice League of America,Nightwing,Stormwatch,Suicide Squad,Superman Unchained, andTeen Titans would end in April 2014.[48] It was also announced that April 2014 publications would feature a second wave of variant covers inspired byMAD magazine.[57]
In February 2014,Gail Simone revealed that her seriesThe Movement would be canceled in May 2014 after 12 issues.[58] It was also revealed that 19 titles published in May 2014 would feature variant covers drawn byMike Allred in the style ofBatman '66.[59] A one-shot issue,Superman: Doomed #1 would also be published in May, as a tie-in to a crossover story arc of the same name.[60]
DC later announced that as part of the celebration of The New 52's third anniversary, all ongoing titles published in September 2014 would feature stories that tied intoThe New 52: Futures End. DC Comics co-publisherDan DiDio declared:
These stories aren't going to just be tied into the weekly. But what you'll be seeing is a lot of the writers who are working on series right now projecting forward—their ideas, their storylines, where they think their character might be five years from now. [...] The [lenticluar 3D] covers now will also have the ability to have a 'flicker' effect. That means that the images change and show the transformation going on... There is a level of change that is taking place with our characters during the course of this story.
DiDio added that new ongoing titles would launch in June and July to be included in the event.[61] Following the month of tie-ins, a third weekly titledEarth 2: World's End launched in October 2014. This title is set in the present DC Universe onEarth 2, while showcasing the events and circumstances that lead to the future depicted inFutures End.[62][63]
In March 2014, DC announced the launch ofInfinity Man and theForever People, the one-shotHarley Quinn Director's Cut #0, and the cancellation ofLarfleeze for June 2014.[64] March also saw the announcement of variant covers for 20 titles in June 2014, based on the DC Collectibles "Bombshells" statue line designed byAnt Lucia, the covers featureretro andpinup versions of female characters.[65] DC also revealed two new publications for July 2014: an ongoing seriesStar-Spangled War Stories and a one-shotHarley Quinn Invades San Diego Comic-Con.[66]
In April 2014, DC announcedSuicide Squad andTeen Titans would be relaunched in July 2014, with the former being retitledNew Suicide Squad.[67][68] A new series, titledGrayson, focusing on character Dick Grayson following his role in "Forever Evil",[69] and a one-shot issueRobin Rises: Omega, tied into theBatman and Robin storyline "The Hunt for Robin", would also debut.[70] It was revealed that July 2014's variant theme would be Batman's 75th anniversary, with 21 publications featuring "Batman 75" themes.[71] April also saw the official announcement ofThe Multiversity, which began publication in August 2014;[72] the 8-issue limited series was first mentioned by writerGrant Morrison in April–May 2009 intended for a 2010 release date.[citation needed]The Multiversity was intended to pick up on storylines left over from52 andFinal Crisis.[73]
In May 2014, DC announced that six titles,All-Star Western,Batwing,Birds of Prey,Superboy,Trinity of Sin: Pandora andTrinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger, would have their final publications in August 2014.[74] It was also revealed that 22 titles published in August 2014 would feature "DC Universe Selfie" variant covers, focusing on the popular trend of takingselfies.[75] A secondSuperman: Doomed one-shot was also announced.[74]
In June 2014, DC announced six new titles for their Ninth Wave:Arkham Manor,[76]Deathstroke,[77]Gotham Academy,[76]Klarion,[78]Lobo,[79] andTrinity of Sin[80] for publication in October 2014.
In February 2015, it was announced that following theConvergence storyline in May, the New 52 branding would not be used anymore, although the continuity of the New 52 would continue. That June, 24 new titles were unveiled under a newly introduced DC You initiative, and most of the 25 remaining titles of The New 52 had new creative teams.[81]
The Multiversity Guidebook #1 changed the nature of the52 multiverse. In this book, the New 52 multiverse was the result of a phenomenon calledHypertime. In the book, Brainiac takes cities from the Pre-"Crisis", Post-"Crisis", and Post-"Flashpoint" multiverses and placed them on a planet in another reality. He leaves a portion of himself behind; this part of Braniac renames himself Telos and has the cities battle each other.[82] Deimos of Skartaris tries to take complete control of the Telos' world but is killed by the Parallax-possessed Hal Jordan.[83] This triggers a chain reaction that threatens to collapse the multiverse.[84] To prevent this, Telos sends several of the heroes back to theCrisis on Infinite Earths to prevent the destruction of the original multiverse. Telos states "They have done it. Reality is resetting, stabilizing. Each world has evolved, but they all still exist." In an interview, writer Jeff King stated "Post-Convergence, every character that ever existed, in either Continuity or Canon, is now available to us as storytellers."[85]
In February 2016, DC announced itsRebirth initiative, a line-wide relaunch of its titles, to begin in June 2016. Beginning with an 80-page one-shot which was released on May 25, 2016, Rebirth also sawAction Comics andDetective Comics return to their previous numbering (#957 and #934, respectively), nearly all books releasing atUS$2.99, multiple books shifting to a twice-monthly release schedule, a number of existing titles relaunching with new #1 issues, and the release of several new titles.[86][87] DC has used theGreen Lantern: Rebirth andThe Flash: Rebirth miniseries as examples of the basis for the initiative, which has been described as a rebirth of the DC Universe. The Rebirth initiative reintroduced concepts from pre-Flashpoint continuity, such as legacy, that had been lost with The New 52 and built "on everything that's been published sinceAction Comics #1 up through The New 52."[86]
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In June 2011, DC Co-PublisherJim Lee revealed that he and DC Art DirectorMark Chiarello had enlisted artistCully Hamner to help spearhead the redesign of characters for the relaunch of the DC Universe.[88]
In late July 2011, DC releasedThe New 52, a free preview book giving solicitations and previews of all of the new titles launching from August 31, 2011. Notable continuity changes shown includedSuperman's two new looks: one which consists of jeans, a blue T-shirt with the "S" logo and a cape, the other consisting of Kryptonian battle armor that resembles his classic costume. Other notable changes included the integration of theWildstorm imprint's characters into DC continuity, withMartian Manhunter as a part of the new Stormwatch team in the relaunchedStormwatch series.[89]
Justice League was the first book of the relaunch, with the first issue released on August 31, 2011. The first story arc takes place five years in the past, detailing the first meeting of the Justice League members and the formation of the team.[5]
The initial run of first issues show a universe in which superheroes have only appeared within the last five years and are viewed with suspicion and hostility,[90] withSuperman andBatman being pursued by the police five years ago at the start of their careers.[90][91] In the present day, organizations such as the United Nations and the United States government seek to exploit and control the superheroes through groups such as theJustice League International[92] and theJustice League of America.[12]
The "Batman" family of titles strongly resemble the past continuity. However, former BatgirlsStephanie Brown andCassandra Cain have had their histories erased. Additionally, all of theRobins have been accounted for, including the previously non-canonicalCarrie Kelley.[93] Stephanie made her first appearance in The New 52 as the Spoiler in the teaser issue toBatman Eternal inBatman #28.[94] Barbara Gordon recovered from the paralysis inflicted upon her by the Joker's bullet inBatman: The Killing Joke and returned to crimefighting asBatgirl.[95]
As for Superman, his romantic relationship and marriage to Lois Lane has not transpired, and his adoptive parentsJonathan and Martha Kent have died.[96][97][98] He was depicted as being slightly more short-tempered, retaining his American identity, and in a relationship withWonder Woman.[99] Various character changes were implemented, such asStarfire,[100]Guy Gardner,[101] andTim Drake[102] having their origins significantly changed.Sinestro was depicted as having returned recently to theGreen Lantern Corps, where he became a villain again.[citation needed] Meanwhile, theEarth-Two version ofAlan Scott was depicted asgay.[103]
The imprint titles are divided into seven families of titles, revolving around central characters or themes. By the release of the October 2013 solicitations, DC was no longer grouping the titles by these families. Instead they began releasing one larger solicit, titled "The New 52 Group". However, titles that were not participating in an event for the month, such as "Forever Evil", were still grouped together in the larger solicit by the previous family headings.[104]
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In February 2015, it was revealed that after theConvergence miniseries in June 2015, DC would no longer use The New 52 name to brand their books; however the continuity established in September 2011 would continue.Dan DiDio stated, "In this new era of storytelling, story will trump continuity as we continue to empower creators to tell the best stories".[109]
Rather than having 52 books all in the same continuity, and really focusing on keeping a universe that's tightly connected and has super-internal consistency, and really one flavor, we've really broken it up. We'll have a core line of about 25 books that will have that internal consistency, that will consist of our best-selling books. But then the rest of the line, about 24 titles, will be allowed to really shake things up a little bit.
The new titles would be about "reinventing key characters", such as Black Canary,Cyborg, Bizarro, and Starfire, with a new "contemporary tonality to ensure a diverse offering of comic books." In the initial "relaunch", 24 new publications joined 25 existing publications from beforeConvergence, with new titles continuing to be added.[109]
In March 2015, DiDio revealed there would not be an "overarching brand on this" stating the relaunch was just "DC Comics, pure and simple."[110] However, in May 2015, DC announced the advertising campaign DC You for the relaunch, which highlighted the four main themes of characters, talent, stories and fans. The initiative, which began in DC's print and digital comics on May 20, before transitioning to other digital content on June 3, was featured on print inserts and ads, as well as on the DC Comics website and across social media with a specialhashtag of #DCYou.[111]
Pre-orders forJustice League #1 exceeded 200,000 copies.[112]Justice League #1 has been sent back to press at least four times and all of The New 52's first issue titles sold out by September 24, 2011.[113] For the month of September 2011, DC had eight of the top ten comic books, in spite of Marvel's heavily publicized replacementUltimate Spider-Man,Miles Morales debuting in that title the same month.[114]Justice League #1 was the top selling comic book in 2011.[115]
WriterWarren Ellis was unimpressed with the relaunch's sales, stating that it garnered DC a half-point lead in dollar share and a five-point lead in units sold overMarvel Comics. Ellis also pointed out that the units DC sold were returnable.[116]
ColumnistHeidi MacDonald stated that, while the market share comparisons were correct, the sales figures for single issue books did not take into account the fact that returnable comics were downgraded by approximately 10%, and that DC's sales were about that amount lower than the actual sales, in order to allow for potential returns. MacDonald opined that while the sellouts and reprintings made returns unlikely, the sales would remain 10% lower throughout the period in which the books could be returned, which lasted through December 2011, and that actual sales would be adjusted for this factor inDiamond Comic Distributors' end of year figures.[117]
Writer and ComicMix columnistGlenn Hauman wrote that relying solely on Diamond's numbers, to the exclusion of newsstand, overseas and digital sales, does not provide a complete measure of the relaunch's success. Hauman emphasized that the infinite long-term availability of digital editions meant that sales would continue on the books for weeks and months afterwards, and that the market share for that market was uncertain.[118]
By December 2011, Marvel Comics regained the top spot for Marvel market share in both dollars and units.[119] In April 2013, DC's unit share fell below 28%, but rose to a 45.17% market share in September due to high orders for Villain Month.[120][121] It fell back to 30.77% by January 2014.[122]
Forbes,The New York Times andThe A.V. Club saw The New 52 as a good editorial move from DC.[123][124][125]The Christian Science Monitor's Rich Clabaugh cited the relaunchedAction Comics andDetective Comics as the strongest of the first week's releases.[126]
In terms of the books themselves, Keith Phipps and Oliver Sava ofThe A.V. Club praised the art inJustice League #1, but thought its writing and structure was a weak point.[127] In all, the two reviewers namedO.M.A.C.,Captain Atom,Animal Man andWonder Woman their favorite books of the relaunch.[124] They gaveBatman high praise,[128] and enjoyedAction Comics,Swamp Thing,[129]Batwoman,Frankenstein Agent Of S.H.A.D.E.,Demon Knights,Batman and Robin,[128][130]Nightwing,[128]Aquaman,The Flash,All Star Western, andVoodoo.[124] However, they both dislikedDetective Comics,Hawk and Dove,[129]Legion Lost,Red Lanterns,[130]Legion Of Super-Heroes,DC Universe Presents:Deadman,[128]Superman,Batman: The Dark Knight,The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men, andThe Savage Hawkman.[124] On the remaining titles, the reviewers were either split, or exhibited mixed reactions ranging from indifference to cautious optimism or curiosity.
Corrina Lawson ofWired dubbed the New 52 "a big, fat failure" from a reader standpoint, noting that the same stories could have been told without rebooting the fictional universe. She did, however, state that the New 52 was good from a business perspective, as it led to an increased market share for DC.[131]
The launch of the New 52 was criticized for the lack of female creators, which had dropped from 12% to 1%, the latter figure represented by writer Gail Simone andAmy Reeder, an alternating artist onBatwoman who would not debut on that title until issue #6.[132] This led to a tense interaction between fans and DC Comics co-publisherDan DiDio at the 2011San Diego Comic Con,[132][133] where DiDio was asked by a fan about the drop in female creators from 12% to 1%. DiDio responded by saying, "What do those numbers mean to you? What do they mean to you? Who should we be hiring? Tell me right now. Who should we be hiring right now? Tell me."[133]
In an editorial responding to DiDio,ComicsAlliance editor-in-chief Laura Hudson wrote, "Women are half of the world, and a significant percentage of the DC Comics character stable, and yet only 1% of their creators. And the way that you treat and represent half of the people in your world—and by extension, half of the people in the real world who might potentially buy your books—should be more than a marginal concern."[134]
On July 29, 2011, DC released a letter addressing the lack of female creators on their official blog, highlighting notable female creators currently being published by them and promising more in the future.[135] Hudson called the letter "an enormous and very positive departure from how DC Comics has dealt with controversies about gender and race in the past, which was almost uniformly not to comment", adding, "While it remains to be seen what sort of meaningful changes in either attitudes or hiring practices will follow, it certainly leaves me feeling more optimistic than I have in some time, or maybe ever."[136]
DC also received criticism for its handling of certain female characters during the relaunch, sparking discussion of exploitative overtones in titles such asCatwoman #1 andRed Hood and the Outlaws #1. Laura Hudson of ComicsAlliance and Andrew Wheeler ofBleeding Cool criticized the relaunch for oversexualized characterization of its female characters, such as Catwoman,Harley Quinn,Starfire, andVoodoo, for cancelling books with female leads likePower Girl, and relegating the star of that series to the status ofMister Terrific's girlfriend.[137][138] Writer/editorJim Shooter disliked the treatment of female characters in general, and referred to the treatment of Starfire in particular as "porn for kids".[139] Keith Phipps and Oliver Sava agreed with the observations ofCatwoman andRed Hood and the Outlaws,[128] but opined thatVoodoo was a positive example how to incorporate a female character's sexuality as a relevant aspect of the story without appearing exploitative.[124] Wheeler also complained thatretconningBarbara Gordon'sparalysis as a temporary injury from which she recovered,[95] and restoring her asBatgirl, to the exclusion ofCassandra Cain andStephanie Brown, made the DC Universe less diverse and inclusive.[138] Responding to the criticism,Catwoman writerJudd Winick explained that it was DC that desired this tone for that book.[140]
In June 2011, DC announced that Barbara Gordon would be returning to the role of Batgirl in September 2011, in her own eponymous monthly comic, as part of a company-wide relaunch of all of their titles. In addition, formerBirds of Prey writer Gail Simone would be writing the series.[141] This announcement became one of the most controversial aspects of the DC Comics relaunch.[142] Supporters of Barbara Gordon in her persona as Oracle have expressed dismay over losing an iconic character for the disabled community. Journalist and blogger Jill Pantozzi, who is diagnosed withmuscular dystrophy, stated that:
[...] people being disabled is part of the real world, it is essential it be part of the fictional world as well... Writer Kevin Van Hook did a great job showing what disabled individuals have to go through in the mini-series Oracle: The Cure. It's that type of honesty I expect more of ... While some diverse characters were mishandled over the years, Oracle was always treated with the utmost respect but this move is the most disrespectful I've seen in a long time.[143]
Gail Simone responded directly by stating that at times when others had attempted to restore Gordon's mobility, she fought to keep her as a disabled character, even in light of requests from readers who also had disabilities that wished to see the character healed.[144] However, part of her reasoning for reversing her decision and writingBatgirl with Gordon as the title character was that:
[a]rms and legs get ripped off, and they grow back, somehow. Graves don't stay filled. But the one constant is that Barbara stays in that chair. Role model or not, that is problematic and uncomfortable, and the excuses to not cure her, in a world ofpurple rays and magic and super-science, are often unconvincing or wholly meta-textual. And the longer it goes on, the more it has stretched credibility. But now, everything has changed. If nearly everyone in the DCU, not just Batgirl but almost everyone, is now at a much earlier stage in their career, then my main objection no longer applies, because we are seeing Barbara at an earlier starting point.[144]
FormerBatman writer and editor Dennis O'Neil and Oracle co-creator John Ostrander expressed disappointment over the change. O'Neil stated that during his tenure at DC, "[W]e had hordes of people in spandex beating up criminals ... We didn't have anybody like Oracle, who overcame a disability and was just as valuable and just as effective in a way that didn't involve violence." However, he also stated that from an alternate point of view, "Barbara Gordon's perception in the mainstream public as Batgirl would be a very valid consideration." Ostrander continues to view Oracle as a stronger character than Batgirl, but has also expressed faith in Gail Simone's skills as a writer. He commented that "[t]imes change and characters and people evolve. I changed things when I wrote characters, including changing Barbara to Oracle. Others do the same for this era ... Gail Simone is a good friend and a wonderful writer and I'm sure her work will be wonderful."[145]
A number of editorial controversies emerged in the wake of The New 52, promptingTopless Robot, a genre website owned byThe Village Voice, to publish an article in September 2013, "The Eight Biggest DC Creative Screw-Ups Since the New 52 Began". A number of these controversies concerned firings or resignations of creators which, in some cases, stemmed from conflicts between those creators and editorial decisions.[146]
Writer/artistGeorge Pérez, who leftSuperman after six issues, explained his departure in July 2012 as a result of the level of editorial oversight exerted on the title. This included the inconsistent reasons given for rewrites of his material, the inability of editors to answer basic questions about the new Superman's status quo, such as whether his adoptive parents were still alive, and the restrictions created by not being told thatAction Comics, with whichSuperman had to remain consistent, was set five years beforeSuperman, a situation complicated by the fact thatAction writer Grant Morrison was not forthcoming about their plans.[147]
In the following monthRob Liefeld, who had been hired by DC to plotGrifter andThe Savage Hawkman, and to plot and drawDeathstroke, and who had indicated the previous month that his run on those titles would last into 2013,[148][149] announced that he was quitting DC Comics, with his last issues being the #0 issues to be published that September. Though he characterized his experience on The New 52 as positive overall, he did not disguise his animosity toward editor Brian Smith, with whom he clashed, being among his reasons for leaving the company.[150][151] Other reasons he cited were frequent rewrites of his material, and the overall corporate culture that was more prevalent now that both DC and Marvel were owned by large media conglomerates. Liefeld also referred to Scott Clark's artwork onGrifter as "crap".[152] In response to these events, artistPete Woods defended DC editorial, stating that the restrictions placed on creators was the result of a plan they had for all 52 of their titles that required them to be consistent with one another.[152] Marvel's Senior Vice President of PublishingTom Brevoort and writer Gail Simone defended Brian Smith, disputing Liefeld's characterization of him, leading to a heated exchange onTwitter between Liefeld and Brevoort,[152][153] and eventually headBatman writerScott Snyder as well.[152][153][154]
In late November 2012,Rich Johnston of Bleeding Cool had noted the possibility of Gail Simone leavingBatgirl and possibly DC Comics as a whole.[155] In December 2012, Gail Simone had revealed that she was no longer the writer ofBatgirl,[156] despite the title being a consistent top-seller which had received favorable reviews.[132] She had been informed by her new editor, Brian Cunningham, via e-mail of the creative change.[157]Ray Fawkes would fill in for two issues,Batgirl #17 and 18.[158] Twelve days after being fired, however, Gail Simone had announced that she had been re-hired as the writer ofBatgirl, and that she would return following Fawkes' issues.[159]
In March 2013, bothAndy Diggle andJoshua Hale Fialkov announced that they would be leaving their writing duties at DC Comics. Diggle had previously signed as ongoing writer ofAction Comics starting with issue #19, following Grant Morrison's run on the title. However, Diggle later announced that he would be leaving the title before the first issue had even been published, citing professional reasons. He is credited as the sole writer in issue #19. Series artist Tony Daniel finished Diggle's work on the title as a scripter.[160] Fialkov was signed to write bothRed Lanterns andGreen Lantern Corps followingGeoff Johns's departure from the Green Lantern line, however, Fialkov left DC Comics without a single issue being written by him due to creative differences with editorial.[161]
In September 2013,J. H. Williams III andHaden Blackman announced their intention to leaveBatwoman with issue 26, citing last-minute editorial changes as the reason.[162] Among these editorial decisions was a prohibition on having the title character marry her fiancéeMaggie Sawyer. Co-Publisher Dan DiDio explained that the major superheroes in the Batman family of books should not get married because finding true happiness would undermine the angst and turmoil that typify those characters, and their commitment to the superhero lives they lead. WriterMarc Andreyko, who is openly gay himself, took over the title with issue 25, which featured a "Batman: Zero Year" tie-in.[163] This creative change interrupted the finale to Williams' and Blackman's work on the title; they had already written issues 25 and 26 prior to their departure.[164] Andreyko resolvedBatwoman #24's cliffhanger ending inBatwoman Annual #1.[165]
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