Another year, another relaunch. In the last decade or so, comic book editors have had the tendency to throw their fingers onto the ‘relaunch’ button too often. Whether this is for creative reasons or the necessity of sales, it’s difficult to say. But after Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC enjoyed a glorious quarter-of-a-century without a significant restart – what’s the point in a relaunch when writers come along to revamp titles and add majestic new ideas into long-running titles? Nevertheless, in 2011 – after the wonderful Flashpoint event whereby Barry Allen’s efforts to rescue his mother from a death by the hands of Professor Zoom end up creating a warped alternative reality – DC launched the New 52. Nearly every title returned to issue one and a new continuity was launched. But this revamp didn’t last for decades – it made four-and-a-half years before DC wanted another relaunch. With titles reaching their fifty-second issues, they were all to return back to issue one (excluding Detective Comics and Action Comics, which – thankfully – returned to their original pre-2011 numbering system, adding on the 52 issues of the New 52 era to these two classic titles would begin the new era already at issue numbering in the 800s or 900s). But unlike the New 52, Rebirth isn’t a complete relaunch. Geoff Johns, the creative lead at DC during this period, aimed to merge the two timelines – the pre-2011 world of DC with the New 52, in effect bringing together decades of continuity neatly under one umbrella. And in July 2016 – the month whereby the final New 52 issues were released – Johns wrote a one-off introduction to this new era of DC Comics…
DC Universe: Rebirth was a one-off lengthy graphic-novel style introduction to a post-2016 world. Written by Geoff Johns, with art by Ethan Van Sciver, Gary Frank, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Phil Jimenez, and Matt Santorelli, DC Rebirth is best read in a lovely Deluxe Edition which reprints all the story’s chapters and a few bits of bonus material as well.
DC Universe: Rebirth is split in four easily digestible chapters, concluding with a brief epilogue. As an introduction to this new era, it is partially a teaser of events to come in various titles by a huge array of writers. But by-and-large, the story’s star is Wally West. It seems that the events of the Multiverse must always revolve around the scarlet speedsters – after all, it was the meeting between Jay Garrick and Barry Allen that was to prove highly consequential in 1961’s famous The Flash of Two Worlds (The Flash 123).
Chapter One is entitled Lost, and that is exactly the status of Wally West. Trapped within the Speed Force outside the Multiverse, Wally West attempts to reconnect with the real world. In this new universe, Wally West doesn’t appear to exist – at least, the characters who he would once consider friends and family don’t recognise him. Why Wally is in this limbo position is never really made clear. According to DC Database, Wally’s disappearance was not down to a colossal event like Flashpoint, but Abra Kadabra, an entertaining Flash foe who obviously has been underestimated. He cast a spell and erased Wally from existence. But ever since the Darkseid War, which – for some unknown reason – weakened the barriers between the Multiverse and the Speed Force – Wally has been attempting to break through and obtain his freedom. All he requires is that one person remembers him! It’s a neat concept for a story, but some backstory to Wally’s plight would have been nice. Nevertheless, Wally briefly pierces through the Speed Force and speaks with Batman. It’s here where we witness Geoff Johns’s careful moulding of a new continuity, one which features old stories and expands upon them. In the Bat-Cave, Batman is once again pondering the idea of whether there are three Jokers. Geoff Johns made this a brilliant feature of his Darkseid War tale at the tail-end of the Justice League run during the New 52. This is a great hint of a future story, one which many readers looked forward to uncontrollably until it was finally released during 2020. That is a story for another day – in the present, Batman fails to recognise Wally West, sending him back into the Speed Force. But in Wally’s wake, a note is left. A piece of paper not from a world unrecognisable to anyone – well, anyone by Barry Allen, for this is the note that Thomas Wayne of the Flashpoint universe wrote for the Bruce Wayne of New Earth, who received this note at the end of the Flashpoint miniseries. This is another instance of Geoff Johns amalgamating the worlds of pre-Flashpoint and post-Flashpoint, with Prime Earth – the post-2011 mainstream DC world – now merging with New Earth, the pre-2011 universe. The Multiverse really can be too technical for its own good.
Chapter Two is a more varied affair. Entitled Legacy, this second part continues to follow Wally on his journey, but it features more familiar faces. One of those who Wally tries to find salvation with is Johnny Thunder, that once young and dapper member of the Justice Society who now finds himself in a care home where nobody believes his old tales of the Thunderbolt. It’s difficult to feel anything other than sadness at watching how life has decayed for Johnny Thunder, even if he was never a favourite of him in the team. Wally fails to return to the land of the living, leaving the second part to explore some of the aspects of life on this new incarnation of Earth. One change is the disappearance of Professor Ray Palmer – the quest for his return in the hands of Ryan Choi, a science student who finds himself to be the new Atom. There are other changes too, but one dramatic alteration links back to a character created by Geoff Johns for his Justice League New 52 run. Anyone remember Pandora? That hooded figure of mystery who played such a key role in Trinity War and Forever Evil? Well, at the end of the second part, she is literally blown to pieces! It’s a shocking moment to witness her death, and it’s not because she was a memorable or particularly good character. What’s more noticeable is that her demise is similar to the deaths of Owlman and Metron at the end of Justice League (vol 2) 50. Obliterated into bright smithereens by a mystical blue figure, it doesn’t take a genius to work out who is behind the killing…
Chapter Three is called Love, and this is when Wally West appears to ultimately fail in his quest. DC Universe: Rebirth acts as a biography of Wally West, reminding readers of how he became the Kid Flash, and joined the Teen Titans before becoming of age and taking up the mantle of the Flash after Barry Allen’s apparent death. Johns writes Wally West not just as a witness of this new universe, but as a believable character who readers would root for. Johns achieves this by conveying Wally West’s family and how ultimately, they are the primary reason why Wally wishes to return to the living. But of course, even they can’t remember him. Linda Park, once the wife of Wally, has returned to her job as a reporter. When reporting on the apparent death of Superman (an event which the story touches upon far too lightly), Wally appears to Linda as he tries desperately hard for her to remember their marriage. But she cannot, and Wally disappears back into the Speed Force, with his entire existence nearly gone. The revelation that Linda doesn’t remember him, while a predictable moment, nevertheless leaves a powerful mark.
The last chapter is Life, a title which perhaps suggests how this story ends for the protagonist. Fortunately, the title names aren’t revealed until the final page of the chapters. Either way, Wally continues to appear to characters from across the Universe, but still there is no success. And then he meets Barry Allen, the Flash. Wally knows that Barry won’t recognise him – Wally’s time is up. As he begins to decay and crumble into dust for the final time, he thanks his mentor and father-figure for the great life they have had together in a genuinely powerful and moving scene. And suddenly, with just a second to space, Barry’s memory of Wally returns. The Flash grabs hold of his former sidekick and that connection returns Wally West to the land of the living.
Although Wally is safe and sound and his presence is returned to the memories of all, questions are left to answered. The two Flashes have noticed the Universe has changed – memories affected and people missing. Who is behind it all? Whoever it is, they are an almighty force. DC remained very coy for years about the identity of the true mastermind, even though it’s patently obvious. And then Geoff Johns leaves the biggest hint – or more like answer – that can be given. Back in the Bat-Cave, Batman investigates and finds a badge, a yellow smiley-faced badge with a streak of blood on it. DC has finally met Watchmen. In the ever-so-brief epilogue, a broken clock is repaired using the telekinesis powers possessed by only a god – again, we all know who it is. The final words leave a huge amount of excitement and suspense for the future – ‘The clock is ticking across the DC Universe…’
DC Universe: Rebirth is a one-off which focuses on the Flash. But really, It’s not so much about the Flash, but about laying the foundations for the next stage of the DC Universe. In effect, it’s one big teaser, made up of hints and suggestions of events that will be occurring in various DC titles in the issues long after July 2016. This includes a brief appearance of Gotham and Gotham Girl, two key characters from the first storyline of Tom King’s epic Batman (vol 3) run. There is also a brief section on Green Arrow and Black Canary, two characters who never knew one another in the New 52 era, but now that some continuity from the pre-2011 history has returned, they experience feelings of attachment. Moreover, there’s an appearance of Grail and the new-born son that will soon become Darkseid, a reference to the past with Johns’s JLA run, but a hint of things to come in the future. These are only a few of the future stories that are hinted at here. Some of these moments are given a few panels, other just get one. But that’s beside the point – this is a grand showcase for what readers can expect from upcoming DC titles. This is a brilliant advertisement for DC’s future.
Ignoring the advertising, this one-off would be basic and shallow stuff. Sure, we are emotionally invested in Wally West, his life, and return thanks to Barry Allen, but without the relaunch of the DC Universe or a large change in the Multiverse, a story that focuses solely on Wally West’s return wouldn’t have been much to write home about.
To some degree, it makes DC Universe: Rebirth quite difficult to judge. It’s more of a showcase of ideas to be expanded upon by other writers than anything that distinguishes it on its own. Geoff Johns does well to make sure the tale isn’t bogged down too greatly by technical terminology and details of the Multiverse, but some more explanations to some of the events here would have been nice. For instance, when exactly did this shift in the Multiverse occur. Previously, you could be certain that the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis, or Flashpoint were the turning points. Here, there is no such story to signify that a page has been turned. It appears that everyone woke up one day and suddenly noticed the changes. It could have been random – after all, it is the workings of a god who is behind all this, a god who DC were ridiculously coy about revealing until much later. But events here do remind me of that famous quote from the great floating blue man himself, “We’re all puppets. I’m just the puppet who can see the strings.” Those wise words may have been true, but now it appears that the great puppet may be the puppet-master. Watch this space!
A cluster of creative artists unite for the first outing in DC’s newest universe. Gary Frank and Ivan Reis are the main artists – like Jim Lee-esque visuals are gorgeous and essentially summarise the best kind of art seen in modern comics. But there is also some great work here by Ethan Van Sciver, whose efforts in the first chapter sparkle with stunning scenes and ooze with great drama. The storytelling is where I believe the one-off really does shine. Events are never told boringly and, as the collected edition’s additional content display, the artists convey their intent to echo the events of Watchmen and Dave Gibbons’s brilliance as a dynamic storyteller. Some pages are almost a complete one-to-one translation from an event in Watchmen.
Some may believe it to be a sign of a lack of creativity or originality, but I say it’s a sweet adoring reference. Overall, for this new era, DC succeed in delivering their best artwork.
VERDICT
Overall, it’s hard to judge DC Universe: Rebirth too critically. After all, it is an advertisement, and a very good one at that. The plot is one that Geoff Johns succeeds in attaching readers to, especially by the ending where Wally’s apparent last meeting with Barry is genuinely powerful. However, the story really succeeds by all its references and nods to what will happen next. This isn’t just true of events that will happen in other titles, but those colossal occasions that affect the entirety of the DC Universe. Are there really three Jokers? What does the Comedian’s badge turning up in the Bat-Cave mean? What will Doctor Manhattan do next? Although Alan Moore – for all of his strengths and talents as a creative prophet (to borrow some pretentious language which writers like he may use) – is no fan of DC returning the characters of Watchmen to the pages of DC, I firmly believe that their return added new life to mainstream comics. With more questions and so much more potential, Geoff Johns launched Rebirth with excitement and suspension in the air…
Next Week: Starman: Sins of the Father (Starman (vol 2) 0-6). Written by James Robinson with art by Tony Harris, Wade Von Grawbadger, Teddy Kristiansen, Kim Hagen, Bjarne Hansen, and Christian Hojgaard.
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