In short, it feels very much like DC is engaging in its usual hedging of bets, attempting to "reinvent" itself whilst simultaneously holding onto that old nostalgic feel. It's an effort to move boldly forward in distributing comics....but creatively, it's a huge step backward, with DC hedging its bets.
One very important example is the return of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. There are two much better pieces about this written than I could write, but it really takes away from a fundamental piece of storytelling - Oracle, as a character, is someone who reinvented herself in the face of tragedy. Now, she's going back to....well, being Batgirl, only because of the belief that only one character can be Batgirl. (And in regards to age, wouldn't it be more appropriate to call her Batwoman?)
OK, won't open that particular can of worms....
But I will have to say, I now spell class Gail Simone, especially with her recent note about the cancellation of Secret Six. It was a series that, quite frankly, had a unique tone and some really characterization. She could have easily dismissed DC (as JMS did when he left Marvel) or purely played the corporate line; this piece straddles both.
I'm also a little disappointed that the renumbering of comics happens with both Action and Detective. Given some of the rights around Superman occur with the 1938 Action # 1.....it just seems a little spiteful and unfair. But that may be just me.
However, leave it to an NPR blogger to help put this all into perspective.
At least one good thing has happened - in light of reduced funds, I now can easily cut down on my comic reading, because quite frankly, I'm tired of the roller coaster. This isn't fannish entitlement - it's a guy realizing that, well, there's a bigger comic universe out there, and I need to charge head-on into it.
But I need to leave my cozy neighborhood first. And DC is making it easier.
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