May 25th is the day thousands of DC fans around the world were expecting to finally see what is the new direction the DC Universe will take for the years or perhaps decades to come. It all starts with DC Universe Rebirth #1, an 80-page one-shot which is the foundation of everything to come in this new post-rebirth era.
The events from this issue are chronologically placed after Superman #52 and Justice League #50 and the writer recommends the reader to check those before open the pages of DC Universe Rebirth #1. In many senses, these precedent issues, represent like "turn the page" or "close the chapter" stories which connect many dots and help people to understand most of the things happening in DC Universe Rebirth and what gives with the new status quo.
The Death of the new 52 Superman to leave an open road to the pre-flashback Superman to appear, is in my opinion a very hasty act just created to assuage the shouts of the fans who wanted the old Superman again, definitely the '92 Death of Superman storyline was more meaningful in many ways and at least had a purpose: to make money. However I must confess this current death was much more emotive than the preceding one, since this Superman had enough time to say farewell to all his friends and relatives.
Justice League #50 also settles some of the things for the new status quo such as the establishment of Jessica Cruz as member of the Green Lantern Corps, Darkseid reverted to a baby, three Jokers operating in Gotham, the taking over of Apokolips by Lex Luthor, the secret existence of Diana's twin brother and an epilogue with a cliffhanger capable to exploit the intrigue at maximum.
Many of the cliffhangers are really impressive and set the tone for what is coming, then comes DC Universe Rebirth #1, presenting the pre-flashpoint Wally West, who still exists somewhere, as the narrator of the story as he tells about his existence through time, mentioning many of the pre-crisis and post-crisis events as "stolen from time". He even recalls Crisis on Infinite Earths.
The reference of Flash-point as the event that changed reality again creating the New 52 Universe turns out it was the result of the "theft" of 10 years from the DC Universe history. However no one knew about it only Wally West and now he is warning people from the current DC Universe reality. It makes me feel like reboot after reboot and crisis after crisis, the DC Universe was always there. Things always moved forward but were only changed backwards, in the past of the characters but their essence was the same as they were the same characters moving ahead on time but just having their past altered in one way or another.
There are some characters who return to the DC Universe as Ted Kord, Ray Palmer, the Legion of Superheroes and even hints about the possible return of the Justice Society of America gathered by 99-year-old Johnny Thunder born in 1917 according to the golden age continuity and totally tied to World War II.
DC Universe Rebirth starts a very elaborated theory to reestablish some of the prominent aspects of the DC legacy but at the end it is not a complete explanation of how things will return as they were before Flash-point (if this is what will happen in the months to come), in fact, you will be disappointed if you are looking for a total reestablishment of the old DC universe. Things are evidently moving forward and nothing will return as it was, most of the subplots on this one-shot are unsolved, creating a ton of cliffhangers (such as the incorporation of the Watchmen inside the mainstream DC Universe) to make you buy more comics and the 80-page giant should be called 65-page plus ads, yes, 15 pages of house ads!, trying to hook you on getting the upcoming issues.
No all fans can be satisfied, as a someone said: "the secret of failure is trying to please everyone" but DC Rebirth is a decent exit from the disastrous Didio's New 52, although we are happy by seeing the return of some aspects of the old flavor, things definitely will not be the same anymore. Finally want to tell my respected fans of Metamorpho, that our beloved character does not appear on this one but at least Element Girl is on it, as a reminiscence, nothing else. I hope this new era brings good things for the Element Man.
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