Last week a lot of rumors swirl that if DC’s 5G planned shake up to the DCU timeline is a financial failer. The new regime known as WarnerMedia or AT&T will shut down DC Comics for good, and place it on a shelf so no business parties would buy out DC Comics. On Friday February 21st 2020, in the evening. The news broke thanks to bleedingcool.com, report the new regime from AT&T now called WarnerMedia shocked the Comic Book world by unexpectedly firing DC Comics Co Publisher Dan DiDio who has worked at DC Comics for 18 years and has moved up the rankings since 2002. Dan DiDio was a mixed bag for lot of comic book readers like myself.
He made a lot great moves from 2002 to 2010. The first was bring in Jim Lee, assign Geoff Johns to Teen Titans, and Green Lantern to rejuvenate their mythology and bring back on what makes those stories great. He brought Grant Morrison in for Batman, and Paul Dini on Detective Comics. He is best known in my opinion for allowing Judd Winick to bring back Jason Todd from the dead and make him a popular character known as Red Hood. From 2010 until getting fired last week. Dan Didio failed financially with his attempts to make DC Comics characters become more modernize or keep with the current times the way Marvel’s Comic Book characters have always been portrayed.
Dan Didio New 52 idea was a financial failer from the long term perspective, and his unsuccessful attempts of rebooting and character changes such as Dick Grayson, Starfire, Walley West, and Roy Harper. The backlash DC receive under his regime from the fans was horrible when the hype for Batman and Catwoman wedding never happen as it was advertised for the fans to pick up Tom Kings Batman title. Writer Tom King took a lot of hits for it, which he deserve half of the blame for allowing Dan Didio to market his Batman title that way. In my opinion I think the firing of Dan Didio was long over due because DC Comics needs a new voice and vision moving forward under the new regime now called WarnerMedia.
WHAT IS 5G?
The 5G known as 5th generation of Superheroes is the next planned reboot or shakeup for the new DCU timeline. It was first reported by bleedingcool.com, around San Diego Comic-Con 2019. It was confirm by Dan DiDio at New York Comic Con 2019, when Dan DiDio teased the new generation timeline plan, with 5 generation becoming the future of DC Comics timeline while the current timeline stories from DC Comics is in the 4th generation. For example the Tom King Batman stories, and Brian Michael Bendis Superman stories are told in the 4th generation timeline. I highly recommend any readers who read my blog to check out bleedingcool.com, because the website follows the Comic Book medium closely and broke many news related to the Comic Book world. They have been reporting a lot of speciation of how big the shake up 5G will be when it’s announced sometime in the summer around San Diego Comic-Con 2020.
5 Generation will introduce a new Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman. It’s rumored that Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Diana, Author Curry, Hal Jordan, and Barry Allen will all aged out as our beloved heroes and picking their replacements as the 5th generation new Justice League. Like a lot of readers such as myself I am very concerned because it’s going to stop the long time readers reading DC Comics. Marvels Now shake up did something similar but was a financial failer leading Marvel Comics to bring back Steve Rogers as Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Bruce Banner’s Hulk, and Peter Parker’s Spider-Man to return in Marvels Legacy line with new shinny number ones.
As a comic book reader I’ll probably save money until they reboot the DCU again like they did from New 52 to Rebirth. The new DC Comics timeline of 5 generations is rumored to be released in Fall 2020. According to a recent article by bleedingcool.com, WarnerMedia is all for 5 generation shake up because it will help test the waters of what will work in the TV and movie department moving forward. It’s a similar approach to Marvel Now shake up was meant to help Marvel Studios to introduce Sam Wilson as Captain America, new Black Widow, Lady Thor, new Captain Marvel and the new Ms Marvel, for Phase 4 of the MCU and Disney Plus series.
Wonder Woman will be the First SUPERHEROE
It’s been rumored an is probably confirm by now from Bleeding Cool, that Wonder Woman will be introduce as the first Superhero in the new DCU generation timeline. She will be introduce in world War 2 as the first generation of Superheroes with the original Justice Society America. This Wonder Woman will have all of storied timeline restored leading into 5 generations. The point of the generation DCU timeline is that all of Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and Aquaman stories happen thro out DC Comic’s 80 year history. On free Comic Book day DC Comics will release Generation One staring Wonder Woman battling in World War 2 as a free Comic Book issue for free Comic Book Day in May. The last two years 5 Generation has been hinted in Tom Kings Batman and in Brian Michael Bendis Superman title run. It was official confirm in DC’s event book Doomsday Clock written by Geoff Johns in issue 12.
WHO ARE THE JUSTICE LEAGUE REPLACEMENTS?
If you’re thinking we will see Dick Grayson returning as Batman and Wally West as The Flash again NO it’s Not Happening. The new members according to Bleeding Cool it will feature Jonathan Kent as the new Superman, Luke Fox as Batman, Captain Boomerang Jr as The Flash, Jo Mullein as Green Lantern. No one knows yet who is replacing Wonder Woman and Aquaman yet. We’ve already seen hints in Brian Michael Bendis Superman run of Jonathan Kent age jump after hanging out with his biological grand father Jor-El. In Batman Luke’s father Lucius Fox is Batman’s new eyes and ears from the Batcave while his son has been Batwing since Batwing issue 19. We’ve met the new Green Lantern Jo Mullein from Far Sectre issue one max series back in November 2019. Captain Boomerang Jr or Owen did appear in the Suicide Squad title but no hits yet if he will be the new Flash yet…
Overall DC Comics is going to have a make or break year. I do like the idea that WarnerMedia wants Movie and TV writers involved in writing DC Comics. Some of the new writers have been attached to Bleeding Cool report will write under their 5G plan. Even though our favorite characters will be aged out that doesn’t mean we won’t see them. There is DC Black Label, Earth One Graphic Novel, and other else world stories we will still read their adventures. Sadly the price for those issues will go up if you want to read The Batman, Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Aquaman. As a fan all I can do is wait and see how this all plays out. Hopefully something positive comes out of WarnerMedia shake up plans for DC Comics.
My Comic Book Opinion 