Call it nostalgia, but there was something special about the New 52. While the DC Comics reboot was hindered by poorly thought-out planning and quick turnaround, the initiative did many things right. Fans often view the initiative poorly, particularly because it erased the history and characters that fans were attached to. Nonetheless, underneath the controversy and odd choices were some amazing stories in the New 52. The initiative may be viewed as dire and self-serious, but it still had plenty of fun. The New 52 introduced many new comics that have become defining characteristics of the DC Universe, reframing the comics in a way that attracted new readers.
The historic impact of the New 52 can fill books, detailing both the positive and negative aspects of the reboot. We probably won’t witness something like the New 52 happen again anytime soon, which is likely for the best. Nevertheless, the initiative didn’t get everything wrong, and there were certainly several things it got really right.
1) Discovered the Perfect Creative Teams
DC Comics was smart enough to carry over the company’s biggest talents in the New 52, discovering powerhouse creative teams. The Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo partnership for Batman was lightning in a bottle, delivering some of the most popular Batman stories in the last few decades. Geoff Johns teaming up with Ivan Reis for Aquaman was also a dream come true, helping elevate the hero to a new tier. Writers Grant Morrison and Gail Simone also had strong runs on Superman and Batgirl, respectively, cementing new attributes that continue to define the characters.
2) It Had a Diverse Lineup
DC Comics and Marvel don’t typically deliver genres outside of superhero and action. With that said, DC would occasionally dabble in other genres with comics like the Jonah Hex comics and the Vertigo Imprint. However, the company put more emphasis on a diverse lineup with the New 52, delivering comics that weren’t traditional superhero comics. Books like I, Vampire and Animal Man lean heavier towards horror, whereas Demon Knights was a medieval comic starring DC’s most mythical characters.
3) Made Aquaman Cooler!
Aquaman was always cool. The idea that he was lame and needed to be rehabilitated was always a fallacy, especially within the comics. He can breathe underwater, communicate with sea life, and is super strong. He rules, and Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis only made him cooler with their fantastic Aquaman run. Johns puts a lot of emphasis on Aquaman’s hesitancy to take up the throne of Atlantis, humanizing the character that is rarely shown. The writer also adds more depth to the rivalry between the hero and Black Manta, firmly proving Manta as one of DC’s greatest villains. Aquaman didn’t need a reinvention, and Johns knew that, keeping the core aspect of the character the same while adding to the lore.
4) The Reboot Made the DC Universe Less Overwhelming
The decades of lore is one of the most common excuses for why people don’t read Marvel or DC Comics. There’s too much lore and backstory to keep track of, and many people find it daunting. While we would argue understanding the full lore isn’t necessary to get into comics, the New 52 made the DC Universe less overwhelming. There was an obvious starting point for new readers, allowing them the freedom to get into the universe without the burden of so much lore to keep track of.
5) It Got Rid of the Bad Stuff
Even though New 52 de-canonized many iconic historical moments from the DC Universe, it also arguably disposed many of the bad stories as well. It could be argued that the New 52 replaced these bad stories with other terrible plotlines, but some characters were better off in the reboot than they were beforehand. Roy Harper was no longer burdened with losing his daughter and relapsing into drugs, and Superman’s ongoing story was greatly simplified. Certain characters were resurrected and given a new lease of life. Red Hood evolved from petty supervillain to bona fide fan-favorite anti-hero.
6) Introduced New Fan-Favorite Characters
The New 52 was also a great time of experimentation, introducing fresh new characters to the DC Universe that greatly enhanced the mythos. Scott Snyder’s and Greg Capullo’s Court of Owls became one of the best new supervillains created in Batman in decades. The Trench creatures were also great monsters created for Aquaman, and Starling helped carry the early issues of the Birds of Prey book. Jeff Lemire introduced a new cast of characters as he developed the lore for the Red and Rot, expanding Animal Man’s mythology. Other characters, like Harper Row and Simon Baz, were great additions that made DC better.
7) Kept Batman and Green Lantern the Same
The Batman and Green Lantern comics were actually in the middle of an ongoing storyline when the New 52 began. DC allowed writers Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns to continue their respective runs rather than abandoning those story beats. That meant Batman and Green Lantern remained unchanged going through the reboot, which was for the best. This allowed Morrison to finish their epic Batman story without hindrance, and Johns was able to continue his character-defining run within the Green Lantern mythos. Batman Incorporated and Green Lantern were some of the strongest titles in the New 52 because they weren’t rebooted alongside the rest of the universe.
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