New 52
| The New 52 | |
|---|---|
Cover of DC Comics: The New 52 #1, July 2011.
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | August 31, 2011 – May 25, 2016 |
| Main character(s) | DC Universe |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Various |
| Artist(s) | Various |
| Collected editions | |
| DC Comics The New 52 | |
| DC Comics The New 52 Zero Omnibus | |
| DC Comics The New 52 Villains Omnibus | |
The New 52 was the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC cancelled all of its existing titles and debuted 52 new series in September 2011 with new first issues. Among the renumbered series were Action Comics and Detective Comics, which had retained their original numbering since the 1930s.
The relaunch included changes to the publishing format; for example, print and digital comics are now released on the same day. New titles were released to bring the number of ongoing monthly series to fifty-two. Various changes were also made to DC's fictional universe to entice new readers, including to DC's internal continuity to make characters more modern and accessible. In addition, characters from the Wildstorm and Vertigo imprints were absorbed into the DC Universe.
The New 52 branding ended after the completion of the "Convergence" storyline in May 2015, although the continuity of the New 52 continued. In June 2015, 24 new titles were launched, alongside 25 returning titles, with several of those receiving new creative teams. In February 2016, DC announced their Rebirth initiative with the release of an 80-page one-shot on May 25, 2016, and continuing through late 2016.
Following the conclusion of the Flashpoint limited series, all titles set in the DC Universe were cancelled and relaunched with new #1 issues. The new continuity features new outfits and backstories for many of DC's long established heroes and villains. An interview with DC Comics executive editor Eddie Berganza and editor-in-chief Bob Harras revealed that the new continuity did not constitute a full reboot of the DC Universe but rather a "soft reboot". While many characters underwent a reboot or revamp, much of the DC Universe's history remained intact. Many major storylines such as "War of the Green Lanterns", "Batman: A Death in the Family" and Batman: The Killing Joke remained part of the new continuity, while others have been lost in part or in whole. DC editorial has also constructed a timeline that details the new history and which storylines to keep or ignore.
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