Relaunched classics pick up where stories left off, rekindle lost fans from decades past
Mike Mannarino
Staff Writer
For some, Wednesdays mean little more than garbage day, but for others, Wednesday is the day that new comic books hit stores. Something about heading to the comic book shop after a day of school or work puts my mind at ease. The nostalgic feeling fills my mind and transports me to a time when I didn’t have a care in the world.
Comic books have a rich history dating back at least to the 15th century. Over the years, superhero titles have come and gone, but great stories have spanned decades.
Comic popularity began to dwindle in the mid-1990s, thanks to television and other newly emerging multimedia sources. The possibility of a world without comic books became all too real as the lacklustre story lines and alternative forms of media spilled over into the new millennium.
There were still many great stories that came out of these two decades, but much of it received negative criticism. Whether you loved the stories or not, comic book companies were losing sales; they needed a fix that would revitalize the comic book community.
DC made history in September, announcing that 52 of their ongoing monthly comics would be starting fresh, with new arcs, artists, writers, and issue numbers. That meant 52 new “number ones” to entice fans to jump back into the phenomenon of comics.
The stories are original with a hint of familiarity. In many cases, the same villains are present, but in new and interesting ways. The illustrations capture incredible detail without losing the artistic aspect that makes comics such an interesting art form.
DC also makes sure fans can get the issues they desire, with many titles going into their fourth or even fifth printing this month. That works out to a few hundred thousand comics being produced and circulated, which means it’s still not too late to get a hold of any comic brand you may be interested in reading.
Since these comics are entering their fourth month, the story lines are beginning to develop, making it much easier to distinguish which are worth reading. However, more obscure titles worth checking out are: Swamp Thing, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., and one of my personal favorites, the relaunch of All-Star Western.
Any of the franchise names, like Batman or Green Lantern, are also worth checking out, as well as two books outside the 52 choices, Marvel’s Regenesis arc: Uncanny X-Men and DC’s Penguin: Pain and Prejudice. Both have only had one issue so far, but were quite good.
The issue with the new relaunch lies with some die-hard fans that wonder if the relaunch changed anything. Some of the stories picked up right where they left off, with the only change in the issue number. Regardless, the comic book shops are packed with new and returning customers.
Comic brands are also making a greater effort to offer digital downloads as soon as the weekly issues hit the shops. The possibility of comics becoming a digital source exclusively is a bit disconcerting, but for now, both digital and print copies are available.
It seems as though the new comic book relaunch is going well, and despite any issues that people may have with the relaunch, the results are a renewed love for the printed superhero.
