DC Comics’ “New 52” campaign began at midnight with Justice League #1 by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. I sacrificed some sleep to get my hands on it (along with Flashpoint #5) and overall it’s a decent issue that is very new reader friendly. However, even as an infrequent DC reader I felt I already knew or had seen many of the relationships presented here and the issue spends a lot of time establishing some of the principals. KevinMLD and I will be assessing this first issue of not only the Justice League series, but DC’s New 52 and whatever form the new DC Universe may take.

Spoilers for the issue and some aspects of the new DC Universe will follow.

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So this week officially ends the DC Universe as we’ve known it. Series like Action Comics (ending at #904) and Detective Comics (ending at #881) that have been published without interruption since the 1930’s have come to an end (although technically they ran to issue #1,000,000) and it’s all because of Flashpoint. After having this day marked on our calendars for months as where it all ends, a wise publishing move on DC’s part also gave us the first of their “New 52” in Justice League #1, which we’ll be discussing later today.

Spoilers for Flashpoint and the last day of the DC Universe will follow.

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So tonight’s the night. At midnight, DC Comics releases Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1 and the DC Universe as we’ve known it will be washed away to some currently unknown extent and replaced by 52 new titles; many with brand new continuity.

I don’t know what to think about all of this. I’m excited to see what DC has up its sleeves, but I’m sad to know some piece of this universe I’ve loved for twenty years can never really ever quite be the same again. I have a great deal of distrust for DC publisher Dan Didio and his personal tastes. I know they don’t align with mine. But I love the grand ambition behind all of this. This is a giant gamble and I dig that.

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The cover to Flashpoint #4 makes it abundantly clear that Barry Allen is about to encounter more familiar faces that have been drastically altered in the Flashpoint timeline. Despite this being the first major appearance of Wonder Woman and Aquaman in the main Flashpoint series, everything comes together very nicely. As we head toward the finale of this book, and ostensibly the DC Universe as we know it, seeing many of the tie-ins and their respective characters dovetail into the events here is a nice touch.

Spoilers from around the world of Flashpoint to follow.

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DC Comics’ Summer event series, Flashpoint, hit the mid-way point this week as issue #3 arrived in stores. Flashpoint has perhaps become the most important series in the DC Universe with the announcement that every DC Comics title will relaunch after Flashpoint #5. The series got off to a strong start with big revelations and worldwide tension in the first two issues. There’s another significant revelation here, but generally the pace has slowed as we reach the middle.

Spoilers for Flashpoint and some of its associated tie-in issues may follow.

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