We kick off a new month with warmer temperatures, the promise of getting outside once more and a brand new beginning for DC Comics. For most of 2020, Dark Knight: Death Metal controlled the fate of the multiverse, but it has come to an end. Then they launched Future State. For two months we jumped into the future of our favorite heroes. Sometimes the jump was a decade or so. Other titles jumped centuries. We saw possibilities on where thing may head, but now that too ended. This week titles jump back to where we left them two months go, but where do we go from here? Do we ignore what just happened, or did it mean something?
Where Do We Go – Endings and Beginnings
With Death Metal we saw the end of the Universe. In Immortal Wonder Woman 2, we saw it reborn, but that hasn’t happened yet. This whole timeline thing seems like a Doctor Who story right now, but like all things it had its reasons.
The very first place to start would be Infinite Frontier 0. This may seem like another universal side story that does not affect your titles, but it does. With IF0, we see through Diana’s eyes where the DC Universe lies and its current state. Everything looks more or less back to normal, but certain changes with certain characters still linger. This issue does a great job summing up where the major (and a couple minor) heroes are at in their journeys.
The other thing it does, especially with the Gotham story lines, is show the future beginning to take root. The Magistrate Project begins to take hold in Gotham. We see young Yara Flor begin her journey into Wonder Womanhood, and some characters get a bit of a reset. Oddly, the one arc IF0 does not address is the Aquaman cast, which I find odd because their Future State title was one of the best.
Where Do We Go – A New Road Lies Ahead
The pre-existing titles start back up this month more or less where they left off before the Future State event, but they do a good job reminding us of what happened while mixing in events that begin to show how they will link up to the Future State titles. In some ways this is intriguing, especially with the Gotham titles. We know the darkness that lies ahead, but Future State showed us next to nothing in how it got there.
Besides the old titles, DC fans can expect a slew of new titles and characters ahead. This week alone we get Suicide Squad 1, Swamp Thing 1, and Crime Syndicate 1, but we know of several more that will release in the coming weeks and months. Look for a lot of new titles with your favorite characters ahead.
Where Do We Go – What About the Infinite Frontier?
With Infinite Frontier 0, we see where the Universe is at, but where is it going? If you read the issue it ends with two very major moments. One is the return of Diana Prince to the real world, but the other I will not spoil here. Go read it then check out my review on this site or DC Fanatics on Facebook. Let’s just say it ends with a MAJOR reveal that cannot simply be ignored.
After the reveal, IF0 gives a list of comics to read to keep up with events. Judging from the one or two released this week they are not direct tie-ins, but do further the overall story a bit. The list includes (but is not ordered):
March: Infinite Frontier 0, Action Comics 1029, Batman 106, Batman/Superman 16, Batman: Urban Legends 1, Detective Comics 1034, Catwoman 29, The Flash 768, Harley Quinn 1, The Joker 1, Justice League 59, Nightwing 78, Suicide Squad 1, Superman 29, Swamp Thing 1, Teen Titans Academy 1, Wonder Woman 770
April: Green Lantern 1
May: Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom 1, Robin 1, Stargirl: Spring Break Special 1, Wonder Girl 1
June: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow 1
This Summer: Infinite Frontier 1
As you can see, there will be plenty to come in titles both new and old. I do not think you will need to get your hands on all these titles to understand what’s going on, but glancing through them may provide more tidbits. With old and new titles it feels like a new energy may have returned to the DC Universe.
