10 DC Comics Retcons that Don’t Make Sense

DC Comics is famous for changing its established history – a practice known as ‘retconning.’ Even before the term existed, DC had frequently revised past storylines. This was understandable; early comic creators often viewed their work as temporary entertainment for children and didn’t consider long-term consistency. Over time, retcons became commonplace in the industry, and DC pioneered their use to correct issues and inconsistencies in older comics.

Over the years, some changes to established storylines (retcons) have become popular with fans or even become crucial to the ongoing narrative. But many others, when examined closely, just don’t add up. Here are 10 retcons from DC Comics that seem illogical and it’s unclear why the company thought they were a good solution.

10) The New 52 Superman Costume

Everyone knows Superman is incredibly durable, but he does have a few weaknesses. That’s why the costume change in the New 52 comics felt so odd. Instead of being a suit made by his adoptive parents, the Kents, it was suddenly described as high-tech Kryptonian armor. This didn’t make sense because Superman is practically invulnerable anyway. It was an unnecessary change that still feels confusing even now.

9) Lobo vs New 52 Lobo

Lobo is famously a powerful and formidable character, but DC Comics has struggled to find a consistent direction for him recently. During the New 52 era – a period you’ll hear about often – they introduced a redesigned, more conventionally attractive version of Lobo. This new take didn’t resonate with fans, and DC then made a controversial decision: they had the new Lobo kill the original, claiming he was the ‘true’ Lobo. This retcon actually angered fans more, as they disliked the new version even more than before. It felt like a change made purely to frustrate the audience.

8) The Three Jokers

Towards the end of the New 52 storyline, writer Geoff Johns introduced a plot point in “Darkseid War” where Batman used the Moebius Chair to discover the Joker’s origins. This concept reappeared in the first issue of DC Rebirth, also written by Johns, but it wasn’t explored fully until Three Jokers, a later story co-written by Johns and Jason Fabok. Johns attempted to rewrite the Joker’s history, suggesting there were actually three different Jokers. However, this idea felt illogical and has largely been disregarded by subsequent writers.

7) Wonder Woman’s Post-Crisis Origin

Wonder Woman has been reimagined many times, but many fans particularly love the version that emerged after the ‘Crisis’ event. George Perez’s revamp of the character is widely considered one of the best reboots in comic book history. However, the changes made to achieve his story are a bit confusing. Instead of being a well-established hero, this version of Wonder Woman suddenly appeared on the scene as a newcomer. It’s a strange alteration to her backstory, and even though it came from a fantastic run of Wonder Woman comics, it still feels illogical.

6) Reverse Flash Killing Barry’s Mom

Reverse-Flash has a long and complicated past, and his reappearance in the late 2000s marked a turning point for the character. He became infamous as a major villain, gaining the ability to manipulate time itself. This culminated in the death of Barry Allen’s mother, an event that triggered the storyline known as Flashpoint. However, the necessity of Reverse-Flash being the one to kill her is questionable. Since both Barry and Thawne are time travelers, they could have altered events in numerous ways to bring about Flashpoint. It’s one of several revisions to DC’s history by Geoff Johns that feels illogical upon closer examination.

5) The Sue Dibney Assault

Brad Meltzer and Rags Morales’s Identity Crisis is infamous for a controversial plot point. The story revealed that Sue Dibney, wife of the Elongated Man and a long-time Justice League associate, was sexually assaulted by Doctor Light years prior, while she was waiting for her husband at the Justice League’s headquarters. This addition was intended to add depth to the DC Universe, but many fans found it unnecessary and handled poorly. The retcon has been widely criticized and remains a point of contention for readers.

4) The Post-Crisis Legion Fixes

The Legion of Superheroes lost its popularity a long time ago, and many fans blame the Crisis on Infinite Earths event. This storyline dramatically changed the DC universe, merging multiple realities into one and causing significant shifts in the established history. A key change was the removal of Superboy and Supergirl from existence, which severely impacted the Legion’s origins and backstory. To try and fix this, DC created a separate, contained universe where those characters still existed, allowing them to remain connected to the Legion’s history. However, this felt like a temporary fix to a much bigger problem, and it contributed to the Legion’s decline, ultimately leading to a complete overhaul of the series in the mid-1990s.

3)Zero Hour‘s Hawkman Fix

Hawkman has a complicated history in DC Comics. He first appeared as a Golden Age hero, reimagined as an archaeologist who was once an ancient Egyptian pharaoh and a member of the Justice Society. Later, in the Silver Age, he was reinvented as an alien police officer and joined the Justice League. The existence of multiple universes allowed both versions to coexist. However, when DC combined the histories of its two main universes, Hawkman’s backstory became confusing. DC largely ignored this issue for years, but attempted to resolve it during the ‘Zero Hour: Crisis in Time’ event. Unfortunately, the fix was poorly executed – they simply merged timelines without carefully considering the character’s history. Hawkman’s popularity waned, and it wasn’t until the early 2000s, when the ‘JSA’ comic series was very successful, that the character finally received a coherent and satisfying backstory.

2) Wally West Being Removed in the New 52

The New 52 was a big overhaul for DC Comics, essentially rebooting all of their storylines and aiming for a more contemporary feel. A major omission, and a source of fan frustration, was the character Wally West. He was completely written out of superhero history; in this new continuity, Barry Allen never had a sidekick. The decision to remove him came down to one person: Dan DiDio, who was in charge of DC at the time, simply didn’t like the character. This remains a controversial and baffling change for many fans even today.

1) Man of Steel Retcons

After the Crisis event, writer and artist John Byrne completely reimagined Superman, changing key aspects of his history. He depicted Krypton as a cold, scientifically-focused planet and altered Superman’s origin: instead of being sent in a rocket, he was essentially born upon arrival, eliminating the idea of him being an immigrant. The new backstory removed Superman’s years as Superboy, eliminated any other Kryptonian survivors, and presented Clark Kent as a naturally popular, all-American football player. These changes weren’t based on story needs, but simply on Byrne’s personal preferences, and ultimately stripped the character of many of the elements that made him unique.

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2026-03-07 20:42