15 Years Ago, DC Introduced Their Most Controversial Change In Decades

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Many potential comic book fans are turned off by the complex history and ongoing storylines, but it’s often easier to start reading comics than people think. The sheer volume of past issues can be daunting for newcomers, who might feel they need to catch up on years of stories before they can enjoy current comics. To solve this, publishers like DC Comics occasionally reset their entire history with a fresh start. This has happened several times, from the early days of comics to major events like Crisis on Infinite Earths and, more recently, the New 52.

DC’s New 52 reboot, which is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year, is often considered its most controversial. While it received a lot of criticism, it also had some bright spots. Over the next little while, we’ll be revisiting both the successes and failures of the New 52 to determine if it was ultimately a worthwhile change. Let’s get started!

The 52 Reasons to Hate

Many fans disliked the New 52 reboot for understandable reasons. The biggest issue was simply resistance to change – it erased almost thirty years of established storylines and character history. Longtime fans felt disconnected because familiar versions of these heroes were replaced with younger characters who acted very differently. The overall style and tone also shifted dramatically. While DC Comics had always included mature themes, the New 52 felt excessively dark and focused less on traditional heroism. For example, Wonder Woman’s origin story was altered from a tale of creation and love to one involving an affair and the forced breeding of Amazons.

Beyond altering past events, the characters’ connections to each other were also drastically different. Superman, for example, was now with Wonder Woman instead of his longtime love, Lois Lane. Popular couples like Black Canary and Green Arrow were no longer together. Many fan favorites, including members of the Bat-Family like Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, were completely absent. Even Wally West, a beloved character, was replaced by a different version named Walter West, leaving fans disappointed.

The established history of events in the New 52 was incredibly confusing. Superman’s backstory was completely rewritten, while Batman and Green Lantern largely kept their histories, all forced into a five-year period. Despite being presented as a way to streamline continuity, the New 52’s history ended up feeling disorganized. DC seemed to want to both honor and change its long-running stories, which rarely works well, especially when dealing with decades of superhero background. However, the New 52 still had many enjoyable qualities.

The 52 Reasons to Love

Despite its flaws in handling existing comic book stories and characters, the New 52 initiative was incredibly successful at attracting new readers. Making comics more accessible is always a good thing, and the New 52 did that exceptionally well. While it essentially reset the established continuity, there was something exciting about seeing a new version of the universe with familiar characters unfold. This appeal – a clean slate for creative storytelling – is a major reason why the Absolute Universe is so popular. Sometimes, stories just need a fresh start to truly thrive, and reinvention can lead to the most compelling narratives.

Beyond that, DC Comics made a bold move by launching fifty-two different titles, and they weren’t primarily focused on Batman and Superman. They featured a really wide variety of heroes – even characters like Hawk and Dove and OMAC had their own series! While the New 52 isn’t without its critics, it’s admirable that DC was willing to take such a big chance, and that risk ultimately paid off with some fantastic new stories. The 2011 Batman series was a huge success, and the revamped Justice League was incredibly prominent in marketing for a full decade – that kind of exposure only happens if people enjoy it.

The New 52 was a complicated era for DC Comics. While it created some fantastic story arcs, like the entire Justice League run from 2011 which built to an amazing climax, it also made some controversial changes that upset many fans and negatively impacted established characters. Though it received a lot of criticism, perhaps the backlash has been a bit excessive over time.

What do you think about the New 52 comics? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-18 19:14