CA Convo: What Will Happen to the DC Universe in September? [Poll]

Long-time readers may remember, of course that all of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again; in 1994, the final issue of DC's Zero Hour event shipped alone as well, the conclusion of a mega-crossover that altered or rewrote significant parts of DC Universe history. As we previously noted, this single issue shipment in late August also coincides with the end of nearly every significant storyline in the DC Universe. So what happens in Flashpoint #5? And even more importantly, what happens afterwards?

Secrecy surrounding the post-Flashpoint DC Universe is tight, even for a publisher already known for being tight-lipped about spoilers. As Vaneta Rogers explained at Newsarama, the first rule of Flashpoint for comics creators is that you DO NOT TALK ABOUT FLASHPOINT:

    It's not just a fun saying, but a policy DC has enacted with its "people in the know." A few creators have even admitted to Newsarama that they've signed a legally binding "non-disclosure agreement" that prevents them from even hinting about their work after August.

Noted grumpy old fan Tom Bondurant floated a few different possibilities at Robot 6, from relaunching titles with new #1 issues to a line-wide reboot to going right back to where the DCU was before Flashpoint. In the end, though, he leans towards the idea that like most crossovers that declare they will change everything forever, the changes Flashpoint makes will be more like a controlled burn than a slate-cleaner:

    Ultimately, if Flashpoint does leave a lasting mark on the superhero books, I suspect it will be more of an expansion of storytelling possibilities - again, like the infinite Earths returning, or (more likely) a troop of new-to-new-ish characters - than an array (no matter how sweeping) of detail-oriented changes. I've mentioned a couple of blow-it-up-and-start-over possibilities, but that's all they are. While Flashpoint has the potential to shake up the regular DC timeline in radically new ways, especially with a few of its key characters, the practicalities of a shared superhero universe don't leave it much room to operate.
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Why Comics?

Every time I do a personal survey of the good and bad things in my life reading comics always comes up as one of the best things that ever happened to me. It's simply one of those things I'll never regret - a source of joy. And we can all use more of that, can't we?

The core attraction of comics is the fundamental, and primeval, attraction of stories. The art of storytelling is as old as humanity and will always be with us. That's what comics are, words and pictures that make up a story.

If you are not into reading comics but want to try it, the entry point is easy. It's how I got into this hobby when I was eight years old. It's how it took hold of me and never let go - a sublime addiction that will be with me all my life.

It starts with one issue. A typical comic book issue is 32 pages of full color art and story.

Pick up a comic book, any comic book. Maybe the cover catches your eye, maybe somebody recommended it, maybe you read something good about it in a website, maybe somebody gave one to you, or you found one. Pick it up and read it.

Read it. Set is aside. Let it settle. Heck, try to forget about it.

Chances are it will work its magic on you just like it did on me. Then you try another. Then another. Issue after issue.

The time will come when you will become aware of the comic book concept of universes. That comics published by a particular company like Marvel or DC or Image all happen in the same space, and a story in one issue affects characters in another - a shared universe where the stories occur building up on top of each other forming rich histories out of the contributions of all the writers and artists, editors and colorists, letterers and inkers who have worked in comics through the years. The older the publishing house the richer the universe. The richer the universe the more interesting the stories become. The more you know about a particular universe the more you'll appreciate the issues you read that happen in that universe.

Without any effort, your hobby becomes even more engaging. You find yourself logging on to websites and participating in online forums. You buy not just the comic books but publications about comic books. You get to know the biographies of favorite artists and writers and find yourself interested in the goings-on within the comic book industry. All this happens without effort; it all just naturally follows, creating an aspect of your life that was not there before. A place of fun, a place where you can get excited, and, dare I say it? Happy.

And who doesn't want to be happy?
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