DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Ares
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DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by Ares »

Everything we know about DC’s rumored 5G plan
So, TL:DR…

What is 5G?
It is presumably a working title for a new line-wide DC publishing initiative in the same spirit as the New 52 or Rebirth. It stands for fifth generation, because DC is currently organizing its continuity (via timeline) into four past generations, with the fifth not having taken place yet.

What will it involve?
Leaks that we’ve been told are true say that it will involve replacing familiar heroes with newer characters like Luke Fox or Jon Kent.

When will this start to happen?
The seeds are likely to be planted next summer in the midst of a hypertime-meets-crises event, with the first 5G titles launching in the fall.

Why is this happening?
Like much of what’s happening at DC right now, this looks like an effort to ultimately make the publisher’s stories and characters more accessible to new readers by creating obvious entry points….and while, yes, this has been tried before (eight years ago, to be exact, with the New 52), the newness here is that it will also seek to incorporate past continuity as well (like Rebirth).
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saint_matthew
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by saint_matthew »

So in other words Dan Didio still refuses to admit that everyone hated the NU52 & that Rebirth being better than NU52 doesn't mean it was good, after all a punch to the dick is better than the NU52. It doesn't mean I want a punch to the dick, it just means that if I had to take a punch to the dick, or sit thru the NU52, I would state a preference but would prefer neither.

So lets see how much worse you can fuck up the DCU Dan.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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saint_matthew wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:48 am So in other words Dan Didio still refuses to admit that everyone hated the NU52 & that Rebirth being better than NU52 doesn't mean it was good, after all a punch to the dick is better than the NU52. It doesn't mean I want a punch to the dick, it just means that if I had to take a punch to the dick, or sit thru the NU52, I would state a preference but would prefer neither.

So lets see how much worse you can fuck up the DCU Dan.
It's kind of impressive on some level, you know? Like how a dog keeps chasing a car no matter how many traumatic, near-fatal, almost crippling injuries it suffers, the accidents it causes as the poor driver tries to avoid hitting it, the dog is convinced in its head that some day it'll catch said car without being hurt. You almost admire the persistence even as you watch the dog slowly kill itself, and potentially destroying the very thing its chasing, along with who knows how much collateral damage.

It takes a special kind of dedication to the cause to have admitted that reprints of comics DC made in prior to 2005 sell better than the new books they put out. A reasonable person might say, "Well, clearly its the most iconic versions of those characters who sold their best when they were having stories that were fun, action filled superhero stories that also had room for good characterization and genuine humanity. We should try to emulate that". But Dan goes, "Yeah, everything that reasonable person said? Lets do the complete opposite of that."
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by Shock »

Unlike Marvel, DC has a long history of swapping their top heroes with temporary replacements. There has been varying levels of success but in general I think they've done quite a bit better than Marvel has.

That being said, recent history hasn't given me any confidence that this time will be successful. And just the phrase "hypertime-meets-crises event" makes me happy I rarely pay attention to the larger DC Universe "continuity".
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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I am getting ready to run a DC campaign set in a universe I will call the Legaciverse. This universe only has one timeline where everone ages in "real" time. The players will each make three characters (golden, silver/bronze, and Modern). This kind of sounds like that.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Cinder wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:01 am I am getting ready to run a DC campaign set in a universe I will call the Legaciverse. This universe only has one timeline where everone ages in "real" time. The players will each make three characters (golden, silver/bronze, and Modern). This kind of sounds like that.
DC had a couple of Elseworlds series where they did the same thing, including Superman/Batman Generations and New Frontier.

I wouldn't mind this concept if it was handled like Marvel's A-Next/Spider-Girl line, where it's a separate timeline. That's where Damian Wayne belongs IMO.

But even with folks like the Flash, Green Lantern and Blue Beetle who have had successful replacements/legacies, generally speaking people don't like their heroes being replaced. Batman isn't Batman unless it's Bruce Wayne under the mask.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by Hawk »

Ares wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:30 am
Cinder wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:01 am I am getting ready to run a DC campaign set in a universe I will call the Legaciverse. This universe only has one timeline where everone ages in "real" time. The players will each make three characters (golden, silver/bronze, and Modern). This kind of sounds like that.
DC had a couple of Elseworlds series where they did the same thing, including Superman/Batman Generations and New Frontier.

I wouldn't mind this concept if it was handled like Marvel's A-Next/Spider-Girl line, where it's a separate timeline. That's where Damian Wayne belongs IMO.

But even with folks like the Flash, Green Lantern and Blue Beetle who have had successful replacements/legacies, generally speaking people don't like their heroes being replaced. Batman isn't Batman unless it's Bruce Wayne under the mask.


Bruce Wayne IS Batman. I have no interest in this. If you do, that is fine, but for me, I'll pass.
Last edited by Hawk on Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Cinder wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:01 am I am getting ready to run a DC campaign set in a universe I will call the Legaciverse. This universe only has one timeline where everone ages in "real" time. The players will each make three characters (golden, silver/bronze, and Modern). This kind of sounds like that.
That was the premise of one of my old campigns that went down the drain after my players tried to do super-dark and edgy characters in the golden-silver period.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Well I have a great group that (I believe) will understand the expectations of each age. That being said, I will make the golden and silver age a little grittier than four color.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Ares wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:30 am
Cinder wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:01 am I am getting ready to run a DC campaign set in a universe I will call the Legaciverse. This universe only has one timeline where everone ages in "real" time. The players will each make three characters (golden, silver/bronze, and Modern). This kind of sounds like that.
DC had a couple of Elseworlds series where they did the same thing, including Superman/Batman Generations and New Frontier.

I wouldn't mind this concept if it was handled like Marvel's A-Next/Spider-Girl line, where it's a separate timeline. That's where Damian Wayne belongs IMO.

But even with folks like the Flash, Green Lantern and Blue Beetle who have had successful replacements/legacies, generally speaking people don't like their heroes being replaced. Batman isn't Batman unless it's Bruce Wayne under the mask.
I've read these. Enjoyed them.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by saint_matthew »

Cinder wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:01 amI am getting ready to run a DC campaign set in a universe I will call the Legaciverse.
Funny you should mention that, because I'm running a tie in game in November, as a tie in to the Crisis on Infinite Earths thing WB is doing (on the basis that all the TV shows exist in the WB multiverse now). It's just a retooled version of my old "League of Losers" idea, I'm calling it "Crisis on Cancelled Earths."

It's just a funny one off game-day game for a local gaming club: The idea is that players are playing a team composed of heroes from Cancelled DC tv shows. The roster at the moment is as follows

- Dean Cain as season 1 Lois & Clark, Superman
- Gotham Epilogue Episode, Batman
- Only got a pilot episode that was never show on TV because it was shit, 2000's era Wonder Woman
- Ice from the mid 90's made for TV JLA movie
- Green Fury/Fire from the Powerless sitcom.

Was tempted to throw in tv pilot Aquaman, but have him occasionally uncontrollably transform in to Green Arrow, but I figure that joke is funnier in theory, than it would be if I tried to interject it in to the game.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Kind of sad that this is the first time we've seen anyone attempt a Crisis on Infinite Earths adaptation. Granted for the sheer scope of the story you'd either need a direct to video animated film series easily 3 or 4 movies long, or a 13 episode 50 minute per episode Netflix series.

Though if I was feeling really ambitious about it, I'd probably try something similar to Marvel's Defenders series, only in animated format. Basically, each Earth in Crisis would get it's own series, explaining the worlds and the characters, letting you get to care about them before the Crisis event happens. I'd also play around with things, including modern era characters and dividing them amongst the Earths.

Earth-1 would be the Earth with the classic Justice League, modern versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, the Outsiders and the Titans, but also include heroes like Young Justice.

Earth-2 would be the JSA Earth where you've got a mix of WWII era heroes and a new generation of heroes. It would have a lot of elements of Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron and Geoff Johns JSA, with members of Infinity Inc. being on the JSA rather than on their own team (since the idea is to have all of the legacy heroes in one place). I'd also have Chris Kent and Damian Wayne exist on this Earth rather than Earth-1.

Earth-3 would be the Crime Syndicate Earth where the Syndicate is a powerful, oppressive force and there are few heroes to oppose them. Maybe base it more off of the animated film where the Syndicate doesn't overtly rule but few people can stand up to them. Though maybe borrow a bit from Brave and the Bold as well, where the Red Hood is a hero working alongside Alex Luthor and a few other good guys.

Earth-4 would have the Charlton heroes as usual (and be the classic versions, screw the Watchmen analogies Morrison tried to turn them into), but I'd also throw in other supers into the setting, such as the Milestone heroes (with Icon being the "Superman" of this world), as well as Jaime Reyes having the Scarab armor and working alongside Ted Kord, maybe operating under the name "Silver Scarab". I'd actually have the "Quantum Juice" that empowers so many heroes to actually be an attempt to replicate Captain Atom's Quantum energies. I'd also have heroes like Booster Gold, Fire, Ice and Guy Gardner all exist on this Earth as well.

Earth-5 would be home to the Marvel Family, Isis, various Fawcett heroes, but I'd also throw in the Future Quest/Hanna-Barbera action heroes (including additional heroes like Samson and Goliath and the Teen Force), possibly some other heroes that would fit the "fun" descriptor. Maybe even include some Cartoon Network series that could potentially fit, like Ben 10. I'd be tempted to make Kyle Rayner the Green Lantern of this Earth, and see if I couldn't move some other heroes here, given there is a genuine lack of diversity outside of the Future Quest version of Mightor and Teen Force's Molecu-Lad. Maybe Amethyst Princess of Gemworld too.

Earth-10 would be the Quality heroes like Uncle Sam, the Freedom Fighters, Blackhawks, Plastic Man and so on. Maybe also throw in other war-based characters like G.I. Robot, the Creature Commandos, Sgt. Rock, etc. The Nazi's would include evil versions of other DC Heroes similar to the Crime Syndicate.

Earth-52 would be the Wildstorm Universe, all the way on 52 since it's about as far as you can get from standard DC Heroics. I'd also throw John Consantine and other Vertigo characters here.

So each Earth would get it's own season to flesh out the setting, show who the characters are, get you to know them, then Crisis would come out, and take as many seasons as you'd need to tell the full story with all of these characters. It'd open up with Earth-13 (which would have the Tangent heroes) and then Earth-3 both getting destroyed. We'd get some new twists to the stories, but keep iconic moments like Barry Allen's sacrifice, though maybe expanding it so that Barry and Hal Jordan both die, requiring John Stewart to take Hal's place. Stuff like that. But throw in some new stuff like the Authority absolutely getting destroyed when they go in with their usual arrogance and only a few of them survive.

And in the end, the survivors would all wind up on a single Earth, but that Earth is now the centerpoint for a new multiverse that is even more diverse.

Logistical nightmare? Probably. Awesome as heck if it can be done right? I certainly think so.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by saint_matthew »

Ares wrote: Mon Oct 21, 2019 4:27 pmEarth-3 would be the Crime Syndicate Earth where the Syndicate is a powerful, oppressive force and there are few heroes to oppose them. Maybe base it more off of the animated film where the Syndicate doesn't overtly rule but few people can stand up to them. Though maybe borrow a bit from Brave and the Bold as well, where the Red Hood is a hero working alongside Alex Luthor and a few other good guys.
Yeah I could get behind an animated series like that. But Earth 3 I'd go with a different set up, I'd keep in mind what Busiek said about the Crime Syndicate when he wrote JLA: Syndicate Rules, that sure they are villains, but they are also the heroes of Earth 3. Because if something invades that Earth it's bad for business, you can't rob people if those people have been enslaved by alien.

It's the old New York City organised crime/gangs paradigm: Sure we rob you, but we also protect you from other people robbing you, so you can go about your business, so we can rob you again tomorrow.
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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

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Finally found the Dan DiDio quote I was looking for:
This change to the DC Universe continuity comes after DiDio lamented that older fascimile issues sell better than a lot of their new comics.

“We do these Facsimile Editions where we reprint older issues of comics including all the old ads and stuff…and in some cases these are selling more than the new comics with these characters. People are more interested in buying the stories from 30 or 40 years ago than the contemporary stories, and that’s a failure on us.”
Now, this is the same Dan DiDio that hated the original 52 series, felt that Countdown to Final Crisis was "52 done right", used Flashpoint as an excuse to launch his Nu-52 initiative, decided to roll back the changes from Rebirth to promote a darker change in the characters, and is now pushing the the new 5G initiative.

The evidence is staring him in the face that fans, young and old, prefer the characters and the storytelling when the heroes were at their most iconic and heroic. And instead, his idea is to keep making things darker and to replace iconic characters with new heroes.

Why is this idiot still in charge when DC Comics needs to justify its existence more than ever to their new bosses?
"My heart is as light as a child's, a feeling I'd nearly forgotten. And by helping those in need, I will be able to keep that feeling alive."
- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

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Re: DC Comics rumored to have a new 5G Initiative

Post by Bladewind »

Regarding the 5G initiative... It's no secret I love the concept of a legacy universe.

For all the cheesy bits I didn't like in Supes/ Bats Generations, one thing that Byrne did that I felt he had to was the whole resolution to the Head of the Demon... Making Bruce immortal and able to be Batman essentially forever was a good idea. His son being something of a variant (or slightly toned down) on Az-Bats also fit nicely until Batman was back on the beat...

Superman was also virtually immortal as was Diana... from there, well, there's already a history of legacies and replacements in GL, Flash, Robin, Batgirl, and others... letting other characters evolve - Nightwing et al - also in a solid timeline. So the concept works as a framework IMO...

But... Will 5G attempt to frame themselves that way? Somehow I doubt it.
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