2023 DC Comics relaunch event
Dawn of DC is a 2023 publishing initiative by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Following the events of the 2022 crossover events Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths and Lazarus Planet, DC Comics kicks off a yearlong initiative that showcases the company's greatest characters and all-star creative teams; as well as to "forge the future, one hero at a time".[1] The initiative succeeds the Infinite Frontier line.
Publication history
DC Comics first announced the launch of the Dawn Of DC in November 2022. DC Publisher & Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee described that the "Dawn of DC is one of our most ambitious initiatives ever and is a chance for us to tell bigger and bolder stories across our line".[1]
Unlike The New 52 or DC Rebirth where all titles were relaunched with new number one issues being released in a short period, the Dawn Of DC instead is a yearlong story telling initiative where there is a slow roll out new titles releasing throughout the year. Other books from prior to Dawn of DC, such as the Justice Society of America book that is being written by Geoff Johns as a part of The New Golden Age, will converge to the initiative.[2] Action Comics by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Batman by Chip Zdarsky, Catwoman by Tini Howard, Nightwing by Tom Taylor and Harley Quinn by Tini Howard are books which started prior to the Dawn of DC and are now of this initiative.[3]
The first issue to be released under the Dawn of DC banner was Action Comics #1051 on January 24, 2023, with various others following suit thereafter.
The tone for many of the books in the Dawn of DC was inspired by Mark Waid and Dan Mora's Batman/Superman: World's Finest, along with Tom Taylor's Nightwing series. Along with the tone, the series are going to be more interconnected and intertwined with one another, helping to enhance the shared universe.[4] What happens in one series is directly going to effect another. Tom King commented that "Superman is going to have an impact on Wonder Woman, and what happens in Batman is going to impact Superman. The world is cohesive, not separated".
In May 2023, the ongoing series Batman, celebrated its #900th issue along with that being the first Batman title to be labeled in the Dawn of DC, whilst the previous arcs were set after the events of Dark Crisis.[5] The next issue went back to its previous numbering with #136 but was the first DC title to include legacy numbering continuing with #901. In June 2023, both Wonder Woman and The Flash celebrated their 800th issue along with that marking their first series in the Dawn of DC. Following issues #800 both series will be relaunched in September, starting from issue #1 with new creative teams.
Throughout July and August 2023, the Knight Terrors event – headed by Joshua Williamson with multiple tie-in mini-series by various creative teams – took over the publishing line.[6][7]
After the end of Knight Terrors, DC Comics will publish a Batman and Catwoman crossover, titled Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War, headlined by Chip Zdarsky and Tini Howard. This crossover takes place within the main Batman and Catwoman series, with their respective artists drawing these issues. Additionally, a Red Hood-centric two-issue tie-in miniseries, Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Red Hood, will be written by Matthew Rosenberg and drawn by Nikola Čižmešija. This crossover event starts in August 2023 and ends in October.[8]
In September 2023, Superman on its 7th issue of this current volume will celebrate its 850th issue in an oversized special. [9]
At the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con, DC comics announced the winter event of the year, Titans: Best World, which further cements the Titans to be Earth's protectors. The event will launch in November 2023 written Tom Taylor with art by Ivan Reis and Danny Miki. Beast World will connect to Titans and Nightwing also written by Taylor. “I’m beyond excited to bring this DC crossover event to life starting in November with our new Titans: Beast World series, featuring art by the incomparable Ivan Reis. ‘Beast World’ will also thread the needle between the current series that I’m writing about the Titans,” says Taylor. “Friends will fall. Super Heroes will rise. And nothing will ever be the same again. Earth is about to become…Beast World.” [10]
Changes to the DC Universe
With the end of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Justice League was brought back from the dead. This has now inspired Amanda Waller, now working under The Light, to take action against all metahumans, as she believes that they have become too powerful. Waller tasked Peacemaker, her new right hand, in the goal of getting the Helmet of Hate. While Peacemaker was off on his mission, Waller met up with a group of villains giving them a new task, which is to kill superheroes. A new villain, Insomnia, has appeared and put the entire world under sleep inducing them to nightmeares, in order to find a mysterious object, the Nightmare Stone.
Following the events of the Dark Crisis, the Justice League, as a team, has gone onto a long term hiatus with the Titans, led by Nightwing, becoming the DC universe's premier superhero team.[11] The Titans are now located in Blüdhaven with their new Titans Tower being rebuilt over an old prison, which was destroyed following a prison breakout, lead by the villain Heartless.[12] The villain Brother Blood has now changed public perception for himself and his cult, The Church of Blood now rebranded as The Church of Eternity. And is promoting this new change with the support of Teen Titans member Garth/Tempest. Garth rejected the offer to join this new Titans team in support of another who has the ability to someone "who can make a real difference". [13]
Following the events of Dark Crisis, The Warworld Saga, Lazarus Planet and Action Comics #1050, a major change in the status quo occurred for the Superfamily. This includes the expansion of the Superman family and mythos with the addition of the Super Twins, Osul and Otho-Ra; Jon Kent now has new powers which mirror those of the Electric Blue Superman from the 1990s; and Lex Luthor has made the world forget Clark and Jon are Superman, courtesy of Manchester Black's abilities.[14] Luthor is now in prison following the events of Action Comics #1050 and has handed over the reins of LexCorp to Superman, with the company being renamed to Supercorp and having a new goal of helping Superman. Lois Lane also serves as the current editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, with Perry White being on a sabbatical.[15] Steelworks was founded by John Henry Irons / Steel to bring forth Metropolis into becoming the City of Tomorrow.[16] Power Girl gained the abilities of telepathy due to the Lazarus Storm, and now goes by the name Paige.[17] Jimmy Olsen now has a new love interest in the form of ex-supervillain Silver Banshee who has damaged Superman's hearing so he no longer has superhearing, having done so after being threatened by a new group of evil mad scientist supervillains.[18] These scientists have been physically changing Supermans rogues making them more deadly and powerfull.
Following the events of Lazarus Planet, the Doom Patrol, lead by the Chief, a new personality of Crazy Jane, have a new mission statement: with a rise in the metahuman population, their goal is to help, protect and offer safe haven, for the world's metahumans.[19] Along with a new mission, the Doom Patrol have a new base named The Shelter, based out of an old missile silo, to provide shelter to new metahumans and place to where they can better improve their abilities.[20]
During the Dark Crisis, the superhero Oliver Queen / Green Arrow disappeared and did not return with the rest of the Justice League. This disappearance is investigated by the other members of the Arrow Family including Dinah Lance / Black Canary, Roy Harper / Arsenal and Connor Hawke / Green Arrow.[21] Lian Harper, who died in the 2009 story Cry for Justice, is now back alive and well, reunited with her father, Roy Harper, and has rejoined the Arrow family.[22] Connor Hawk ends up travelling to the future leading to the first appearance of the Legion Of Superheroes in the Dawn of DC.[23] For some unknown reason, the Green Arrow family can no longer be reunited in its entirety for in the future they caused a "Great Disaster".
Following Lazarus Planet, magic in the DC Universe now works differently causing Billy Batson to use a new name, The Captain, as whenever he says "Shazam!", it triggers his transformation to occur.[24] Other than Mary Marvel, the rest of the Shazam Family no longer has powers.[25] Through the powers of Hippolyta, the meaning of "Shazam!" for Mary Marvel stands for new deities; Selene, Hippolyta, Artemis, Zephyrus, Aurora and Minerva,[26] and seems that her power set is still the exact same, even with this new change.
The Guardians of the Universe have mysteriously disappeared, and in their place the United Planets have taken control of the Green Lantern Corps. They have stated that Sector 2814 (Earth) is a liability to the universe and have reassigned all Green Lanterns to other sectors across the universe. Furious at this change, Hal Jordan quit the Green Lantern Corps and returned to Earth.[27] Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan's long time romantic interest has moved on from Hal and now has a new fiance. John Stewart has retired from the Green Lantern Corps and now lives on Earth with his mother.
