DC Relaunch Week 2

DC has announced more titles added to their upcoming re-boot including all(?) the new Batman books. The one non-Batbook they announced is Swamp Thing (above). As for the rest...

There's Batman...

Detective Comics...
Batman: The Dark Knight and...

Batman & Robin. Oh hey, wouldja look at that?! That's Damian Wayne as Robin! So what happened to all that "this isn't a reboot we're just setting the books back a couple of years" nonsense? This most certainly IS a reboot! They're just picking and choosing and reshaping however they see fit! Otherwise, like I said before, Damian would either not even have been born yet or would be like five, depending on how far back they were going. So Damian Wayne is Robin, but Clark Kent and Lois Lane will no longer be married... just cause! Cause that's how the powers-that-be want it. So fuck off, old comic fans!

There's more...
Catwoman... although after all that hubbub about them making their women look more modest... ahem...
Batwoman, officially confirmed as part of this initiative...
Nightwing... presumably Dick, but no one is sure since there's no sign of Tim anywhere. Obviously Tim isn't Robin, since Damian is, but wouldn't you think they're announce a new Red Robin title at the same time as all these other Batbooks? The use of red in his costume, replacing the light blue may... or may not... support that perhaps this is Tim inheriting his "big brother's" identity... but if so... what happened to Dick?

Definitely the most surprising announcement for me was Red Hood and the Outlaws, starring Jason Todd, the second, fuck-up Robin, teamed with Speedy, arm restored and of all people Starfire, Dick's old girlfriend. This just looks terrible. Nice baseball cap! Moving on...
Birds of Prey, starring Black Canary, Poison Ivy, Katanna and someone who may be Grace Choi formerly of The Outsiders. You can see the ladies are rockin' DC's new "modest" super lady look. Is Black Canary wearing Mary Janes?! The fuck?! I don't so much care that she has tights under her fishnest. She's looked like that at other times, including when I was a kid. You know what I don't like? That she isn't wearing a jacket! That's just such a huge part of her aesthetic! Also, this book is HARDLY a Batbook, now that Barbara isn't in it. Oh yeah, about that...
Batgirl, officially confirmed to be Barbara Gordon! I am excited about this! I just love the classic Batgirl and this is her, written by Gail Simone, who did such a WONDERFUL job on her in Birds of Prey, through the majority of that title's existence. She's in good hands! I like the detailed costume as well!

So, let's recap:
1. Justice League of America
2. Action Comics
3. Detective Comics
4. Wonder Woman
5. Aquaman
6. Green Lantern
7. GL Corps
8. GL: New Guardians
9. Green Arrow
10. Hawkman
11. Flash
12. Captain Atom
13. DC Universe Presents (I mistakenly called this Braver & Bolder before)
14. Nightwing
15. Batgirl
16. Justice League International
17. Mr. Terrific
18. Justice Society of America
19. Firestorm
20. Teen Titans
21. Birds of Prey
22. Red Lanterns (I forgot this one last time)
23. Batman
24. Batman: The Dark Knight
25. Batman & Robin (I just KNEW DC wasn't gonna let Green Lantern have more titles than Batman!)
26. Nightwing
27. Red Hood & The Outlaws
28. Catwoman
29. Batwoman
30. Swamp Thing

Over half-way there and still, this line up is whiter than a Tea Party rally. And don't try claiming that Swamp Thing counts as a person of color. They did state that there will be seven Teen Titans and only four (over half) would be white. Once again, don't try and pass off Beast Boy (left) as being one of the other three! I think everyone is assuming that the four white characters will be Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Superboy and Tim Drake under whatever guise he's using.

Since that whole going back in time thing is now hogwash, I say that it's probably a given that the JUST introduced Indian heroine Solstice will be among them. The other two slots? I say Aqualad, because they seem to be really getting behind his character. The last spot? It could be any number of people, Static, Aquagirl, Firestorm, Blue Beetle (Jaime)... But y'know what? That joke I made about Swamp Thing and Beast Boy? I bet you my spleen, the other member is...

Miss Martian. I guarantee it!

It's nice that they are making the teams integrated, but that's easy and honestly in this day and age, expected. But that's it. It's nice. It's not enough. Mister Terrific remains the one minority in his own book, with John Stewart and Jason Rusch sharing titles. Batwoman represents the GLBT side. (Maybe The Question, Renee Montoya will get her own book... she's a lesbian of color! Or... and here's my guess, since they've returned The Demon to being Jason Blood, and flat out said they wanted their characters to be more recognizable, they'll bring back the original Question, whitey Vic Sage.) Vixen is in Justice League International, so I doubt she'll get her own title. Black Lightning probably has the best shot. I doubt Steel will since Cyborg is being positioned as DC's premier black cyber hero. Too much overlap. It would be nice if they gave a gay male character a book... but I'm not that big a fan of the ones they have, Obsidian and Mikaal/Starman, being the most notable.

Hmmm... switching gears, there are still 22 more books to be announced and a few titles that currently exist that haven't been confirmed as coming back. Let's take a look...
The Legion of (Perpetually Rebooted Almost Like Clockwork Every Three Years) Super Heroes. If there was one book I wished could escape this reboot it's them, just because they just got rebooted, what? Last year?! Alas!
Red Robin... as previously discussed. I'm a fan of both Dick's and Tim's so I hope nothing bad happens to either one... especially since that ass clown Jason Todd is still going to be running around!
Wally West. Like with Red Robin, you'd think they're announce ALL the books that are connected at the same time, so if there was going to be a second Flash book, rumored to be called Speed Force, they're have done so when they announced The Flash's main book. So that puts poor Wally in the same boat as Tim. Or Dick. Whoever isn't Nightwing.
And for that matter, what about the original Aqualad, Garth and Wonder Girl, Donna Troy?
Power Girl and Zatanna. Like I said before, I'm not sure how well their books were selling, so I'm not sure if they're on the chopping block or not. Plus, how will either of them deal with having to cover up their womanly assets? (Although Starfire is still spilling out of her corset, so it doesn't look like these ladies are being forced to cover up entirely.)
Justice Society of America... I have it listed above, but it hasn't officially been solicited. I'm sure it's coming though, although I freely admit, I don't get why this team exists. Can't everyone just be in the Justice League?
Shazam/Captain Marvel/Captain Thunder and Family. Captain Thunder is currently playing a role in Flashpoint, so I can see him spinning out of that into his own book, hopefully starring a Mary Thunder who's has the stank of the past couple of years scrubbed thoroughly from her. And like I said before...
Hopefully featuring Isis, as a full heroine this time, free of Black Adam's sway. That under-boobie cleavage isn't going to work, though.
Martian Manhunter... he doesn't have his own title, but fans have taken note of his absence on the cover of Justice League.
Blue Beetle... out of all the recent attempts to ethnic-ize characters, I'd say he was one of the most popular, if not THE most popular, depending on how well you liked Jason Rusch as Firestorm. He even warranted an appearance on Smallville! Yet he's not in JLI. Teen Titans hasn't yet been solicited. But could he maybe even score his own title once again? Hmmmm.... And on a related note...
Booster Gold. He has his own book right now. He's confirmed for JLI. But like with Zatanna and Power Girl, I don't know how well his book sells, so who knows if he's coming back in a solo title.

Speculation as to other characters who may get new titles?
Nightrunner, the infamous "Muslim Batman" from Batman Inc., a title which appears to be kaput. This guy even made it onto The Daily Show. I would expect DC to try capitalizing on that.
In Flashpoint, he's that parallel time line's Superman and he's in the new Justice League, apparently taking Martian Manhunter's spot! I'm fairly sure he'll get his own title when all is said and done.
Sensation Comics starring Wonder Woman. Yeah, I know, no chance in hell. But the Amazing Amazon DID have two books back in the 40s and fuck, Batman has four and SIX spin-offs and Green Lantern of all characters has four! You're telling me no woman, no matter how Wonder-ful, can sustain even TWO?
The Spectre and Dr. Fate... I'm not saying they're getting their own books back or anything, BUT I guarantee that they will be reverting to the alter egos of Jim Corrigan and Kent Nelson, their Golden Age (and most famous) counterparts.

Beyond that, who knows? Will they sneak in a couple of new concepts? (No.) More news as it breaks... well, y'know like the day after it breaks... and keep in mind, the Superman books haven't yet been announced!