One of DC’s most infamous status quo changes was the New 52. It wiped away nearly three decades of lore and storylines in favor of a younger cast and a more streamlined timeline. That was the intent, at least, and regardless of whether it succeeded at that goal or not, it definitely alienated plenty of longtime fans. The stories that defined these characters for the modern era either no longer mattered or were in a nebulous grey area that made zero sense for the new timeline of events. The overall edgier, loner interpretation of characters like Superman and Wonder Woman only exacerbated the problems.
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All of those problems, however, were wiped away after five years, when DC launched its Rebirth banner. While the new direction did not outright restore the old continuity, it served as a bridge between the new version of these characters and the old. It brought back their old style and relationships, and set the stage for the eventual restoration of their old memories and histories with Dark Nights: Death Metal. The Rebirth banner succeeded because it restored everything fans loved about their favorite characters, and it all started with the return of two fan-favorite heroes and the introduction of new ideas.
Return of the Greatest Heroes
The Rebirth era officially kicked off with the DC Rebirth Special, which saw the original Wally West return from the Speedforce and restore Barry’s memories of him. Up till then, Wallace West operated as the New 52 stand-in for Wally, and while people loved Wallace, they also wanted Wally back as he was the definitive Flash for nearly thirty years. While Wally’s return was the official kickstart, that wasn’t the only classic hero who made a comeback. The post-Crisis Superman and Lois were revealed to have survived the universal reset and had been living in secret for years. When the New 52 Superman died, the classic version took over, who was far more in line with the expectations for Superman’s character.
While these heroes were the headliners of Rebirth, the rest of DC’s lineup also reconnected with their loved ones, even if it didn’t involve actual remnants of an old universe. Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor reconnected as an actual couple for the first time in decades, and she returned to her pre-New 52 origin. The original Teen Titans joined back together as the Titans. Heroes like Green Lantern and Green Arrow became friends again. Overall, however, the Rebirth era restored hope and optimism to the heart of DC. The New 52 was focused on being gritty and brutally realistic, but in doing that, it lost whimsy and color. Rebirth brought back that classic style of heroism with DC’s classic heroes.
New Ideas in Classic Fashion
Not only did Rebirth bring back old favorites and restore an optimistic tone, but it blended the old with the new. Damian Wayne led a new era of Teen Titans. Harley Quinn fully transitioned into the morally grey juggernaut she is today. Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz became the main Green Lanterns of Earth. More than anyone else, Jonathan Kent was Rebirth’s breakout star. Superman permanently being a father was a brand-new idea, and Jon was a fantastic addition as Superboy. His friendship with Damian in Super Sons is so beloved that fans still clamor for Jon to be de-aged.
On a more visual level, where the New 52 redesigns were militaristic and dark, the Rebirth costumes were brighter, bolder, and better than ever. Batman’s Rebirth suit is one of his greatest costumes to this day, adding a yellow outline around his symbol and purple to his coat. Wally’s Flash costume perfectly combined his Kid Flash look with his time as the Fastest Man Alive. Wonder Woman returned to her typical gold accent colors and even got a cape! The entire color palette of DC shifted from darks and greys to bright, bombastic, and colorful. From the costumes to the background, everything about Rebirth inspired feelings of hope for the future.
Even if the Rebirth brand fell apart near the end of its time, specifically with Doomsday Clock’s abysmal release schedule, its start restored faith in the DC Universe. It lifted the comics to a brand new level that captured some magic that was lost in the New 52. The New 52 had plenty of awesome additions, but those were always outshone by what it lost. Rebirth set DC on the path to recovering everything that was taken away and made fans believe that better days were here. That is exactly how superhero comics should make readers feel, and for that alone, it was a major success.
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