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Thursday, July 28, 2011

More Reboot Babbling (Which is Probably Repetitive)

For the record, I think trying to work out anything regarding the DCU reboot timeline is going to be pretty hilarious. It's kind of like trying to figure out how all the X-Men comics can fit within a span of like seventeen years.

Except even better (by which I mean worse), because apparently we get to try to fit like five Robins in like the span of ten years. (Is it wrong to wish that they'd use this to retcon Jason Todd out entirely? I mean, I know it won't happen since there's Red Hood and the Outlaws, but a girl can always dream. :-P) Of course, I suppose it doesn't have to be that bad. Stephanie's stint was always pretty short. And Jason's really doesn't need to be much longer, so long as it contains the important beats (i.e. being unbalanced and getting murdered).

As long as Barbara Gordon's still older than Dick Grayson, I'm happy. I don't particularly like the pairing, but I like relationships where the girl is older than the guy. She doesn't have to be MUCH older, but I'm going to be sad if she's younger. :-)

Mostly though, I just find the mental leaps I need to make to fit everything together a lot of fun. :-) It doesn't make sense, but if I wanted a hobby that made sense, I wouldn't be reading comics.

7 Comments:

  • At July 29, 2011 8:40 AM, Blogger Ununnilium said…

    It's a fun way to look at it!

     
  • At July 29, 2011 9:37 AM, Blogger Jer said…

    I thought it was more like FIVE years - which makes it all the more hysterical. If it's 10 years that makes more sense.

    Is it wrong to wish that they'd use this to retcon Jason Todd out entirely?

    No it isn't. But since the unstated goal of this reboot seems to be "leave in place all of the stories that are most popular/memorable with the fans and still sell well in trade" I don't think it was ever seriously considered. The death of Jason Todd is too well known.

    That said - they could have retconned him back to being dead. So someone there must like Jason Todd for some reason.

     
  • At July 29, 2011 10:14 AM, Blogger kalinara said…

    I heard somewhere that Batman's supposed to have been active for 10 years, but publically known (a.la JLA membership) for 5.

    So that leaves a TAD more room to squeeze Dick and Jason in.

    I could be wrong about this though (as I often am).

    Hah, if they're keeping the memorable stories then Jason can probably get away with having a really short run. I think the only well known story he has is that death.

     
  • At July 29, 2011 2:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Here's the mess I see. Batman starts his career at age 25 (Batman: Year One) and has been active for ten years. Superman starts at age 22 (presuming he went to Metropolis University and graduated in about the usual time), is the first superhero, and is under thirty. Even if he only gets the "first superhero" title by a week or so, one of these has to give.

    Never mind trying to figure out how old Dick Grayson was when he became Robin...

    -- Jack of Spades

     
  • At July 29, 2011 3:36 PM, Blogger SallyP said…

    It IS amazing the mental gymnastics that we are capable of performing when it comes to reconciling all the oddities of comic book continuity. It is a bit of a shame that we actually have to perform these gymnastics...but what can you do?

     
  • At July 29, 2011 4:28 PM, Blogger kalinara said…

    Jack: Well, if Year Three is still the right continuity, then Dick would have become Robin 7 years ago.

    Different versions have him starting at 8, 10, or 13. 8 is probably out as he's clearly an adult on the Nightwing covers. 13 still works, (that'd make him 20 now, and that'd fit with Barbara being approx. 22.). 10 is probably unlikely, since he looks older than 17. But the current Teen Titans do look like they've dropped down in age a couple of years, so it's dimly possible.

    At least until we hear otherwise, I'm going with Dick being 13 when he became Robin, and 20 now. (My guess is that his generation of Titans will end up with an aging scheme similar to the Young Justice cartoon, which would put most of them in their early to mid twenties.)

    Now, the really interesting question is WHEN exactly was Damian conceived?

    And how old is Jason Todd supposed to be?

     
  • At July 29, 2011 4:30 PM, Blogger kalinara said…

    Jack: as an addendum: I don't think Batman's really a threat to Superman's claim of first (modern) Superhero. Batman's supposed to have been an urban legend type for the first few years. Superman would still be the first PUBLIC superhero, easily.

     

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