DC

DC's Editor in Chief Bob Harras and executive editor Eddie Berganza explain what's going on and invite you to what they hope will be a big party where everyone is welcome.

DC has released the video of Grant Morrison from the Hero Complex Film Festival talking about Superman. Since Morrison has already reinvented Superman once with ALL-STAR, this is familiar but welcome territory.

The final pieces of the DC relaunch are revealed over at Hero Complex, and #52 is revealed as the Grant Morrison/Rags Morales ACTION COMICS #1. A whole new backstory for Superman is teased -- probably to be spelled out at tomorrow's Jim Lee/Geoff Johns event for the LA Times. Dan DiDio also gives a new big picture statement.

As all of DC's Batnews has been rolling out today, the biggest question has been "Whither Grant Morrison?"

Via MTV, proof that nothing spices up the red carpet like a dying alien with a power ring.

Good news! Turns out DC isn't trying to destroy the direct sales market with their "Flashboot" -- or whatever it's called -- relaunch after all! And it is a relaunch, not a reboot, according to a letter sent by SVP of Sales Bob Wayne to retailers, announcing a pricing strategy that will see digital comics at the SAME price as print comics for their first four weeks of release. Wayne calls this "price parity" -- " No DC digital comic will be cheaper than its physical counterpart at launch." The Johns/Lee JLA #1 will be available with a digital download for $4.99, in print and digital only for $3.99 each.

The Source break loose and reveals ten new books and creative teams. And notably, it's basically the same sort of teams we've been seeing for quite a while, but mostly much respected creators. Surely the most Tumbl'rd comic will be a NEW character book featuring a character who is non-white: MISTER TERRIFIC, by Eric Wallace and Roger Robinson. .

On his Facebook page, JMS praises DC's plan to relaunch its superhero line and gives a hint of the backstory.

[Earlier today we ran an essay by longtime Beat contributor Mark Coale on The DC Flashpoint Reboot. In it he stated he was going to stop reading DC entirely. In the interests of fairness, we reached out to find readers who are excited about the changes. We've gotten several great responses and we'll run them over the next day or so. And yes we'll get back to non-DC news very very soon!}

Artist Jock just tweeted this Joker cover for 'Tec and people went nuts. Can you blame them?

While there will be plenty of PR spinning about DC's big news as a great jumping on point for new readers and all that other doublespeak, let's look at the other side of the coin.

Why is it that the biggest news always happens right after a holiday weekend? 18 months ago, it was Disney buying Marvel after Labor Day; this time, it's the biggest editorial readjustment at a superhero comics company EVER: DC's just announced plan to launch 52 new #1 issues in September, with changed or adjusted characters, costumes and and origins. Here's what you need to know, the confirmed and the speculation. First, what we know: The whole new line up will be announced on Monday, June 13th, when the Previews for that month is released. Until then, expect to see breaking news in national news outlets and on The Source.