DC Tests The Waters With 8 New Mini-Series In 2016

In June after their two month Convergence event DC launched in a new direction with DC You. This initiative launched a series of new titles, and mini-series along with their best selling titles to bring more diversity in their line and offering a story just for you! In early 2016 DC plans to launch their next wave to test the waters with 8 new 6-issue mini-series that will reintroduce old favorites back into the DCU with help from their original creators while also giving other writers a shot at characters that haven’t been seen for a while.

"By bringing them on to their own special limited series, we're really spotlighting what's so fantastic about these characters."

– Bob Harras, DC's Editor In Chief

“These comic books are born out of DC's continuing push to diversify their line, and readers will also see a lot of this feeding into that core sensibility of superhero storytelling."

– Dan DiDio, DC Co-Publisher

DC went back to the beginnings with Swamp Thing, Raven, Firestorm and Katana: Cult of The Kobra by bringing back their creators to write them, while at the same time bringing new voices to other titles like Metal Men, Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death, Metamorpho and Sugar & Spike.

Len Wein who co-created Swamp Thing with artist Berni Wrightson in 1971 will return to the character. Wein will reintroduce the character following the end of his recent ongoing series earlier this year. Wein will also be writing the much asked for Metal Men.

Marv Wolfman along with artist George Perez defined the ‘80’s teen world in the pages of The New Teen Titans. Now Wolfman will be returning to write a character that he co-created in 1980 for that series, Raven. Wolfman sees this as an opportunity to reintroduce the heroine to an entire new generation of readers.

"When I go to comic conventions it thrills me to see all the young fans cosplaying as Raven from the Teen Titans GO! cartoon show. Because so many comic fans are boys, it's wonderful that there's something about her that connects with both girls and boys."

– Marv Wolfman

Gerry Conway returns to the Nuclear Man himself in Firestorm. Firestorm was co-created by Conway and artist Al Milgrom in 1978 and has recently made enjoyed renewed popularity when he made the jump to live-action in  The CW  hit show The Flash.

Rounding out the Founding Fathers is Mike W. Barr who along with artist Jim Aparo co-created Katana in 1983. Katana like Firestorm has recently been put into the spotlight with her being featured in the short-lived animated series Beware The Batman where she was Batman’s partner, and in live action in Season 3 of Arrow. Barr will sharpen his blade with Katana: Cult of The Kobra.

“Their task was to freshen up and contemporize. We want the best writers working on our characters, and these are the best writers for these characters."

– Dan DiDio, DC Co-Publisher

The remaining three titles will feature new voices int the DC You choir adding different aspects to the DCU. First up is Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death, which will be written by Amy Chu (Sensation Comics: Wonder Woman) The writer admits that her taking on a larger role in the DCU has a personal connection to her.

"My grandfather was a doctor in Hong Kong back in the '50s, and apparently he was a huge DC fan. For years, he would have comics shipped to his office from the U.S. So for me to be writing comics today, and especially DC Comics, is some kind of crazy karma."

– Amy Chu

“Poison Ivy is a fascinatingly complicated character with an incredible fan base. We know her, but we don't really know her. There's so much opportunity to build her world without the burden of continuity. And let's face it, writing villains is more fun."

– Amy Chu

“Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death takes the Batman villainess in a really new direction, and it's a fun twist on her character and where she's going to go."

– Bob Harras, DC's Editor In Chief

Next up is  Metamorpho who was created in 1965 by Bob Haney and Ramona Fradon. The character will make his return to the DCU by Aaron Lopresti (The New 52: Future’s End). Lopresti will bring Metamorpho back in a big way in a self-titled mini-series.

The last of the new mini-series will go back to the 1950’s and ‘60’s with Sugar and Spike by Keith Giffen. DC was "very cautious" about reintroducing Sugar Plumm and Cecil "Spike" Wilson into the pantheon. Sugar and Spike will take the Sheldon Mayer popular comic book toddlers and put a grownup twist on them.  

"They're not spoiled kids anymore, but they're older and they're operating as private investigators handling problems and mysteries that the superheroes can't handle themselves."

– Dan DiDio, DC Co-Publisher

"This is about character but there is a complete story in every one of those miniseries. It has a beginning, middle and end, and something that affects the course of that character that we would be able to launch and take further if things are successful."

– Dan DiDio, DC Co-Publisher

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