So, this isn’t necessarily a question that’s been asked of me specifically but rather one I see popping up more and more as we get closer to April: just what the hell is Convergence?
“What is it?” “When’s it happening?” “What comics are involved?” “Do I need to duck and cover?!” Never fear! I’ve got all the info you could want, and more, and all you have to do is keep reading!
To make it easier, I’ve split this into the following sections:
On January 5th, 2015, /u/IrateGinger asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Can someone give me an explanation of Hawkman and Hawkgirl?
Normally when I write these I get to talk a bunch about what characters have done, what makes them tick, highlights from their careers etc. This time? Well sure, I’ll be covering a bunch of that but I’m also going to be mainly focusing on the main, many, many (many!) continuity changes and crazy updates DC has subjected the characters to in their nearly 75 years of publication. I’m going to basically focus on Hawkman but I’ll be covering Hawkgirl (and Hawkwoman, when she calls herself that) too at each point.
One other thing that’s a bit different with this post is that I have a contributor! Reddit user /u/dmull387 has written a great coverage of Hawkman’s history and I’ll be including his commentary throughout! You can check out his Tumblr here. When I’m quoting him you’ll see the speech bubble to the right and the text will appear in this rather charming blue.
On February 10th, 2015, /u/dispenserhere asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Hi, I’ve just started reading JLA. I’m up to around no 15 but I’m still completely clueless what’s going on with Superman. Why is all different and blue? No-one else seems to be mentioning it.
I’m guessing it’s something going on in his comics, but I can’t find anything on it.
Yo listen up here’s a story about a Superman that lives in a blue world… ahem sorry. Anyway, here are the events that lead Superman to saying “I’m blue!” (DA BA DE DA BA DI… sorry again! That song’s just too darn catchy). Here we go:
So, normally on this blog I respond to question posed directly to me or posted around the web. Today’s post is a little different as I’ll be covering, on a point-by-point basis, all the arguments for why changing Wally West’s ethnicity in the New 52. Also, why most of them are ridiculous at best and racist at worst.
I think it’s important to note: I’m not a DC apologist, nor am I, by pointing out why some arguments are wrong, saying that everything DC does is right. Twisting the argument to this, as people often seem to do, is ridiculous and it’s perfectly possible to admit that a company like DC has a long way to go and that people opposing them starting to make those changes are wrong.
Furthermore, Wally West is my Flash. Yes, I’m a Golden Age nerd and love Jay Garrick, along with Barry Allen, Bart Allen and all the rest in the Flash Family Tree. However, I was born in the same year Crisis on Infinite Earths hit the stands and Wally will always be the true scarlet speedster – so this is not coming from a place of someone who doesn’t care, deeply, about the character.
On January 19th, 2015, /u/Cyber85 asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Can someone explain who the ant monitor is? I keep seeing that name pop around when I read comics.
The Ant!
Oh man – I love that people are asking about the Ant! He was a villain of the Teen Titans back in 1966! He was a thief so I guess he had to monitor stuff and…
Oh, you meant the Anti-monitor. Well, he’s (it’s?) cool too. Here’s what you need to know. :)
On January 18th, 2015, /u/GrooveCity asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Whats the deal with the OMACs. I remember the 90s had a mohawked guy running around. Infinite Crisis had the robots and Brother Eye. Now some sort of new Brother Eye in the new 52?
OMACs attack!
Oh man, OMACs. There are lots of different versions across the years. Sometimes it stands for One Man Army Corps, sometimes Omni Mind And Community or Observational Metahuman Activity Construct and there’s been more. A recurring theme is satellites, mohawks and eyes shaped logos but regardless, here’s what you need to know for OMAC 101!
On December 2nd, 2014, /u/thatonesillymexican asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Is there any word on if Azzarelo’s Wonder Woman will be collected in an omnibus or would it be better to just pick up the trades?
Well, the short answer is, we don’t know. There’s been no word yet, but that, of course, doesn’t mean there hasn’t been speculation.
On October 26th, 2014, /u/gamer4maker asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Since you’ve read every N52 book, you are probably the person to ask. Has Blüdhaven ever been mentioned by anyone in the New 52? I’m assuming it’s still a gooey pile of toxic waste, but I am curious as to whether it has been acknowledged.
[Edit: The information in this post is now no longer (completely) accurate! Make sure you check the update at the bottom!]
Oh, awesome question! So, for those playing at home, Blüdhaven is/was a city not far from Gotham, most famously for:
On October 14th, 2014, /u/switchfade asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
I’m interested in earth 8 and I like to get started with it,but I’ve searched everywhere and I’m seriously confused. What issues/series should I read?
OK, so nobody has really given you a very satisfactory answer and as no other questions this week have really needed my nerdiness, you get it all. So, here we go.
On September 1st, 2014, /u/DrManhattan16 asked the following on /r/DCcomics:
Can someone please explain to me how the infinite crisis books started in the 1985, but the entire plot up till the new 52 reboot happened in 2011, but comic books for each character still continued in the 90s and 00s? Shouldn’t the reboot have either occurred in the 80s or in 2011, but without all the time inbetween?
Infinite Crisis affected the Multiverse but it wasn’t what caused the New 52, that was the Flashpoint event in 2011. Also, infinite Crisis didn’t start in 1985, that was Crisis on Infinite Earths which while confusing is a different story.
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