Ask Collected Editions #5: DC Comics New 52's JSA/JLA generation gap

It's time for another in our "Ask Collected Editions" series! Responding to my interview with Ridiculously Awesome about the DC TPB Timeline ebook, Glint asked my opinion about the loss of "generations" in the DC New 52.

As always, if you have a question for "Ask Collected Editions," send an email to the Yahoo account or post it on the Collected Editions Facebook wall, and your question could be used in a future segment.

From Glint:

In your Ridiculously Awesome interview, much of which made me smile, you mention how the New 52 no longer has that generations of superheroes aspect. I know it's early days yet, but is that a problem as far as your concerned?

Well, Glint, I might get pilloried for this, but I don't necessarily think the loss of generations in the DC New 52 is a bad thing. Broad public perception ought not rule the roost, but if you ask a majority of non-comics readers who was the first superhero, they're likely to tell you "Superman." Then it's incumbent upon the informed comic book fan to explain, "No, it was the Crimson Avenger. And then after that, there was Green Lantern (but no, not that Green Lantern) and the Flash (but no, not that Flash) and they were part of the Justice Society (no, not the Justice League, the Justice Society. Pay attention!) ..." and on and on.

It is not that complicated, but it is pretty complicated. And while it's true story-wise -- the Justice Society were the heroes of World War II, before Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman ushered in the second generation of heroes -- it's not actually true historically, something I think we tend to forget. "Superman" actually is the correct answer for the most part; Superman, historically, pre-dates the Justice Society even though post-Crisis on Infinite Earths and post-John Byrne's Man of Steel, the Justice Society pre-dates Superman.

Again, what the majority of the mainly non-comics reading population thinks ought not dictate how things go, but removing some of the generational make-up of the DC Universe, and moreover returning Superman to his status as the "first superhero," since he was essentially the first superhero, makes some sense to me. And I'm certainly a fan of the Justice Society -- I'm still beating the drum for a JSA Omnibus -- but the original DC Universe depicted the Justice Society on a separate Earth for a very long time, so I don't necessarily cringe from that development, either.

Some fans (No, not you. Not you, either) treat these changes to Superman and the Justice Society in the DC New 52 universe as destructive and wildly unprecedented; rather, one thing I like is just how precedented they actually are.

Time will tell. I offer these opinions, admittedly, without yet having read a single book in the DC New 52. And I grant the DC New 52 is imperfect, not in the least as regards the legion of angry Wally West fans. But in terms of the generational issue, I'm pretty much OK with it, at least until I start to get into the books.

What do you think about losing the "generations" in the DC New 52?

Remember, if you have a question, don't hesitate to drop me a line, and your question could be featured next time in "Ask Collected Editions." Thanks!