Its been close to a decade since DC swept its current continuity under the rug with the Flashpoint event. And then Convergence happened, DC Rebirth brought the old continuity back and Doomsday Clock did… something. Comic books! I think the big point here with DC Comics is that everything matters. Everything. From Superman’s death to Hawkman’s multiple origins and even …

Rumoured plans for Generation Five of DC Comics may be the ballsiest attempt yet by the publisher to start afresh, but they’ll be doing so with an eye on the future of the DC Universe. Generation Five is a passing of the torch, a hold B to skip several years of stories that’ll eventually see familiar heroes replaced by a new generation who’ll bear their mantle and responsibility to save the world whenever evil rears its ugly head.

DC’s Black label prides itself on being a haven for big name creators to work their magic on stories that are unburdened by continuity or age restrictions. There may be a line with the imprint that DC is not yet willing to cross however, as the recent Batman: Damned cocktroversy saw the publisher re-evaluate just how much freedom it wants to afford writers and artists in the future.

While the traditional Supeman costume was still largely intact, it had been modernised. A higher collar, more seam lines and a complete absence of the signature underoos that Superman had worn for decades. Further tweaks would be applied to the super-suit, but the red trunks would remain absent through all of these alterations. Until now that is, as Superman is finally getting his underwear back.

People need heroes, people need icons and publishers aren’t exactly shying away from creating a more diverse cast of characters for audiences to become emotionally invested in. It’s a double-edged sword however, because rampant change within established comic book characters usually leads to a backlash from the readers who originally supported those titles. A school of thought that has led to “The New Age of DC Comics”.

Last year’s Rebirth event was the first attempt for DC to get back to basics, reminding the world that heroes were now needed more than ever. This was a genuine attempt by DC to distance itself away from the grim-dark era of comic books, but the next step? What DC refers to as “evergreen” stories, graphic novels which are free of the continuity of their mainstream books.

DC Rebirth is promising a return to form that made the Distinguished Competition so formidable years ago. It might also be a two-year long event as well, with a massive tale to tell.

DC Comic's Rbirth event is looking to reconnect with fans and to find the sense of awe and wonder that has been lost since the New 52 universe kicked off five years ago.