After a number of second printing announcements for books featuring Superman and Flash characters, it's clear DC Comics' new initiative, "Dawn of DC," is seeing an early success. Fans have embraced DC's new era with open arms—and open wallets. Four issues have sold out, prompting second printings for each of them.DC announced second printings for several recent issues on Wednesday, only hours have announcing three new titles as part of 2023's "Dawn of DC" storytelling initiative. Creators Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Jeremy Adams, and Skylar Patridge announced second printings for each of their attached projects on Twitter, celebrating the success of their books.
Johnson announced a second printing of Action Comics #1051, which launches the Superman Family's new era. Adams revealed The Flash #790 and #791 both sold out, and the two issues will be reprinted as a "mini-collection" with #792 this coming March. Finally, Patridge announced that Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton #1, which includes her art in a story about new hero Dreamer, is also going to a second printing.
"Dawn of DC" Is Off to a Running Start, Especially for Superman and the Flash
Though "Dawn of DC" technically launches with Action Comics #1051, both The Flash and Lazarus Planet feel similar in tone and spirit to DC's new era. With this new initiative, which will unfurl over the course of 2023 (with even more announcements to come), DC aims to tell brighter stories across the DC Universe. With upcoming books like Unstoppable Doom Patrol, Green Arrow, and Cyborg, the publisher is widening its net beyond Gotham, telling stories in which all characters—and all version of DC continuity—matter.
With books like The Flash, Action Comics, and Assault on Krypton selling out and going on to second printings, it's clear fans new and old are embracing this new era. Notably, each of these three books tells a story (or stories) with a large cast of characters, focusing more on the "family" dynamics than the central hero. It's safe to say that fans have been clamoring for more stories featuring these "secondary" characters—among them Bart Allen's Impulse, Jesse Quick, Steel, Power Girl, and more—and are now eager to embrace their return.
If these second printings are any indication, "Dawn of DC" is an early success for DC Comics, and fans of both the Flash Family and the Superman Family are overjoyed. Hopefully DC can keep up the momentum in the months to come as the publisher continues rolling out new books, stories, and characters.
Check out The Flash #790, Action Comics #1051, and Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton #1, available now from DC Comics!
Sources: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Jeremy Adams, and Skylar Patridge