History AudienceAlienatingEra / TheDCU

* Many fans consider the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' a huge audience-alienating era for DC in general[[note]] At the time of this writing, a total of 20 characters or groups have have had an A.A.E. through the entirety of the New 52 ([[ComicBook/GreenArrow Arsenal]], ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} II and III, ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}, ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, the ComicBook/DoomPatrol, ComicBook/TheFlash, ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, ComicBook/{{Impulse}}, the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, the ComicBook/NewGods, ComicBook/PowerGirl, ComicBook/TheQuestion, ComicBook/RedRobin, the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, ComicBook/{{Superman}}, the ComicBook/TeenTitans) and ComicBook/WonderGirl II and III[[/note]] due to attempting to be a DarkerAndEdgier ContinuityReboot of Franchise/TheDCU, both aspects of that were deemed major failures. In terms of tone, the era was pervaded with [[TooBleakStoppedCaring a general feeling of hopelessness exacerbated by heavily flawed main characters]], especially inappropriate for characters whose previous appeal lied in their ''heroism'', especially {{ComicBook/Superman}}. In terms of being a "reboot", some of the popular titles were altered to almost InNameOnly levels (such as the ''Teen Titans'', which features [[ReplacementScrappy an entirely new incarnation of the team that wasn't as well-regarded as their predecessors]]), and some of the superheroes were given controversial new origins (an example being Wonder Woman being retconned into a demigoddess), and was collectively criticized for [[ContinuityLockout actually making continuity]] ''[[ContinuityLockout even more]]'' [[ContinuityLockout confusing]] due to not actually committing to a fresh start as a "reboot" would imply, with [[BroadStrokes editors trying to preserve pre-reboot content]] and subsequently [[ContinuitySnarl confusing writers and audiences alike]] on [[WriterConflictsWithCanon what was or wasn't in canon anymore]]. The DC You imprint after ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' tried to win back fans but turned out to be a failure, and then Creator/DanDiDio admitted that "blank slate" of the New 52 was a mistake, since no one knew where to take any of the characters, which resulted in the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' imprint, leading a SoftReboot in a LighterAndSofter direction that [[WinBackTheCrowd was seen as a very welcome relief]], even if just for a moment. With the advent of Rebirth, DC would spend ''the next 5 years'' inticing readers with the promise of ''undoing'' the New 52, which shows just how badly it was received

* Many fans consider the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' a huge audience-alienating era for DC in general[[note]] At the time of this writing, a total of 18 characters or groups have have had an A.A.E. through the entirety of the New 52 ([[ComicBook/GreenArrow Arsenal]], ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} II and III, ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}, ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, the ComicBook/DoomPatrol, ComicBook/TheFlash, ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, ComicBook/{{Impulse}}, the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, the ComicBook/NewGods, ComicBook/PowerGirl, ComicBook/TheQuestion, ComicBook/RedRobin, the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, ComicBook/{{Superman}} and the ComicBook/TeenTitans)[[/note]] due to attempting to be a DarkerAndEdgier ContinuityReboot of Franchise/TheDCU, both aspects of that were deemed major failures. In terms of tone, the era was pervaded with [[TooBleakStoppedCaring a general feeling of hopelessness exacerbated by heavily flawed main characters]], especially inappropriate for characters whose previous appeal lied in their ''heroism'', especially {{ComicBook/Superman}}. In terms of being a "reboot", some of the popular titles were altered to almost InNameOnly levels (such as the ''Teen Titans'', which features [[ReplacementScrappy an entirely new incarnation of the team that wasn't as well-regarded as their predecessors]]), and some of the superheroes were given controversial new origins (an example being Wonder Woman being retconned into a demigoddess), and was collectively criticized for [[ContinuityLockout actually making continuity]] ''[[ContinuityLockout even more]]'' [[ContinuityLockout confusing]] due to not actually committing to a fresh start as a "reboot" would imply, with [[BroadStrokes editors trying to preserve pre-reboot content]] and subsequently [[ContinuitySnarl confusing writers and audiences alike]] on [[WriterConflictsWithCanon what was or wasn't in canon anymore]]. The DC You imprint after ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' tried to win back fans but turned out to be a failure, and then Creator/DanDiDio admitted that "blank slate" of the New 52 was a mistake, since no one knew where to take any of the characters, which resulted in the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' imprint, leading a SoftReboot in a LighterAndSofter direction that [[WinBackTheCrowd was seen as a very welcome relief]], even if just for a moment. With the advent of Rebirth, DC would spend ''the next 5 years'' inticing readers with the promise of ''undoing'' the New 52, which shows just how badly it was received

* Many fans consider the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' a huge audience-alienating era for DC in general[[note]] At the time of this writing, a total of 18 characters or groups have have had an AAE through the entirety of the New 52 ([[ComicBook/GreenArrow Arsenal]], ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} II and III, ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}, ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, the ComicBook/DoomPatrol, ComicBook/TheFlash, ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, ComicBook/{{Impulse}}, the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, the ComicBook/NewGods, ComicBook/PowerGirl, ComicBook/TheQuestion, ComicBook/RedRobin, the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, ComicBook/{{Superman}} and the ComicBook/TeenTitans)[[/note]] due to attempting to be a DarkerAndEdgier ContinuityReboot of Franchise/TheDCU, both aspects of that were deemed major failures. In terms of tone, the era was pervaded with [[TooBleakStoppedCaring a general feeling of hopelessness exacerbated by heavily flawed main characters]], especially inappropriate for characters whose previous appeal lied in their ''heroism'', especially {{ComicBook/Superman}}. In terms of being a "reboot", some of the popular titles were altered to almost InNameOnly levels (such as the ''Teen Titans'', which features [[ReplacementScrappy an entirely new incarnation of the team that wasn't as well-regarded as their predecessors]]), and some of the superheroes were given controversial new origins (an example being Wonder Woman being retconned into a demigoddess), and was collectively criticized for [[ContinuityLockout actually making continuity]] ''[[ContinuityLockout even more]]'' [[ContinuityLockout confusing]] due to not actually committing to a fresh start as a "reboot" would imply, with [[BroadStrokes editors trying to preserve pre-reboot content]] and subsequently [[ContinuitySnarl confusing writers and audiences alike]] on [[WriterConflictsWithCanon what was or wasn't in canon anymore]]. The DC You imprint after ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' tried to win back fans but turned out to be a failure, and then Creator/DanDiDio admitted that "blank slate" of the New 52 was a mistake, since no one knew where to take any of the characters, which resulted in the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' imprint, leading a SoftReboot in a LighterAndSofter direction that [[WinBackTheCrowd was seen as a very welcome relief]], even if just for a moment. With the advent of Rebirth, DC would spend ''the next 5 years'' inticing readers with the promise of ''undoing'' the New 52, which shows just how badly it was received

[[folder:Wonder Woman]]

* Quite a few consider Creator/JohnByrne and his three-year run on the book to be this, as Byrne did his usual thing of ditching as much of what the writers and creators before him made as he could. The resulting SoftReboot did some real damage to Diana's world by getting rid of her existing supporting cast and moving her to a new city (making it something of a patient zero for the critique of Wonder Woman not having much of an identity), and it was also widely seen as the smoking gun for [[Characters/WonderGirlDonnaTroy Donna Troy]]'s infamous ContinuitySnarl by giving her a notoriously convoluted origin. Aside from that, Byrne self-admittedly didn't care about Wonder Woman, leading to Diana feeling like a supporting character in her own book so that he could instead play with the ComicBook/NewGods and other Kirby creations--and Kirby diehards rarely have anything nice to say about Byrne. The main positive result of it was the introduction of Cassandra Sandsmark, and even then, that has much more to do with later stories penned by Peter David and her appearances in ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' than anything Byrne wrote.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2011'': After Creator/BrianAzzarello's successful, albeit controversial, run in the ''New 52'' era, Meredith Finch was chosen as his successor. Azzarello's run had the advantage of being clearly driven and self-contained. Finch's run, on the other hand, was meant to tie into the larger DCU ''and'' reintroduce characters that Azzarello's run ignored. The result was nothing short of a disaster. Narratives had no direction whatsoever, Diana came off as an ineffectual idiot, a new outfit was introduced that was mockingly described as "The Clown Suit", Donna Troy was reintroduced with a new origin that was instantly reviled by fans, and the series introduced such stupid plot decisions as a FaceHeelTurn for Hera that essentially spat on all the CharacterDevelopment she had received in Azzarello's run. Add in downright Liefeldian artwork from Finch's husband David that objectified Diana, and you have arguably the most hated run in Wonder Woman's entire history.

[[folder:The Flash]]

[[folder:Green Lantern]]

[[folder:Aquaman]]

[[folder:Green Arrow]]

[[folder:Justice League]]

[[folder:Teen Titans]]

* While divisive for its approach to the ''ComicBook/YoungJustice'' characters, Geoff Johns' 2003 relaunch of the series was largely well-received in terms of direction. Unfortunately, after ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', Johns' plans for the book went down the drain due to the one-two punch of Superboy's death as a result of legal disputes with Siegel and Shuster's estates and Bart Allen being given a PlotRelevantAgeUp and then death due to plans to bring Barry Allen back in the Flash. This left the book directionless for years after Johns left, and the series bounced between various writers with inconsistent creative direction and ideas (including an infamous story where a demonic Wonder Dog killed Marvin and crippled Wendy from the Superfriends and was later killed himself by the Titans, leading to backlash from comics sites), characters holding the JerkassBall, and the unstable team roster. It didn't help that the mid-2000's is when the Titans as a whole were made into DC's main supply for CListFodder in events, making the tone all the more dour. Things did eventually begin with stabilize with the possibility of both [[Characters/RobinDamianWayne Damian Wayne]] and Irey West joining, only for that to be CutShort by the New 52 and abandoned.

[[folder:Doom Patrol]]

[[folder:Power Girl]]

* ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}} suffered one through the New 52. The main problem was that since every previous incarnation of the Teen Titans had been ereased from continuity, Slade lost his ties with them, specially his rivalry with Nightwing, and thus lost most of his characterisation, which paired with him also losing a lot of his MagnificentBastard traits, left being little more than a glorified regular mercenary. His 2011 run started off good but then just went nowhere once Creator/RobLiefeld took over, who drove it into the ground [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot and killed any potential plot.]] Infamously, it was one of the New 52 creator shuffles that happened when sales started to drop, to the point it went through Jordan, Williamson and Liefeld in 6 issues (8-14). A third volume was released in 2014 to revitalise interest in the character, but it repeated the issues from the previous volume: It started off again strong but plots were dropped and meandered for no good reason, culminating in the whole main story just stopping at one point until it was brought up later in a flashback comment. It didn't help that through it, Deathstroke slowly devolved more into an edgy NinetiesAntiHero, as with most New 52 characters. The [[ComicBook/DeathstrokeRebirth 2016 Christopher Priest run]] was considered a '''massive''' step up, however, and it remains one of Rebirth's most beloved titles.

* Many fans consider the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' a huge audience-alienating era for DC in general[[note]] At the time of this writing, a total of 19 characters or groups have have had an AAE through the entirety of the New 52 ([[ComicBook/GreenArrow Arsenal]], ComicBook/{{Batgirl}} II and III, ComicBook/{{Catwoman}}, ComicBook/{{Cyborg}}, ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, the ComicBook/DoomPatrol, ComicBook/TheFlash, ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}, ComicBook/{{Impulse}}, the ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, the ComicBook/NewGods, ComicBook/PowerGirl, ComicBook/TheQuestion, ComicBook/RedRobin, the ComicBook/SuicideSquad, ComicBook/{{Superboy}}, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, ComicBook/{{Superman}} and the ComicBook/TeenTitans)[[/note]] due to attempting to be a DarkerAndEdgier ContinuityReboot of Franchise/TheDCU, both aspects of that were deemed major failures. In terms of tone, the era was pervaded with [[TooBleakStoppedCaring a general feeling of hopelessness exacerbated by heavily flawed main characters]], especially inappropriate for characters whose previous appeal lied in their ''heroism'', especially {{ComicBook/Superman}}. In terms of being a "reboot", some of the popular titles were altered to almost InNameOnly levels (such as the ''Teen Titans'', which features [[ReplacementScrappy an entirely new incarnation of the team that wasn't as well-regarded as their predecessors]]), and some of the superheroes were given controversial new origins (an example being Wonder Woman being retconned into a demigoddess), and was collectively criticized for [[ContinuityLockout actually making continuity]] ''[[ContinuityLockout even more]]'' [[ContinuityLockout confusing]] due to not actually committing to a fresh start as a "reboot" would imply, with [[BroadStrokes editors trying to preserve pre-reboot content]] and subsequently [[ContinuitySnarl confusing writers and audiences alike]] on [[WriterConflictsWithCanon what was or wasn't in canon anymore]]. The DC You imprint after ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' tried to win back fans but turned out to be a failure, and then Creator/DanDiDio admitted that "blank slate" of the New 52 was a mistake, since no one knew where to take any of the characters, which resulted in the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' imprint, leading a SoftReboot in a LighterAndSofter direction that [[WinBackTheCrowd was seen as a very welcome relief]], even if just for a moment. With the advent of Rebirth, DC would spend ''the next 5 years'' inticing readers with the promise of ''undoing'' the New 52, which shows just how badly it was received

* Many fans consider the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' a huge audience-alienating era for DC in general due to attempting to be a DarkerAndEdgier ContinuityReboot of Franchise/TheDCU, both aspects of that were deemed major failures. In terms of tone, the era was pervaded with [[TooBleakStoppedCaring a general feeling of hopelessness exacerbated by heavily flawed main characters]], especially inappropriate for characters whose previous appeal lied in their ''heroism'', especially {{ComicBook/Superman}}. In terms of being a "reboot", some of the popular titles were altered to almost InNameOnly levels (such as the ''Teen Titans'', which features [[ReplacementScrappy an entirely new incarnation of the team that wasn't as well-regarded as their predecessors]]), and some of the superheroes were given controversial new origins (an example being Wonder Woman being retconned into a demigoddess), and was collectively criticized for [[ContinuityLockout actually making continuity]] ''[[ContinuityLockout even more]]'' [[ContinuityLockout confusing]] due to not actually committing to a fresh start as a "reboot" would imply, with [[BroadStrokes editors trying to preserve pre-reboot content]] and subsequently [[ContinuitySnarl confusing writers and audiences alike]] on [[WriterConflictsWithCanon what was or wasn't in canon anymore]]. The DC You imprint after ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' tried to win back fans but turned out to be a failure, and then Creator/DanDiDio admitted that "blank slate" of the New 52 was a mistake, since no one knew where to take any of the characters, which resulted in the ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' imprint, leading a SoftReboot in a LighterAndSofter direction that [[WinBackTheCrowd was seen as a very welcome relief]], even if just for a moment. With the advent of Rebirth, DC would spend ''the next 5 years'' inticing readers with the promise of ''undoing'' the New 52, which shows just how badly it was received

* During The New 52, Characters/BlackCanary was revamped heavily thanks to the annexing of the Justice Society of America from continuity, which, among other things, led to a completely different backstory. Rather than Dinah Laurel Lance following her mother, Dinah Drake, the two were merged into a single character, Dinah Drake-Lance, who instead of being a Golden Age crimefighter was a former homeless girl who was taken in by a dojo master and became a member of Team 7, with history tied with Penguin and Deathstroke. Ironically, things were fixed when they decided to reinvent Black Canary as the lead singer of a punk-rock band also named Black Canary, a premise that ''sounds'' [[AudienceAlienatingPremise alienating]], but ended up restoring much of Dinah Lance's personality, wardrobe, and history, including her status as a legacy character following her mother's footsteps (albeit now, her mother had been missing since she was young and she'd spent her teen years homeless), so that when the book ran its course, Dinah had pretty much been restored to her pre-52 status, and the new aspects (being a rock singer and formerly homeless) being mostly well-received additions.

* ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}} suffered one through the New 52.
** The 2011 run started off good but then just went nowhere once Liefeld took over, who drove it into the ground [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot and killed any potential plot.]] Infamously, it was one of the New 52 creator shuffles that happened when sales started to drop, to the point it went through Jordan, Williamson and Liefeld in 6 issues (8-14).
** The 2014 third volume started off again strong but plots were dropped and meandered for no good reason. Even though the artwork was fine-ish, the whole main story just stopped at one point and was brought up later in a flashback comment. It didn't help that through it, Deathstroke slowly devolved more into an edgy NinetiesAntiHero, as with most New 52 characters. The [[ComicBook/DeathstrokeRebirth 2016 Christopher Priest run]] was considered a '''massive''' step up, however, and it remains one of Rebirth's most beloved titles.

* ComicBook/DoctorFate saw a rather bizarre period in the mid-90s: Kent Nelson, the original Doctor Fate, was killed off as part of a general initiative to clear out the older JSA members. In his place, there was Jared Stevens, the Man Called Fate--a heavily-muscled man with facial tattoos who stole the original cloak and helmet of Fate, tore up the cloak to make an arm bandage, and melted the helmet down to make a big knife and ankh-shaped throwing stars. The whole concept and character was so deep into NinetiesAntiHero territory as to read like parody, and forced a later revision to Stevens' origin to make the whole thing seem a bit more palatable. Though the book did develop something of a cult following who found Stevens more likeable than that initial impression, it poisoned the well so badly that DC killed the character off only five years after his introduction and largely kept him that way, before bringing back Hector Hall and turning him into a much more traditional take on the identity.

** The 2014 third volume started off again strong but plots were dropped and meandered for no good reason. Even though the artowk was fine-ish, the whole main story just stopped at one point and was brought up later in a flashback comment. It didn't help that through it, Deathstroke slowly devolved more into an edgy NinetiesAntiHero, as with most New 52 characters. The [[ComicBook/DeathstrokeRebirth 2016 Christopher Priest run]] was considered a '''massive''' step up, however, and it remains one of Rebirth's most beloved titles.

* The New 52 series up until [[ComicBook/GreenArrowJeffLemire Jeff Lemire's run]]. Starting on an already sour note by using ''Smallville'''s Green Arrow design and turning Ollie YoungerAndHipper, writer J. T. Krul began his run with an {{Anvilicious}} TakeThat against [[NewMediaAreEvil video games and new media]] that felt especially off-base considering not only how long-debunked its views were, but also the well-known left-leaning nature of its protagonist. After Krul left, things fell to Ann Nocenti, who told unremarkable, confusing stories where it seemed like half the dialogue wasn't on the page. Jeff Lemire began his run by burning the previous stuff to the ground and nobody complained.
* After Lemire's run, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg took over and proceeded to toss away much of the goodwill Lemire had brought. As the showrunners of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'', they decided to reinvent the book into being essentially a comic adaptation of the show, right down to using a Malcolm Merlyn-style bad guy who's the father of Mia Dearden (much like her TV counterpart Thea), and introduced [[BaseBreakingCharacter Felicity Smoak]] to the fold. Characters from Lemire's run were written out in passing, and despite Oliver having been thought dead and losing his fortune during Lemire's run, he's suddenly got his life and fortune back with no explanation as to how. Much of the problems the show would have (this happened before Arrow's infamous SeasonalRot in Season 3) were found in the comic, including Felicity's SpotlightStealingSquad and RomanticPlotTumor, and subsequently DC replaced the writers with Ben Percy for ''DC You'', who would immediately discard Felicity and Diggle, bringing back some of the previously-discarded supporting cast from Lemire's run, and quietly phased out most of the ''Arrow'' influences.

* After ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', Aquaman got PutOnABus and was replaced by a completely new LegacyCharacter named AJ Curry, while the original stuck around as a sea monster before being killed off. So disliked was the decision that it rendered the entire franchise largely unusable for several years, until ''ComicBook/BlackestNight'' finally saw the original get resurrected and the franchise getting a successful relaunch in the New 52.

* While Keith Giffen and J.M. Demattis' run on ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational'' is beloved, the book and its sister series ''Justice League Europe'' suffered immensely after both left the series in 1991. The following six years of stories, despite being headed through popular writers such as Creator/MarkWaid and Creator/{{Christopher Priest|Comics}}, are now largely forgotten, as it became clear that no one at DC had any real idea what to ''do'' with the League, leading to gimmicky angles (such as killing off JLI EnsembleDarkhorse Ice, a decision which Waid would later openly regret), and giving into 90s tropes DC otherwise largely avoided, most blatantly in the infamous and short-lived ''Extreme Justice'' spinoff. It wouldn't be until Grant Morrison took on the role with ''ComicBook/JLA1997'' that the book would recover, in the process giving what many consider the definite run on the team.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': In The70s, DC decided that Wonder Woman should be retooled as a more down-to-earth hero. Officially the decision was "to appeal to feminists", in actuality it was an attempt to cash in on the popularity of Emma Peel of ''Series/TheAvengers1960s'', and the "modernist" fashion trend sweeping the United States. As a result, she was [[BroughtDownToNormal depowered]] and turned into a kung-fu superspy in a white pantsuit. This move backfired in what DC claimed their goal was. It ''angered'' prominent feminists like Gloria Steinem, who denounced it as a profoundly sexist move to remove the power of one of the greatest female superheroes. It succeeded somewhat, in that it did draw readers to the comic book, until the modernist fad faded. It was more so alienating to the ''Wonder Woman'' brand in general, as attempts to merchandise "mod" Wonder Woman or adapt her to other media all fell on their face, with the [[SeriesWonderWoman1975 live action television show]] proving general audience preferred the classic take on the character after [[Film/WonderWoman1974 the lone pilot]] in line with the "mod" comics to get off the ground went on to crash and burn.