2011 sees a line wide reboot, the New 52. After Flash rewrites the timeline in Flashpoint, his fix of the timeline creates a new one instead: the New 52, also known as Prime Earth and DCnU. In this new universe, the Wildstorm Universe and Vertigo Universe are merged into the new timeline. All titles - including Action Comics (Volume 1) and Detective Comics (Volume 1) are cancelled and starting in July, 52 new titles premiere. Character origins are changed considerably, and super star creative teams take on the titles.
However, it was marketed as a soft reboot and many former events like the War of Light and The Killing Joke were still canon. Batman retains all his male Robins, but Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown are ignored. Barbara Gordon is Batgirl again - recovering from her injury and continuing her vigilante career.
The marriages of Clark and Lois and Barry and Iris are broken up, with the heroes pursuing different love interests. Wonder Woman is turned into a demi-god, daughter of Zeus, and given a relationship with Superman.
DC finally drops support for the Comics Code Authority, which most of the competition had done in the years before. They also renovate digital releases, making paper and digital issues available on the same day.
Creators
The following creative talent passed away in the year 2011:
- Alvin Schwartz
- Bill Benulis
- Bill Kunkel
- Boyd Kirkland
- Chuck Mazoujian
- Clement Sauve
- Dave Hoover
- Dwayne McDuffie
- Earl Kress
- Eduardo Barreto
- Gene Colan
- Jack Adler
- Jean Brundage
- Jeff Jones
- Jerry Robinson
- Jimmy Sangster
- Joe Simon
- Lee Ames
- Lew Sayre Schwartz
- Reza Badiyi
Titles
The following comic titles debuted with a 2011 cover date:
- Action Comics (Volume 2)
- All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1)
- All-Star Western (Volume 3)
- American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest (Volume 1)
- Animal Man (Volume 2)
- Aquaman (Volume 7)
- Assassin's Creed: The Fall (Volume 1)
- Batgirl (Volume 4)
- Batman Beyond (Volume 4)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 1)
- Batman (Volume 2)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
- Batman: Arkham City (Volume 1)
- Batman: Arkham City (Volume 1 (Digital))
- Batman: Arkham Unhinged (Volume 1 (Digital))
- Batman: Gates of Gotham (Volume 1)
- Batman: Odyssey (Volume 2)
- Batman: Orphans (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 2)
- Batwing (Volume 1)
- Batwoman (Volume 2)
- Birds of Prey (Volume 3)
- Blackhawks (Volume 1)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 8)
- Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing (Volume 1)
- Captain Atom (Volume 3)
- Catwoman (Volume 4)
- Cinderella: Fables are Forever (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Batman (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Green Lantern (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Justice League of America (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Superman (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: The Flash (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman (Volume 1)
- DC Universe Online Legends (Volume 1)
- DC Universe Presents (Volume 1)
- Deathstroke (Volume 2)
- Demon Knights (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 2)
- Deus Ex (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint (Volume 2)
- Flashpoint: Abin Sur - The Green Lantern (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Hal Jordan (Volume 1)
The following Comic titles were last published with a 2011 cover date:
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest (Volume 1)
- Assassin's Creed: The Fall (Volume 1)
- Azrael (Volume 2)
- Batgirl (Volume 3)
- Batman Beyond (Volume 3)
- Batman Beyond (Volume 4)
- Batman Confidential (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 1)
- Batman (Volume 1)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
- Batman and the Outsiders (Volume 2)
- Batman: Arkham City (Volume 1)
- Batman: Arkham City (Volume 1 (Digital))
- Batman: Gates of Gotham (Volume 1)
- Batman: Odyssey (Volume 1)
- Batman: Orphans (Volume 1)
- Batman: Streets of Gotham (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Birds of Prey (Volume 2)
- Black Cherry Bombshells (Volume 1 (Digital))
- Booster Gold (Volume 2)
- Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing (Volume 1)
- Brightest Day (Volume 1)
- Cinderella: Fables are Forever (Volume 1)
- DC Comics Presents: Young Justice (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Batman (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Green Lantern (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Justice League of America (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Superman (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: The Flash (Volume 1)
- DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman (Volume 1)
- DC Universe Legacies (Volume 1)
- Deus Ex (Volume 1)
- Doom Patrol (Volume 5)
- First Wave (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint (Volume 2)
- Flashpoint: Abin Sur - The Green Lantern (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Deathstroke and the Curse of the Ravager (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Hal Jordan (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Legion of Doom (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Project Superman (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Secret Seven (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: The Outsider (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint (Volume 1)
- Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies (Volume 1)
- Freedom Fighters (Volume 2)
- Fringe: Tales From the Fringe (Volume 1)
- Gen 13 (Volume 4)
- Gotham City Sirens (Volume 1)
- Green Arrow (Volume 4)
- Green Lantern Corps (Volume 2)
- Green Lantern Movie Prequel (Volume 1)
- Green Lantern (Volume 4)
- Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors (Volume 1)
- Hellblazer: City of Demons (Volume 1)
- Hero Factory (Volume 1)
- House of Mystery (Volume 2)
- Ides of Blood (Volume 1)
- InFamous (Volume 1)
- JSA All-Stars (Volume 1)
- Jack of Fables (Volume 1)
- Joe the Barbarian (Volume 1)
- Jonah Hex (Volume 2)
- Justice League of America (Volume 2)
- Justice League of America/The 99 (Volume 1)
- Justice League: Generation Lost (Volume 1)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 3)
The following One Shots were published with a 2011 cover date:
- 99 Days
- A Flight of Angels
- Batman 80-Page Giant 2010 (Volume 2) #1
- Batman 80-Page Giant 2011 #1
- Batman/Catwoman: Follow the Money #1
- Batman: Arkham City: Special Issue
- Batman: The Return #1
- Batwoman #0
- Cowboys
- Cuba: My Revolution
- DC Comics Presents: Batman - Gotham Noir #1
- DC Comics Presents: Batman Beyond #1
- DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern Willworld #1
- DC Comics Presents: Impulse #1
- DC Comics Presents: Justice League of America - Black Baptism #1
- DC Comics Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes - Legion of the Damned #1
- DC Comics Presents: Metal Men #1
- DC Comics Presents: Son of Superman #1
- DC Comics Presents: Superboy's Legion #1
- DC Comics Presents: Superman - Infestation #1
Characters
Selected 2011 character debuts. See all.
- Leader Vladimir/Kal-El (Prime Earth)
- Superman (Clark Kent)
- Aquaman (Arthur Curry)
- Batman (Bruce Wayne)
- Wonder Woman (Diana Prince)
- Flash (Barry Allen)
- Amanda Waller (Prime Earth)
- Jason Todd (Prime Earth)
- Richard Grayson (Prime Earth)
- Slade Wilson (Prime Earth)
- Kara Zor-El (Prime Earth)
- Timothy Drake (Prime Earth)
- Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)
- Joker (Prime Earth)
- Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
- Roy Harper (Prime Earth)
- Barbara Gordon (Prime Earth)
- Katherine Kane (Prime Earth)
- Zatanna Zatara (Prime Earth)
- John Constantine (Prime Earth)
- Cassandra Sandsmark (Prime Earth)
- Mera (Prime Earth)
- J'onn J'onzz (Prime Earth)
- Oswald Cobblepot (Prime Earth)
- Kon-El II (Prime Earth)
- Alexander Luthor (Prime Earth)
- Victor Stone (Prime Earth)
- John Stewart (Prime Earth)
- Lois Lane (Prime Earth)
- Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)
- Bernhard Baker (Prime Earth)
- Victor Fries (Prime Earth)
- Harleen Quinzel (Prime Earth)
- Nathaniel Adam (Prime Earth)
- Catwoman (Selina Kyle)
- Pamela Isley (Prime Earth)
- Guy Gardner (Prime Earth)
- Hatebunny/Kal-El (Prime Earth)
- Raven (Prime Earth)
- Thaal Sinestro (Prime Earth)
- Dinah Drake (Prime Earth)
- Floyd Lawton (Prime Earth)
- Koriand'r (Prime Earth)
- Rex Mason (Prime Earth)
- Maxine Baker (Prime Earth)
- James Gordon (Prime Earth)
- Rose Wilson (Prime Earth)
- Hippolyta (Prime Earth)
- Alec Holland (Prime Earth)
- Ronald Raymond (Prime Earth)
Teams
Selected 2011 team debuts. See all.
- Justice League (Prime Earth)
- Suicide Squad (Prime Earth)
- Justice League Dark (Prime Earth)
- Court of Owls (Prime Earth)
- Checkmate (Prime Earth)
- Justice League International (Prime Earth)
- Stormwatch (Prime Earth)
- Birds of Prey (Prime Earth)
- Outlaws (Prime Earth)
- Blackhawk Program (Prime Earth)
- Zhuguan (New Earth)
- Creature Commandos (Prime Earth)
- N.O.W.H.E.R.E.
- The Reach (Prime Earth)
- Brotherhood of Evil (Prime Earth)
- All-Caste
- Lime and Light
- Victory V's
- Horde
- Demon Knights (Prime Earth)
- New Guardians (Prime Earth)
- The Morrigan
- Body Doubles (Prime Earth)
- The Kingdom (Prime Earth)
- Order of the Scythe
- Team 7 (Flashpoint Timeline)
- T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (New Earth)
- Angels of Death
- Supermen of America II (New Earth)
- Jailbreakers
- Continuum
- Navy SEALs
- Slate Gang
- Kollektiv
- Morris Men
- Dog Team
- Covenant of Ka
- Non Lethal Alternative Studies
- Pool Hall Gang
- Cleaners
- Hyena Team
- Cidermen
- Ivgene Clan
- Brothers of the Sword
- Urchins
- S.M.A.S.H. (New Earth)