Reboot woes are a familiar itch in the things that bring you joy. But what is it exactly? There have been several cases where this happens but nobody can nail down why. Well, other than “that’s not my X”. But that just means that with the proper direction, we can figure out the lack of it.
Where’s Your Reboot Woes?
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Alright, we’re out of ideas…time to start over!
That’s the feeling fans usually think when people approach their favorite franchises. Thing is, some of these like the original Ultimate Marvel comics and Transformers Aligned Continuity were meant to attract new fans while keeping older ones around.
It’s an idea that goes back to the 1980s in DC Comics’ Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot. Although to be fair, back then it at least tries to smooth out the redundancies while retiring parts with a legacy. It’s part of why modern versions of the Flash and Green Lantern stick with people more than some older dudes who barely caught on. Plus, this was way before the internet so…
Anyway, to stay on track, the purpose of reboots is to bring out a franchise’s best features while approaching what’s broken. For example, the Krakoan Era of X-Men was made because the X-Men franchise was spinning its wheels with redundant stories. Most modern stories basically had no direction with the core theme losing narrative weight. So the initial hype goes into refocusing this theme in order progress forward.
Which Way’s Forward?
But soon the Krakoa Era started to lose its aim. That’s something it shares with a number of campaigns like the Spider-Man Clone Saga. Most people will tell you that it comes down to corporate greed, milking out a concept dry. But that’s only half of the reboot woes.
Two hard franchise reboots in DC’s New 52 and Transformers Aligned Continuity show the other half, no direction. Both DC and Transformers have texts full of lore that tend to get in each other’s way. If enjoying something sounds like you need to study for a test, why bother? Then again, why bother going into this new thing when creative differences end up causing the same problem? Like what did Rescue Bots add?
Both of these campaigns have their success stories with the central Justice League and Transformers: Prime among others. But related materials meant to enhance the experience go off in so many directions, that some things don’t make any sense. Did anyone read the Transformers: Prime comics before making the Robots In Disguise show? In fact some plans that overlap with one another seemed to have been built up, only to abort everything because someone got bored.
Reboot Woes Architects
That’s ultimately what dooms most of these franchise reboots, the architects who want to tell a story and their sponsors keeping the hype going. You might’ve heard of the phrase “too many cooks spoil the broth”. That definitely applies here once a few central pillars are gone. I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with Mark Millar and Jonathan Hickman.
Say what you will about how Millar indulges in the wanton violence he criticizes, present company included. But his time in Ultimate Marvel at least made fun of it. Everybody else who took over his work meanwhile… there’s not even a hint of irony. It’s just brutal, ugly, senseless violence trying to ape Millar’s creative and promotional style. All without the nuance of Millar’s plans for his own publishing company.
As for Hickman, he tries to get everyone he works with on the same page in the Dawn and Reign of X campaigns. It’s what makes everything feel like they’re connected, at least with the creative staff. But not with the Marvel executives with how some plot threads start to unravel. After Hickman left, nobody seemed to be working together.
Why Even Bother With Reboots?
If doubt, greed, and co-dependence make the things you enjoy taste sour, why try to reinvent the wheel? Comics and entertainment franchises aren’t computers. Because rebooting is really about dealing with problems that come up easier. In easier words, finding what works and what doesn’t in the data, not making a big scene flying by the seat of your pants. Sometimes the problems of your favorites franchises are too big or much for one quick fix. Just ask Archie Comics’ Sonic.
Let’s put it in perspective with the new Ultimate Marvel. Any production history aside, this new status quo is it’s own thing: consistent, on its own timeline, and has all of the familiar elements. Best of all, it doesn’t disrupt anything happening on the regular Marvel lines. This allows the creatives to do whatever they want, so long as they have a direction. Wouldn’t you know it but Hickman gave them one in an outline against a central villain in the form of the Maker. Who? Doesn’t matter, because it’s about his influence on the world and heroes rising to fight it.
Hickman doesn’t even let his story be the one that decides everything, he shares it with everyone else. Now the only thing the Ultimate Universe has to worry about is corporate greed artificially extending it.
Always Be Ready For Reboot Woes
Everything that inspires you needs to be ready to change. Usually for the sake of convenience or refocusing a core theme when it loses direction. Of course, it still needs a direction, not go off the rails again. Creative differences can do that as well as stretching a concept beyond its limits. If everyone’s not on the same page, then your reboot woes have a ground to stand on.
So remember, if you’re worried about the next continuity hiccup, it’s not the change as much as it is the structure that asks you what you’re missing.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.