History CondemnedByHistory / ComicBooks

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be DarkerAndEdgier than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works; such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] being portrayed as [[RapePillageAndBurn pillaging]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl warrior]] rapists and slavers. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most legacy heroes for the sake of trying to create a "fresh start", such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age heroes]], the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice Society]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, a number of Comicbook/TeenTitans, and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash family]] (which ended up losing all its members apart from Barry Allen). And finally, despite ostensibly being a full reboot, the initiative ultimately did not commit to it, with many comic lines [[BroadStrokes still reliant on prior continuity and backstory]], which defeated the purpose of being a jumping-on point. This approach actually [[ContinuitySnarl made continuity even more confusing than ever before]], not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[BatFamilyCrossover convoluted]] [[CrisisCrossover event comics]].\\

Unfortunately, these claims proved right, [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools just not in a good way]], as ''Identity Crisis'' ended up being damaging in the long run. Many of its immediate effects, such as its attempt to make Doctor Light a viable threat or killing Tim Drake's father, completely backfired, while its treatment of other characters ended up having to be retconned or ignored due to it making those characters unlikable. What was more, separated from the hype, people began picking apart ''Identity Crisis'' more critically and noticed its many issues, such as implausible plot points, continuity mishaps, and the main story being a CluelessMystery with a barely-present antagonist. Its gratuitous use of RapeAsDrama (which itself had a rather ugly origin, being an editorial mandate), though shocking at the time, became the public face of DC's poor handling of mature themes and [[StuffedIntoTheFridge female characters]].\\\

With longtime readers and newcomers alike losing interest and leaving, by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was ''below what it had previously been before the New 52''. At this point, DC went for a wide-scale course-correction in the form the much better received ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' initiative, which largely [[WinBackTheCrowd won back the fanbase]]. Ultimately, the architects of the era largely regarded it as a mistake, and while a handful of books from the era were well-regarded (Creator/ScottSnyder's ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' run, ''ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsActionComics''), they tend to be viewed as succeeding in spite of the initiative rather than because of it.

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[{{DarkerAndEdgier}} Darker & Edgier than ever before]], which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works; such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] being portrayed as [[RapePillageAndBurn pillaging]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl warrior]] rapists and slavers. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most legacy heroes for the sake of trying to create a "fresh start", such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age heroes]], the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice Society]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, a number of Comicbook/TeenTitans, and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash family]] (which ended up losing all its members apart from Barry Allen). And finally, despite ostensibly being a full reboot, the initiative ultimately did not commit to it, with many comic lines [[BroadStrokes still reliant on prior continuity and backstory]], which defeated the purpose of being a jumping-on point. This approach actually [[ContinuitySnarl made continuity even more confusing than ever before]], not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[BatFamilyCrossover convoluted]] [[CrisisCrossover event comics]].\\

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be DarkerAndEdger than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works; such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] being portrayed as [[RapePillageAndBurn pillaging]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl warrior]] rapists and slavers. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most legacy heroes for the sake of trying to create a "fresh start", such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age heroes]], the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice Society]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, a number of Comicbook/TeenTitans, and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash family]] (which ended up losing all its members apart from Barry Allen). And finally, despite ostensibly being a full reboot, the initiative ultimately did not commit to it, with many comic lines [[BroadStrokes still reliant on prior continuity and backstory]], which defeated the purpose of being a jumping-on point. This approach actually [[ContinuitySnarl made continuity even more confusing than ever before]], not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[BatFamilyCrossover convoluted]] [[CrisisCrossover event comics]].\\

* Creator/DCComics' ''ComicBook/New52'' was an initiative to [[ContinuityReboot relaunch its entire lineup]]. After entering a bit of a runt, in 2011 it was decided to reboot DC’s entire continuity to attract more readers and make their comics more accessible to a general audience. At first, the initiative received a [[https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/09/21/why-you-should-bet-on-dc-in-the-comic-book-horse-race/?sh=32e594ac35dc positive]] [[https://www.avclub.com/the-new-dc-52-week-5-aquaman-superman-all-star-west-1798228741 response]] from media outlets who praised the decision to modernize & update the lineup along with simplifying the various stories. and it saw a major spike in sales for the company. It seemed that it was the lightning-in-a-bottle that DC Comics needed at the start of TheNewTens. \\
Unfortunately, after the initial euphoria settled, it became apparent that the relaunch was a mistake that caused more problems than it solved. For starters, the reboot initiative was only announced 4 months before it actually happened, with the comic ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' serving as the starting point despite largely being only a Flash Storyline. [[note]] For comparison, ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', DC’s prior reboot, was announced 4 years before its first issue even released. And its storyline incorporated the entire DC lineup rather than focusing on a single character [[/note]] Even DC's Writers were blindsided by the decision; and during the initiative, there was extremely poor planning caused by a [[PoorCommunicationKills lack of communication]] between creators as well as editors, which greatly impacted the quality of various comics. \\
Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[DarkerAndEdgier Darker, Edgier]], [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism More Cynical]], and [[TrueArtIsAngsty Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works; such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] being portrayed as [[RapePillageAndBurn pillaging]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl warrior]] rapists & slavers. This approach made it appear as though DC decided to unironically emulate the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks 90s Dark Age of Comics]]. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica Justice Society]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, the Comicbook/TeenTitans and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash Family]] (the latter was hit hard by this decision). [[note]] This largely stemmed because Editor Dan Didio had a [[CreatorsPest strong dislike towards Legacy heroes]], and he had an especially ''burning hatred'' towards [[Characters/TheFlashWallyWest Wally West as The Flash]], to which he jumped at the opportunity to recton Wally out of existence and replace him with the [[Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen previous Flash Barry Allen]], to the point where Barry was the ''[[CreatorsPet only Flash to have ever existed]]'' during the ''New 52'' [[/note]] \\
And finally, despite ostensibly being a reboot and a fresh start, the initiative ultimately did not commit to being a reboot, with many comic lines still reliant on prior continuity and backstory that defeated the purpose of being a fresh start. This approach actually made continuity even more confusing than ever before, not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[BatFamilyCrossover convoluted]] [[CrisisCrossover event comics]] already difficult to follow. \\
Soon longtime readers & newcomers alike lost interest and left. The situation got so bad that by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was ''below what it had previously been before the New 52''. It was at this moment that DC realized that the ''New 52'' was a failure that damaged the company and their reputation. This led to the much better received ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' Initiative which largely [[WinBackTheCrowd won back the fanbase]]. \\
Ultimately, the ''New 52'' is now seen as major failure & mistake for DC Comics and the single largest [[{{AudienceAlienatingEra/TheDCU}} Audience-Alienating Era]] in the company’s history, and serves as the textbook example on how ''not'' to do a ContinuityReboot.

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[DarkerAndEdgier Darker, Edgier]], [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism More Cynical]], and [[TrueArtIsAngsty Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works; such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] being portrayed as [[RapePillageAndBurn pillaging]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl warrior]] rapists & slavers. This made it appear as though DC decided to unironically emulate the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks 90s Dark Age of Comics]]. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, the Comicbook/TeenTitans and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash Family]] (the latter was hit hard by this decision). [[note]] This largely stemmed because Editor Dan Didio had a [[CreatorsPest strong dislike towards Legacy heroes]], and he had an especially ''burning hatred'' towards [[Characters/TheFlashWallyWest Wally West as The Flash]], to which he jumped at the opportunity to recton Wally out of existence and replace him with the [[Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen previous Flash Barry Allen]], to the point where Barry was the ''[[CreatorsPet only Flash to have ever existed]]'' during the ''New 52'' [[/note]] \\

Soon longtime readers & newcomers alike lost interest. The situation got so bad that by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was ''below what it had previously been before the New 52''. All this led to the much better received ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' Initiative which largely [[WinBackTheCrowd won back the fanbase]]. \\
Ultimately, the ''New 52'' is now seen as major mistake for DC Comics and the single largest [[{{AudienceAlienatingEra/TheDCU}} Audience-Alienating Era]] in the company’s history, and serves as the textbook example on how ''not'' to do a ContinuityReboot.

* Creator/DCComics' ''ComicBook/New52'' was an initiative to [[ContinuityReboot relaunch its entire lineup]]. After entering a bit of a runt, it was decided to reboot DC’s entire continuity to attract more readers and make their comics more accessible to a general audience. At first, the initiative received a [[https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/09/21/why-you-should-bet-on-dc-in-the-comic-book-horse-race/?sh=32e594ac35dc positive]] [[https://www.avclub.com/the-new-dc-52-week-5-aquaman-superman-all-star-west-1798228741 response]] from media outlets who praised the decision to modernize & update the lineup along with simplifying the various stories. and it saw a major spike in sales for the company. It seemed that it was the lightning-in-a-bottle that DC Comics needed at the start of TheNewTens. \\

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[DarkerAndEdgier Darker, Edgier]], [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism More Cynical]], and [[TrueArtIsAngsty Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works, such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] at one point being mentioned as rapists. This made it appear as though DC decided to unironically emulate the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks 90s Dark Age of Comics]]. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, the Comicbook/TeenTitans and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash Family]] (the latter was hit hard by this decision). [[note]] This largely stemmed because Editor Dan Didio had a [[CreatorsPest strong dislike towards Legacy heroes]], and he had an especially ''burning hatred'' towards [[Characters/TheFlashWallyWest Wally West as The Flash]], to which he jumped at the opportunity to recton Wally out of existence and replace him with the [[Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen previous Flash Barry Allen]], to the point where Barry was the ''[[CreatorsPet only Flash to have ever existed]]'' during the ''New 52'' [[/note]] \\

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[DarkerAndEdgier Darker, Edgier]], [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism More Cynical]], and [[TrueArtIsAngsty Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works, such as ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' being portrayed as a SmugSuper [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[ComicBook/WonderWoman Amazons]] at one point being mentioned as rapists. This made it appear as though DC decided to unironically emulate the [[UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks 90s Dark Age of Comics]]. Other decisions greatly [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], two of the {{ComicBook/Batgirl}}s, the [[Comicbook/TeenTitans Teen Titans]] and especially the [[ComicBook/TheFlash Flash Family]] (the latter was hit hard by this decision). [[note]] This largely stemmed because Editor Dan Didio had a [[CreatorsPest strong dislike towards Legacy heroes]], and he had an especially ''burning hatred'' towards [[Characters/TheFlashWallyWest Wally West as The Flash]], to which he jumped at the opportunity to recton Wally out of existence and replace him with the [[Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen previous Flash Barry Allen]], to the point where Barry was the ''[[CreatorsPet only Flash to have ever existed]]'' during the ''New 52'' [[/note]] \\

* Creator/DCComics' ''ComicBook/New52'' was an initiative to [[ContinuityReboot relaunch its entire lineup]]. After entering a bit of a runt, it was decided to reboot DC’s entire continuity to attract more readers and make their comics more accessible to a general audience. Initially, the initiative received a [[https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/09/21/why-you-should-bet-on-dc-in-the-comic-book-horse-race/?sh=32e594ac35dc positive]] [[https://www.avclub.com/the-new-dc-52-week-5-aquaman-superman-all-star-west-1798228741 response]] from media outlets who praised the decision to modernize & update the lineup along with simplifying the various stories. and it saw a major spike in sales for the company. It seemed that it was the lightning-in-a-bottle that DC Comics needed at the start of TheNewTens. \\

And finally, despite ostensibly being a reboot and a fresh start, the initiative ultimately did not commit to being a reboot, with many comic lines still reliant on prior continuity and backstory that defeated the purpose of being a fresh start. This approach actually made continuity even more confusing than ever before, not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[CrisisCrossover convoluted event comics]] already difficult to follow. \\

* [[Creator/DCComics DC Comics’]] ''[[ComicBook/New52 New 52]]'' was an initiative to [[{{ContinuityReboot}} relaunch its entire lineup]]. After entering a bit of a runt, it was decided to reboot DC’s entire continuity to attract more readers and make their comics more accessible to a general audience. Initially, the initiative received a [[https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2011/09/21/why-you-should-bet-on-dc-in-the-comic-book-horse-race/?sh=32e594ac35dc positive]] [[https://www.avclub.com/the-new-dc-52-week-5-aquaman-superman-all-star-west-1798228741 response]] from media outlets who praised the decision to modernize & update the lineup along with simplifying the various stories. and it saw a major spike in sales for the company. It seemed that it was the lightning-in-a-bottle that DC Comics needed at the start of the [[{{Main/TheNewTens}} New 10s]]. \\
Unfortunately, after the initial euphoria settled, it became apparent that the relaunch was a mistake that caused more problems than it solved. For starters, the reboot initiative was only announced 4 months before it actually happened, with the comic ''[[{{ComicBook/FlashpointDCComics}} FlashPoint]]'' serving as the starting point despite largely being only a Flash Storyline. [[note]] For comparison, ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', DC’s prior reboot, was announced 4 years before its first issue even released. And its storyline incorporated the entire DC lineup rather than focusing on a single character [[/note]] Even DC's Writers were blindsided by the decision; and during the initiative, there was extremely poor planning caused by a [[{{PoorCommunicationKills}} lack of communication]] between creators as well as editors, which greatly impacted the quality of various comics. \\
Making matters worse is the fact that many [[{{ExecutiveMeddling}} editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[{{Main/DarkerAndEdgier}} Darker, Edgier]], [[{{SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism}} More Cynical]], and [[{{TrueArtIsAngsty}} Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works, such as ''[[{{ComicBook/Superman}} Superman]]'' being portrayed as [[SmugSuper Smug]] [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[{{ComicBook/WonderWoman}} Amazons]] at one point being mentioned as rapists. This made it appear as though DC decided to unironically emulate the [[{{UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks}} 90s Dark Age of Comics]]. Other decisions greatly [[{{TheyChangedItNowItSucks}} alienated fans]], most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], two of the [[{{ComicBook/Batgirl}} Batgirls]], the [[{{Comicbook/TeenTitans}} Teen Titans]] and especially the [[{{ComicBook/TheFlash}} Flash Family]] (the latter was hit hard by this decision). [[note]] This largely stemmed because Editor Dan Didio had a [[{{CreatorsPest}} strong dislike]] towards Legacy heroes, and he had an especially ''burning hatred'' towards [[{{Characters/TheFlashWallyWest}} Wally West as The Flash]], to which he jumped at the opportunity to recton Wally out of existence and replace him with the [[{{Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen}} previous Flash Barry Allen]], to the point where Barry was the ''[[{{CreatorsPet}} only Flash to have ever existed]]'' during the ''New 52'' [[/note]] \\
And finally, despite ostensibly being a reboot and a fresh start, the initiative ultimately did not commit to being a reboot, with many comic lines still reliant on prior continuity and backstory that defeated the purpose of being a fresh start. This approach actually made continuity even more confusing than ever before, not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[{{CrisisCrossover}} convoluted event comics]] already difficult to follow. \\
Soon longtime readers & newcomers alike lost interest. The situation got so bad that by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was ''below what it had previously been before the New 52''. All this led to the much better received ''[[{{ComicBook/DCRebirth}} DC Rebirth]]'' Initiative which largely [[{{WinBackTheCrowd}} won back the fanbase]]. \\

And finally, despite ostensibly being a reboot and a fresh start, the initiative ultimately did not commit to being a reboot, with many comic lines still reliant on prior continuity and backstory that defeated the purpose of being a fresh start, not helped by the fact that less than one year into the initiative, DC jumped into more [[{{CrisisCrossover}} convoluted event comics]] already difficult to follow; this actually made continuity even more confusing than ever before. The situation got so bad that by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was ''below what it had previously been before the New 52''. All this led to the much better received ''[[{{ComicBook/DCRebirth}} DC Rebirth]]'' Initiative which largely [[{{WinBackTheCrowd}} won back the fanbase]]. \\

And finally, despite ostensibly being a reboot and a fresh start, the initiative ultimately did not commit to being a reboot, with many comic lines still reliant on prior continuity and backstory that defeated the purpose of being a fresh start; this actually made continuity even more confusing than ever before. The situation got so bad that by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was ''below what it had previously been before the New 52''. All this led to the much better received ''[[{{ComicBook/DCRebirth}} DC Rebirth]]'' Initiative which largely [[{{WinBackTheCrowd}} won back the fanbase]]. \\

Unfortunately, after the initial euphoria settled, it became apparent that the relaunch was a mistake that caused more problems than it solved. For starters, the reboot initiative was only announced 4 months before it actually happened, with the comic ''[[{{ComicBook/FlashpointDCComics}} FlashPoint]]'' serving as the starting point despite largely being only a Flash Storyline. [[note]] For comparison, ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', DC’s prior reboot, was announced 4 years before its first issue even released. And its storyline incorporated the entire DC lineup rather than focusing on a single character [[/note]] Even DC's Writers were blindsided by the decision; and during the initiative, there was extremely poor planning caused by a lake of communication between creators as well as editors, which greatly impacted quality. \\

* [[Creator/DCComics DC Comics’]] ''[[ComicBook/New52 New 52]]'' was an initiative to relaunch its entire lineup. After entering a bit of a runt, it was decided to reboot DC’s entire continuity to attract more readers and make their comics more accessible to a general audience. Initially, the initiative received a positive response from many media outlets who praised the decision to modernize & update the lineup along with simplifying the various stories. and it saw a major spike in sales for the company. It seemed that it was the lightning-in-a-bottle that DC Comics needed at the start of the [[{{Main/TheNewTens}} New 10s]]. \\

Making matters worse is the fact that many [[{{ExecutiveMeddling}} editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[{{Main/DarkerAndEdgier}} Darker, Edgier]], [[{{SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism}} More Cynical]], and [[{{TrueArtIsAngsty}} Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works, such as ''[[{{ComicBook/Superman}} Superman]]'' being portrayed as [[SmugSuper Smug]] [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[{{ComicBook/WonderWoman}} Amazons]] at one point being mentioned as rapists. Which appeared as though DC decided to unironically emulate the 90s Dark Age of Comics. Other decisions greatly alienated fans, most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], two of the [[{{ComicBook/Batgirl}} Batgirls]], the [[{{Comicbook/TeenTitans}} Teen Titans]] and especially the [[{{ComicBook/TheFlash}} Flash Family]] (the latter was hit hard by this decision). [[note]] This largely stemmed because Editor Dan Didio had a [[{{CreatorsPest}} strong dislike]] towards Legacy heroes, and he had an especially ''burning hatred'' towards [[{{Characters/TheFlashWallyWest}} Wally West as The Flash]], to which he jumped at the opportunity to recton Wally out of existence and replace him with the [[{{Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen}} previous Flash Barry Allen]], to the point where Barry was the ''[[{{CreatorsPet}} only Flash to have ever existed]]'' during the ''New 52'' [[/note]] \\

* [[Creator/DCComics DC Comics’]] ''[[ComicBook/New52 New 52]]'' was an initiative to relaunch its entire lineup. After entering a bit of a runt, it was decided to reboot DC’s entire continuity to attract more readers and make their comics more accessible to a general audience. Initially, the initiative received a positive response from many media outlets who praised the decision to modernize & update the lineup along with simplifying the various stories. and it saw a major spike in sales for the company. It seemed that it was the lightning-in-a-bottle that DC Comics needed at the start of the New 10s. \\
Unfortunately, after the initial euphoria settled, it became apparent that the relaunch was a mistake that caused more problems than it solved. For starters, the reboot initiative was only announced 4 months before it actually happened [[note]] For comparison, ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, DC’s prior reboot, was announced 4 years before its first issue release [[/note]] that even writers were blindsided by the decision; and during the initiative, there was extremely poor planning caused by a lake of communication between creators as well as editors, which greatly impacted quality. \\
Making matters worse is the fact that many [[ExecutiveMeddling editorial decisions]] were poorly received. The setting and every major hero was made to be [[{{Main/DarkerAndEdgier}} Darker, Edgier]], [[{{SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism}} More Cynical]], and [[{{TrueArtIsAngsty}} Angstier]] than ever before, which fans felt contradicted DC’s reputation for optimistic works, such as ''[[{{ComicBook/Superman}} Superman]]'' being portrayed as [[SmugSuper Smug]] [[TookALevelInJerkass Jerkass]], or the [[{{ComicBook/WonderWoman}} Amazons]] at one point being mentioned as rapists. Which appeared as though DC decided to unironically emulate the 90s Dark Age of Comics. Other decisions greatly alienated fans, most infamously the decision to drastically change or retcon out of existence most Legacy heroes, such as the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Heroes]], two of the [[{{ComicBook/Batgirl}} Batgirls]], the [[{{Comicbook/TeenTitans}} Teen Titans]] and especially the [[{{ComicBook/TheFlash}} Flash Family]] (which was hit hard by this decision). And finally, despite ostensibly being a reboot & a fresh start, the initiative ultimately did not commit to being a reboot, with many comic lines still reliant on prior continuity and backstory that defeated the purpose of being a fresh start; this actually made continuity even more confusing than ever before. The situation got so bad that by 2015, DC Comics’ sales and share in the market was below what it had previously been before the New 52. All this ultimately led to the much better received DC Rebirth Initiative which largely won back the fanbase. \\
Ultimately, the New 52 is nowadays seen as a big mistake for DC Comics and the single largest Audience-Alienating Eras in the company’s history.

* For decades, Creator/BobKane was viewed as one of the founding fathers of DC Comics, being widely recognized as the original creator of ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'', and enjoying a long career as a writer on the book up until his departure from the company in 1966, with his name so synonymous with the franchise that entire characters were named in reference to him. However, it was always an open secret in the industry that Kane was reliant on ghost-writers, and after his death it became widely known that he in fact had a smaller role in the creation of Batman than many had assumed, having only coined the name and penciling the comic, and virtually everything people recognized from the character came from the uncredited Creator/BillFinger. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF48VTVwM-s Kane would draw, Bill would write; while Kane & Kane alone would show Batman to publishers]]. Kane had continually denied and downplayed the involvement of well past the latter's death in 1974, only coming clean a few years before his own death in 1998. Additional research discovered that what little actual writing and artwork Kane had done himself was in fact heavily plagiarised from contemporary pulp media of the time, and that he had gone so far as to throw Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster under the bus when they tried to secure a better contract with DC, then lied about his own age just to get one himself. While Kane's name is still listed in the credits of all Batman media for legal reasons, you'd be hard-pressed to find a modern comics historian who views him as anything but an egotistical scumbag and fraud, and as of 2015, [[MyRealDaddy Finger's name has been added, in spite of him never being listed as such in the original work]].

* Dave Sim first came to prominence with the debut of ''ComicBook/CerebusTheAardvark'', which started life as a silly FunnyAnimal spoof of sword-and-sorcery tales; however, 25 issues in, it began an ambitious story of Cerebus entering local politics which demonstrated a vast increase in the complexity of storytelling, with layered characters, intricate, knotty intrigue, breathtaking art (aided immeasurably by his longtime collaborator [[OneNameOnly Gerhard]]) and exponentially detailed worldbuilding, at the same time keeping the comedic/satiric edge the comic had started with. It was around this time that Sim announced that ''Cerebus'' would continue through 300 issues and tell a complete story. For a while he was hailed as indie comics' resident genius; however, as ''Cerebus'' progressed, [[BrokenBase some felt]] that Sim's storytelling was growing too bloated and self-indulgent, along with developing a seeming strain of misanthropy that appeared to grow as the comics progressed. It all came to a head with the "Reads" storyline, each issue of which contained several long prose passages in the midst of the comic, many of which contained extended angry diatribes against feminism and [[HeManWomanHater women in general]]. Debate raged for some time whether these were Sim's actual views or some kind of critique, but it wasn't long before Sim was writing [[AuthorFilibuster equally long]] dissertations in the Cerebus letter columns with similar attacks on feminism as well as other controversial views. Around this time, Sim's bizarre public behavior began to alienate fans as well, including engaging in a long-running feud with Comics Journal publisher Gary Groth over a drawing of Sims as a Nazi guard in Auschwitz, threatening to punch colleague and ''ComicBook/{{Bone}}'' creator Creator/JeffSmith in the face, airing strange conspiracy theories about cancer and AIDS among other subjects, etc. At the same time ''Cerebus'' abandoned a lot of its complex worldbuilding and got caught up in repetitive storylines regarding Cerebus' bad luck with women and alcohol. By the time the comic limped to its designated conclusion at issue #300, large portions of Sim's fanbase had drifted away, and the best of his work is hard to discuss without the controversies and ugly views that have become inextricably bound up with his creations.

* ''ComicBook/Gen13'' was a massive hit for Creator/{{Wildstorm}} back in the late nineties, being part of their holy trinity with ''ComicBook/{{Stormwatch}}'' and ''[[ComicBook/WildCATsWildStorm Wild C.A.T.s]]''. It was also one of the first American comics to feature a lesbian character in a major role, in the form of Rainmaker. At its height, it spawned two spin-offs (''ComicBook/DV8'' and ''Bootleg'') and a number of crossovers and miniseries. Unfortunately, following the departure of co-creators Brandon Choi and J. Scott Campbell, the series was taken over by a succession of other creative teams who strayed far from the series' original lighthearted tone. The series hit its nadir when Creator/ChrisClaremont took over. He forced his predecessor to kill off the original team, and replaced them with a new team made up of ethnic stereotypes. At the same time, Wildstorm itself was moving towards more adult-oriented work like ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'', and thus no longer saw its teen heroes as a priority. By the time Wildstorm rebooted itself with ''Worldstorm'', the "Genies" had fallen so far out of the company's esteem that Creator/GailSimone was largely left to her own devices to reboot the franchise, resulting in a series that bore little connection to the rest of Worldstorm. Nowadays, the franchise is remembered mainly for the ValuesDissonance-laden {{Fanservice}} involving its teenage female characters and its lesbophobic treatment of Rainmaker, as despite her lesbian status, she [[HideYourLesbians often dated male characters]] and would likely be classified as [[NoBisexuals bisexual in today's world.]] Wildstorm's old properties eventually came under the control of Creator/WarrenEllis, who is not known to be fond of the series. It is unlikely to see another revival at this point.

** The 12-year run of Creator/KenPenders was praised at the time for its expansive world-building and dramatic moments. This was unheard of for a FunnyAnimal comic or a video game adaptation, with Penders achieving fame as the primary mind behind it. But years down the road, fans took a second look at his work, and the results caused opinion on him to plummet. Penders created a massive cast of original characters, [[DemotedToExtra side-lining Sonic in his own book]] in favor of his [[CreatorsPet pet characters]] and [[SpotlightStealingSquad Knuckles]]. Also, Penders had a tendency to use bizarre (and at times, offensive) references, such as Martin Niemöller's ''First They Came'' -- a poem about complacency in the wake of Nazi racial and political purges -- being rewritten to be about the comic's furry characters. Penders' refusal to work with other writers resulted in inconsistent writing and clumsy {{Retcon}}s. His agonizingly-slow pacing regularly spent dozens of issues spinning the plot's wheels over {{Love Triangle}}s, and villains monologuing on their plans but not acting on them. His reputation reached a nadir with legal conflicts against SEGA and Archie, where Penders attempted to claim sole ownership of everything he ever created in the comic. This included characters that were defined by their relationships with canon ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' characters (like "Knuckles' father"), as well as concepts like "Sonic existing in a multiverse". This lawsuit resulted in Archie using a ContinuityReboot to effectively wipe out everything Penders had ever done just to get him off their backs. Even so, the comic never recovered from the fallout of the lawsuit, and it would be cancelled four years later. Penders has largely spent his post-Archie career accusing everyone who works on the ''Sonic'' franchise (comics or otherwise) of riding his coattails, and [[ScheduleSlip advertising projects based around his original characters that never materialize]]. Between the critical re-evaluation of his work and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers the major damage his lawsuits have done]] to the franchise, Penders and his work are regarded as black marks on ''Sonic'', and it's unlikely that he'll ever regain the respect he once had.

* For decades, Creator/BobKane was viewed as one of the founding fathers of DC Comics, being widely recognized as the original creator of ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'', and enjoying a long career as a writer on the book up until his departure from the company in 1966, with his name so synonymous with the franchise that entire characters were named in reference to him. However, it was always an open secret in the industry that Kane was reliant on ghost-artists, and after his death it became widely known that he in fact had very little role in the creation of Batman at all, having only coined the name, and virtually everything people recognized from the character came from the uncredited Creator/BillFinger, whom Kane had continually denied and downplayed the involvement of well past the latter's death in 1974. Additional research discovered that what little actual writing and artwork Kane had done himself was in fact heavily plagiarised from contemporary pulp media of the time, and that he had gone so far as to throw Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster under the bus when they tried to secure a better contract with DC, then lied about his own age just to get one himself. While Kane's name is still listed in the credits of all Batman media for legal reasons, you'd be hard-pressed to find a modern comics historian who views him as anything but an egotistical scumbag and fraud, and as of 2015, [[MyRealDaddy Finger's name has been added, in spite of him never being listed as such in the original work]].

** "EndGame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised, and in which [[BigBad Dr. Robotnik]] was finally defeated. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's apparent murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed for a crime he didn't commit being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before, convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]]. There's no explanation for why Hershey wasn't suspicious of this, what she thought she was doing in Robotropolis dressed as Sonic, or how and why somebody could make eyepieces that make everyone look like someone else. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth. This ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. Finally, the ending is resolved through exposition from Dr. Quack, [[AscendedExtra a minor character up until that point]], and reveals that Snively had reprogrammed [[DoomsdayDevice the Ultimate Annihilator]] to target only Robotnik, effectively [[AntiClimax making all the story's stakes non-existent]]. ''EndGame'' was once considered a highlight of the ''Sonic'' comic. But the sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill off Sally [[OvershadowedByControversy overshadow the arc's praised points these days]], and the storyline is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.

** "Endgame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's apparent murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed for a crime he didn't commit being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before, convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis, somehow. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]]. There's no explanation for why Hershey wasn't suspicious of this, what she thought she was doing in Robotropolis dressed as Sonic, or how and why somebody could make eyepieces that make everyone look like someone else. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth. This ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. Finally, the ending is resolved through exposition from Dr. Quack, [[AscendedExtra a minor character until that point]], and reveals that Snively had reprogrammed [[DoomsdayDevice the Ultimate Annihilator]] to target only Robotnik, effectively [[AntiClimax making all the story's stakes non-existent]]. ''Endgame'' was once considered a highlight of the ''Sonic'' comic. But the sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill off Sally [[OvershadowedByControversy overshadow the arc's praised points these days]], and the storyline is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.

** "Endgame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's apparent murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed for a crime he didn't commit being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before, convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis, somehow. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]], with no explanation for why she wasn't suspicious until then or what she thought she was doing in Robotropolis. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth, an ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands that had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. Finally, the ending is resolved through exposition from Dr. Quack, [[AscendedExtra a minor character until that point]], and reveals that Snively had reprogrammed [[DoomsdayDevice the Ultimate Annihilator]] to target only Robotnik, effectively [[AntiClimax making all the story's stakes non-existent]]. ''Endgame'' was once considered a highlight of the ''Sonic'' comic. But the sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill off Sally now [[OvershadowedByControversy overshadow the arc's praised points]], and it is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.

** The 12-year run of Creator/KenPenders was praised at the time for its expansive world-building and dramatic moments. This was unheard of for a FunnyAnimal comic or a video game adaptation, with Penders achieving fame as the primary mind behind it. But years down the road, fans took a second look at his work, and the results caused opinion on him to plummet. Penders created a massive cast of original characters, [[DemotedToExtra side-lining Sonic in his own book]] in favor of his [[CreatorsPet pet characters]] and [[SpotlightStealingSquad Knuckles]]. Also, Penders had a tendency to use bizarre (and at times, outright offensive) references, such as Martin Niemöller's ''First They Came'', a poem about complacency in the wake of Nazi racial and political purges, being rewritten to be about the comic's furry characters. Penders' refusal to work with other writers resulted in inconsistent writing and clumsy {{Retcon}}s. His agonizingly-slow pacing regularly spent dozens of issues spinning the plot's wheels over {{Love Triangle}}s, and villains monologuing on their plans but not acting on them. His reputation reached a nadir with legal conflicts against SEGA and Archie, where Penders attempted to claim sole ownership of everything he ever created in the comic. This included characters that were defined by their relationships with canon ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' characters (like "Knuckles' father"), as well as concepts like "Sonic existing in a multiverse". This lawsuit resulted in Archie using a ContinuityReboot to effectively wipe out everything Penders had ever done just to get him off their backs- one the comic never truly recovered from, as it would be cancelled four years after the lawsuit. Penders has largely spent his post-Archie career accusing everyone who works on the ''Sonic'' franchise (comics or otherwise) of riding his coattails, and [[ScheduleSlip advertising projects based around his original characters that never materialize]]. Between the critical re-evaluation of his work and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers the major damage his lawsuits have done]], Penders and his work are regarded as black marks on the ''Sonic'' franchise as a whole, and it's unlikely that he'll ever regain the respect he once had.
** "Endgame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before Sally's "death", convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis, somehow. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]], with no explanation for why she wasn't suspicious until then or what she thought she was doing in Robotropolis. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth, an ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands that had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. Finally, the ending is resolved through exposition from Dr. Quack, [[AscendedExtra a minor character at until that point]], and reveals that Snively had reprogrammed [[DoomsdayDevice the Ultimate Annihilator]] to target only Robotnik, effectively making all the story's stakes [[AntiClimax virtually non-existent]]. Once considered a highlight of the comic, the sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill off Sally now [[OvershadowedByControversy overshadow the arc's praised points]], and it is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.

** "Endgame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before Sally's "death", convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis, somehow. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]], with no explanation for why she wasn't suspicious until then or what she thought she was doing in Robotropolis. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth, an ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands that had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. Finally, the ending is resolved through exposition from Dr. Quack, [[AscendedExtra a minor character at until that point]], and reveals that Snively had reprogrammed [[DoomsdayDevice The Ultimate Annihilator]] to target only Robotnik, effectively making all the story's stakes [[AntiClimax virtually non-existent]]. Once considered a highlight of the comic, the sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill off Sally now [[OvershadowedByControversy totally overshadow the arc's praised points]], and it is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.

** "Endgame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before Sally's "death", convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis, somehow. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]], with no explanation for why she wasn't suspicious until then or what she thought she was doing in Robotropolis. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth, an ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands that had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. Finally, the ending is resolved through exposition from Dr. Quack, [[AscendedExtra a minor character at until that point]], and reveals that Snively had reprogrammed [[DoomsdayDevice The Ultimate Annihilator]] to target only Robotnik, effectively making all the story's stakes [[AntiClimax virtually non-existent]]. Once considered a highlight of te comic, the sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill otf Sally now totally overshadow the arc's praised points, and it is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.

** The 12-year run of Creator/KenPenders was praised at the time for its expansive world-building and dramatic moments. This was unheard of for a FunnyAnimal comic or a video game adaptation, with Penders achieving fame as the primary mind behind it. But years down the road, fans took a second look at his work, and the results caused opinion on him to plummet. Penders created a massive cast of original characters, [[DemotedToExtra side-lining Sonic in his own book]] in favor of his [[CreatorsPet pet characters]]. Also, Penders had a tendency to use bizarre (and at times, outright offensive) references, such as Martin Niemöller's ''First They Came'', a poem about complacency in the wake of Nazi racial and political purges, being rewritten to be about the comic's furry characters. Penders' refusal to work with other writers resulted in inconsistent writing and clumsy {{Retcon}}s. His agonizingly-slow pacing regularly spent dozens of issues spinning the plot's wheels over {{Love Triangle}}s, and villains monologuing on their plans but not acting on them. His reputation reached a nadir with legal conflicts against SEGA and Archie, where Penders attempted to claim sole ownership of everything he ever created in the comic. This included characters that were defined by their relationships with canon ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' characters (like "Knuckles' father"), as well as concepts like "Sonic existing in a multiverse". This lawsuit resulted in Archie using a ContinuityReboot to effectively wipe out everything Penders had ever done just to get him off their backs- one the comic never truly recovered from, as it would be cancelled four years after the lawsuit. Penders has largely spent his post-Archie career accusing everyone who works on the ''Sonic'' franchise (comics or otherwise) of riding his coattails, and [[ScheduleSlip advertising projects based around his original characters that never materialize]]. Between the critical re-evaluation of his work and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers the major damage his lawsuits have done]], Penders and his work are regarded as black marks on the ''Sonic'' franchise as a whole, and it's unlikely that he'll ever regain the respect he once had.
** "Endgame", the four-part supposed-to-have-been GrandFinale for the comic, at one time had earned praise for being a DarkerAndEdgier storyline where the stakes were raised. However, with the passage of time and the bad blood garnered towards Penders (who wrote the story), the plot became widely lambasted. Princess Sally is [[PutOnABus dropped off a building and spends the entire arc in a coma]]; Penders intended to [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill Sally then and there]], with only an editorial mandate saving her. Sonic is framed for Sally's murder, which [[EasilyCondemned the entire cast falls for]] despite [[RecycledScript Sonic getting framed being one of Penders' most frequently-used plots]]. The solution to the mystery is utterly ridiculous; Drago Wolf, a two-dimensional HateSink introduced the issue before Sally's "death", convinces Hershey the Cat to wear a full-body Sonic costume to Robotropolis, somehow. The costume's eyepieces make everybody the wearer sees look like [[TheDragon Snively]], somehow. And Hershey fails to draw any connection between Sonic being arrested for Sally's murder and the fact she was wearing a Sonic costume, somehow. Sonic's innocence is proven when Dulcy the Dragon hears Sonic insist that he's innocent, and uses her LivingLieDetector power to confirm that he's telling the truth. This ability [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands had never been mentioned before]], rarely came up again, and went unexplored as an option before throwing the book at Sonic. The sheer absurdity of the plot, levels of character-assassinating incompetence, and the gratuitous attempt to kill off Sally now totally overshadow the arc's praised points, and the storyline is primarily remembered as a microcosm of everything wrong with Penders' run on the comic.