December 2024 Is an Thrilling Month for DC Followers

The primary week of December is commonly very traumatic as individuals put together for the vacations. The primary week of December 2024 was each thrilling and bittersweet for followers of DC Comics diversifications, as the top of 1 legendary chapter in DC adaptation historical past got here to an in depth, and one other thrilling period started. The sequence finale of Superman & Lois aired on The CW on December 2, 2024, marking an finish for not simply the CW Arrowverse that started again with Arrow in 2012 but in addition the period of superhero tv that started with Smallville greater than 20 years in the past. Three days later, followers got their first entry into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s daring new interconnected DCU with Creature Commandos, debuting on Max.

This actually left followers with some emotional whiplash, as they have been nonetheless mourning the top of a significant period that formed lots of DC’s hottest characters and launched them to a broader viewers whereas additionally being excited for what potentialities the longer term would maintain in a brand new shared universe. This is healthier to steadiness each in a single’s coronary heart than to instantly reject something new or the other of disregarding every little thing that got here beforehand. December 2024, or DCember if you’ll, is a giant second for the model — farewell to the CW DC tv exhibits and whats up to the DCU.

Forged

Indira Varma , Frank Grillo , Zoe Chao , David Harbour , Sean Gunn , Alan Tudyk , Anya Chalotra , Maria Bakalova , Viola Davis , Steve Agee , Benjamin Byron Davis

Seasons

1

Over Two Many years of DC Tv Legacy Got here to a Conclusion

Superman & Lois was initially conceived as a part of The Arrowverse, an interconnected universe of DC sequence that aired on The CW. It started in 2012 with Arrow and shortly grew over time to embody sequence like The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, and Batwoman. Seeds for Superman & Lois had been planted in Supergirl and the crossover occasion Disaster on Infinite Earths in 2019. But by the point the sequence debuted on The CW in 2021, it had shifted to its separate universe that featured the identical actors as Superman and Lois Lane from the Arrowverse.

Disaster on Infinite Earths really was the height of The Arrowverse’s reputation, and shortly after, the sequence started to return to an finish. Arrow wrapped up shortly after Disaster on Infinite Earths in 2020, with Black Lightning concluding in 2021. 2022 noticed the top of Supergirl and the cancelation of Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman. By 2023, The Flash was the one remaining Arrowverse sequence on the air when it concluded its nine-season run.

But, the CW nonetheless has different DC sequence like Superman & Lois, Gotham Knights, and Stargirl. Nonetheless, Stargirl concluded its three-season run later that 12 months, and Gotham Knights was canceled after one season. Superman & Lois remained the final DC sequence on The CW and, sadly, was caught in a storm of company changeover within the management of The CW, which Nexstar acquired, and new adjustments at Warner Bros. and DC that seemingly needed to solely have one Superman out there for 2025 and the choice was made to finish Superman & Lois after 4 seasons.

Regardless of Superman & Lois not being a part of the Arrowverse, the truth that its two lead stars originated the characters in that franchise made the finale of Superman & Lois really feel extra just like the franchise’s correct ending than The Flash did in 2023. Regardless of the Arrowverse seemingly being over for a 12 months, Superman & Lois‘ touching finale of seeing Clark Kent and Lois Lane develop outdated collectively felt just like the true goodbye to the franchise.

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These chosen roles not solely lifted inspiration from the supply materials however have been contorted for the higher.

But it additionally marked the top of one other main landmark, as Superman & Lois‘s conclusion marks one of many first occasions in The CW’s historical past that it’ll not have a DC superhero present in its programming schedule. The CW launched in September 2006 as a merger between The WB and UPN, and when that occurred, it inherited legacy exhibits from each networks, notably Smallville. Smallville debuted Season 6 on the brand new CW community and ran for the rest of its 10-season run.

Smallville concluded in Could 2011, and inside a 12 months, work on a brand new DC superhero present started: Arrow. Arrow debuted on The CW in October 2012, one 12 months after Smallville concluded and began a brand new period of DC tv that ran till Superman & Lois. Provided that Smallville started in 2001 on The WB, that implies that, with the transient exception of the 2011 to 2012 tv season, for over 23 years, WB’s main community had a DC superhero present on the air.

It feels becoming that the period started with a sequence a couple of younger Clark Kent rising as much as turn into Superman in Smallville, whereas the present that introduced the legacy to an in depth was a sequence about Clark Kent and Lois Lane returning to boost their sons on a farm in Smallville, and giving Superman a last goodbye. Audiences noticed the beginning, life, and dying of the character of Superman on The WB/CW for over 23 years, bringing the legacy to a becoming shut. There couldn’t be a greater sequence to shut out The Arrowverse’s legacy and The WB/CW historical past with DC Comics than Superman & Lois.

When One Door Closes, One other One Opens for DC

Superman & Lois marked the top of two eras, however earlier than the mud had settled, the machine was already in movement within the first chapter of the DCU: Creature Commandos. Creature Commandos is an adult-oriented animated sequence based mostly on a lesser-known comedian that originated within the Eighties. It is usually the start of what James Gunn has dubbed ‘Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters’, the primary half within the new interconnected DC Universe. Gunn’s plans are formidable as he appears to be like to create an interconnected universe of tasks throughout movie, live-action tv, animated sequence, and video video games.

Whereas the Marvel Cinematic Universe solely not too long ago obtained into totally integrating their tv sequence as a part of their shared universe, The DCU is beginning out from the get-go with the animated Creature Commandos being the introduction to this new interconnected universe that can proceed in Superman, Peacemaker Season 2, Supergirl: Lady of Tomorrow, Lanterns and extra.

It is a vital change of tempo for DC, who for years separated the tv and movie divisions a lot that if a film of a personality was in growth, a live-action sequence couldn’t be made, therefore why neither Batman nor Surprise Lady appeared on Smallville however characters like Inexperienced Arrow and Aquaman did. The Arrowverse and The DCEU have been operating alongside one another for years, with the one crossover being a short cameo by Ezra Miller in Disaster on Infinite Earths. The Arrowverse did not even get acknowledged in The Flash, a film that options numerous multiverse cameos.

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Creature Commandos begin is a giant turning level for DC, one the place the boundaries between mediums like live-action and animation or movie and tv will not maintain this universe aside however united. It is usually thrilling to think about being at first of one thing new, a brand new universe with limitless potential. For as enjoyable because the intricate story that the MCU has crafted through the years, it, together with long-running franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Pokémon, can generally really feel limiting creatively and in addition formidable to get into.

The DCU is a brand new start line the place the potential is limitless. Which heroes will seem, and what actors will likely be solid to deliver them to life? What tales will likely be tailored? That is the same pleasure comedian guide followers felt when publishing initiatives like Marvel’s Final line, DC’s New 52, and even the current DC Absolute Energy. Every part is new, and no one is aware of what is going to occur.

The primary week of December 2024 may not really feel like a giant deal for the time being, however this can possible be per week many followers look again on and bear in mind as a turning level. Superman & Lois will possible be thought to be among the finest depictions of Superman ever and as a excessive mark in DC tv, no matter it being related to different tales. With its conclusion, it handed the baton on to James Gunn’s new DCU, which begins with Creature Commandos and can proceed seven months later with the discharge of Superman, which is being hailed as the right begin of the DCU.

Whereas previous transitions in DC have been marked by a “Disaster” occasion within the comics or an abrupt cancelation of a movie franchise, followers have been handled with a correct goodbye for one period in DC’s historical past with an important finale whereas additionally getting the prospect to warmly embrace a brand new starting with a superb two-episode premiere that hints at an thrilling future or as Superman likes to say, “a greater tomorrow.” Creature Commandos is streaming on Max.