Tangents

I was perusing the DC solicits earlier today (as I do every month). Pretty standard stuff. But there was something that caught my eye. Specificially, the solicitation for a trade paperback titled TANGENT COMICS VOL. 1.

Most of you know that Tangent Comics -- as conceived by Dan Jurgens -- was a DC "fifth week" event that first ran in 1997 (and returned again in 1998). Tangent Comics took familiar DC names (The Flash, Green Lantern, etc.) and radically reimagined the characters. In almost every case the reimagined character bore no resemblance to the original apart from the name.

The characters of the Tangent Universe showed up briefly in Infinite Crisis, where we learned that they were just another universe within the greater Multiverse. More importantly, a few of the Tangent characters made an appearance in Ion. There, the Tangent Green Lantern tried to resurrect her fallen comrades -- under red skies.

So the Tangent characters have been popping up in a few places. But are those few appearances enough to warrant a Tangent Comics collection? Or does the solicitation of that particular trade paperback portent something more? I think you know what I'm going to say.

In an interview with Ron Marz after the release of Ion #10, Mr. Marz talks about the inclusion of the Tangent characters. He is very cryptic, but what is clear is that their appearance -- as well as the appearances of the Bleed and Captain Atom (in Monarch guise, natch) -- are part of the bigger event that DC has brewing.

So when July rolls around, keep your eyes open. Because I think we'll be seeing more of the Tangent characters. And I know they won't be alone...