Prior to DC in D.C.this weekend, Oscar-winning screenwriter John Ridley, writer of 12 Years a Slave, is taking his talents to the pages of DC Comics where he will be penning a miniseries titled The Other History of the DC Universe. The prominent mini-series, branded as “literary,” aims to re-contextualize key moments from the history of the DC Universe through the eyes of its marginalized heroes.
The Other History of the DC Universe will examine some of the biggest moments in DC history and give new perspectives to heroes who come from historically disenfranchised groups, including John Stewart, Supergirl, Katana, Vixen, Rene Montoya, Extraño to mention a few. The series will place an emphasis on focusing on “the lives of those behind the costumes,” hinting at a more grounded look at the fantastic universe the publisher traditionally presents. Other History will focus on their lives behind the capes and masks, and what they go through to overcome real-world issues.
“I could not be more excited by the opportunity to excavate the canon of the DC Universe through a vast array of characters who’ve earned their seat at the table,” explains Ridley. “I’m very impressed with DC’s commitment to making their history as reverent and urgent as it is engaging and entertaining for all its many fans.”
Ridley is currently penning The American Way: Those Above and Those Below for DC’s Vertigo imprint. The series, which is a continuation of Ridley’s and Georges Jeanty’s Wildstorm iteration of the concept, is a period piece that focuses on a black American hero named the New American fighting for justice amidst the background of the racially split political landscape of the 1970s.
Indeed, while the concept of The Other History of the DC Universe hints at an in-depth exploration of the publisher’s lineup akin to cartoonist Darwyn Cooke’s The New Frontier, The American Way‘s focus on social justice issues and marginalized communities sheds further light on what themes and ideas we’re likely to see explored in The Other History.
Ridley will be at DC in D.C. this weekend to discuss The Other History of the DC Universe at a panel called “The Many Shades of Heroism: DC Heroes Through the African-American Lens.” The panel is expected to live stream on Saturday, January 13, at 11 a.m. ET on the DC YouTube channel.
The Other History of the DC Universe is expected to begin in winter 2018, following the conclusion of Ridley’s current run of The American Way. No artist has been announced at this time.
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