Here's your weekly roundup of comics news, from a new Marvel NOW! to superhero lawsuits.
Warning: Contains spoilers for DC Universe: Rebirth #1.
DC Comics shakes everything up in Rebirth
DC kicked off its latest relaunch this week with DC Universe: Rebirth #1, introducing various new (and old) elements into the latest iteration of its universe.
These included the return of the original Flash sidekick/replacement Wally West, Ryan Choi becoming the Atom again, the revelation that there are apparently three Jokers instead of just one, Wonder Woman discovering a long-lost twin, hints that the Justice Society and Legion of Super-Heroes are out there somewhere, and the death of Pandora, who heralded the New 52 reboot in 2011.
The biggest reveal of all was that the characters from Watchmen seem to have some part to play in the upcoming events. Batman finds the Comedian's iconic smiley face badge, and the closing scene makes it clear that big, blue, naked Doctor Manhattan has been meddling in DC's reality in some way - and possibly not for the good of its inhabitants.
DC chief creative officer Geoff Johns told The Wall Street Journal that the good doctor will be an "antagonist" rather than an out-and-out villain.
"It's time for the [DC] universe, then, to confront the legacy of Watchmen the way Watchmen, three decades ago, confronted the legacy of superhero comics," he added. We're not sure how Alan Moore would react to that. Maybe he'd just grunt and shrug.
Johns is putting his money where his mouth is too, by promising to buy back copies of DC Universe: Rebirth if fans don't like it.
Marvel fires back with Marvel NOW!
Not to be outdone, Marvel Comics chose this week to tease Marvel NOW!, their latest initiative, which will be landing in the autumn.
They already had a Marvel NOW! initiative in 2012, completely rejigging the creative teams across the board.
Since then we've also had All-New Marvel Now and then All New All Different Marvel, which involved similar shakeups.
Digital subscription service comiXology Unlimited launches
There hasn't been much movement at comiXology since it was acquired by Amazon in 2014.
But the digital comics platform surprised us this week by launching a subscription service that gives US readers access to a library of comics for $5.99.
Publishers Image, Dark Horse, Valiant and IDW are currently signed up to comiXology Unlimited, which operates a similar service to... er... Marvel Unlimited.
Marvel and DC are not involved and, currently, the service is not available in the UK.
Marvel and DC drop lawsuit against small businessman
The two rival publishers teamed up to sue Graham Jules two-and-a-half years ago for releasing a start-up manual called Business Zero to Superhero.
Now The Mirror is reporting that Marvel and DC have backed down.
The companies jointly trademarked the term 'superhero' in 1979 in a move considered as controversial and spurious as Games Workshops' control of 'space marines'.
The trademark was renewed in 2004 and DC and Marvel are known for going after small businesses considered to be in breach of their property.
