Changes to the DC Universe
Following the events of the Dark Crisis, the Justice League, as a team, has gone onto a long term hiatus with the Titans, led by Nightwing, becoming the DC universe's premier superhero team.[23] The Titans are now located in Blüdhaven with their new Titans Tower being rebuilt over an old prison, which was destroyed following a prison breakout, led by the villain Heartless.[24] The villain Brother Blood has now changed public perception for himself and his cult, the Church of Blood now rebranded as the Church of Eternity. He is promoting this new change with the support of Teen Titans member Garth/Tempest. Garth rejected the offer to join this new Titans team in support of another who has the ability to be someone "who can make a real difference".[25]
Following the events of "Dark Crisis", "Warworld Saga", "Lazarus Planet" and Action Comics #1050, a major change in the status quo occurred for the Superfamily. This includes the expansion of the Superman family and mythos with the addition of the Super Twins, Osul and Otho-Ra; Jon Kent now has new powers which mirror those of the Electric Blue Superman from the 1990s; and Lex Luthor uses Manchester Black's abilities to erase the public's knowledge of Superman's secret identity.[26] Luthor is now in prison and has handed over the reins of LexCorp to Superman, with the company being renamed to Supercorp and having a new goal of helping Superman. Lois Lane also serves as the current editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, with Perry White being on a sabbatical.[27] Steelworks was founded by John Henry Irons / Steel to bring forth Metropolis into becoming the City of Tomorrow.[28] Power Girl gains telepathic abilities due to the Lazarus Storm, and now goes by the name Paige.[29] Jimmy Olsen now has a new love interest in the form of ex-supervillain Silver Banshee. Silver Banshee previously damaged Superman's hearing so he no longer has super-hearing, having done so after being threatened by a new group of evil mad scientist supervillains.[30] These scientists have been physically changing Superman's rogues, making them more deadly and powerful.
Following the events of "Lazarus Planet", the Doom Patrol, led by the Chief, a new personality of Crazy Jane, have a new mission statement: with a rise in the metahuman population, their goal is to help, protect and offer safe haven, for the world's metahumans.[31] Along with a new mission, the Doom Patrol have a new base called the Shelter, based out of an old missile silo, to provide shelter to new metahumans and place to where they can better improve their abilities.[32] The Doom Patrol are joined by two new metahumans - Beast Girl and Degenerate.[33]
During Dark Crisis, the superhero Oliver Queen / Green Arrow disappeared and did not return with the rest of the Justice League. This disappearance is investigated by the other members of the Arrow Family including Dinah Lance / Black Canary, Roy Harper / Arsenal and Connor Hawke / Green Arrow.[34] Lian Harper, who died in the 2009 story Cry for Justice, is now back alive and well, reunited with her father, Roy Harper, and has rejoined the Arrow family.[35] Connor ends up traveling to the future and meeting the Legion of Super-Heroes.[36] For some unknown reason, the Green Arrow family can no longer be reunited in its entirety for in the future they caused a "Great Disaster".
Following "Lazarus Planet", magic in the DC Universe now works differently causing Billy Batson to use a new name, The Captain, as whenever he says "Shazam!", it triggers his transformation to occur.[37] Other than Mary Marvel, the rest of the Shazam Family no longer has powers.[38] Through the powers of Hippolyta, the meaning of "Shazam!" for Mary Marvel stands for new deities; Selene, Hippolyta, Artemis, Zephyrus, Aurora, and Minerva,[39] though her powers appear to be the same.
The Guardians of the Universe have mysteriously disappeared, and in their place, the United Planets have taken control of the Green Lantern Corps. The United Planets claim that Sector 2814 (Earth) is a liability to the universe and reassign all Green Lanterns to other sectors across the universe. Furious at this change, Hal Jordan quit the Green Lantern Corps and returned to Earth.[40] Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan's long time romantic interest has moved on from Hal and now has a new fiance. John Stewart retires from the Green Lantern Corps and now lives on Earth with his mother.
