Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, convergence, dan didio, dc, entertainment, marvel, Secret Wars

The Big Difference Between Secret Wars And Convergence, Courtesy Of Dan DiDio

Dan DiDio gave two Convergence interviews to CBR and Newsarama, lined up to run while Marvel was announcing the details of Secret Wars. Both events involving their respective multiversities being mashed up, with many blasts from the past being revived for one night only. Or a couple of months, anyway.

We first mentioned what would become Convergence back in May last year. Planned as a filler even while DC Comics moved coasts, it turned into a chance to revisit and expand on all sorts of DC Comics realities, with emphasis on the Pre 52.

But here's the thing. It doesn't matter. It was never meant to matter. There are not meant to be long lasting consequences from the event. People should be able to pick and choose the realities they want to revisit, enjoy them and move on. This is probably the biggest thing that separates it from Secret Wars – which has been promised as an event that will change Marvel forever. This was not planned as that at all. But what exactly is wrong with that? Can't stories just be loved for being a great story rather than the impact they have elsewhere? Rather than than someone who feels they have to read Secret Wars and its spinoffs, not because they want to, but because they have to, if they want a clue about what's going on in the comic they do want to read. Which has also been momentarily cancelled and turned into something else for a few months….

Apparently not. Everyone has been asking how with Futures End, World's End, Multiversity all tie in. Well for a start, Multiversity hadn't even been read by the people putting Convergence together at the time they were working on it. Futures End and World's End, yes, there are aspects which will help set it up. But as for books spinning out of Convergence?

None. New books, yes. A mini-relaunch in June some have called it. But nothing based on  the worlds we will have seen in Convergence.

Or rather there weren't…

To CBR, DiDio said.

On April first — and it's not a joke! — there's four key titles coming out. "Multiversity" #2, the final issue of "Futures End," the final issue of "World's End" and "Convergence" #0. All four books are very key, and although they are all individual stories — individually stand very much alone in their own right — there are threads that tie them all together. "Convergence" #0 actually takes moments from the "Superman: Doomed" storyline, takes moments from "Futures End" and takes moments from "World's End" and brings them all together in a single story

But not Multiversity… total red herring.

So as "Multiversity" was timing out we started building "Convergence." Serendipitously, we found a way to really bring them up so one started as the other was coming to a conclusion, because even though they aren't directly connected in story, they share the same DNA. More importantly, there are aspects of "Multiversity" now that appear in "Convergence" because of how well they fit into the storytelling that is "Convergence."

Shoe-horned in at the last minute…

We have a plan in place for June following our April and May stories, and honestly it just doesn't take into account what's coming in "Convergence." But it really takes into account what we think is the essence of DC Comics, and really positions ourselves for the future. How's that for being vague? [Laughter]

Well, it does underline the difference between Convergence and Secret Wars. But to Newsarama he said,

And ultimately, you know, we're leaving every door open everywhere. We want to see what the reaction is, where the excitement is… because our goal is to reach as many people as possible. So the more people who get excited about ideas, the more that we'll go back and see whether or not there's this viable option on how to really capture whatever interest they're showing in those characters.

So maybe Convergence will launch new series after all… just not yet.

So if anyone asks you the difference between Convergence and Secret Wars, even though they seem to share much of the plot, here it is. Secret Wars matters. Convergence does not. Therefore… it can do anything regardless of the consequences. And which sounds more fun? As Alan Moore once wrote for Superman, "This is an Imaginary Story… Aren't they all?"

That's as long as DC keep their nerve…

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!