2020 has been a rough year for much of the world, and one that is sure to be looked back on for decades to come. Thankfully, there were ways for us all to break away from the troubles of the last twelve months and find solace in entertainment from time to time, and DC Comics played a big part in that.
A lot of great things happened at DC this past year, but not everything was glitter and sunshine. Both on the page and behind the scenes there was a fair amount of sadness, from the deaths of beloved characters to internal shake-ups in the DC offices. With any luck, all of these rough moments in 2020 will lead to great things for both the characters and the creators in 2021.
10 Swamp Thing Died Twice
Since his debut in 1972, Swamp Thing has gone through a lot of changes, but the most shocking revelation of late is that the Swamp Thing we know and love isn't the first Swamp Thing. As seen in the Endless Winter event, there was a different Swamp Thing living in the 10th century who gave its life to help save the world.
Meanwhile, in the pages of Justice League Dark, the better known Swamp Thing gave his life to stop the Upside Down Man. With a new Swamp Thing series coming in 2021, we know that the hero won't be gone for long, but this new version will be different from the one that has been appearing in comics for the last half-century.
9 Zatara Sacrificed Himself
One of DC's oldest characters - he made his debut in Action Comics #1 alongside Superman - Giovanni Zatara had died in 1986's Swamp Thing #50, giving his life to save his daughter, Zatanna. This year, Zatara finally returned to the land of the living in Justice League Dark, but soon gives up his life to bring John Constantine back from the dead, a shocking moment considering Zatara and Constantine weren't exactly the best of friends.
For Zatana, losing her father for a second time was rough, but with some luck - and a little magic - Zatara could always return.
8 Deadshot Killed
Perhaps the most surprising death in the DCU this year was the murder of Deadshot. One of the best-known and most powerful members of the Suicide Squad, Deadshot found himself facing the wrong end of a gun in Suicide Squad #9 when he discovered the truth behind Ted Kord and the machinations happening behind the scenes at Task Force X.
Making his death all the more painful, Deadshot had just recently reconnected with his daughter, Zoe. After years of living outside the law, it looked like Floyd Lawton was finally getting his life in order just as it came to a tragic end.
7 Bruce Is Broke
Throughout the history of DC Comics, there have been some constants that are never challenged. Superman is the greatest hero. Flash is the Fastest Man Alive. Batman is rich. All of that changed in 2020 when Bruce Wayne saw his fortune vanish right before his eyes.
As one of the opening attacks in The Joker War, the Clown Prince of Crime not only took all of Bruce Wayne's money, but he made it look like Bruce had been less than honest on his taxes over the years, leading to the US government getting involved. In the end, Batman may have stopped Joker, but Bruce Wayne is still penniless.
6 Teen Titans Disbanded
Damian Wayne - the current Robin - has had a rough go of it pretty much from the moment he showed up in the Batcave, but the last few years have been extra tough on the teen hero. These events, namely the death of Alfred and the loss of his best pal Superboy, pushed Robin to a darker place, ending with the Son of the Bat killing the Teen Titans foe Brother Blood.
Robin's decision to kill someone led to the dissolution of the current Teen Titans. And while the teen heroes of the DC Universe will soon find a new home at Teen Titans Academy, it looks like Damian's path will be much darker.
5 Hellblazer Cancelled
Since DC Comics ended the Vertigo imprint and brought John Constantine back into the superhero fold, creators have struggled to find a way to make the character work. Since 2015, Constantine has had three different ongoing series, but the latest take by writer Simon Spurrier and artist Aaron Campbell, set in the Sandman Universe, hit all the right notes.
Sadly, despite the rave reviews and a dedicated fanbase, the series came to an end after just twelve issues. Luckily for fans of Constantine, a new three-issue Black Label series by Tom Taylor and Darick Robertson has helped ease the pain.
4 DC Universe Shrinks
In 2018, DC entered the streaming game with DC Universe. The service offered fans a place where they could not only read the comics of their favorite heroes, but also see the movies and TV shows about them, all for a low monthly or annual price. And not only would DC Universe have old comics and shows, it would also create new content, including the live-action shows Titans, Swamp Thing, and Doom Patrol while also bringing back the Young Justice animated series.
When Warner Brothers announced HBO Max, some feared that DC Universe would be shut down, and while that isn't the case, the service is being scaled back. All the TV shows and movies on DC Universe are leaving the service at the end of the year, with some heading to HBO Max. DC Universe, rebranded as DC Universe Infinite, will continue to offer comics, but the loss of content still hurts.
3 Distribution Disruptions
No matter what DC Comics did in 2020, there was bound to be some issues with releasing comics on a monthly schedule. The spread of Covid-19 led to many states shutting down any non-essential businesses, which included comic shops. But adding to the chaos of the moment, DC decided to end its relationship with Diamond Distributors and chose to use two new companies - UCS Comics Distributors and Lunar Distribution - to get their books to the shops.
This decision created a lot of headaches for comic shop owners, and just as they were getting used to the new normal, DC changed things up again, announcing the plan to drop UCS Comics Distributors by the end of the year. All of this has led to a lot of confusion and understandable anger from comic shop owners who count on Diamond discounts to help keep their stores alive.
2 King Shark Killed
Characters dying in comics is nothing new, and even though the odds are that they'll come back sooner or later, that doesn't make their passing any less of a bummer. For King Shark, who is currently finding a whole new fanbase thanks to his part on the Harley Quinn animated series, his death came in a rather vicious manner.
In Suicide Squad #1, King Shark killed Scale, the brother of Fin. Just two issues later, Fin avenged his brother by stabbing King Shark in the side, sending a group of sharks into a blood frenzy. King Shark was eaten by his own subjects.
1 Layoffs
As a part of the restructuring that has followed Warner Brothers being bought by AT&T, DC Comics found itself in the horrible position of terminating a number of employees. The behind the scenes losses started in February when Co-Publisher Dan Didio left DC after a decade. In August, the company cut 25% of its employees, including Editor in Chief Bob Harras, execs Hank Kanalz, Jonah Weiland and Bobbie Chase, and editors Brian Cunningham, Mark Doyle, and Andy Khouri.
November saw another round of layoffs at DC, including Michelle Wells, who had taken over as Co-Editor in Chief just three months earlier. The loss of so many talented individuals who worked behind the scenes will be felt at DC for years to come.