When James Gunn unveiled the new DCU slate in January, comic book fans all around the world were elated to find out that all sorts of characters are going to be given the chance to shine either through theatrical releases or the small screen. Meanwhile, fan favorites like Batman and Superman are set to return in new stories and plots, audiences will also be introduced to lesser-known heroes and teams such as the Creature Commandos, who are classical monsters that have come together to fight in World War II, Booster Gold, a futuristic egomaniac looking for fame in the present and Swamp Thing, the Avatar of the Green.
Subtly placed between all of these DC names, there is also a group of superhumans on this list called The Authority that brings much more to the table than new personalities and unique powers. Unbeknownst to many, these seven beings open the door for the entire Wildstorm Universe to appear on the big screen, which is an entire treasure trove of unexplored heroes, villains, and stories.
Originally brought to life by Jim Lee in 1992 and becoming a division of DC Comics, the Wildstorm Universe not only presented readers with licensed adaptations of already existing works like Friday the 13th, X-Files, and Starcraft, but more importantly, the writers and artists working with Lee established a main universe with unique titles like Wildcats, Stormwatch (which later transitioned into The Authority), Wetworks, DV8, and Gen13.
The Different Stories of the WildStorm Universe
The most important detail to note is that every one of these titles is about superhero teams. While Gen13 is geared more so for teenage audiences with main characters that are similar in age to those found in 2018’s The New Mutants, DV8 and Wetworks, on the other hand, are both based within the world of military-based special op teams that deal with not only the supernatural (vampires and werewolves for starters) but more mature themes as well. It was not without reason that James Gunn greenlit The Authority for the very first chapter of the new DCU, as the Wildstorm Universe has over 80 unique and distinctive characters that could be showcased with the proper time given.
Due to his other growing responsibilities as well as some poor financial moves for the company, Jim Lee sold Wildstorm to DC Comics in 1998, and with the two universes co-existing for a time, Wildstorm thrived. Chris Claremont, who was previously a writer for multiple titles in different X-Men series came in to develop a spinoff of the Gen13 book called 21 Down, a hero called Majestic was created that brought a character over from the then-ongoing Superman and The Authority had an epic catalytic storyline bringing together many different books in the Wildstorm line.
All of these assorted branches resulted in the 2007 in-story revelation that the Wildstorm Universe was actually a part of DC’s multiverse called Earth-50. Not only that but in the following year, penned by Keith Giffen and drawn by Lee Garbett, DC/Wildstorm: DreamWar was released which saw characters from both universes finally colliding. Even though the end for Wildstorm as an extended division of DC came to be in 2010, because the comic book company shifted its focus to movies, the implementation of its characters under the heading of DC was just the beginning. Most importantly, these specific stories can be the jumping-off point for the universe of Wildstorm to leap into the DCU.
Possible Links to Gunn's DCU
Considering there was a miniseries that came out in November titled Waller vs Wildstorm, which pitted the government task force leader against the former head of Stormwatch, Battalion, this could very well be one of the numerous storylines in the soon-to-be-released HBO Max live-action adaptation of the ruthless Suicide Squad leader and a way to introduce many other characters from the Wildstorm Universe.
First arriving in the 2021 series Batman: Urban Legends, the Wildcats were introduced with a brand-new lineup featuring both old and new faces like Grifter, Void, and Mrs. Freeze (her husband being an arch nemesis of the Caped Crusader). Looking at the fact that they quickly had a tense and bitter feud with The Court of Owls (which fans are already familiar with due to Fox’s Gotham), it won’t come as a surprise if Jim Lee’s team turns up in any sort of Batman spin-off. We already know Gunn loves picking from the underdogs and propping them into his main stories.
Using Wildstorm Characters to Combat MCU's Young Avengers
Seeing how after 25 years there was just a hardcover rerelease of Gen13 last month that collected the original volume and some one-shot issues called Gen13: Starting Over, one has to wonder if the timing of that coinciding with Gunn’s slate is more than just a coincidence. Since the Young Avengers are shaping up in the MCU, this group of super-powered youngsters might just be the key DC is looking for in their film division.
No matter how they are presented, the many characters in the Wildstorm Universe can give an unparalleled edge to the DCU that could finally make them a real contender in the comic book adaptation genre. Even though release dates have not been made public yet, The Authority will definitely be the first look into how the Wildstorm Universe mixes in with iconic DC names like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.