The holidays are upon us and another year is in the books. But before we move on to the excitement of next year, we wanted to take some time to look back at 2015 and to reminisce about a few of the great things it brought to the world of DC Entertainment. Whether it was a remarkable development inside one of our comics, a cool, game-changing twist that played out on the screen, or a real-life change that will impact the comics, movies, TV shows, toys and games that you’ll be seeing from us in the future, this year had no shortage of moments that stood out. However, some resonated more than others. Some really stood out. These are DCComics.com’s “Ten Moments that Mattered” for 2015.



 

We’re just going to come out and say it: Diversity matters. It matters on the page and behind it. In fact, the need to diversify just may be the single biggest challenge facing comics today. If you don’t agree, well, chances are that’s because you’re used to seeing yourself represented in the panels of your favorite books. You probably have no shortage of comics on the stands that speak to you. But not everyone can make the same claim, and until that changes, we owe it to our audience and the world at large to push ourselves to become more diverse.

But here’s the thing. Diversity isn’t just adding characters of different races, cultures, genders and sexualities to the DC Universe, it’s also telling stories that will appeal to different kinds of people. Action is great, and there will never be a shortage of action spectacles in the DCU, but this year showed us that there’s room for other types of stories as well. There’s room for sharp political satires like Prez, for all-ages comedies like Bizarro, for punk-tinted conspiracy tales like Black Canary and hard sci-fi drawn from real world scenarios like The Omega Men. There’s room for an out writer writing an openly gay hero like we have with Steve Orlando and Midnighter and for Lee Bermejo to look to the streets of today and completely reinvent a 75-year-old character into something like We Are Robin.



 

And yes, our characters are getting more diverse too. For the first time, Cyborg has his own ongoing series. Cassandra Cain has returned to the world of Batman (which now boasts a considerable cast of female crimefighters with Batgirl, Spoiler and Bluebird). Catwoman came out as bi, Barbara Gordon’s transgender friend got married and Wonder Woman officiated a gay wedding. In a world that at times feels like it’s becoming less tolerant, all of these moments matter more than ever.

Yes, there’s still a ways to go. Change—and particularly successful change—doesn’t happen overnight. But coming out of 2015, the DC Universe is a more diverse place than it was going into it. If we can say that with each year going forward, then we’re well on our way.


Be sure to check DCComics.com again tomorrow for another moment that mattered in 2015.