DC Comics announced today that there would be a brand new creative team and story arc for the DC Universe Presents title starting with issue #6.

The interesting thing about DC Universe Presents, which is currently focusing on the Paul Jenkins-scripted and Bernard Chang-drawn Deadman story, is that with each arc comes new characters throughout the DC Universe. So, starting with DC Universe Presents #6, Dan DiDio (DC Co-publisher and Co-writer of O.M.A.C. with Keith Giffen) and Jerry Ordway will be taking over the series for a Challengers of the Unknown revival, while Ryan Sook is still on covers. The story details are obviously limited at this point, but from what we do know about previous incarnations of The Challengers is that it will be a team of explorers in the midst of a bizarre and rich science fiction world.

Starting in February, DiDio and Ordway will be bringing this Jack Kirby creation back to life, and there’s an exclusive interview with DiDio at CBR that gives a little more insight into the series and what we can expect, including some details about how the story will kick off. There hasn’t been a great history for The Challengers of the Unknown in DC Comics’ publishing history as most of the comics have either been cancelled or were published as a mini-series from the start, so hopefully people will gravitate to this title. Will it be good? I have no idea. I consider myself a devout reader of DiDio’s work, but I don’t want you to be fooled by that and think that it’s the most insightful, brilliant work out there, because it’s not. And a lot of his previous work was, while completely hilariously insane, not very good. But with O.M.A.C., DiDio’s co-writing with Keith Giffen has been a vast improvement from previous outings. So, hopefully that will continue with DC Universe Presents: Challengers of the Unknown. But if it doesn’t, that’s really not a big deal because all you have to do is wait a few months and then you’ve got a brand new creative team and set of characters! And that’s what’s great about DC Universe Presents.

I’ve been a big fan of the current Deadman story in the comic, but I’m also looking forward to a change of pace and scenery. But that shouldn’t reflect poorly on Jenkins and Chang because this kind of thing is exactly why I was looking forward to DC Universe Presents so badly when it was announced for the September relaunch. It’s like an ongoing series of different mini-series that focus on different characters from DC’s broad spectrum of characters. And as lover of the DC Universe, there’s no way I couldn’t love a book like this. A book like this even gives way to a possible Jeff Lemire scripted Doom Patrol! Or even a Grant Morrison/Frank Quitely New Gods book! Okay, now I’m just getting out of control. Sedate me, doctor!

DC Universe Presents #6 will be released in February 2012.

[Source: DC Comics]