Since the beginning of the New 52 relaunch from DC Comics, fans have had so many questions about their favorite heroes and their new origin stories because decades of history were erased when the comic book company decided to reboot the entire continuity and start from scratch. According to the Washington Post, DC has been listening and co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio announced today that in September, they will release a zero issue for each of the 52 titles in the line to fill in the gaps, as well as create new plot points for future stories and reintroduce some fan favorite heroes and villains into the universe that they’ve created.

Since each title started off at a different point in the continuity when everything was overhauled in September 2011, these stand-alone zero issues will act as “a level playing field and another jumping on point,” according to DiDio. Lee was surprised by the outcry for more backstory from the fans. In the article, he said:

“We underestimated the hunger and appetite that readers would have for this backstory when we launched. The readership has been very intrigued in finding out the backstory in the five years since the emergence of the Justice League.”

I don’t really know why he was surprised though. Who doesn’t love a good origin story, right? But that doesn’t mean that they’re starting over yet again. After zero, every title will revert to their regular numbering and each of the 52 zero issues will be collected in an omnibus edition later in the fall.

In addition to the zero issues, the company will be adding four more titles to shop shelves this fall to replace the four that will be discontinued, one of which will be ‘Justice League International,’ so as to keep 52 titles going at all times. This third wave of New 52 titles will include ‘Night of Owls’ spin-off ‘Talon’, ‘Sword and Sorcery’, which features the return of Amethyst, whose alter ego Amy Winston discovers that she is the lost princess of Gemworld, ‘Team Seven’, which will bring together Steve Trevor, Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, John Lynch, Cole Cash, Alex Fairchild, and Slade Wilson to take out Superman, and ‘The Phantom Stranger’, where the title hero learns about his true origin, his ties to Pandora, and his part in the creation of The Spectre.

The co-publishers seem to be pretty excited about The Phantom Stranger stepping out from his supporting role and into the spotlight. According to Lee, the hero will become “a really pivotal part in the New 52. Not just going forward, but going back, too, in the scheme of things.”

What do you think about the zero issues and the new titles coming at you in September? Are you excited to finally find out what started this wave of heroes and villains in the DC universe?