How Does DC Come Back?

I want to think about this realistically for a minute.

Where is the state of DC and does it matter what Marvel is doing?  Well, yes it does matter what Marvel is doing, because these are viewed as comicbook films generally and Marvel has clearly set a bar and an expectation. What DC's real challenge is, is that by getting out ahead of them and taking ownership of the Market, Marvel has put DC in this position where they feel they have to avoid being copycats but also can't be different in such a way that it's unacceptable to the general audience.  And that's the problem.  The sweet spot is already spoken for and the only room left is for the occasional offbeat one shots.

Further, DC is in a state where we have actually significantly lowered our expectations of them.  For example, let's compare Aquaman and Captain Marvel.  This is a great example because while Aquaman has long been a punch line, he has now been on screen and is one of those characters people like to use the word iconic for as though it means anything.  An yet, it's Captain Marvel that dominates the conversation topics.  But why?  We aren't looking at Aquaman as some surefire hit but rather wondering if it will turn out alright and find any real traction. And while we may not be sure if Captain Marvel will be a hit, we're all pretty sure it will be a solid effort, it will ultimately perform, and we're already talking about Skrulls and Fury's eye and Jude Law as Mar Vell. Is there any such chatter about Aquaman? And this is all happening at a time when Aquaman has wrapped filming and Captain Marvel hasn't even started.

And then we get to the Fox invasion. If the MCU really does acquire Doom and Surfer and Reed and Galactus, and can put out an entire new series of X-Men films, even if those are done outside the MCU, DC just does not have a response to that. What can they reload with?  They're choices are to limp on and try to make something out of a failed franchise, or reboot with the same characters over again. They don't have other characters to start a franchise with. They just don't.

And to anybody who is looking at something like Flashpoint to be a reset button, I'd like to ask why anybody would show up to see Flashpoint if they didn't show up to Justice League.  Is there just going to be another Batman series?  Superman hasn't worked.  Flash is limited does anybody really think Shazam is an answer?

So what happens in the next 10 years? The next 20? Marvel might very well be reloading with a full new roster that DC has no answer for and could keep going strong another 10 years easily even without that reload.  And with the strong commitment, dedication to their brand, and willingness to adapt and bring in new directions, there's no reason to think they can't continue.

It's been 10 years already.  In another 20 years, where is the DC Brand after living in the basement for over a quarter century?