Over the different eras, DC's decades-old comic history and rich superhero lore have gone through some radical tonal shifts. From campy and flamboyant to dark and gritty, the publisher has seen multiple reboots, retcons, and restarts to its continuity, as well as the birth of a sprawling multiverse of new possibilities. Character redesigns are very much a part and parcel of such endeavors. Sometimes, they can help to rebrand beloved franchises, like in the case of the DC Animated Universe. At other times, they can be a point of contention, as it was for the ambitious New 52 project.
Source：https://www.cbr.com/dc-new-52-character-design-jim-lee-james-tucker/
