- "Where heroes and villains do battle on a daily basis."
- ―Quote from a 1997 advertisement[src]
DC Comics Plaza is a DC Comics-themed area at Six Flags St. Louis. It opened in 1997, replacing the former Spain section of the park.
The flagship attractions in DC Comics Plaza are Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast, a launched linear-induction motor (LIM) roller coaster that opened on April 10, 1998, and Justice League: Battle for Metropolis, an interactive dark ride based on the Justice League that opened on June 5, 2015. In the area, soundtracks from many DC films can be heard, including Superman: The Movie.
History[]
1997–1998: Opening year and Mr. Freeze[]
Six Flags St. Louis's Spain section closed after 25 years of operation on October 29, 1996, the final day of Fright Fest 1996 and the 1996 season. DC Comics Plaza opened to the public the following season in May 1997, replacing the former Spain section. This was the first and so far only time that one of the park's original namesake "Six Flags over Mid-America" was entirely replaced rather than reworked into one or more new areas continuing the theme. DC Comics Plaza was originally intended to open along with the new Mr. Freeze roller coaster in "summer 1997," but the area was finished and ready to open just as the coaster was delayed, so the park went ahead and opened it.
For 1997, Castaway Kids' Jungle Adventure was rethemed to Castaway Kids Comic Book Adventure. El Toro Bravo, the "scrambler" ride from the former Spain section, was re-themed to Shazam!, named after the golden-age super hero Captain Marvel (as he was then known), who originated in Fawcett Comics in 1939. DC had finally acquired all the character rights to Captain Marvel and the "Marvel Family" in 1991, so throughout the 1990s they had been ramping up the character's presence with the DC brand. The Log Flume, a popular opening day attraction, was also incorporated into DC Comics Plaza rather than 1904 World's Fair, although it had no direct connection to the DC theming and was not to rethemed to change this.
On April 11, 1998, nearly one year after its scheduled opening, Mr. Freeze finally opened to the public.
2002–present: Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters, Justice League, and further changes[]
On May 18, 2002, Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Scary Swamp opened. This attraction seemingly ignored the area's DC Comics theming, though one could argue that Scooby-Doo's presence in DC publications, including crossovers with DC characters, loosely tied it in.
On September 14, 2014, Scooby-Doo closed after 12 years. The closing came after months of teasers for something that would replace the "swampland for sale."
On June 5, 2015, Justice League: Battle for Metropolis opened. The new dark ride ushered in a refurb of DC Comics Plaza. Six Flags Power Up! was replaced with the new Super Heroes vs. Villains which became the exit gift shop for the ride. The former "Metropolis Public Works Plant No. 58" restrooms were changed to just "Restrooms" for thematic continuity reasons with Justice League.
In August 2020, the former Metropolis restrooms were given a complete refurb, complete with a new facade that more closely resembled the kind of architecture in Justice League. The former gas lamp fixtures that had not been changed from the retheming of the Spain area almost 24 years prior were also swapped with the more advanced-looking LED fixtures, the same that were used in the park's new entrance plaza.
Attractions[]
Current[]
- The Log Flume (opened 1971, formerly part of Spain from 1971–1996)
- Shazam! (opened 1997)
- Mr. Freeze: Reverse Blast (opened 1998)
- Justice League: Battle for Metropolis (opened 2015)
Former[]
- Castaway Kids Comic Book Adventure (1996–2001)
- Scooby-Doo! Ghostblasters: The Mystery of the Scary Swamp (2002–2014)
- Kiddie Go-Round (?)
Restaurants[]
Current[]
- JB's Smokehouse & Sports Bar
- Hero's Snacks
Former[]
Shops[]
Current[]
- Super Heroes vs. Villains (opened 2015)
- Justice League Headquarters
Former[]
- Six Flags Power Up! (?–2014)
- Villain's Cafe Gift Shop (1997–?)
Trivia[]
- When it opened in 1996, DC Comics Plaza was the second ever area at a Six Flags theme park to be dedicated to DC Comics, following Six Flags Magic Mountain's Gotham City Backlot in 1994.
Gallery[]
