Review: Supergirl #1

Sometimes a comic is wonderful, and I take a lot of joy in sharing why I love it so much. Sometimes a comic is pretty awful, and I take great pains to explain exactly why it didn't work for me. But more often than not, a comic is somewhere in between. There's good, there's bad, and I do my best to portray its strengths and issues in a balanced way so that readers can make up their own minds on whether or not it's for them. And then, every once in a while, there's a comic like Supergirl #1.

Here's the thing- Supergirl #1 is good. The comic itself is well-written, and this Kara seems likable and relatable while still feeling very alien. Mahmud Asrar turns out some beautiful art, full of realistic facial expressions and body language. There are some really neat moments and a few really nice lines, and the comic ends on a decent cliffhanger. It has what seems to be a good female lead- writers Michael Green and Mike Johnson have said that the comic is aimed at female readers- and it's the kind of comic you could give to a younger reader without worrying. There's so much I want to applaud here.

But after 20 pages worth of story, we're still on the opening scene. I read this panel to panel, and it was a genuine shock when I realized I'd already reached the end. There's some nice characterization, even if not much else is happening, but I feel like that's hampered by the fact that this largely appears to be the same origin story Supergirl's had time and time again. And when that story was originally told back in 1959, the writers did it in only two pages. As good as the little we got was, it's a struggle for me to give something like this a positive review. 

Supergirl is an especially unique position in that I think she's lost more readers than any other single character in recent years. Her August 2005 debut sold over 123,000 copies- fantastic sales by any measure, and even more impressive considering that she's a female character. In June of 2011, the month the relaunch was announced, she had lost more than 100,000 of those readers. DC has stated that one of the major goals of the relaunch is to lure back lapsed readers, and if they even managed to convince half those readers to give Kara a chance again, she'd be in a great place. I think they really missed the mark opening with a story paced this way, and I fear this won't be enough to convince fans to come back to the character. 

I do want to give the creators credit, because in spite of the pacing issues, everyone involved does some great work. The panel in which Kara hears out of context lines from other comics is absolutely brilliant, and it was a lot of fun to read issues later and see those lines crop up. Sterling Gates did such a great job writing Kara that there was bound to be some animosity towards this new take, but she seems so real and so genuinely sympathetic that I can't imagine fanboys hating her for long. This introduction is miles above the fanservice laden one she had back in 2004. 

And the comic really is beautifully drawn. There's a softness to the backgrounds that contrasts with the sharper lines used on Kara herself, and helps illustrate her feeling that she's in a dream. Asrar is a skilled visual storyteller, especially when it comes to action scenes, and while he gets some chances to show that off here, I think he's going to really shine when the book picks up its pace. Most importantly, he succeeds in making Kara actually look like a teenagers, something that most comic artists without an overly cartoony style struggle with. I think he's a great choice for the book

This comic is a primary example of writing for the trade, and when this arc is finished, I believe it'll be a really good read. I plan on picking it up, and I hope I can give the story the review it deserves then. Green and Johnson are obviously talented writers, and I really think that if they compress their stories a little more, Supergirl could go big places. Right now, I recommend this only to fans of decompressed storytelling- there must be some of you out there- and suggest that anyone else read this comic one story arc at a time. I'll definitely be talking about this comic again later, but right now, it's just not something I can justify spending $2.99 an issue on.

By Marceline with No comments

Review: Superboy #1

When I did my review on Green Lantern we got a write in about how happy someone was to see a positive review of a book that the writer was a fan of before the relaunch. Well, this is going to be interesting to see what they think in this case. Partially, because I am a big Superboy fan. Partially because I've been reading Superboy since he had round glasses and lived on Hawaii. Partially because I was really big into Volume 4 with Luthor's niece and the unexplained kid from the future. And also, partially, because this book was #@$%ing rotten.

This most recent version of Superboy starts off very very closely to how that last one did (may he rest in piece). He's a clone of Superman. He has half human DNA (from a source they haven't named yet, but let's guess). And...that's where the similarities end.

He's in a tube raised by a group named N.O.W.H.E.R.E. which sounds like something out of a bad Abbot and Costello skit.

"Where are you keeping Superboy?"

"N.O.W.H.E.R.E."

"Well he's got to be somewhere."

"He is! He's at work."

"Where do you work?"

"N.O.W.H.E.R.E."

"Wait, you're unemployeed?"

And it would go on and on like that until your head explodes.

Apparently, N.O.W.H.E.R.E. is a top secret facility that engineers whatnot. It's not really covered too well. But, if I had to guess, I'd guess that they produce the occasional weapon and mass produce speech balloons. No joke. If there was no proof that Scott Lobdell wrote this I would have guessed a drunken Brian Michael Bendis rubbed his almost empty pen all over this thing. Every time a character thinks or talks it reminded me of a dialogue heavy scene from the old Speed Racer cartoons. Just...babbling. Every single character had seven tons of needless exposition. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm a reader, I enjoy reading, but do we need all this on every page?

It's not terribly good writing either. It's rushed. It feels like they were told to make sure that all the origin and intro story is done before Teen Titans #1 comes out. Plus, and this may have just been me, but it feels like the writing was on par with a parent trying to sound hip to their kid.

There's terminology in here stolen straight from medical shows. Technical terms being used very carefully. And probably the best usage I've ever seen of someone taking an Intro to Psychology course.

And whenever they use something they feel "the kids" would know, it's not only awkward but it's in bold. See the picture on the left? It's already awkward but the fact that it's bold is like the writer saying, "hey, I know what you kids like." Though, as a former video game retail clerk, I can honestly tell you that NO ONE got Wii Sports for the golf game. You might say, "but E.N., I got Wii Sports for the golf". To which I would tell you to go look in a mirror, you can't see your own reflection. You know why? Because you don't exist.

The art is alright though. R.B.Silva seemed to put a fair amount of work into everything but sometimes it seems a little over the top. It reminds me of a pseudo-realistic rendition of the works of Jhonen Vasquez. There's wires everywhere in the foreground. Needless technological whatnots and dohickeys. And there's even a moment where a helicopter shows up that looks like a relative of Zim's ship from Invader Zim.

Though, to his credit, I did like how some of the characters looked normal. There were some short characters, some chubby characters, pretty characters and flaws ones as well. The lady who does the majority of the talking (which is an impressive feat in this book) has giant glasses. It's a nice change to see characters actually have physical character traits beyond just their hair. I mean, download a bunch of pictures of Lois Lane and Carol Ferris and try to see how many of your friends can guess who's who. But sometimes the character definition goes overboard and ends up being distracting. For example:

Great Hera looks at all that dialogue. But notice something else? Why is that guy there. You know who. That guy. I'm not even going to describe him. You know exactly who I'm talking about. You know why? Because it's distracting and takes away from the panel. He's practically the focal point.

I know this is starting to sound like an attack. But I want to make it clear, I DO want this book to succeed. I love Superboy. I would love this character to grow. And I think that with what the last page led into, this book has some potential. It has the elements it could use to succeed. And, it had Rose Wilson (right) who I am also a big fan of and was surprised to see. This book could be good. And who knows, the second issue could be amazing.

Like I said earlier, this issue seemed rushed so I won't let this speak for the entire series and I'm still giving it a shot. Maybe I'm bias. I've spent years waiting for Superboy to finally find himself and it seemed like after years and some jerk punching through reality itself, he was finally doing that. Too see him hop right back into the tub was a bit of a let down for me. To put it bluntly, this new character...he may be Superboy, but he is definitely not Connor. In fact, I'll close out by letting this panel from the book itself do all the talking for me.

By Electric Nerd with 3 comments

Action Comics #1 or "A working class superhero is something to be"

Grant Morrison is the reason I read comics in the 21st Century. I hadn't picked up a funny book in 12 or so years, and then I discovered his Batman. Everything about his take on the character was what I wanted in a comic book. His was not the "Dark Knight" Batman that we'd been given for what seemed like forever. No, this was a Batman that was colorful, that had room for Bat-Mite, the Bat-Radia and all the weird, colorful aspects from the character's past. When Dick Grayson eventually adopted the mantle we had a more human, less angst filled Batman. A Batman, who, for me, was far more engaging and enjoyable than Bruce ever was. But...this review isn't about Batman, and I appear to have already gotten lost on a tangent in the first paragraph of my first review. Sorry. Time to reset.

Ok.

This is a piece about Superman, someone who Morrison has written the hell out of in the past. All-Star Superman is perhaps the finest work ever done with the character. No matter how many thousand Secret Origins they give him, none will ever match the simple elegance of what Morrison and Quitely did in 4 frames on the opening page. His work in Superman Beyond and Final Crisis was nothing less than a deconstruction and examination of both Superman and storytelling itself. It's Morrison at his metaphysical best. So I was just a little bit excited when DC announced that he would be the writer on the relaunch of Action Comics. The New 52 is not a concept I've been particularly big on. Honestly, I find it to be simultaneously a gross cash grab for new fans and an insult to the loyal readers who have been giving them money all along. That being said, the thought of Morrison doing a run on a Superman title was almost enough to make me forget the distaste I had for the whole shebang.

Then Morrison explained what his book was going to be, and I got a little worried. A "socialist Superman"? If it went well it could be a refreshing take on the most iconic and established of characters, if it didn't, it would come off as corny and contrived. As of one issue, it's all the former and none of the latter. With a different character and in the hands of a lesser writer this might not work. Superman has always seen the potential in humanity, and Morrison understands this. The world is filled with young idealists, but what if one of them was the most powerful man on the planet? This is not the white bread, benign figure that Superman has traditionally been, this a young, angry Superman who wants to change the world for the better. He's more Che Guevara than Richie Cunningham.

Morrison takes this concept and lays it on thick. Superman is in full Golden Age "screw you" mode here. The book begins with Supes intimidating corporate fat cat (and Donald Sutherland lookalike) Mr. Glenmorgan into admitting he "...used cheap labor...(with) no safety standards", later Luthor and the Army lure him into battle by demolishing a lower class apartment building with the tenants still in it. The whole thing is so straightforward (and unconfusing), that I almost couldn't believe Morrison penned it. The Supermen of the Multiverse this isn't. In the climax of the issue Supes must save a runaway subway train (described by Luthor as " the world's biggest bullet"). Essentially, he has to be both faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive. Very cute, Grant.

Rags Morales is an artist I've been impressed with since first encountering his work on "Identity Crisis". His art is pretty much exactly how I want my superhero comic book's to look: not overly stylized, with clean lines and a great sense of movement. In this era of the 4 dollar comic, it's rare for me to read a multi-page, dialogue free action sequence and not feel somehow like I'm being ripped off. Morales' work here, in the aforementioned train sequence, is the exception. He draws the action with such flow and energy, that it takes on an almost animated quality. I'm elated that we're getting a monthly dose of his stuff.

As an intro into Superman's world this issue hit's all the necessary notes. It's established that: Superman fights for the little guy, "the Man" (aka rich dude's, the police and government) doesn't like this, General Lane and the Army have contracted Lex Luthor to help capture Superman, Clark and Lois work for rival papers, and also Clark and Jimmy Olsen are best friends. Is it odd that it's that last part that excites me the most? I pray to Jack Kirby's spirit that we get some insane Jimmy Olsen adventures, or that we get a revamped, Morrison penned "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen" ongoing. We need to see Don Rickles' return to the DC Universe. Make it happen Didio, it's what the kids want!

By JoshD with 2 comments

Review: Action Comics #1

Every once in a while, I finish a comic and am filled with a surge of happiness. It's that feeling that's kept me reading comics for so many years, and that gets me through event fatigue and ill-advised storylines. I love comics, always, but sometimes I need to be reminded of how magic they can be when an issue hits all the right buttons, from plot and promise to visual storytelling and character. Action Comics #1 is one of those comics.

"In Morrison we trust" is essentially my motto, and my expectations for this book were high. But at the same time, I was concerned. I'm a huge fan of Superman- big blue boyscout, aw-shucks farmboy Superman- and I was afraid of losing that Superman forever. After reading this issue, all my fears melted away.

This issue is filled with moments that longtime fans will point to and cry out "That's not my Superman!". He's cocky and reckless. He uses Batman-esque interrogation techniques. And here's the thing: those fans are right. He's not their Superman, and he's not the character that so many post-crisis fans have grown to love. Not yet.

What makes Superman such an inspiration is that he chooses to be who he is. He has incredible power, but he makes the choice to be good, to work to help people. The roots of that Superman are all here in this issue, but he's not there yet. He's young, he's learning, and he'll have to grow and change to become the Superman that so many of us admire so much. And to me, that makes Superman even more inspirational. In my day to day life, I often try to be a little more like Superman. I can't fly or even leap tall buildings in a single bound, but I can do my best to emulate his kindness and his love for other people. Seeing him make that same effort makes being Superman feel attainable me, and hopefully it'll do the same for many other readers, new and old.

Much like Morrison originally described it, the issue starts at a breakneck pace and never really lets up. The story moves like the Superman blur we see on the very first page, and is filled with details that are easy to miss in a single read-through. This is something I've always loved about Morrison comics, as it gives me a reason to re-read the issue almost immediately, but if you're not a fan of that style, you may find that that aspect of the comic offputting.

Superman's idealism in this issue is almost painfully relatable to me. If I somehow wound up with near demi-god powers, my first instincts would absolutely be to help people in what might not necessarily be the wisest ways, from forcing tycoons to admit their corrupt ways to throwing wifebeaters into bodies of water. I can't wait to see him in action as a crusader for the little people, and can't wait to see him grow into a crusader for the entire world.

Superman has this sense of playfulness throughout most of the issue, and it makes me joyful in a way I can't accurately describe. He seems so unburdened by his powers, seeing only their possibilities and never their problems. I want to be incredible, benevolent Superman, but I want to be this Superman too.

Rags Morales' visual storytelling skills are showcased on every page of the issue, and when you look at his work it's easy to imagine what it might be like to have Superman's now toned down powers. He keeps up with Morrison at every turn and transitions from scene to scene seamlessly.

Those of you who were concerned by the cover of Action Comics #3 will be relieved to see that the people Metropolis still love and appreciate Superman. This is the feeling that was missing in the recent Superman storyline Grounded, and it's great to have that back. But not everyone in the City of Tomorrow appreciates Superman, nor should they.

I just really loved this line.

Superman's laundry line transition into Clark Kent may not be iconic in the way jumping into a phonebooth is, but it's visually interesting and keeps the story flowing smoothly. It also makes me appreciate the simplicity of the t-shirt and jeans get-up. It may have just arrived, but I'm really going to miss it when it's gone.

I wasn't expecting to see Lois and Jimmy in this issue, but I'm thrilled that I did. Morrison writes them both wonderfully, from Lois' playful dialogue and love of a good story to Jimmy's obvious adoration of Clark. I realize that this feeling is mostly based on Morales' art, but I'm sort of getting the sense that they're the Ron and Hermione to Clark's Harry.

The Kryptonian who lived.

What I was struck with, especially during this scene, is that I felt more like I was watching the issue than reading it. Both the story's pacing and artwork are so fluid, and have this kinetic energy that makes the pages feel as though they're animated. That made certain moments of the issue all the more brutal and intense, and I had goosebumps by the final page.

Anyone who's read All-Star Superman knows that Morrison writes a great Luthor, and he continued the trend in this issue. What makes Luthor so great is that he isn't just evil for the sake of being evil, he's not some disgruntled guy who lost his job at the vat factory. He truly believes that he is doing what is best for the people of Earth, and there is truth in everything he says. Lex may be ruthless, and he may lack any kind of empathy, but he's incredibly intelligent and incredibly logical. That he makes so much sense makes him a much more powerful villain.

I especially loved that, in spite of all the story crammed into this issue, there were still seeds laid for stories yet to come. I can't be the only one who thought of Braniac as soon as I saw this panel.

This is the rare comic that I would recommend everyone give a chance to. Not everyone is going to love it like I did, and some people won't even like it, but I think it's an important comic, and not just because it's Action Comics #1. Superman is a cultural icon, and I really believe that this issue is going to shape the way that future generations perceive the character. He's a character that people who've never touched a comic in their lives feel they have an understanding of, and the work Morrison is doing here has both the power to challenge those notions and to cast them in a different light.

It's going to be a long wait until next month, readers. Until then, remember that it's not about where you were born, or what powers you have, or what you wear on your chest. It's about what you do. It's about action.

By Marceline with 6 comments

Of Goodbyes and Guest Lists

The DC relaunch is upon us with Justice League #1. I'm doing my best to resist being that old man I'm slowly becoming. When I first heard the relaunch was happening, much like my grandma took to emails I wanted it to gain some sort of living embodiment if only so I could punch it in the face. That is how my family is. We are punchers of faces. But, I'm starting to accept it. I am a Taoist and, so help me, I would be a horrible one if I felt I could argue and fuss this relaunch from happening.

But it is happening and, it may not be bad. But one effect it has had so far on me is that I just read a mountain of final issues. Tons of self aware goodbyes lovingly handcrafted and sending heroes we probably won't see for a while into the ether. So, I'm going to do a list (because I love me some lists) of five characters/groups I'm going to be sad to see go. But I'm also going to do a list of five character/groups I would really love to see the relaunch bring about.

Oh, and as always, I'm going to give you fair warning if you're not caught up:

HERE THERE BE SPOILERS

Five Characters I'll Definitely Miss:

1) Batgirl (Stephanie Brown)

It only takes reading my first article ever on here to figure out that I am a huge supporter of Stephanie Brown. I love this character. So much. Out of all the DC characters that will fade out at relaunch, she is, by far, my favorite. Stephanie Brown's Batgirl is such a multifaceted character. Originally starting off as a daughter of a villain with a crush on Robin she became a crazy ex-girlfriend, then, for a short time a Robin herself before coming into her own as Batgirl. I'll knock this out of the way right off the bat and say I LOVE this costume. I'm not, in any way shape or for a licensed metrosexual, but I also know that this is a very clever costume. But the character herself, her personality, that's where the true shine comes in.

Starting off somewhat rusty, she was taken in by former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon (A.K.A. Oracle [but more on her later]) and became an amazing Batgirl. She was different then a lot of the Bat-family as well. They didn't really accept her. They seemed to almost avoid her really. She was outgoing. Plucky. Flirtatious. And juggled her night of prowling with the day life of a student. And, above all, she was extremely relatable. We've all been in that position where no matter how hard we try, we don't feel like we fit in or that we're accepted. Stephanie not only dealt with what we all have to face at some point, but she rose above like the heroine she was. She more than earned her role in the Bat-family, and I, for one, am honored that she let us come along for the ride.

2) Cyclone (Maxine Hunkle)

Maxine Hunkle. Granddaughter of the original Red Tornado. Probably the number one spot for a hero or heroine that would never realize she'd be missed.

When the JSA split into two, half being the Justice Society and the other being the All-Stars (a name I could only forgive because Cyclone coined it) the All-Stars weren't anything I was interested in. It was led by Magog and seemed to be done in a more 1990's, all action style that was not my forte. But my friend Mandi got me reading it for characters like Cyclone. I gave it a shot. I was hooked.

Sure, there's a lot of gruff going on. A lot of drama. A lot of angst. You have a room full of people growling over leadership and how to best take out villains. And then, there's Maxine. Adorable and timid. She's like that person that logs into a shooter you're getting to aggressive at, you can tell they're new and they're just playing for fun and, somehow, it makes them all the more endearing and it centers you. That was her. She wasn't the best hero. Not the strongest. But she was still there and she wanted to do all she can. Probably one of the most charming characters the JSA's ever been graced with and if the new universe doesn't have Cyclone, consider the wind taken out of my sails.

3) Kid Flash (Bart Allen)

I'm going to come right out and say this but Bart Allen got a horribly bad deal out of life. After a long career as the impulsive, well...Impulse, he finally earned the right to step into Kid Flash's shoes. Quickly after he earned the right, he was unceremoniously shot in the kneecap via shotgun via Deathstroke. But this only made the kid better, he healed and studied and became amazing. Capable. Sure, for some reason he lost his ability to multiply (a power I still don't fully grasp) but he made up for it in sheer potential.

Then, for a while, he even moved up and became the Flash. THE Flash. Well, that was until the Rogue's gallery got together and killed him pretty horribly. Don't worry kids, he got better.

But he did get better. He made it, he came back young and Kid Flash like, ready to fight crime all over again and that's when Flashpoint happened. Realizing what he had to do, Kid Flash tore through the time stream, became a "White Flash" and dissolved into the Speed Force, allowing Barry to fix the time stream.

This risk/reward ratio truly made me love this character. He was a character where, the harder he tried, the better the outcome for everyone but himself. And he stuck with it. Try once? Shot in the leg. Twice? Dead. Three times? SUPER Dead. And he kept at it. Flash fact: That level of self sacrifice is truly what makes a hero.

4) Oracle (Barbara Gordon)

Not since my dad purchased a 2005 GT40 have I been so amazed by something on wheels. For a long time, Barbara Gordon had done a night shift combo filled with ass kicking and name taking until a fateful night when the Joker attempted to make a killing joke with the punchline being a bullet through Barbara Gordon's spine.

The bullet didn't kill her, however, it did leave her paralyzed from the waist down. She didn't let it slow her down though. She studied. And focused. And learned. She absorbed information like a sponge. She used her connections. People liked her, she liked them, she knew them. She worked her butt off and became the computer guru Oracle.

Professor X is considered the first super hero in a wheel chair, but you know what? He had powers. Barbara was a happy, upbeat girl in a wheel chair that excelled at computers and could still easily kick your ass. Her computer skills and communicative know-how put her in touch with everyone in the DC Universe. She helped the JLA, JSA and every other acronym out there while still running her own team, the Birds of Prey, mentoring the new Batgirl AND training another fellow handicapable and chairstricken heroine the art of being a computer guru. She did all this and rarely forgot to smile. She was the linchpin of the DC Universe. A precious resource that few heroes would have gotten along with out. And, above all, with the relaunch, a massive loss to the hero community. Removing one of the few role models handicapped readers have in comics is a shock.

Barbara may be back in her original role now, but to me, she will always be remembered as being more hero than the majority of the DCU without having to even get up to do it.

5) (TIE) Superboy (Connor Kent)/Supergirl (Linda Lang)

I couldn't pick one over the other for fifth place. It would have been like choosing a favorite side. Both characters have different quirks that I love about them. As the owner of a white dog the size of Krypto, I cheer audibly every time Superboy tells a villain "hands off my dog". And Supergirl's pop culture references are really well done as well. But it's what these two have in common that really makes them shine.

Both rock the S-shield. Both can fly, shoot beams from their eyes. All that fun stuff. But they're also naive. Connor was created in a lab and Linda came to Earth in a rocket whilst in her teens. They don't necessarily understand the way the world works, but they desperately want to.

The books really shine with social interaction more than all out action. Supergirl is a fantastic portrayal of a young girl making her way in a busy, hustling college town where Superboy is a wonderful portrayal of life growing up in a small town. And the side characters make the books about as much as the main characters.

Superboy's interactions with Krypto and Supergirl's interactions with Damian (from the Batman books) are so wonderful that it would almost spoil it if they were around 24/7. And along the way they've gathered friends, normal, non-hero friends, that have grounded them and made them into complete, well rounded, human beings.

I really feel like I watched these two characters grow and develop like my own children, and, seeing how these two characters are going to be altered for the relaunch I have a feeling that come next month, I'm going to be suffering from some super empty nest syndrome.

FIVE CHARACTERS/GROUPS I'D LOVE TO SEE DC UTILIZE:

1) Gen13

Now that the Wildstorm universe is merged, I'd LOVE to see the Gen13 kids get pulled into the DC roster. Gen13 (the original five) entertained the hell out of me as a young adult. Sure, visually...the obvious helped, but they were also very interesting characters.

Fairchild (center) was like Oracle with super strength. A quiet and super intelligent girl, able to hack computers, figure out scientific what not, handle about any problem, and...when all else fails, she could just smash the problem.

Burnout (top right) was much like the Human Torch without the massive ego. Would just as much rather stay at home and work on his guitar or play video games than he would fight crime. Was also the first superhero I had ever seen in a band.

Rainmaker (top left) was the first bisexual character I've ever seen. I've seen some DC characters be straight, I've seen a few that were gay, but bisexuality is something horribly represented in comics and this would be a great starting point to fix it. Doesn't help that her lightning powers are pretty neat visually as well.

Grunge (bottom left) was a name that really worked in the 90's. Very similar to Marvel's Absorbing Man. Anything he touched, he'd become that. If he touched diamond, he'd be rock hard and could cut glass with his finger. If he touched Silly Putty he'd become stretch. Eventually he realized a good idea would be to wear a belt with little discs of different elements on them. Very fun scientific character and would be on par with Firestorm trying to learn the elements.

Freefall (bottom right) was one of the only girls in comics to steal my heart from Kitty Pryde. She was such a neat character. Somewhat of a runaway. She was abrasive, outgoing and had a great sense of humor. She was also very damaged and did not like herself very much. A lot of depth was held by this character. Throw in the fact that her gravity based powers were extremely fun.

But yeah, in a world where the Teen Titans exist, I think DC would be crazy not to give these kids a chance. Plus, just the possibility of Gen13's villainous team DV8 showing up would be super neat too as they had a LOT of fun character.

2) Fables

A great Vertigo book. Imagine if the world of Fables was set in the current DC universe. Superheroes and villains alike would have no clue that there's entire city of nothing but characters from fiction. My dream team up would be Batman and Bigsby Wolf personally.

The characters are charming, and the fact that the cast are characters you know and love thrown into an entirely different light works so well. And, in fairness, it's not a far cry from things tried in the past. I mean, Frankenstein isn't exactly an original DC character, nor Uncle Sam, nor Solomon Grundy (sorta). It could be a really good fit. I mean, if you can have a planet filled with New Gods, you could have a city inhabited by fairy tale characters. Make this happen DC.

And again, seriously, how sweet would it be to not only see Batman team up with Bigsby Wolf? Not only the personalities but Batman completely in denial about who the Fables are and coming up with some explanation for it? Instant awesome.

3) Rocket

Now, if you know anything about Rocket, then you'd know that her powers we given to her by another of her Milestone cohorts, Icon, but all the more reason to start using some of those great Milestone characters.

Rocket was the brain child of the late, great, Dwayne McDuffie. Icon built her a belt out of technology from his ship that allows her to manipulate kinetic energy, thus allowing her do all sorts of crazy thing including flight. Another crazy thing she was able to do was to become the first single pregnant teenager in mainstream comics. It was pretty slick and a hell of a selling point for the surprisingly large demographic of teenager parents out there looking for someone to relate too.

I'd love to see this character used but I have a worry. Gail Simone (who I love) tried to use this character in a Wonder Woman arc and was denied. No clear reason was given, but DC said "nuh-uh." So, I don't know if DC is afraid of this character but I would desperately hope not as there is potential abound here.

4) Top 10

Created by America's Best Comics (or ABC) which was owned by Wildstorm, Top 10 was the first "non-mainstream" book I bought with my own money growing up and it showed me the potential comics really had when creators were allowed to get a little crazy.

Filled to the brim with charm Top 10, in a nutshell, is a book about a police force filled with people with powers who patrol a city where every single citizen has powers. It's all about the madness that would ensue. Plus, despite it's fantastical plot, it's real. Most of the characters aren't in good shape. Some are overweight, some are lanky. They're real shaped. For lack of a better term at this moment.

But with the fact that DC is recreating the DCU and it's 52 Multiverses it would be a crime if DC ignored a universe filled with the coolest police force every penned.

5) Wildsiderz

Wildsiderz, if you'll excuse the 90's Z on the end, was a premise that had a lot of potential and not a lot of help executing. In fact, it only had a two issue run before the creator (J. Scott Campbell) and it's publisher (Wildstorm) stopped talking about it and just walked away, never to bring it up again.

The clue you in on the story since, unlike me, you probably didn't use to be a sucker for every idea J. Scott Campbell drew, Wildsiderz (with that damn Z) was about a group of teenagers who get involved with experimental holographic technology that lets them get in touch with their...wait for it...their "wild side". Essentially it was like a spirit animal. The fat jocky guy got a gorilla. The witty clever leader got a dragon fly. The proud cheerleader got a panther. You get the drill.

But besides the DC constantly running out of young heroes (I'm looking at you Teen Titans) these characters are flashy. Seriously. I remember being a young comic fan and looking at this cover and just wanting it. And if they take off? Imagine how easily this would translate to a cartoon. Or even marketing. You think Hulk Hands are fun? Three words. Glowy, gorilla, hands. Which...also might be the name of my first album. Either way, I think these kids would be an excellent fit in the DC you and could pull off a book of their own if written correctly. And yes Beast Boy, you can be their mentor.

By Electric Nerd with No comments

Crazy Teenager Reviews… Promo Book?

Hi,

My name is Colin Kelly, I’m a 19-year-old geek from the generation DC is honestly supposed to be targeting with the new 52.

I got started into comics when I was 14, thanks to some of my friends in Pendant Productions, and well, I like DC. All my friends like Marvel (and Batman) but usually think that Superman, Wonder Woman, and etc. are very much lifeless characters, but as countless hours of debating have proven; I like DC.

I’ve read a lot of the graphic novels of DC stories, but the thing that actively got me buying comics, I will admit, was the fact that during Blackest Night, DC added the cool thing of getting a lantern corps ring with certain issues of the event, at which point the Pokémon master in me took over.

But to be honest, the past years’ worth of “comic news” has just been disappointing, so I stopped paying attention to it, as it just sounded like Reality TV; it just seemed about getting ratings instead of telling stories. And I will admit, the new 52 sounds just like “Superman renounces American Citizenship”.

I’m going to give DC the benefit of the doubt. This new start for DC is theoretically supposed to be a second chance, or a first chance for some of those people out there who don’t want to get into comics because they don’t know exactly what is going on.

So, I decided to keep an open mind (it’s the most valuable tool anyone can have) on DC’s new lineup, and I am only going to read what DC puts out. Not the internet speculation/trolling/ranting/outrage/excitement stuff, but the primary sources. A lot of what I have heard from secondary sources really doesn’t get me going, so I am most certainly going to cut it out of my interaction.

I’m just going to try to give, as a young adult with some comic knowledge, my thoughts on what’s going on. I’m going to go through at least the new 52, but I’ll try to keep up with the series that actually grab my attention. I’ll fully admit to being not entirely omniscient, nor political correct, and I’d rather pay attention to

Keeping with my primary source material focus, let’s start with the DC new 52 promo book!

To be honest, the promo book for the new 52 is rather eye-catching… maybe it’s the Supes in jeans and the suit holding up a car, which I’m sure is completely homage to the first Superman Cover. Sure there’s the mandatory random, out-of-context, and one-word, “Praise” by everyone’s go-to reviewers, USA Today, and the NY times. Oh, and the attractive price of FREE, which it should be, being a promo.

The Sneak peak of JLA #1 is decent, featuring a flashback to five years beforehand, when the most developed character in the DCU, Batman, met the recent developing spotlight, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, someone who I had to inform many people about, because the fact that Green Lantern wasn’t black in the recent film had them up in arms.

I will point out how there is no mention so far of the WWII era-esque Justice Society of America. That makes me a little sad, as I liked having the (joking) old farts club around, and their constant mentoring of the new generation. I know this also changes Barry Allen’s choice of calling himself the Flash different, as Barry took the name of the Flash as an homage to Jay Garrick, the original WWII flash.

But this is a new world, which never knew the superhero… until now.

The rest of the book is pretty much standard. There’s art (cover at minimum, sometimes more), a quick premise of the series, identification of who’s behind it, and usually a quote from someone related to the project with what they’re planning on accomplishing.

Rather nice. I could sit here and waste your time by giving you my blow for blow expectations, but I’m going to just give you the 5 Yays, and 5 Cringes:

5 Cringes

5. The Savage Hawkman

Just real nitpicks here, but this has me wondering things like: Savage? And more importantly, where’s Hawkgirl?

The promo text sounds… well, Stargate. Specialist in Lost Languages meets alien Tech? Discovery has really bad repercussions? Guy must step up to save humanity? I honestly want to see how going Hawkman will save the city from a plague, because I’m sure donning armor helped against the Black Death. We’ll see how it’s resolved.


4. I, Vampire

I will get this out first and foremost, I am not a huge fan of Twilight, though I read the books so I could talk about them. I have seen all of Buffy and Angel. I love Dracula and Interview with a Vampire, and seen the movies for those. I’ll get to TrueBlood eventually, I’m sure.

I’m just wondering why this random character has their own series. I know Vampire Protagonist is a time honored way of getting people interested, but so is performing Macbeth. Pushing the limits of what it means to be a Vampire is a nice idea, but truce with ex-girlfriend breaking and now humanity is in danger doesn’t grab me. Once again, we’ll see how it goes.


3. Wonder Woman

Dear Gods, does Wonder Woman have the most incredibly complicated continuity of the DC universe. Mostly because her supporting cast changes, as well as her purpose, everytime a new writer takes over.

See, Superman has a supporting cast, you expect to see Lois, Jimmy, and Perry. Batman, at least Alfred shows up, if not a couple sidekicks. They’ve been defined and people expect that. Not really so with Wonder Woman…

It doesn’t help that the cover art portrays Wondy in a complete contrast to the JLA cover. JLA cover has her in her “modern uniform” (with pants and really large boobs), but the Wondy cover has Classic Wondy. JLA, she’s hopeful, noble, and armed with a Lasso. Wondy cover has her… as a belligerent savage in mid-yell with a bloodstained sword.

I mean, talk about complicated continuity, we can’t even get the two covers to show the same Wonder Woman! In a reboot! Shouldn’t Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman be the same as Wonder Woman in the JLA?

Am I being completely ridiculous here?


2. Deathstroke

Alright, I know we want to make our characters “Dark, Angsty, Gritty and Badass” DC; it’s fairly obvious. And I get that, like Sex, Badassary sells.

But what’s with the Deathstroke reimagining! He already was powerful enough to take down Green Arrow, the Atom, the Flash, Zatanna, Hawkman, and Black Canary in Identity crisis. If you watched the Teen Titans animation, you know how incredibly, awesomely terrifying Deathstroke was in it.

Why is he Kratos all of a sudden? He can use a Katana to deflect bullets, he doesn’t need the baseball sword. He’s an assassin, not a psychopath!

Which is more Badass, the Animal? Or the Chessmaster?


1. The Entire Superman line-up

Okay, another thing I need to get out in the Open at once as well. I love Superman. To use a quote from Bibbo Bibowaski, “he’s my favorite.” He’s enough of my favorite that I know who Bibbo is.

I love Superman stories… when they’re written well.

Superman’s got the similar problem as Wonder Woman, in that over the years he’s had a lot of people define him. And in the past… 14? 15 years? We’ve seen at least 6 different origin stories for Superman.

Not gonna lie, not a big fan of a lot of the reimagining’s for his character either. Most seem to ignore the importance of Ma and Pa Kent, or make him angry instead of altruistic, or run with the idea that because he’s from another world, he’s automatically different.

Small side note: in pre-reboot continuity, the White Martians messed with Human Genetics, creating the Metagene, and that’s why there’s superheroes. If they hadn’t, by the time our sun went red, we’d have the same Physiology as the Kryptonians or the Daxamites.

So Supergirl doesn’t have trouble relating to humanity, because she’s an alien. She has trouble relating because she’s a foreigner, and (if we assume the delayed rocketship theory) she remembers and entire civilization of people from her friends to her family, who no longer exist.

And I’m really sure we could have found a better secret organization than Project N.O.W.H.E.R.E. to clone Superboy by accident. There’s this thing called Project Cadmus…


5 Yays!

5. Justice League International

Not gonna lie, excited to see how this is, as this is the Justice league back when Superman Died (ish… Batman and Rocket Red weren’t actively on the roster, I don’t think) and to be honest, they’re not really that prominent figures, but I think as a group they become important and I honestly can’t wait to see what they accomplish.

The only reason they beat out the JLA, is mostly the fact, that All of the JLA have their own books. These guys don’t. (except for Batman, who is punching one hell of a timeclock with six series featuring him)

4. Green Lantern

Already mentioned that Green Lantern is what got me into comics actively (BTW Blue Lanterns FTW) but I love the idea of Green Lantern… SINESTRO!

It makes me wonder if we’re going to get Sinestro’sMcbethean fall from the Corps. But that’s speculation. I do have to say that outside of recent years, Sinestro has always been portrayed as a card-carrying villain (it’s gotta be the mustache) in the cartoons, like Superman the Animated Series or Superfriends. I’ve always loved seeing him not be all about getting a green Lantern ring from whomever is lantern at the time. You’d think that’s all he ever does or something.


3. Men of War/Blackhawks

Kinda looping these together, but I have to say I’m interested in the DC’s A-team/GI JOE. (Ex-military Men turned contractors, and an Elite Force of Military Specialists equipped with the latest in cutting edge hardware and vehicles. C’mon, knowing is half the battle!)

It’ll be great to see how some normal people (as in non-bat, non-meta… hopefully) deal with supervillians. I’m sure they’re going to have to take care of the Joker at one point… and I’m sure KratosDeathstroke the Terminator will show up.

To be honest, Blackhawks has me more interested in who they’re fighting. I always believe that you know the most about the superhero, by looking at their Arch nemesis, and their Antithesis. So, understand Superman better by looking at LexLuthor and General Zod for example.


2. The Swamp Thing

Gotta Say, I loved Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing. And what I love about this is that the art seems to pay homage to that, and if it’s anything like that run, I’m in.


1. Batgirl

Alright, in the middle of the whole “We’re gritty, Badass and Angsty. We’re here to rebel against authority, and kick ass, take names.” Art, there is this one picture that has me going “I’m sold.”

It’s a woman… in a Batgirl costume, Grappling along… and smiling.

Sorry, but as all the rest of the covers prove, everyone is about the badass looks. Not Barbara Gordon. Sure, it takes getting her out of Oracle and the Killing Joke never happened. But that smile on Bab’s face… it’s phenomenal. I have to give props, because it touches upon something.

I’m expecting a lot of the Angsty “I never wanted to be a hero” whining cropping up. Not Babs, not with that smile. This is what she does for FUN. She’s not a Superhero because of some twist of Fate; she chose to be it. She is the only person pictured, in the entire promo, with a smile.

So, I’m sold; I don’t care if it’s controversial, or if there’s probably a plan somewhere to re-enact the Killing Joke, I’m in.

Well… those are my thoughts. Take ‘em, leave ‘em. Decide for yourself if I’ve got any valid points.

Just make sure to keep an open mind.

By Colin Kelly with 5 comments

My 10 Most Anticipated DCnU Comics (And Why I'm So Excited For Them)

With more than a month to go before the release of the first DCnU comic, there's not much to do besides think about how good or bad these comics might be. I really like keeping track of my initial thoughts about something before it comes out. It's fun for me to see where I really called it and where I really missed the mark. Before a new television series starts, I often make predictions as to how well they'll do, and I guess this feature is sort of like that, on a larger scale. I have a lot more to say about some books than others, but I have plenty of opinions about everything DC's putting out, and I plan to voice them all.

I'm a positive person, and it's always more fun for me to talk about things I'm genuinely excited about it. These are all titles I really want to see succeed, and I hope that in talking about why I think they'll be great I'm able to drum up a little enthusiasm for them among others. There are a lot of books I think have promise, but these are the ten that, more than any others, I really can't wait to get a chance to read.

1. Action Comics

Superman is one of my all-time favorite characters. Grant Morrison is one of my all-time favorite comic writers. It doesn't get much better than this, folks! The cover pictured above is very likely to be pictured on my wall, and every time Morrison's talked about his plans for the comic, he's managed to raise my already very high excitement levels to a fever pitch. Superman as a champion for the socially oppressed? Yes please! A comics with so much going on that there are no scene cuts in the entire issue? OH GOD WHY CAN'T THIS COMIC COME OUT ALREADY.

There's a part of me that wishes Grant Morrison would keep writing Batman forever. He's introduced so much to the Bat mythos, and I feel like a lot of that will never be fully explored, even with Batman Inc. coming back next year. But All-Star Superman has shown that combining Supes and Morrison results in pure comics joy, and if he can recapture even a little of that magic for this book, I'm sure it'll be one of my favorites every month.

By Marceline with No comments