All right, every comics geek wants to be put in charge of their favorite company (or all of them). I'm no exception. So, maybe it's time to start thinking about what radical changes my firm, dictatorial but enlightened rule would bring to the world of comics.
#1 Nightwing Reboot
All right, I don't care what depths of Comic Book cheeze you have to go to. It's time to reboot Dick outright. The world doesn't need another sullen, angst ridden, hero. Yes, we know, Batman is a first tier jerk and no one raised by the Bat would ever be happy... blah blah blah.
Phooey. Dick as Robin was a character of joy. Too silver age? Not at all. I'm not saying make him a silly, lighthearted 1967 character. Just give him a bit of joy and exuberence. How do you retcon him to be that way? I don't care. Have Mr. Mind crawl out of his ear in a future storyline... find out that some telepath or another messed with him. Say that this Dick is a clone, or is from Earth-N... I really don't care.
#2 Joker on Vacation
Joker is hereby banned from appearing in any DC book whatsoever for two years. After that, he's banned for another two years from appearing in any book that's not one of the Batman titles, or Birds of Prey (though he hasn't been used much there, the Birds have a definite score to settle with him).
He's simply over used, and over exposed. Every writer wants to take a shot at him, every editor think's he'll "spice up" their book. Give him a well earned vacation.
3. Grace Choi goes back to her bar...
What exactly is Grace Choi's role in things? Sure, she provides muscle for the Outsiders, but really, what does she bring as a character? She's as cardboard as they get. She needs to either be given depth, or shoved to a corner. Her old bouncer job is still there.
4. No major full company events for at least five years.
At least from the point of view of storytelling, there are few things worse than these "big" events that keep coming along. A writer is building an interesting long term story when... zap, the crossover of doom either derails the plot for as long as it takes to deal with it, or deep sixes everything. Look at Marvel with the X-Men at the moment. "House of M" managed to gut Academy X and Excalibur forcing both books into major retooling, dropping major storylines, or even the entire concept of the book. Sure, using these to "shake things up" can be interesting, but let the writers tell their stories awhile. Once 52 is done, sit back and let things roll for a few years.
5. Shoot any writer who pitches a "hero goes to dystopian future" storyline.
Ho hum, it was interesting and innovative when "Days of Future Past" was written. "Future Imperfect" pulled it off nicely. But, now, it's just old and tired. Was seeing the Teen Titans in the future really that great? Nope.
I'm sure my reign of terror will continue, but that's it for tonight.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Favorite Episodes
I've been ODing a bit on watching some of the Comic-Book adaptations. So, while I don't always remember names, lets see what my favorite episodes are.
Superman: The Animated Series. This is an easy call, I just watched it. The Late Mr. Kent. It has so many little freaky things. The "death" of Clark, everyone mourning over him, and then the actual execution of Det. Bowman.
Batman: The Animated Series: Pretty hard call here, as there are a number of very good episodes. In the end, I'd have to go with The Mechanic. It's harder to explain why I like it so well, but there it is.
Justice League: I don't recall the name of the two parter... but the one where GL and a few others go and meet up with a faux-JSA. It's really fun to see a Golden Age sensibility overlaid with a more "modern" comic.
Justice League Unlimited: Hm, since I don't have these on DVD, it's harder to say, but the end of Season 2, where Flash kicks it up a notch or three and dismantles Braini-thor. I always love scenes where a character is allowed to take their powers to the limit, and that's the best use of the Flash in all the seasons.
Teen Titans: I've only seen it once, but the episode where Kid Flash gets "captured" by Jinx and friends. Lots of humor, and some excellent character development of Jinx. (That said, when she shows up in the final blowup fight at the end of the season is a great moment.)
X-Men Evolution: There's a few good ones here, but I'd tend towards the one where Mystique kidnaps Scott and takes away his glasses. It has everything, excellent characterization, moving forward with plot (the relationship between Scott and Jean), a great fight seen, and Jean in a really, really bad mood. What more could you want?
Superman: The Animated Series. This is an easy call, I just watched it. The Late Mr. Kent. It has so many little freaky things. The "death" of Clark, everyone mourning over him, and then the actual execution of Det. Bowman.
Batman: The Animated Series: Pretty hard call here, as there are a number of very good episodes. In the end, I'd have to go with The Mechanic. It's harder to explain why I like it so well, but there it is.
Justice League: I don't recall the name of the two parter... but the one where GL and a few others go and meet up with a faux-JSA. It's really fun to see a Golden Age sensibility overlaid with a more "modern" comic.
Justice League Unlimited: Hm, since I don't have these on DVD, it's harder to say, but the end of Season 2, where Flash kicks it up a notch or three and dismantles Braini-thor. I always love scenes where a character is allowed to take their powers to the limit, and that's the best use of the Flash in all the seasons.
Teen Titans: I've only seen it once, but the episode where Kid Flash gets "captured" by Jinx and friends. Lots of humor, and some excellent character development of Jinx. (That said, when she shows up in the final blowup fight at the end of the season is a great moment.)
X-Men Evolution: There's a few good ones here, but I'd tend towards the one where Mystique kidnaps Scott and takes away his glasses. It has everything, excellent characterization, moving forward with plot (the relationship between Scott and Jean), a great fight seen, and Jean in a really, really bad mood. What more could you want?
Monday, July 03, 2006
More thoughts about Superman Returns
As I've said before, the most important people in the entire DC Universe are Jonathan and Martha Kent. I say this because they gave Clark (and I use that name consciously) a grounding and his essential humanity. With Superman's power, he'd be a nightmare for everyone if he were much different than he is.
In the movie, one very interesting thing though is that they seem to be robbing Superman of his humanity. It's related to the "religious" discussion in regards to the movie. Now, I could get really theological and talk about it in terms of the "two natures of of Superman"... Human and Kryptonian (though the Kryptonian does have some elements of divine... it's better not to use that term).
Where we see Clark's human nature most strongly is in his relations with Lois (even when he's in his costume). He's bumbling, vunerable and overall a mess. (Not to mention more than a bit creepy, the way he stalks Lois.) However, the movie really seems to slowly but surely reject his human nature in many ways. Even in the early scene with Ma Kent, he's obviously not comfortable with her, disappointed with the failure of his mission, unfulfilled to be talking with the woman that is his mother in most senses beyond genetics.
Notice, that one thing Clark does when he gets back is he never seems to try to set up his human identity again. He never seems to rent an apartment. He does go back to work, but it's an open question why he does that. Obviously, part of it is to be close to Lois, but you can also argue that it's the old "be where you hear the news" thing as well.
On the other hand, his Kryptonian nature is brought further and further to the fore. His great guiding influence is no longer Ma and Pa Kent, but is instead Jor-El. Instead of being raised as a decent human being by the Kents, he's now a Messiah sent to earth to show them the light.
The scene where he's floating in near orbit just "listening" shows this very well. He's separated himself from humanity, until the moment where he needs to show the hand of god...er, Superman.
Even at the end of the movie, we see this. It really struck me that his final visit to Lois' house was not about Lois at all, but to pass on the spark of Jor-El's wisdom to his son.
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure I'd be comfortable in a universe with this Superman. He's not all that far from being a Justice Lord, or even a Black Adam.
In the movie, one very interesting thing though is that they seem to be robbing Superman of his humanity. It's related to the "religious" discussion in regards to the movie. Now, I could get really theological and talk about it in terms of the "two natures of of Superman"... Human and Kryptonian (though the Kryptonian does have some elements of divine... it's better not to use that term).
Where we see Clark's human nature most strongly is in his relations with Lois (even when he's in his costume). He's bumbling, vunerable and overall a mess. (Not to mention more than a bit creepy, the way he stalks Lois.) However, the movie really seems to slowly but surely reject his human nature in many ways. Even in the early scene with Ma Kent, he's obviously not comfortable with her, disappointed with the failure of his mission, unfulfilled to be talking with the woman that is his mother in most senses beyond genetics.
Notice, that one thing Clark does when he gets back is he never seems to try to set up his human identity again. He never seems to rent an apartment. He does go back to work, but it's an open question why he does that. Obviously, part of it is to be close to Lois, but you can also argue that it's the old "be where you hear the news" thing as well.
On the other hand, his Kryptonian nature is brought further and further to the fore. His great guiding influence is no longer Ma and Pa Kent, but is instead Jor-El. Instead of being raised as a decent human being by the Kents, he's now a Messiah sent to earth to show them the light.
The scene where he's floating in near orbit just "listening" shows this very well. He's separated himself from humanity, until the moment where he needs to show the hand of god...er, Superman.
Even at the end of the movie, we see this. It really struck me that his final visit to Lois' house was not about Lois at all, but to pass on the spark of Jor-El's wisdom to his son.
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure I'd be comfortable in a universe with this Superman. He's not all that far from being a Justice Lord, or even a Black Adam.
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