The Last of the WonderCon Reports…A Rare Gem to Be Savored
Alright – wrapping up WonderCon coverage, here’s the notebook emptying that you can get from three panels: Ed Brubaker’s, Darwyn Cooke’s, and Greg Rucka.
See the last of its kind in its natural environment at Newsarama
Let’s give a standing ovation to Brubaker. He’s the first creator I have seen proclaim that the current nostalgia wave (as in things like the return of Claremont to X-Men along with more traditional X-Men stories, Hal Jordan’s resurrection, etc., not the 80’s licensing movement. That 80’s thing is SO 6 months ago), might not be all it’s cracked up to be. His thoughts echo some of my own, as my good friend Tim Sheridan and I discussed a few days ago. My basic premise is this: a lot of the reason we got away from what is now nostalgia is because it was not selling comics. The X-Men were awash in their own pretension, Spider-Man was about to undergo his roughest patch in history with storylines involving the return of his parents, their eventual revealing as robots sent to destroy him (lord, I wish I was kidding), and that was all capped off with the clone saga. And all of that doesn’t mention the Alien Symbiote-palooza that gave Venom several minis and spawned (sorry, pun not intended) the paradigm of crossovers run amok: Maximum Carnage. DC was doing all it would to kill off, break, drive mad, replace, and possibly return its icons in an effort to restart faltering sales.
There is a pendulum nature to these things, so it is not entirely surprising that comics are returning to some elements that have been pushed off to the side the past decade or so. It is, however, disconcerting how full out we seem to be rushing back to these ideas.
Brubaker mentions Teen Titans in particular, which took me by surprise. I guess, in theme (teen heroes based on DC’s adult icons on a team) it is a reflection of the past, but storytelling wise it never struck me as a regression. And that way, I think, is where the answer lies. If comics can both incorporate “nostalgic†elements while pushing forward, then we all should be just fine. The problem becomes when we simply think that returning to the old elements will be enough and we stop concerning ourselves with creating something new.
For me, a great example of this is the Aztek series (I know, surprise, surprise). Morrison deliberately ditched the grim n’ gritty of the Dark Ages (or is it late Bronze…I’m no good at the Comic Eras game) for a more Silver Age feel. However, the book never felt like a throwback or a dinosaur and not just because of the presence of an entirely new hero. It was smart, unique storytelling that made use of past comic book era elements. And it was excellent.
To give you an example of what I think reflects an over reliance on nostalgia, I would point to the Generations miniseries. This, in particular, is the shrinking of the pie that Brubaker is referring to. Who would seek out these books besides lifelong fans? I have read comics for a better part of my 22 years (well, it’ll be 23 on Friday) and been pretty serious about them for about 10 years and nothing about those stories interested me in the least. Now imagine a fairly new fan, let’s say 2 or 3 years into the game. What’s in that book for them?
This is not to say Generations does not have its place, it does. That is, provided the entire industry does not go that way. A Generations book, or one similarly as devoted to pre-Crisis trappings or as dedicated to “nostalgia†is a good thing. A few are a fine thing. Several or most, however, and it is an entirely different story. Diversity, as always, is key. As we look back, we must move forward.
Damn, I do prattle on, don’t I? And so pretentiously, too.
Did Someone Mention Nostaglia?
Let’s do the timewarp, again! Picture it, the year’s 1971 and DC publishes a ton of 100 Page Super Spectaculars that reprint tons of classic comics for a cool price. Long out of print, DC is taking one of those classic collections and reprinting it in a whole new volume for just $6.95. Along with the reprinted material, included in this volume is an unpublished Wildcat story from Robert Kanigher and Jon Kozlak. We have details on this collection and another new old collection coming out this August.
Read the article that stole my Rocky Horror Picture show reference from last week at The Pulse
This is kind of similar to an idea that my friendly resident comic shop owner put forth to me. Wayne (nicest guy on earth, swear to god. And he runs a pretty good store, too. Heroes and Hitters in Rocky Hill, CT. If you are anywhere in the area, visit, you will not be sorry), said that it would be a smart idea if DC and Marvel would reprint large volumes of prior stories.
His plan differed in two aspects, however. First, he said they would not go through the normal Direct Sales route, where they would end up in essentially just comic book shops. The other aspect was price. He argued that if you were going to put them on the newsstand and expect them to move, you needed a cheap price. Print them on newspaper (in other words, ccccchhhhhheeeeeeaaaapppppp paper) and charge 99 cents to a dollar-fifty for the (let’s say) 4 story volumes. I like his idea a lot. This one does less for me.
Don’t get me wrong, it is cool for us current fans. But, having heard his idea, I can’t help but think that his plan represents a far better endeavor for the industry. One that would not only satisfy the fans the comic industry already has, but might recruit a few others.
Did I mention how great Wayne was?
A “Brand†New Wildstorm
With the imprint seeing its way through a slightly rough patch, DC announced that beginning with Ex Machina, all Wildstorm titles will carry a new look, specifically, new branding marks, designed to make the different titles that appear under the Wildstorm imprint distinct.
The move will allow for three separate “brands†under the Wildstorm banner, “Wildstorm Universe,†“Wildstorm Signature Series,†and “Wildstorm.†Clear from the omission, the new branding effectively kills the “Eye of the Storm,†“Homage,†and “Cliffhanger†“brands†that were previously under Wildstorm.
Light the fire and heat up the iron at Newsarama
This is fine. I fail to see how it is going to make a difference for the average consumer, but if it works for them, grand. The one thing I will say, as was pointed out by someone on the message boards as well, is that this is one three imprint system (Eye of the Storm, Homage, and Cliffhanger) being traded in for another (Wildstorm, Wildstorm Universe, and Wildstorm Signature Series). I guess it works Wildstorm into all the imprint titles, so that is good for them. Beyond that though…eh. Maybe the “branding†press†will at least spark a bit of a sales boost. If it does that, then I retract my “eh†and replace it with a “very media savvyâ€. Otherwise, the “eh†stands.
Strange Diggle-ing
The rumours have been circulating for months, and finally we can announced it officially – I’m writing an 8-issue ADAM STRANGE mini-series that’s spearheading a new direction for many of the DCU’s sci-fi characters.
It starts off grim and gritty in Gotham City, with Strange a washed-up drunk, down on his luck and in deep trouble with the G.C.P.D. –
To visit Senor Diggle on his turf, head on over to ADF
With the announcement made last Thursday at his Delphi Forum, writer Andy Diggle confirmed that he and Pascal Ferry will return Adam Strange as a going concern in the DCU this September. We caught up with Diggle for a few of the whys, hows, and wherefores.
To see if he cracks under the hot lights and intense interrogation skills of Matt Brady, go to Newsarama
When I first read that opening, “It starts off…†I smirked. “Wow, how noir,†I thought to myself. And then I thought, “Oh, god, the fans will rip him apart.†Then, however, I read the whole pitch and my nerves were calmed a bit.
I’ve never been much of a Strange fan myself, but the story sounds like an interesting take on the character and I like the idea of the tone evolving from dark, gritty “real†to the more classic sci-fi feel as the story progresses and Gotham becomes literally and metaphorically farther away for Strange. Between Losers and Swamp Thing, Diggle is on a bit of a run. This could be his shot at similar success in the main DCU. Definitely worth a look.
Get Wet With Grant
Later this month, Grant Morrison invites readers to his newest world, that of Seaguy. Illustrated by Cameron Stewart, the three issue miniseries is at the same time, new-school Morrison in terms of its wild ideas, but at the same time, it’s old school as well thanks to its inherent…sweetness and gentleness. And it’s got a talking tuna fish.
The really quick skinny – Seaguy is an un…er, underemployed superhero in a world where the bad guys have been defeated, and there’s no real battle left to fight. The world is peaceful, if not slipping into a state of lethargy and torpor. With no real ‘bad guy’ to keep heroes on their toes, no one’s really noticed how Mickey Eye is everywhere, and there’s this new food product called…Xoo everywhere.
The talking tuna implores you to go to Newsarama. He’s a tuna that talks…who are you to argue?
This sounds like a goofy lark with some smart underpinnings and that is more than enough to make me pick it up. Coming at the “what would superheroes do without villains†story angle from a Silver Age-y non-deconstructionist viewpoint is unique and the fact that it is Morrison doing it means, to me, that it will be well done. His description of issue #2 choking him up already has me excited for it and I have yet to even read issue #1 yet. Morrison=consummate salesman.
Between this and the cybernetic assassin animals series he is doing…well, I’m just tickled. The only way for me to be more tickled is if he e-mailed how Aztek would have gone if it was not prematurely cancelled. But that probably will never happen.
Sigh.
Requisite “Firestorm of Controversy†Headline Here
Dan Jolley has gone from someone pitching ideas all the time to someone who has a ton of work on the schedule and an Eisner nomination under his belt. Although he’s working on some high profile assignments before, none have caused quite the controversy as the new Firestorm series, which just made its debut this week.
Now that the first issue is out, compare your notes with fandom at The Pulse
The 2 best reasons I give you to check this book out are:
1.)The power to combine with any other character to access the superhero is a nearly limitless plot device and H.E.R.O. has used a similar idea to great success.
2.) Crisscross has a great style. It is distinctive (i.e. you can spot it as his) but still classically superhero, befitting a mainstream DCU book nicely.
And the third reason is more personal:
3.)Costume has a similarly cool design as the original, but not poofy pirate shirtsleeves. We were all winners the day those sleeves were eliminated.
And the fourth is a bit of logic.
4.)You won’t know if it is worth complaining about unless you at least read one issue.
Is DC going All “The Swan†on Superman?
In the boardroom at DC Comics, a life-size statue of Clark Kent sits in a chair reading the Daily Planet. Lately the talk is probably making him a little nervous. Superman is still the company’s flagship icon, but Batman outsells him, and the original superhero hasn’t starred in a movie for 17 years. But help may be on the way. DC is installing new creative talent on all three main monthly Superman comics, starting with the June issues. “Periodically there’s just a moment that happens when a new generation of talent steps in, and you get some fresh points of view,” says Paul Levitz, president and publisher of DC, which, like this magazine, is owned by Time Warner. In other words, the Man of Steel is getting a makeover. Now, how do you improve a guy who has super-everything?
Find out if it is really more of an Extreme Makeover or a Style Court Makeover at Time Magazine
This article succeeds in that it acknowledges Secret Identity. And, as previously discussed by me, Secret Identity is excellent. Beyond that, however, I was a bit disappointed in the proverbial analysis. Not surprised as a really didn’t expect Time to devote pages of text on a comic book character’s recent creator changes, same company or not. I was hoping, though, that would focus less on what DC is doing (ala the creator switches) and more on what could be done to the character to make him more viable today. Chances are your average comic fan would disagree with their choices, but I just think that would be a much more interesting article than one that devotes one paragraph each to two of the Superman titles (ignoring Greg Rucka’s Adventures without explanation) and giving equal or more time to the other media ventures of Superman. But I nitpick. As always, any mainstream press, especially in a magazine like Time, is good news.
My own recommendations? They’re simple: good stories. Superman should not be all-powerful and infallible, but acknowledging his iconic nature, to the average person and the superperson is to be encouraged. Give the man in the costume and the man in the glasses equal time as what is often most interesting about Superman is how dedicated he is to being Clark Kent. Lastly, big does not equal good. Some of Superman’s best stories were not multi-issue cosmic adventures but simple ones about his birthday (that great Alan Moore penned Annual with Mogul) or hunting down his face as his slips deeper and deeper into kryptonite poisoning. There were enemies and punches, sure. The true genius of the stories, however, was what they revealed about why Superman was the pre-eminent hero in the DCU and how little it had to do with his superpowers.
Legion’s Over. Wait…WHA?!
Gail Simone’s taking on The Legion this summer in a four-part biweekly adventure called For No Better Reason. The story is also the LAST Legion story as the series ends after Simone’s run.
Be prepared to scrunch up your face in a confused look after reading the article at The Pulse
The end of my favorite title that I never bought. So, if you fans are looking for someone to play, play me. I love to read it when I borrow issues, (mostly from Ben Morse) (Do you still have my copies of Legion Worlds or did I just misplace them? Oh yeah, it’s me editing this edition of DCNV, not Daron, the dream team is reunited, sweeps week, watch as the ratings soar –Ben). I giggle every time it is mentioned on The O.C. But there was always a reason why I didn’t buy it when I saw it at the shop. So, Legion fans, I am sorry. My budget, my low paying job, and I are all very sorry.
But hey, don’t worry. The series has some great stuff planned to ensure it goes out with a bang. And, much like Marvel’s constant rebooting of Captain America (First, Main Marvel Universe Captain America title, then Heroes Reborn, Then New Main Marvel, Then Marvel Knights. All with new number ones. Most within the past ten years), Legion will be back very soon with a new book. Perhaps it will be called “Legion†or “Legionnaires†or “Legion Lost†or be followed by the year ala, “Legion ‘94â€, etc. But rest assured, it will be back. Perhaps even with rumored superteam Waid and Kitson. It still sucks, but it is only a temporary type of suck, like watching a Hulk TV movie from the 80’s, not permanent, like being unable to ever really clear all the neon out of your eyes after watching Batman and Robin. Or that scene with them sky surfing on pieces of a rocket. My eyes will never be clean again.
Anyway, small comfort, but Legion is too popular to really go away. So, that’s something at least.
And With a Rustling of Wings There Came…A PREVIEW!
DC has provided Newsarama with five pages of Ryan Sook and Mick Gray’s art from the upcoming Hawkman #29.
See Sook kick it bird style at Newsarama
Anyone else think it would be great if Harvey Birdman, Blue Falcon, and Hawkman teamed up? Especially if Birdman was in Attorney at Law mode, (not cheesy Hanna Barbera superhero) and Blue Falcon was his vaguely Eurotrash rival for whom everything comes easy. Figure out how Hawkman would fit in (perhaps as a client) and the story writes itself.
Sook’s art here is pretty enough that I might even let him draw my genius idea.
Comic Books and That Mmm…Nice Feeling
A time machine. Don’t ya wish ya had one? Well, in some ways ya do, ya just don’t know it.
Granted, the time machine I’m talkin’ about won’t help ya go back in time and get ya lucky with that pretty cheerleader in high school. The time machine I’m talkin’ about will make ya feel good. It’ll make ya feel like a carefree kid on a sunny summer afternoon.
That time machine is simply this – comic books from your childhood.
Revisit and re-embrace your childhood at Silver Bullet Comics
This is here for two different reasons. First, I am, deep down, a big softy. Second, I felt like there was a lot of negativity this week, especially at the front end of the column. It was what I felt and all, but hey, I still love comics. But, I have trouble with, umm, what’s the word…emotions. So here’s a column that expresses it for me. Nice, huh?
On that pleasant note, we are done here. Check out the message board as always. Please…do it for the children.
Nevermind the Bollocks, Here Comes Un Gajje
