For those of you who pay attention to the boards (and there are not nearly enough of you, by the way), the great Mathan/Tim v. Ben/Daron battle for Emperor and…um… Vice Emperor(?) of 411 Comics ended. Mathan and I won the popular election by 2 votes, but Mathan had already called the joke on account of confusion, a state we can all thank Mr. Stone King for (yeah, you heard me King!). So, in a way, we all win…or lose…or whatever. Anyway, it is not a real position, so in that spirit, I, right now, install myself as Grand Czar of 411. And I am not a benevolent ruler!
That’s No Dog…Dear God, That’s a BLOODHOUND!
This ain’t your Daddy’s DC Comics. Heck, it might not even be the DC Comics you remember.
With a plethora of original DC Universe comic book series or radical re-imaginings appearing this year from the venerable DC Comics, it seems as though the creative juices are flowing like never before at the Distinguished Competition. CBR has decided to spotlight five of these series over the coming five days and first up is “Bloodhound,” a very personal project that writer Dan Jolley couldn’t wait to explain to CBR News.
Watch DC get down with its grim ‘n gritty self, writer style, at Comic Book Resources
Ok fans, try this on for size: who’s been a member of Team Superman, the JSA and now the “Bloodhound” crew?
If you answered the name of a superhero you’d be half right. The correct answer is Leonard Kirk, formerly the artist of “JSA,” “Supergirl” and a hero to many fans. With his work on DC Comics’ “Bloodhound” series seeing the light this month, CBR News caught up with the artist in part two of CBR’s focus on the new DC.
Peek the interview of “a hero to many†at Comic Book Resources
In the first two paragraphs, there are two great reasons to love this article. First, Jolley use the phrase “radio edit†and “extended dance mix†for the purposes of explaining the plot of the book. The only that would possibly be cooler than that is if he jumped up on a desk and shouted out “Remix!â€. Secondly, the article refers to DC as the “Distinguished Competition.†I was under the impression that that was a Marvel thing, not something DC generally referred to itself as. Ahh, but I kid Mr. Singh.
I think it is great how much Jolley is invested in the book and that DC has allowed him in as co-owner of the character. A mainstream DC book who’s lead character is semi-creator owned is unheard of as far as I am aware, so that is a neat trick in and of itself.
Leonard Kirk’s eye gouging art…well…just take a look at the samples. It strikes me as suitable to the tone and…well…like I said, take a look.
As far as the brand new “tough†initiative at DC, I remain wary. I like the idea of characters that would occupy such territories (your Batmen, your Manhunters, your Bloodhounds, etc) but I am not sure how I feel about a general darkening of the universe as a whole. Just as the specter of 90’s excess has been haunting Marvel as of late, this seems to be the ghost of the grim ‘n gritty comics period returning to skulk in the DCU. It remains to be seen if these concerns are well founded, of course, but as it stands now, there is a whiff of that in the air.
Jones-ing for the DCU
DC Comics has announced today that writer Bruce Jones has signed an exclusive agreement with DC Comics. Jones is best known in the comics community for his work on “The Hulk” and other titles for Marvel. DC also confirmed the rumor floated by Rich Johnston this Monday that Jones was lined up to write “Vigilante.”
Read the most surprising press release of the year at Comic Book Resources
It was, as far as announcements of DC exclusives go, pretty unexpected: Bruce Jones, who’d pretty much returned to comics with his work on Incredible Hulk at Marvel was jumping ship, and moving to DC.
While many other creators who’ve signed exclusive contracts with DC saw work published by both Marvel and DC (among other companies), Jones was like another recent DC signee, Joshua Middleton, in that both came off of their exclsuive contracts with Marvel, and moved immediatley to an exclusive relationship with DC.
Now read how it all came about at Newsarama
This is the first exclusive contract that legitimately took me by surprise. Jones was in the midst of relaunching Tomb of Dracula, a Hulk/Thing miniseries and the Hulk series proper, with no sign that that was to change. Yes, of course, I was aware of the rumors of the Vigilante thing, but exclusivity was never a component of those rumors. But, here we are.
I was interested in the Vigilante series when it was first announced. I liked the sample art, I was intrigued by the premise, and while I knew little of Micah Wright’s work, I had heard much good buzz on him. Then, of course, that all fell apart in light of Wright’s recent issues with the truth (remember, everyone, it is not lying, it is a gift for fiction. A-thank you State and Main).
Thus, it is good news to see the series resurrected by Jones’s hand. I like him initially on the Hulk, then felt as though the story lost its way. However, I respected the risks he was taking with the character and trust him, with a more condensed time table (Vigilante is a miniseries) to deliver something very much worth a look.
Art wise, I have never seen any of Jones’s work. It is cool that he is getting a chance to flex those muscles and it makes me fill with the jealousy to think that this is yet another man who can write and draw. Myself…I can barely read. It is all very depressing.
As far as what brought him to DC, well, this is not a Marvel column, so I won’t get too much into it. I will say that I think it is disappointing that Marvel did not allow him to complete his 6 issue Hulk arc when he had 5 penned already (much like DC not allowing Micah Wright to finish Stormwatch…wait…Micah and Bruce are two different people, right? I mean, they have been seen together, right? Just checking).
Batman = Coach Potato?
Len Wein’s been in the comics industry for over three decades. He jumped at the chance to work on one of the Julie Schwartz tribute books coming out in July and August from DC Comics. The story was inspired by the cover to Batman # 183. The new cover was created by Adam Hughes and Wein’s Batman story is drawn by artist Andy Kuhn. Wein told us why he’d “kill people if I hadn’t been asked to participate!”
If the man would kill if not asked to participate, just imagine what he’ll do if you don’t read this article at The Pulse
Hey, Len Wein’s pick. It is nice to see a fan favorite doing some work, even if it is a one-off tribute piece. Here’s to hoping this will lead to Wein doing some more work in the months to come. Hey, with the rotating JLA creative teams, why not let Wein take a swing? He did some very nice stuff with the old series around the 100’s. Could be a cool comeback. Although, officially, I still loathe that rotating thing, if DC is so set on it, why not use it to at least bring some talent back to the fold?
Wacker Enters the Realm of Editor-hood
Stephen Wacker has been promoted to Editor at DC Comics. His editorial assignments include HAWKMAN, THE LEGION, the upcoming LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES and JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES.
To see what it is like in the ‘hood, visit Silver Bullet Comics
Congratulations, Mr. Wacker. Oh, and in reference to the Cardinals, the Mets are better. That is all.
Yeah right…Red Birds all the way! – The Overlord
All Out of Oil
The final issue of the miniseries ENGINEHEAD will be #6 (JUL040617). This issue is solicited in the July issue of Previews (Volume XIV #7).
Go to Silver Bullet Comics if you’d like, but this is really the entire press release.
Enginehead cancelled 2 issues early. Huh, I guess cancelling miniseries, which used to be almost unheard of, is okay now. Business wise that is probably smart, but I’m not sure how I feel about it. And shouldn’t my feelings be the ultimate criteria.
Superman and the Ministry of Silly Walks
Kim Howard Johnson has written over a hundred articles for Starlog and Comics Scene. He was the Marketing Director for Event Comics and wrote the Ash Files, edited the 22 Brides miniseries and did many other jobs for the company. He was also the Marketing Director for Moondog’s Comics in Chicago. Besides working in comics he worked in radio, studied improv, was an award-winning newspaper writer, and is now working on a comic book with John Cleese for DC Comics and a Spider-Man story for Marvel. Not bad for someone who started out by writing a fanzine about Monty Python then became a member of the gang.
http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=36&t=002456
This is a neat little Elseworlds (are we still allowed to use that word?) concept that might be worth a look. However, in a 96 page hardcover? That neat little concept quickly becomes an expensive one to check out. Which is a shame really as I am sure many, like myself, were considering picking it up until the price entered some prominently into the picture. Perhaps it will be one of those rare inexpensive hardcovers and all my whining will be for naught. We shall see.
NOSTAGLIA TIME (With Special Thanks to VH-1)
Batman #608-619
Before Lee on Superman, before Loeb wrote both Supes and Batman facing a kryptonite addled, Waller kissing Lex Luthor, they both collaborated on a little storyline in Batman called Hush. Maybe you heard about?
Alright, alright, so I am being a bit sarcastic (I know, I know…stunning). Of course you heard about it. Everybody did. It returned Lee to the ranks of full time penciller and rocketed Batman back up to the top of the charts and seemingly took the rest of DC proper with it. However, when the dust settled, many a fan was left with a “oh…is that it†feeling and some went as far as to proclaim the story a colossal waste of time and money and talent and…a lot of other stuff. On the other side, of course, there were plenty who proclaimed it genius and that Lee was the second coming of greatness and Loeb was the greatest writer since Shakespeare. And of course there was every opinion in between. So how does it hold up almost a year later, separate from the hype?
In retrospect, there were so very good things about Hush and so, let us say, not so good things. So, in the spirit of those classic Randy Lander reviews, here is What I liked, What I Didn’t Like, and the Bottom Line. Dig it!
What I Liked
While I almost never comment on artists (it just isn’t the way my mind works when it comes to comics), I give credit where credit is due. Jim Lee’s work absolutely lived up to the hype. His penciling had matured from his X-Men heyday and he showed that he also had some brand new tricks. Superhero wise, the results were second to none. He sold me on the “mutated†Killer Croc and the rather generic Hush design was somehow SO cool when it sprang from his pencils. The real surprise, however, was the monochromatic washed flashback sequences. They were unexpected and lended a stark, but still dreamy feeling to the pre-Zorro life of Bruce Wayne.
It was also great to see the parade of villains that Loeb tapped to parade out and be bested by Batman. A single storyline featuring Joker, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Two-Face (sort of), Killer Croc, Clayface, Ra’s Al Ghul, Catwoman, and this newbie Hush? Sweet, sing me up! Add in former Commissioner Gordon, Alfred (of course), a Poison Ivy controlled Superman, a non-Poison Ivy controlled Superman, Lois Lane, Perry White, Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, Huntress, Harvey Dent (sort of), and the return of Harold? Damn, Loeb, you so crazy, I think I wanna have your baby.
There are some great bits of writing along the way, beyond the cast of characters. In no particular order, you have Batman musing on Perry White’s relationship to Clark/Supes and how it parallels his own with Gordon, Dent’s unscarred reunions with Joker and Gordon, Bats/Nightwing banter about a Catwoman relationship, young Bruce’s first superhero encounter, and an enraged Batman bellowing at the Jason Todd impersonating Clayface that Jason was never that good, are just a few such moments.
The ending, which disappointed many, was actually a plus for me. Riddler’s reveal as the mastermind and, finally, a villain to be reckoned with once more was great. Too long a joke, the smartest (but probably physically weakest) Bat villain figured out Gotham’s biggest riddle and proceeded to manipulate the rest of the villains and torture Bruce Wayne for an entire year just because. It was a Riddler moment that rang true while elevating the character to new heights.
What I Didn’t Like
But how the heck were we supposed to figure that out? Pitched from the beginning as a mystery, specifically a mystery about the identity of Hush, there was virtually no evidence to lead you to pick Riddler as the ultimate villain behind it all.
As for the identity of Hush, it was so obvious, it was difficult to believe that it was the real answer. Bruce Wayne’s best childhood friend, whom we have never seen or heard of before shows up out of nowhere at the some point as Hush. Hmm…I can’t imagine if they might be one in the same. After we find out that, lo and behold, he is Hush, he gets shot twice and disappears into the water. Incredibly anti-climatic. They might have been thinking sequel, but…I felt like I had earned a better send off, however temporary, for Batman’s “most terrifying†new villain.
Actually, that above bit of hyperbole undermined the story as a whole. Every event was billed as the definitive “blank†ever. The definitive Batman vs. Superman battle, the definitive Joker issue, the definitive Batman kissing Catwoman in an aquarium event, etc. Simply put, they weren’t. They were well written, beautifully drawn superhero stories, but they were not definitive. With expectations built by that high, it is no wonder so many cried foul.
Finally, we have the issue of the Batman/Catwoman romance. First, good for Loeb to take that risk. What lands it in the “Didn’t Like†column is that he introduces it only to end it conveniently at the end of the Hush storyline. There is no motivation for it to begin and there is no motivation for it to end beyond “Hey, I’d like to write about Bats macking Cats.†It left me wanting more because I really hadn’t been given anything.
Bottom Line
Hype hurt it, as did implying that the focus was a mystery that wasn’t the true mystery. There were plotlines followed that simply didn’t pan out and petered out anti-climatically. However, the art was gorgeous, the writing, more often than not, sharp, and it was great to see the richness of the Batman corner of the DCU paraded out for our fanboy and fangirl glee. Removed from the insane expectations, Hush was a solid 12 issue arc, hitting some notes, missing others, but always entertaining.
TAKING AIM AT THE GRIMACE
Copperhead’s new look is the result of Underworld Unleashed. He got his new powers in the same panel as Major Disaster and Killer Moth (now Charapax).
He made a number of appearances in Geoff Johns’ Hawkman, working with Shadow Thief and Tigress. It is revealed he eats by swallowing people whole.
–Glen Davis
Thanks for the assist, Glen. Now allow me to help you. It is Charaxes, not Charapax. See, that is what my column is all about. Helping each other.
This letter is not specifically from this column, but rather my substitution on Ben Morse’s Watchtower column. I am printing it here because, frankly, that is how I roll. Deal with it.
hey, just read your column on the spider-villains, and i have to chime in about the potential of the shocker.
not sure if you’re familiar with the justice league cartoon show. (hey, it could be possible). but there’s an alternate reality episode where they face somewhat cheesier 50’s style knock off characters. the guy that stuck out the most to me, i think his name was tom turbine.
far as you could tell, he had a fancy generator belt that he could adjust and corresponding gauntlets. for all intents and purposes, the guy pulled off everything the shocker should be able to do, and competently to boot. been a while since i’ve seen the episode, i wish i could remember exactly what it he did that was so cool, but it’s just one way, if they tweeked the shocker, that would make him a kick ass villain.
–Leiche
Oh yes, he also agreed with me. I also reprinted it because he agreed with me. This is, also, how I roll.
Come See the Softer Side of Un Gajje
