So you know how, back in the day, Stan Lee and Co. projected this image of the Marvel Comics bullpen as a place where all the creators worked and basically hung out with one another? Comics Nexus really is like that!
Well, sort of. We don’t all live or work in the same place, but we are all about helping one another out. In this case, James “Jamie” “The Drunk” “The Voice” “The Bandana-ed One” Hatton and his darling fiancée Danielle O’Brien (and soon to be Nexus columnist!) helped Janelle and I move into Royal Badness (as Princeton shall be referred to as from now on) and the Barracks (the name of our happy home) late into the night on Friday and early into the day on Saturday. Much thanks and props to them.
Even more interesting was a reader who threw us some support moving Janelle out of Brooklyn. Alex is friends with Janelle and had read this column for some time without ever putting together that the handsome fella dating his friend was, in fact, the same man who’s column he thrilled to weekly! He knows now, but he pledged to help us before he was even aware of the connection.
Mathan said he would help but he lives clean across the country. A weak excuse, but since he’s such a swell guy, I’ll accept. Daron “felt sick” and was probably just going to stay in bed. I label his story a lie.
Anyway, NEWS TIME!
The Guardians Won’t Have Van Sciver to Boss Around Anymore
Artist Ethan Van Sciver is turning in his power ring after Green Lantern # 6. Van Sciver told THE PULSE he will be moving on to another project. He couldn’t give us details of his future … yet, but we do have some details of what he enjoyed the most about being one of Team Green.
Watch Van Sciver spike his ring like a pro (or like Hal Jordan circa 1976) at The Pulse
Huh…this is new. All indications were that Van Sciver was going to be doing the alternating arc thing on Green Lantern for a little while to come. It’s too bad, in general, but at least I’ll get to see him draw Black Hand again. Maybe that will make it all worthwhile. I am going to get to see that right? This article is a little vague on that point. We are definitely getting Van Sciver’s Shark and Hammond though. We have to be. No way Johns talks about how cool they are and then none of us get to see them. No way.
Still, I’d give them all up for more Van Sciver Black Hand goodness.
Quick semi-related question: which amphibians were cooler, the Battletoads or Cyberfrog? No need to answer right now, just think about it a bit.
Crisis Flameout?
Teenager Jason Rusch, AKA Firestorm, wields a massive amount of power and he’s going to need all of it to survive the coming “Infinite Crisis,” DC Comics mega event that has been impacting almost all of its DCU books this year. CBR News spoke to “Firestorm” writer Stuart Moore about the series and the impact that “Infinite Crisis,” and the events leading up to it, will have on the book.
It occurs to me that I spend a disproportionate amount of time talking about Firestorm in this column. I think I have used more words of him than I have Superman, with the possible exception of when the Superman titles got all new creators. Does that seem…off to anyone else?
Anywho, this is another Firestorm article, so let’s take a look.
So, in the next few months, we’ve got Villains United, OMAC, and Infinite Crisis crossovers? I’d hope that they’ll make a sizable impact on sales, but I just don’t know. With SO many tie-ins, I would imagine that there might be a problem with the “brand” being diluted and its sales impact just not being very high. I hope my cynicism proves incorrect.
On a positive note, I will say that I am excited for the artist that Jamal Igle is becoming. He wasn’t bad by any means when he started on the title, but he wasn’t great either. The black and white preview pages here indicate that he was gotten better and I think that that is a trend which will continue. CrissCross, the artist that created the look of the “new” Firestorm and penciled the first five or so issues (perhaps longer?) is no easy act to follow. That said, Igle seems to have grown into those shoes rather nicely.
Oh, and Rusch’s “true origin”? Won’t that be the third time his origin has been revisited in just over two years? This isn’t going to get to be like a “Who is Donna Troy?” thing is it, where it becomes a semi-annual tradition to go back and tweak the character’s origin?
Sympathy for the Devil
In today’s highly competitive comic book market, there are two truths rarely argued: it’s hard to launch a new comic book series successfully and it’s hard to break into the industry. There’s also a third truth: British writer Mike Carey has defied convention by launching a successful ongoing series, “Lucifer,” through the DC Comics/Vertigo imprint when he was unknown to many American readers. Mid 2006 will see the series end with “Lucifer #75” and with the final plot points coming together for an explosive conclusion, it’s the last chance for readers to catch the adventures of this fallen angel. For more on the series’ conclusion and a brief re-introduction to the series, CBR News caught up with Carey at his home in England.
Lucifer would stop the ending of his book, but that would be “much too vulgar a display of power” he claims at Comic Book Resources
You have to give props to Carey, writing a book, start to finish, for 6 years straight. I know several writers have done that, but it still doesn’t cease to be impressive to me. For one of Vertigo’s “quieter” (or “ignored”) books, Lucifer ended up having quite a run. Props to all.
Fans of Elongated Midsections, Rejoice!
DC Comics announces that superstar artist Michael Turner continues contributing to the return of the Girl of Steel with variant covers for SUPERGIRL #2-4! The covers will be shipped to retailers in a 50/50 split between Turner covers and covers by regular series artists Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund.
Check out those rockin’ abs at Newsarama
Boy, people sure do hate Turner, don’t they? And yet, people buy in DC work. A lot of it. He’s a bit of a cash cow, in fact.
Odd, isn’t it?
The Green Welcomes Powell
As announced a couple of week’s ago in Wizardworld: Chicago, Eisner Award winning creator of The Goon Eric Powell takes over as new cover artist for Vertigo’s Swamp Thing with November’s issue #21.
Newsarama has a preview of Powell’s first painted cover and a brief chat with him about the new gig.
Get on your waders and go mucking in the Newsarama swamp
Wow…that is a great looking cover. Sales on this book, sadly, are pretty rotten (even by Vertigo standards) so I’m not sure how long you’ll be able to peek such strong cover work. However, I recommend enjoying it while you can. With any luck, maybe Powell’s work will kick the sales up a bit.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
DAY OF VENGEANCE #5
Black Alice (from Birds of Prey) makes an appearance? Sign me up immediately!
THE OMAC PROJECT #5
If I remember correctly, after taking a “breather” last month, Rucka said that Batman would be on the comeback trail this time out and looking to make amends for past errors. An angry, betrayed, guilt-ridden Batman, looking to “fix” things? As written by Rucka? I wish this book was out yesterday.
OPINIONS ON THE WORK OF PEOPLE FAR MORE TALENTED THAN I
BIRDS OF PREY #85
Well that…that’s a twist. I honestly don’t know how I feel about it. But, I like that I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s often hard to pull off a surprise in comics, given their nature (it is easy to flip ahead, accidentally or otherwise) and solicitations, message boards, etc, but I can honestly say I didn’t see this coming. Bravo, Ms. Simone.
But there is more to this book than the ending and I dug the rest of it quite a lot too. Great narration by Dr. Mid-Nite about the “real” identity of his patient and where the funding is coming from (nice Bats cameo there) on the Babs plot side of things and Canary’s voice is strong as always on the other plot thread. And hey, was that Connor Hawke? You’re damn right it is! I like this book month in and month out, but it still managed to surprise me with its quality this month. Buy it today. Even if you don’t read the series, buy it.
LEX LUTHOR MAN OF STEEL #5
The review will be up on Thursday, but here’s a hint. I liked it. A lot.
MANHUNTER #13
I have to say, I’m a touch disappointed in this issue. I think it is, in part, because much of the Manhunter history covered I already know thanks to John Babos’ Manhunter column from a time back. Also, Dylan’s interjections began to wear thin.
On the other hand, I liked the dust up between Kate and Dumas and wished I could have seen more of that, at the expense of the history lesson.
SEVEN SOLDIERS KLARION THE WITCH BOY #3
Not 100% in love with this book either. It felt…filler-ish? Which is silly considering a heck of a lot happens here. Maybe after how much was revealed and brought together by the latest issue of Zatanna, I just had too high expectations for this book to do the same. Not sure. Still love the art and the coloring though. Just feel a bit let down plotwise.
SHOOTING BACK AT THE GRIMACE
First off, a blast from the past…of sorts.
Hey Tim;
Was just reading OMAC #3. Not bad so far. But with the IC coming soon and the 1 year fast forward, I was thinking…might they do what Bendis did, and make “Powers” illegal? What do you think?
-Dan Bell
This letter from Dan is ooollllldddd and I find it hard to believe I didn’t respond to it before, but it appears I haven’t. Sorry Dan, nothing personal, I assure you.
As for making Superheroes illegal a la Powers or Dark Knight Returns (or many many more), I’m guessing not. I could be wrong on this, but everything about Infinite Crisis seems to be a sort of “it’s always darkest before the dawn” story meaning that the heroes will come better (if bruised) on the other side of this, not worse. But I like the idea. And we’ll see.
Ask and ye shall receive. I wonder about Power Girl’s ample assets and I get the most response I EVER have on any single thing I’ve discussed in this column. What does it all mean? I’d rather not contemplate it.
Anyway, here are two of my favorites of the bunch because a.) both are informative, b.) one gets really into her hair, c.) that same one uses the word +!+$ a whole lot and how can you not love that, and d.) now you too will know what one reader of column looks for in a lady.
Un Gajje,
I was reading the latest installment of your DC News and Views Column and noticed your question regarded Power Girls (ahem) breasts. Though my memory fails me in regards to where I read this, I clearly recall reading that the gag behind Power Girl, was that the guy who created her, decided to see how large he could draw her breasts before the company’s management ordered him to “down size” so to speak.
In this effort, he drew them progressively larger in each new issue of her series. However, the series was canceled before they grew to, well, unrealistic porportions. Hence, Power Girl was left with huge breasts, allowing her to become the lust of fanboys everywhere. Myself excluded, I don’t find overly endowed blonds to be attractive. Anyway, though I’d try to satiate your curiosity. If by chance I come across the link that has the full story, I’ll be sure to pass it along.
-Andrew Stuart
Please do Andrew, please do.
Believe it or not, Power Girl always had big +!+$… somehow when they debuted her in ’76 and decided they wanted to make her a bra burning, mangry feminist type character they somehow believed that giving her big +!+$ and hips would set her out from the other flat women of the era – ahh, the diluted minds of comic book editors. Though of course, in 76 big +!+$ ain’t like the big +!+$ we get today – Karen’s modern big +!+$ didn’t show up until she joined the cast of the JLI or was it only Europe she was a part of, can’t remember – this is notable for not only did PG now have the biggest rack in the DCU she was the only heroine to be actually referred to by her big rack – I mean lots of girls have big +!+$ in the DCU but PG is the only character people will actually reference having big +!+$ – see Hawkman #23, Batman/Superman #4 (or was it 5?), JSA Classified #1, JLA: Another Nail #2, the list goes on, but those are the ones I could think of on fly…
But ya know, I’m not really concerned so much about the +!+$, as I am about the rest of her- some artists draw her super skinny with the huge +!+$, others like Rags draw her like a superman with +!+$, and I figure someone needs to find a nice balance here, and of course the worst offense of all is the hair – from the mullet Ian Churchill gave her in Supergirl, or the many versions of the bowl cut bob, PG has had some of the worst hair in comics and it’s just sad – ohhhh, let’s give her big +!+$, but what do we do for the hair? Meh, who cares no one will pay attention to the hair if the +!+$ are big enough.
Bah
-Chaos
You’re right Chaos. When I asked about her secondary sexual characteristics, I was missing the real tragedy, her hair. So is her’s the worst in the DCU? Anyone got someone worse to nominate? Speak now people, either by e-mail (parallax2@juno.com) or Message Board.
Well that is all they wrote this week. See you next week when we should, hopefully have some nominations for worst hair in the DCU and I should, again hopefully, have an all new Welcome to the Revamping for you. Oooh, and maybe some answers about the coolest of the frog/toad characters in the Battletoads/Cyberfrog BRAWL! See you then.
Also, do me a solid and check out James Hatton on Marvel News & Views. He’s so damn good, I guarantee you won’t forget it.
Un Gajje, Keeping it Real in Royal Badness, But Always Staying True to the Wu
