The good news is that there is plenty of news this week. The bad news is that Janelle and I have had what I think can honestly be referred to as a “pretty rough go of it” this past week (not from one another, from outside factors) and thus I had a hard time investing much comment in many of the news items. So there is plenty here to keep you interested, just not a ton of pithy retorts from me. Hope we all can still be friends.
DC Likes a Little Reis in Its Diet
Ivan Reis, renowned penciller RANN/THANAGAR WAR, ACTION COMICS and more, has extended his exclusive agreement with DC Comics for an additional three years.
Join the “three more years” chant at Newsarama
Good call DC. Now find something for the man to do!
An End to Action
Earlier today, artist John Byrne announced that his well-received run on “Action Comics,” with red-hot writer Gail Simone, will be ending with the upcoming issue #835.
See what called “cut” at Comic Book Resources
Okay. First, yes, John Byrne can be a jerk. Yes, he often says some inflammatory things. And yes, the bylaws/informal rules of his board can often seem a bit…fascist. All of that being said, he was turning in some of his best artwork in years on this title and Gail Simone was writing it. Yet this, of all the books Byrne is involved in, is shuttled off the tracks at the same time as the truly bad Doom Patrol. Something just is not right about that. I guess I understand that with the flip on the horizon, DC might be looking to change things up a bit, but Action seems rather well off already.
WELCOME TO GEOFF JOHNS WORLD
This Should Not Come as a Surprise
Though in our new Newsarama Reader Q&A, Geoff Johns said he’s like to work with Marvel Comics again someday, it’s going to be at least 1095 of them. Though not unexpected, Tuesday DC announced Johns has extended his exclusive agreement with the publisher by three years.
Feign shock at Newsarama
I think this would qualify as a smart move all around. Johns gets to remain an architect of the DCU following Infinite Crisis and DC retains said architect/well regarded writer. Well done all.
So Many Questions
Twenty-five pages. 187 different questions. And he answered EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
…And that’s just Part One!
When Geoff Johns agreed to answer questions from Newsarama readers, just days before his long-awaited and anticipated Infinite Crisis debuts from DC, we left it open-ended whether he’d pick selected questions to respond to, or answer them all. And then the questions came flooring in … and in … and in …
But like Brian Bendis before him, Johns rose to the challenge and in a marathon Sunday session, responded to every reader question submitted – a task either rooted in extreme respect for and appreciation of his fans, or absolute insanity.
You be the judge.
Pity poor Geoff here, here, and here courtesy of Newsarama
There’s just too much here to ignore, but there is also just too much here for me to comment on. I, silly me, read all three without taking notes and there is no way I am going back to re-read them again. Especially with so many repeats. Seems like everyone wanted to ask a question in exactly their own way and were not willing to trust even those questions that sounded basically the same to yield the answers they were looking for. Still, there are some interesting tidbits along the way (like, can you believe that Hal Jordan, after DC went through all that trouble to bring him back, is going to die in a bear attack in IC #3. That’s just crazy) that I think it is worth your own personal odyssey.
How cool is it that Johns went through each one of them anyway? He (and Bendis before him) deserve all sorts of credit for sitting down and honoring the fans this way. They, technically, do not have to answer any of our questions, ever, so it is always nice to see a creator go the extra mile anyway.
NOW DRIVING GIBBONS WAY
Rann-Thanagar Casualities
The other Countdown mini-series writers, Dave Gibbons might think sometimes, had it easy.
The respective scopes of their stories dealt with the villains of the DCU, magic in the DCU, or heroes in the DCU. Gibbons, effectively, dealt with everything that wasn’t on Earth in the DCU.
Oh, and of course, as the title gives away, pretty much everyone that isn’t on Earth in the DCU is fighting in the Rann-Thanagar War.
Of course, as with all the other “Post Mortem” articles – spoiler warning!.
Visit the battlefield at Newsarama
Glad to see that “Great Guardians” isn’t a phrase that we’ll be seeing more of in the future. It’s just…too silly.
Gibbons Recharged
Dave Gibbons and Geoff Johns are co-writing the return of one of DC Comics greatest armies, the Green Lantern Corps in the six part GL Corps: Recharge. Gibbons did some of his first DC work on the original Green Lantern series and told us what it was like returning to the Corps now.
Drop in on the legend on Oa or at The Pulse
I’ve got to hand it to Gleason, he does great work. Nice to see his Aquaman stuff was no fluke.
The interview itself does not reveal much of note, but those preview panels were cool. Glad to see that Recharge is getting mileage out of the Rann/Thanagar conflict. That and the woman for whom the Green Lantern symbol is equivalent to a scarlet “A” are probably my favorite aspects of this Corps book.
CRISIS CORNER
The Old Grey Lady of Print Journalism Meets Superman
DC Comics is in the midst of a major effort to revitalize the company’s fabled superheroes for the 21st century and better connect with today’s readers. The undertaking, which began in 2002, has involved a critical look at DC’s characters – from Aquaman and Batman to Zatanna – and developing story lines that sometimes have heroes engage in decidedly unheroic deeds.
One of the goals, DC executives say, is to hold on to a more sophisticated readership.
Possible free registration may be required to read the article at The New York Times
Sweet, sweet mainstream press coverage. Mmm…feels so good.
Time for Your Consultation
If you saw one of Dan DiDio’s “Crisis Counseling” panels at any of the various conventions over the past year you know what’s coming. Handling questions about the build-up to the miniseries, the original Crisis, as well as Infinite Crisis itself, DiDio hit questions, concerns, and outright accusations with answers, teases, and quite often, a Cheshire Cat grin.
As previously announced, the DC Vice President and Executive Editor has agreed to handle questions about Infinite Crisis monthly, on the Wednesday during the miniseries run, a continuation of his “Crisis Counseling” sessions. While future installments will take selected questions from readers, for the inaugural session, DiDio handled questions from Newsarama.
Visit Dr. Didio at Newsarama
“Starting with the big three, Bruce Wayne became a minor player in the Bat Books, Superman’s marriage to Lois rendered Clark Kent moot and Diana Prince was retconned out of existence.”
This is the first time I can recall Didio saying something specifically like this, but I have to say that I do agree overall. I personally do not think the Clark-Lois marriage rendered Clark Kent moot, but I do agree that he probably does not get enough play (as in screen time, not as in making the beast with two backs) in the Superman books these days.
Not much else doing in this intro column, but those who are new to the event might find a kernel or two to clear up some questions that issue #1 raised.
Infinite Crisis: A Primer
Spoiler Warnings on, folks…
By now, many of you have read Infinite Crisis #1 and have borne witness to a final page that’s almost 70 years in the making.
All you (possibly) need to know about #1 at Newsarama
It took four years after the announcement for Crisis on Infinite Earths to actually be published? Somehow I had no idea that that was the case. I guess I should read the introductions in my trades more often, eh?
Wow…that Dark Ages section is downright depressing. I kind of feel bad for Troy (not in “I pity him” sort of way, but rather a “Man, that must be tough,”) especially when he talks about the cynicism of his students. It’s gotta be hard to get up everyday and know that you’ll be facing that all day. Of course, I’m not sure how much it has to do with Infinite Crisis, but, hey, props to Troy for dealing with all the rough stuff surrounding him.
My one fear is that for people with Troy’s perspective (Superman is here to show all those young guys how it is done) is that it will turn out that that is not really the case. Either this isn’t the Superman we think it is or he’s been changed by his time in “paradise” or any number of other possibilities. And if that turns out to be the case…well…I can imagine a lot of feelings of betrayal.
On the other hand, Mark Waid mined a similar idea as what I just mentioned in The Return of Barry Allen and that worked out pretty damn well.
On a third hand (genetic mutation), the idea of an evil elderly Lois Lane come across the galaxy to destroy us all seems a bit silly. So perhaps those hopeful folk are right. And I’m just too darn cynical.
Infinite Crisis: The Notations
Okay – you’ve heard about it, shied away from reading more about it, but regardless, still bought Infinite Crisis #1, and now, it’s sitting there, daring you to read it. You’ve heard from both sides, those who claim it’s accessible, and those who claim its impenetrable.
Well yes, it’s got dozens of characters; loads of situations that may or may not be totally familiar, and then a last-page reveal that might have you scratching your head.
Never fear- with tongue firmly planted in cheek, we’ve got your Infinite Crisis #1 page by page guide with mild annotations, some of which may even be correct.
It’s like reading the footnotes without having to squint at Newsarama
Hey, this is actually quite fun. Nice of Newsarama to throw it together and make this fella smirk. I especially enjoy their characterization of Batman as a jerk and Superman as, well, a woman.
Great point on Uncle Sam. I don’t actually think he is dead (for the record and all), but man…he certainly is beaten up damn good either way. He’s the embodiment of America and he just himself driven into a pool of water several feet below a warehouse. That’s pretty rough.
The new Jim Lee cover for issue #2 still is not incredibly striking, but it makes a great deal more sense now. It just feels a bit static to me despite what it is depicting is a big thing for the DCU.
Oh man…I just read the talkback and ruined it for myself. Why do people always have to say things like, “Oh, I thought they said that this was going to be funny,” or act as if they are somehow above the occasional random semi-childish joke. If you feel that way, fine, but can’t you take the killjoy-ing elsewhere?
A Checklist in Crisis
As a companion piece to my “Crisis In Continuity” column debuting on the Silver Bullet Comic Books web site this weekend, I am presenting a complete (as of October 10, 2005) checklist of all the comics directly and peripherally associated with Infinite Crisis, the lead-in books to IC, Countdown to Infinite Crisis, and Identity Crisis. Some of these books overlap with other titles (for example, Countdown to Infinite Crisis can be found under Day of Vengeance, OMAC Project, Rann-Thanagar War, Villains United, and Infinite Crisis) so it’s not as many titles as it looks, but it is certainly a lot of comic books, over 200. The majority of these books have been published, but there are still quite a few to be released over the next seven months. My thanks to Dave Marchand, who has worked on compiling this list at Geoffjohns.com — I just added a few titles here and there and included a few quotes pertaining to the upcoming crisis — and John Wells, who suggested – and rightfully so! – that I contact Dave.
Silver Bullet Comic Books is making sure you can collect each one!
My…that is a lot of books.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
SEVEN SOLDIERS KLARION THE WITCH BOY #4
Was this delayed? Or does it just feel that way? In either case, glad to have it here this week. Very, very excited.
BATMAN #646
No more fill-ins. No more flashbacks. Behold: new story goodness.
Hopefully anyway.
MANHUNTER #15
Come on now. Isn’t this just a given by this point?
OPINIONS ON THE WORK OF PEOPLE FAR MORE TALENTED THAN I
BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #196
It ended the only way it really could of, so there is not much by the way of surprises. It was still a great read though. I’m not sure I’d like to see Freeze’s delusional state become the norm for his character across the DCU (in fact, I’m almost positive that I would prefer that not to happen) but it is used to great effect here as is Bruce’s guilt and inability to apologize to or properly end ties with his team.
BREACH #10
See a sneak peek of my review before it hits the web on Thursday.
INFINITE CRISIS #1
It is finally here, ladies and gentlemen. Nearly two years with of hints all adding up to this moment.
And goodness, it sure does look pretty!
Thankfully, its appearance is not all this book has going for it. Oh SPOILERS!!!!
I’m not a huge fan of the multiverse concept as it was applied pre-Crisis. I’m fine with just one of every hero and having the occasional Elseworlds to tell other tales (instead of making it an Earth 2 tale, for instance). I’m even less a fan of Hypertime. Why, in my mind, would you go back to a solution and mess it all up all over again. I’ve said it before (perhaps last week?) but I still mean it. Do we, as fans, really need the security the Hypertime offers to tell us our favorite stories “really did happen, somewhere.” I would hope and argue that the answer to that is no.
Anyway, all this babbling is prelude to this. Even though I feel this way, I still think the last panel was a great reveal. I see no reason that it can’t produce an excellent story that satisfies the majority of fans and do so without bringing back the pre-Crisis DCU. I think there are many many directions it could be taken in and the vast majority of them interest me very much.
Some quick highlights: Human Bomb losing it. Psycho Pirate has his groove back. Actually, the fate of the Freedom Fighters in general was well done. Batman being unnecessarily honest with his opinion of Superman. Nightwing pulling a Batman with Starfire. A street level view of the Rock of Ages breakdown effecting Gotham City.
Some quick things that didn’t quite work for me: the diversion to Rann/Thanagar. I know it would be silly and wrong not to connect the mini to this book but every time I read R/T stuff, I get all bored and sleepy. Mongul. Wasn’t this guy scary at some point? He’s like a punching bag now. Wonder Woman and her sword. According to what I’ve read online, she might not have been about to kill Mongul, Superman just thought she was. Well, as it appears, there is none of that ambiguity in the art or Wonder Woman’s reaction to Superman stopping her. If it is not meant to be ambiguous, here transition from only killing when she absolutely had no choice to let’s skewer this annoyance is way too sudden and inexplicable. Even if Mongul is a punching bag these days.
Overall, I’m definitely aboard for the ride. I don’t know if this is restoring my faith in comics (as some people seem to say it is for them) because I never really lost it in the first place. However, I do know that it is not making me proclaim that the demise of the medium is upon us either. It is a strong, but flawed start and I eagerly anticipate issue #2.
NIGHTWING #113
Check out my review here if you haven’t already gotten a chance.
VILLAINS UNITED #6
Call me crazy (no, don’t really) but I really dug this mini start to finish. I thought the choices made for inclusion in the Six were interesting and very much enjoyed their evolving chemistry. All that taken into account, my favorite moment and joke of the whole thing both appear in this issue. First, the joke: Parademon’s observation of Giganta’s…assets. It made me smirk like the immature little kid that I am.
Second, the moment: the Catman/Green Arrow/Deadshot confrontation at the very end of the issue. A great summary of where the Six can go on from here (Suicide Squad fans, this may be your answer) and a nice bit of tying it back into everything that has been consuming the DCU for the past 2 years or so.
EX MACHINA #15
In a week with Infinite Crisis, this was still the best twist ending I read. Not the road trip approach that I was expecting, but I did not mind it one bit for one moment. Just in case you haven’t heard, this book is really, really good. All the time.
That’s it, I’m done. Drop me a line at parallax2@juno.com or stop on by our message boards. I’d be mighty appreciative.
Un Gajje is Taking an Aspirin
