It’s the New Year and DC News & Views is back with a vengeance. I’ve kicked the flu, the computer viruses, the grad school worries, and whatever else plagued me last year. I am here, I am in control, and it is time to make this column sing again. Look for, hopefully, some changes in the weeks to come to lend some spice to this almost three year experiment (can you believe that, almost 3 years?) and revitalize everyone’s interest.
Welcome to 2006, people. Welcome to the news, welcome to the views. Prepare to have your whole world view rocked.
Things That Make You Go Hmm…
Sam Kieth, acclaimed writer illustrator of THE MAXX and ZERO GIRL, has signed an exclusive agreement with DC Comics. Kieth will write and illustrate the 5-issue miniseries BATMAN: SECRETS, scheduled to begin in March.
Scratch your head a bit at Newsarama
There are a hundred different comments floating through my head that I could say about this, but I’d rather just let Kieth’s own words speak for me: “”I seriously have no clue why DC offered me a contract.”
Thank you Mr. Kieth for your cooperation.
Busiek is King of the King of the Seven Seas
With Wednesday’s announcement of Kurt Busiek becoming DC Comics’ newest exclusive creator, the publisher carved one more notch in its talent roster, and Busiek’s fans realized just where they’d be able to find the writer for the next few years.
We spoke with Busiek for a little more about the new deal he’s signed.
Sit proudy astride a mighty seahorse at Newsarama
This has nothing to do with DC in the least, but when the hell are we going to get an Untold Tales of Spider-Man trade? Or several trades. That stuff is too good to languish unreprinted (if such a word exists which, I would suggest, it does not). Especially with the stories that Spidey is currently ensnared that literally prevent even the smallest spark of wonder from escaping, much like a black hole swallows all light.
Can you tell that I just read The Other?
Anyway, back to Mr. Busiek himself. Anything that gains a thematic sequel to Secret Identity is good news to me. For those that do not recall, it was the story of a “real life” Clark Kent who, improbably, exhibits super powers and heads off to make his life as a reporter. Yes, I am aware of how silly it sounds, but in execution it is touching, funny, interesting, and intense. Essentially everything you should expect from a Superman story but so rarely receive these days. So who will be the focus of this “Secret Identity”? No idea, but please, feel free to make random guesses and send them to me at parallax2@juno.com. My only fear in regards to the project is that Busiek falls into the trap of simply choosing another hero’s alter ego (Bruce Wayne, Hal Jordan, etc) and crafts a similar story of a famous name leading, improbably, to a similar life as his “fictional” namesake. It still might be good (well, probably will be with Busiek writing) but that does not speak highly for creativity, you know what I mean?
As for Aquaman…I hope it works out well for the character since the poor guy never seems to catch break. However, I have yet to see anything about the “new direction” that has piqued my interest. Of course, I am pre-disposed to not care about Aquaman, so it is probably unfair to use my reaction as a baseline of any kind.
He Can Do So Much More than Breathe Underwater and Talk to Fish
Following the announcement Wednesday afternoon that writer Kurt Busiek had signed an exclusive contract with DC Comics, CBR News contacted Busiek to learn more about what this means for him, what the motivation was to make the move and how this affects some of his other work with Marvel and Dark Horse Comics.
Come see the non-aquatic side of Kurt Busiek at Comic Book Resources
Why do people love Kamandi so much? I’m serious. I know it is, at least in part, a Kirby thing (which is another comic truism I’ll never quite understand, but that’s okay), but there has to be more to it, right?
Is it kind of like my love for the film The Warriors? It is just so engrained in the spirit that it is impossible to ever truly describe it? Because if that’s it, I dig. I’ve been there brother Busiek, I’ve been there.
But Can He Get Out of a Straight Jacket Dangling Above a Tank of Sharks
Beginning with January’s issue #3, (relative) newcomer Freddie E. Williams II is the new artist for the final two issues of DC’s Mister Miracle, one of the titles in Grant Morrison’s Seven Soldiers Of Victory mini-series event. Who is Freddie Williams II, and how did he land the art chores on Mister Miracle? The artist reveals all in a conversation with Newsarama’s Jon Hook, and DC provides some preview art…
I doubt Newsarama will pose that pressing question to Mr. Williams, but you never know.
What’s up with this: “Lonely kids either become artists or serial killers. Thank goodness you chose art.”? Don’t get me wrong, it is kind of a funny response, but I just cannot imagine dropping that in the middle of an interview. Sure, it is just comics, but come on. Insinuating one could have ended up a serial killer is really more of a second interview move.
And then later there is this: “I, for one, think your creative voice is coming through loud and clear.” I think I missed that particular technique when I learned to do interviews. The mid-interview editorializing. Good show, Newsarama, good show.
But, let’s focus more on the artist before this gets too meta and nitpicky, shall we?
It is a pretty great story of going from submission (this year?!) to working on a Grant Morrison book in the period of a few months. Any way you slice it, you cannot beat that. I think just about any artist in the comic industry would give all sorts of body parts and/or family members for that kind of turnaround.
Even better? His art is very good. To hold your own with the legacy of Ferry’s first issue in your first high profile gig is difficult, but from these sample pages, Williams does it. I’m even more excited for the next issue of this book now.
Because You Begged For It: Bruce Jones’ Hobbies
Bruce Jones is taking over Nightwing and we’ve got a few sound bytes and teasers from him about his hobbies and what might be coming up in the series.
What do you mean you did not beg for it? Take your medicine and like it, dammit, at The Pulse
“A lot of people seem to think that Jason Todd is Nightwing now, but believe me they’re in for a big shock.”
In that, their expectations will be exactly correct? I’m sorry, but when you put that knife on the front cover of the first issue post OYL, the cat is sort of out of the bag already. Just saying.
I’m also just going to say this: Bruce Jones comes across as trying entirely too hard to be clever. There is teasing future storylines and then…there’s this. This is not pretty.
And where the heck are Jones’ hobbies in this darn thing? I was promised hobbies!
NUMBER$
Besides dutifully carrying on with INFINITE CRISIS and all that it entails, November was the launch month of DC Comics’ ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quitely. Unfortunately, sales don’t turn out as spectacular as one might have imagined, leaving ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #1 on a modest second place after a strong INFINITE CRISIS #2 on the November chart. Other notable November debuts from DC included Matt Wagner’s BATMAN AND THE MONSTER MEN, a new JONAH HEX ongoing series, DANGER GIRL: BACK IN BLACK (WildStorm) and Brian Wood’s DMZ (Vertigo), as well as the final two SEVEN SOLDIERS limited series by Grant Morrison, FRANKENSTEIN and BULLETEER.
27 of DC’s November releases in the Top 300 remained relatively stable, deviating from the sales of their previous issues by less than 2.0%. Eight titles showed increases of more than 2.0% over their previous issues, one of those more than 10.0%. The title to show the biggest gains in November was GOTHAM CENTRAL, which, by way of an INFINITE CRISIS tie-in, saw a sales increase of 15.6%. The sales of 35 titles dropped by more than 2.0% since their previous issues, meanwhile, ten of those by more than 10.0%. The largest issue-to-issue drop came from WILDSIDERZ, which lost 37.1% with its second issue.
Of DC Comics’ 80 new releases (Oct 2005: 74; Nov 2003: 78; Nov 2004: 75.) which made the Top 300, 47 were DC Universe titles. (Oct 2005: 44; Nov 2003: 51; Nov 2004: 44.) The average new DC Universe release in November 2005 had a cover price of $ 2.76 (Oct 2005: $ 2.76; Nov 2003: $ 2.84; Nov 2004: $ 2.69) and sold an estimated 42,342 copies. (Oct 2005: 47,021; Nov 2003: 28,712; Nov 2004: 40,291.)
Via its Vertigo imprint, DC Comics released 11 new titles in November. (Oct 2005: 9; Nov 2003: 6; Nov 2004: 11.) The average new Vertigo release in November 2005 had a cover price of $ 2.90 (Oct 2005: $ 2.86; Nov 2003: $ 2.77; Nov 2004: $ 2.77) and sold an estimated 15,730 copies. (Oct 2005: 16,009; Nov 2003: 18,008; Nov 2004: 15,239.)
Through its WildStorm label, the publisher released 15 new titles in November. (Oct 2005: 14; Nov 2003: 13; Nov 2004: 12.) The average new WildStorm release in November 2005 had a cover price of $ 3.39 (Oct 2005: $ 3.06; Nov 2003: $ 3.07; Nov 2004: $ 3.12) and sold an estimated 16,255 copies. (Oct 2005: 17,215; Nov 2003: 15,803; Nov 2004: 16,628.)
The average new DC Comics release recorded in the Top 300 in November 2005 had a cover price of $ 2.85 (Oct 2005: $ 2.78; Nov 2003: $ 2.83 ; Nov 2004: $ 2.81.) and sold an estimated 30,654 copies. (Oct 2005: 33,785; Nov 2003: 23,951; Nov 2004: 29,528.) See below for a more detailed account of the changes.
As always, many thanks to Milton Griepp and and ICv2 for allowing us to use their figures for these calculations. An overview of ICv2.com’s statistics can be found here:
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/1850.html
It’s that time again at The Pulse
TIM’S TIRADES
This is a new feature. Whee!!!! Essentially, I take an issue from the world of comics and I set the record straight. I give the answers you have been burning to know. After this, there will be no further reason to discuss whatever issue I have covered. Prepare to have your eyes opened…forever. This week’s issue-
Should Batman Kill the Joker?
No.
Alright everybody, you can head on home.
What? Oh, you want more of an explanation than that? Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. Whatev.
To start with, Joker is one of the most enduring symbols in comics. If one was to sit down and make a list of the most recognizable villains ever created, he’d be on the list. If one was to sit down and make a list of the best conceived villains of all time, he’d be on that list too. Putting any sort of serious discussion into killing the Joker is paramount to putting any sort of serious discussion into killing Batman. He’s iconic, it’s just not going to happen. Or, if it is, you gotta know it is only going to be temporary.
I understand, though, that the above is more of a reason why it will not happen, not a reason why it should not happen (although I do think his inevitable return is also a reason why he should not be killed in the first place). So let’s try this on for size. Because of his iconic nature, it is selfish to demand the Joker be killed. Eric Larsen made a similar point about characters aging in his column at Comic Book Resources and while I do not 100% agree with the perspective, he does have something of a point. Yes, we as comic fans might very well have already encountered our quintessential depiction of the Joker (probably The Killing Joke for most of us). Yes, we have also been exposed to subpar Joker story after subpar Joker story and that can be frustrating. You do not need to tell me that, I’ve lived through The Last Joke (shudder). But for future generations, the quintessential story has not yet been told. For us, it might make sense to cast aside the Joker since he seems to be stuck in a rut. But that’s only for us. There is whole lot more readers and potential readers out there than us hardened vets. Hard as it may be at times, you occasionally need to acquiesce to the idea that comics need to and should be created for those individuals too.
And, to go back to being selfish for a moment, who’s to say that everything that can be said about the Joker really has been said? Who’s to say that there is not someone out there with one more Joker story that will blow your mind and make you fall in love with the character again? Just because the Joker has not been consistently great is hardly reason to off him.
Another school of thought/reasoning on why Batman must kill the Joker is that the Joker has, increasingly, made Batman look ineffective as a series of crimes have piled up that have been very personally hurtful to Batman. First, I dislike that, because the crimes have become more personal, we should somehow think the Joker is more ripe for execution. Think about it, Joker had offed hundreds, if not thousands, of people before he shot Barbara Gordon, or killed (now “killed”) Jason Todd, or killed Sarah Gordon. Yet, we are pretty okay with those anonymous deaths. We a cast member goes down though…it’s time to start the vengeance murdering. I just do not love what that says about how many comic fans think.
Overlooking that for a moment, does Joker sometimes make Batman look ineffective? Yes (although not as much as others seem to think). And that’s the point. The Joker is sheer madness incarnate. Who and what would not look ineffective in the face of that? A flawed Batman is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, a lot of people have a problem with the uber-Batman of late, so is this not a perfect reason to keep the Joker around?
So there you have it. First big question of comics, should Batman kill the Joker? Answer: no. Now you know. Live your life in accordance with this lesson.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Can you believe that I am only picking up one book this week and it is not even from DC? I cannot recall the last time that that was even close to true. So my apologies to DC for not throwing any money their way. I hope we can still be friends.
OPINIONS ON THE WORK OF PEOPLE FAR MORE TALENTED THAN I
It’ll be back next week, I promise. I missed two weeks of comics because of Phoenix so I am still finding my footing. As you can see from above, however, I’ll have no new books for next week so I can play catch up. Tres exciting, no?
Will you won’t you join the dance at the message board. Together, let’s bring this thread back from the brink of nonexistence.
See you next week.
Un Gajje Answers the Questions You Want Answered
