Tim, did you catch the Emmy’s? Were you happy or disappointed?
Happy with Conan bringing the funny, some of the winners, and Jeremy Piven verbally whooping Billy Bush. Disappointed with a bunch of the nominees (and those not nominated) and some of the winners.
In other words, good show, but I am less thrilled with the actual awards portion of it.
Links (What I’m Diggin’ This Week)
(IP) Music The Roots’ Game Theory.
(IP) Movies I watched Gummo again. Riveting.
(IP) Games I’m looking forward to the new Nintendo, especially if the price is as low as many are speculating.
(IP) Figures I really almost picked up the Elseworlds figs. I’ve got to start making more money.
(IP) TV I urge everyone to check out HBO’s The Wire. If you’ve never seen an episode, don’t fret season four seems to offer a relatively clean slate, and HBO’s got two specials devoted to The Wire which will fill you in on some of the specifics. Seriously, give the show a chance.
I echo this. It is intimidating to get into at first, but completely worth your time.
(IP) Sports Oh wow, I’m not really interested in anything sport related.
Not even the Mets stumping all over everyone in the National League? Because that’s what they are doing.
Moodspins I really can’t wait for this zone to return, because I can only imagine what folks would be saying about the whole Ramsey case.
IP Culture I’ve got a new peppermint body wash, and bathing is cultured, right?
Umm…sure?
Our DC Forum has reactions to Justice League of America #1 as well as some shocking opinions on the latest issue of Supergirl?
Also My Favorite Blog; Glyphs spills the beans about Snakes on a Plane, the comic adaptation!
What I Read Last Week
Justice League of America #1 – I really enjoyed this book. It’s quite a build up, and that final sequence with the cutting between scenes work very well. Is it too early to worry about the decline in quality when Meltzer leaves the book?
I really wanted to love this book but I ended up just sort of liking it. I feel bad about that, but that’s the way it is.
Batman #656 – I dug how the art in the gallery was synced to the action. I thought that was very clever. I also dug Batman getting beaten. I actually just dug the issue as a whole.
Me too.
The Flash #3 – I really felt that the fill in art team gave the book a whole new feel and vibe. And I liked it. This issue read better than the previous two, and for some reason I’m going to credit the art. It wasn’t as dark as usual. This book is taking steps in the right direction.
Blue Beetle #6 – On the other hand, this book suffered because of the fill in art team. The art made this book really hard to look at and read. I usually love this book, but the art made it hard for me to enjoy much less praise.
Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes #21 – Man, that ending was so tough. It broke my heart. I mean I’ve always loved Brainy in every incarnation, but seeing him try to hard throughout the book and seeing him at the end just really took my breath away. It was so sad.
Fell #6 – Gross. But a good read. I really appreciated how Fell bartered his favor in the future with the kid. That was a very nice touch. I’ve really become a fan of Templesmith’s art. He does wonder with so little.
52 Week Sixteen – I really liked how the Marvel Family stuff was cast against the grittiness of Montoya and Vic’s actions. I really felt for Montoya. I’ve got to say that I think she’s going to die, in a redeeming fashion. I mean being forced to kill a kid is a scar to bear.
Really? You think Montoya is going down? Great…now I’m depressed.
Wonder Woman #2 – I really dug how while Donna’s “Wonder Woman” she’s relegated to barely a cameo in “her” own book. I loved the emphasis on Diana and her new role. And Nemesis did have the line of the book with is remark about Catwoman. Clever, very clever.
The Catwoman line was great. The rest of the book left me flat though.
Hawkgirl #55 – I don’t even read this book anymore, I just buy it and pray that the next issue box says a new team is taking over. I really want to like this book, and not just because I think that we could use a few more female oriented titles, but this book is unreadable.
Mathan…let it go. Just let it go. I know it hurts, but it will be better in the end.
Supergirl #9 – When I began reading this issue I hated it, but by the time it was over I really found myself liking it. I honestly believe that this book has turned a corner. I mean this was the first issue that was at least 90% Kelly, plot and all, and he made me care about Kara. I dug the All Star Superman homage cover. I dug the date (though I did for a moment wish that the mystery character was Buzz, from PAD’s Supergirl.) I dug the bonding between Cassie and Kara (though the teaching Amazons the joys of kissing seemed a bit naïve, especially in a DCU where an adolescent Aquaman had a crush on a dolphin.) I really did dig this issue.
Teaching kissing? Between that and the Kara on Kal kiss from an issue or two ago, Kelly seems to have some sort of bizarre slash fiction going on here. From the outside (read: not buying or reading the book) looking in it seems like there are some weird issues being worked out here.
DMZ #10 – I dig the new status quo, and how Matty handled the whole situation. I’m also happy that Matty hooked up with a colleague. I’m very interested in seeing what happens next issue.
Mr. Pete knows his pop ‘n lock from his worm
A lot has been speculated as to who would win an all out, no holds barred slobberknocker between The DC and Marvel Universes. Having just sat through “You Got Served”, I couldn’t help but wonder which of the two universes would come out on top in a huge, cosmic dance-off. How would it start? Would there be a villain(s) pulling the strings in the background? Which universe would “serve” which? Which character’s would it come down to in the finals, and who ultimately wins?
Anyone else want to own up to watching this movie? Anyone? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Wow. Just wow.
First off, you sat through “You Got Served.” I wish I had an outlet to vent my thoughts on that flick. I watched it, as an experiment, and man if I didn’t have problems with the storytelling and continuity of that movie. I seem to recall that the whole “threat” completely dissipates at the beginning of the third act, through complete exposition. But I’ve clearly gotten sidetracked. Let’s answer your question.
How does it happen? The Beyonder. If I recall the correctly this alien not only caused Secret War but sported a jheri curl and a jumpsuit, so he’s obviously going to enjoy having a dance off. I don’t really think that a villain is behind it, unless it’s the Joker who is hanging out with the Beyonder and convinces Mister B that this is the route to go. But I really like having the Beyonder on this solo.
If we’re doing a whole “company wide, all character” thing that I’d say that DC is going to win. Why? Because the Legion of Super-Heroes are fiends for 21st Century nostalgia. The same way that I really believe that gangs in the 1960’s settled their disputes like the Sharks and the Jets, the LSH would not only believe that our world was a choreographed one (via music videos) but they’d have memorized entire routines on the off chance they encountered 21st Century citizens.
Their Marvel contemporaries, the Guardians of the Galaxy, seem like a more grizzled serious bunch that’d have no time to spend dancing.
But if we’re just using modern day heroes it’s going to be a much closer, um, battle?
Here are some highlights:
Arsenal and Nightwing doing some vintage Kid N Play moves, which completely wow the Beyonder.
Spider-Man’s “more brilliant than it sounds” busting a move to Lionel Richie’s “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Red Tornado and The Vision in an epic eight hour Robot battle (the dance, not the machine.)
Reverb donning his late brother Vibe’s outfit for some good ol’ B-boying.
Dazzler proving to everyone that Disco is, in fact, not dead.
Maddrox with dozens of dupes doing the entire Thriller dance.
I see that in my mind and…it’s just beautiful.
But of course like almost every DC vs Marvel battle it comes down to two people; Batman and Captain America.
The two men are at the peak of human perfection. Their bodies are honed and chiseled. And their both really, really great at utilizing jazz hands.
Cap starts out with some riveting tap moves, because tap dancing was the pinnacle of entertainment in the 1930’s.
But Batman counters with some stunning ballet motion. It’s like White Nights only with costumes!
My god…you just made a White Nights reference and it worked. I…bow before you.
Captain America decides to show off some moves he picked up in Harlem, grabs Dazzler and beings to swing like there’s no tomorrow.
But Batman counters by grabbing Black Canary to show off his own swing moves (y’see Bruce went on a date with some chick who took him to a swing dance class during those five minutes in the 1990’s when swing “came back.”)
I remember that month. I hated that month.
Batman quickly switches gears and breaks into some Hip Hop moves, but Cap counters by going Old School Hip Hop (little known fact, Breakin’ ranks #4 in Cap’s “Five Favorite Movies of All Time.) (Sure, but how does he feel about Breakin’ 2. Does the Electric Boogaloo frighten or excite him.)
The battle then goes head to head in a face off with Cap and Batman trading pop locking moves like “I ate your head” and “I’m wearing you’re body like suit.”
After nearly an hour of this face off, Beyonder finally calls it. He declare that there’s not loser and the only thing “served” was to him; a plate load of enjoyment.
And if you think that sucks I’ve got news for you; the column is all downhill from here.
Tim, care to offer any other highlights from this epic universal You Got Served?
I’d like to talk all big and tough here about how ridiculous this is and how I’d never buy such drivel, but…
I totally would. God help me, I’d be powerless.
I’d also like to applaud us for not going to the “gay stereotyping” well and mentioning an Obsidian/Northstar dance-off. See, we are better than that.
For the record though, Northstar is a way better dancer and my friend Nick from back home shames them both. I’m just saying.
Brad waves off the signal before going to the plate
Well, Marvel just trounced DC 23-10 in Softball. Who would win if the HEROES of each universe were playing the game? Let’s try to keep it no powers – no Thor hitting the ball with Mjolnir, no Hal smacking the thing with a green construct. Super strength is okay, I guess – if Superman or Hulk hits it into orbit, or Spider-Man and Flash knock it just over the wall, it’s still a home run either way. I say DC would win – Cap and some of the X-men would be pretty good players (the X-Men play all the time) but I see the DCU as more “traditional” and thus playing ball would be one of the things they just do well.
Just like Baseball, this game would be all about pitching. I know that Marvel’s got Cap and Hawkeye (he is back, right?), but I think that DC’s got more in their bullpen. I mean you’ve got Arsenal, Green Arrow, Connor, Batman, Nightwing and even Robin, and those guys aren’t using powers. And even if Batman is just a coach, he’s probably going to be able to read or predict the next pitch.
I do think that DC gets the edge in this game if only because they can “play nice together” unlike those “Civil Warriors.” I mean if we have the game right now, Marvel doesn’t stand a chance.
But I really like the idea of having a “no powers” game. If you’ve Superman he’s probably not going to strike out, and can you imagine the strike zone on the Hulk? I think you’ve got to go as normal as you can, in order to make this fair. And I think that if you factor in Green Lanterns, Bat fam, Team Arrow, JSA and JLA, you’ve got plenty of non powered folks who are still fit enough to do amazing things on the diamond.
I’m just struggling to come up with more than a handful of Marvel characters who’d make up a good squad, sans powers.
Tim, how do you see this game playing out?
Experience cannot be underestimated. The X-Men, as mentioned above, play all the time and most of them are not superpowered in an intrusive way so they can play. Superman, Batman, and Robin (the one who is now Nightwing) may have dabbled in baseball back in their World’s Finest Days, but for the X-Men it is a way of life. It is basically protect those that hate and fear us, involve ourselves in overwhelming neverending soap opera storylines, and play softball.
Silly, DC, don’t you realize that with Beast behind the plate you never stood a chance?
Also, back in the day, the Avengers used to play the West Coast Avengers annually in softball. So they’re a well oiled team as well.
So, sorry Mathan. You know I love me the DCU, but here…they just don’t have it.
Brad’s…getting sort of weird about this now
Of course, a logical follow up would be what if the villains were playing… but they’d just cheat. Come to think of it, that’d be cool too. Riddle me that one while you’re at it.
This game quickly dissolves into an all out brawl. I don’t see this going into the third inning before we see exploding bases and phasing balls. And if Darkseid is involved you can expect Boom Tubing from base to base and the Omega Beaming of outfielders.
This would probably be more fun to watch, on television, from the safety of your living room, on tape delay.
When all is said and done, and the death toll is tallied, I’d say that the heroes are the real winners, given the probable decimation of the villainous ranks.
Tim, can you see a villain game actually ending without a brawl?
Probably not. They do tend to be a hot tempered bunch. But if we were to apply the same rules from the heroes’ game to the villains’ game and they resisted the urge to just pound on one another instead, I think it comes down to one guy.
Bullseye.
While he’s on the mound, you might as well just forget it. There’s nowhere he can’t put the ball and he’s a former minor league player.
Plus, there’s this cover…
…which is just too damn cool.
But the hell with speculation, Mathan, why don’t we pitch this to the companies tomorrow? Ever since they bought our spec script for Domestic Bliss: Mr. Miracle and Big Barda in Suburbia, they’ve been clamoring for new treatments from us.
Jason R. needs a three on the river for a full house
Who would win a winner-takes-all Texas Hold ‘Em tournament amongst DC Heroes? A few ground rules to make it interesting:
– No powers, or at least nothing that gives a major advantage (i.e. no mind-reading, no x-ray vision, and no super-speed to run around the table)
– Bruce Wayne is HOSTING said tournament, and therefore cannot participate in and/or win the tournament (because 99% of “Who is the Best in the DCU at Subject X” ends with Batman in the Top 3).
– No Villains (otherwise, it won’t be a friendly tournament)
Phew, no Marvel this time around!
I should also state for the record that, while I do live in Las Vegas, I’ve got no idea how to play poker, despite having the opportunity to do so when I shop for groceries.
In terms of the actual winner, I’m tempted to say Mr. Terrific, because he’s the guy you call when you can’t get Batman, but I’d say the winner is actually his JSA teammate; Wildcat.
Wildcat is going to be obnoxious enough that he’ll get most players off their game and cause them to underestimate him. I also see Ted pretending to get totally drunk (he’s really be drinking something non alcoholic) as another way to get people to let their guard down around him.
I could see Green Arrow, Arsenal and probably Jason Todd getting pretty far in the tournament. But I really think that Ted walks away the winner.
Tim, how do you see this tournament playing out?
I like your theories, but I’d actually go with Plastic Man. Before going good, he was a professional criminal. While he’s reformed these days, he’s never quite washed out that gift for hustling. My guess is that he still hits the tables every now and again to release some of that “badness within” in what is more or less a “healthy” way. His antics would distract and unnerve while he was busy reading his opponents. In a lot of ways, they never would have stand a chance.
If not him, then perhaps Matches Malone.
What?
He said no Batman and no Bruce Wayne. Technically, he never mentioned Matches.
The favorites in the poker competition meet face-to-stretchy face.
Mast or not, Jag worries for the guy’s health
One of the things that has been bothering me from the Infinite Crisis and the Battle of Metropolis is the status of one of DC’s most beloved and self-explanatory heroes. After Bane’s assault, do you think Judomaster is ok?
Sadly Jag, I don’t think that he’s ok. I mean Batman could barely take a beating from Bane, and he’s a master in several martial arts. Judomaster is a master in Judo. I can’t see how he could fare better against Bane the backbreaker (I made up that nickname, I hope it sticks.)
Oh and on the cover of Birds of Prey #100 features a female Judomaster. And a female version of a character is never a good thing. You’d be wise to make note of that John Irons!
As usual Tim and I have begun plotting an 8 issue miniseries that not only details the fall of Judomaster but the rise and training of the new female Judomaster. And if I told you that the new Judomaster and the old Judomaster might actually be the same character following a certain “operation”, is that something you might be interested in?
Tim, do you think they’re interested?
Of course they are. Not as interested as they are in “Supergirl and Wonder Girl Teach All the Ladies of the DCU How to Kiss” (as written by Joe Kelly and drawn by Jim Balent) but, trust me, they’re interested.
Neil should know that there are people here who can and want to help him
So, who do you think should be on that Squad? And who should lead it (field missions, of course, seeing as how the Wall needs to be in charge)?
I know he’ll be busy with Titans East, but it would be real interesting to see Deathstroke lead the Squad (even though I don’t see the US Government trusting him one bit). Forgetting the trust issue, he’s got the skills, the abilities, the military background, and the cred with the villains (being on the board of the Society).
I don’t know if the current team is going to use the Rogues as much as Geoff did, but I would love to see Murmur on the team (and I think Deathstroke would be up to the challenge of keeping him in line). The current Captain Boomerang would be interesting, seeing as how his father was on the team before.
Filling in the role of the Firestorm villains, I’d like to see the Cliff Carmichael Thinker again, especially since he has ties to the original Squad. Killer Frost is always fun to see, but hard to control.
Sadly, I think The Secret Six would keep Deadshot away from the team.
The Red Hood would be a very interesting choice for the team.
The Prankster would help keep things lively.
So what are your thoughts?
Your Squad is cool, I guess. I think that you got a bit too bogged down with “filling roles” and you don’t have nearly enough fodder. If I recall correctly one of the exciting things about the Suicide Squad was that folks actually died. And one of the other allures was that there weren’t really too many “names” on the book.
First off, you’ve got to have a leader. Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong AKA The General works just fine in this position. He went up against Batman and Robin and while he lost, he was just a kid. I see him being the field leader, sort of like Rick Flag.
Obviously people are going to get hurt, so you need a field doctor. That’s going to be Hush. Not only does he have medial expertise, but he’s also going to be pretty useful in the field.
Every team needs a powerhouse and on this team is Gorilla Grodd. He’s going to have limited mental powers (his will be dampened to prevent his escape) plus the guy is a gorilla.
I think that Merlyn would fit nicely on the team. The way I see it he’s stuck in another country and about to be executed, so he cops to a crime in the US to get extradited, and that’s how he ends up on the Squad.
Oh come on! Who would do that?
Oh…right.
Of course every version of the Suicide Squad needs fodder. So here are my suggestions; from Last Laugh Meathead and Carnivora and from Nightwing Stallion and Brutale. Of course that’s provided that these forgettable villains aren’t already dead.
I think Brutale is still kicking around. Stallion did the explosion thing in Nightwing when Chemo got dropped on the city (right?). As for the other two, I can only pray they are dead.
I’m pretty sure that Menagerie formerly of the Elite is still behind bars so I’m guessing that she’d make a good member of this team.
But back to the meat of the team I think that it’d make sense that Task Force X makes a deal with Gotham, because there’s a steady supply of crooks right there. Imagine if Scarecrow were brought in for a mission, or Croc? I mean I’d love to see those two on the Squad, especially a Dr. Crane out of costume.
And since Cheshire’s not being used in Secret Six I think that she’d be a solid fit in the Suicide Squad.
Finally I think that Agent Liberty would be the “hero, what’s he doing there?” role (see I’m guilty of it too.) He’s forgotten enough to be uber expendable, yet he’s about as recognizable as Bronze Tiger was in the original series.
Ooh, and I might toss in Bane the Backbreaker too. Maybe he joins up as a way to make amends for his actions during Infinite Crisis.
And that’s how my version of the Suicide Squad would look like.
Tim, what do you think about my Squad, and what would yours look like?
Any Suicide Squad team the incorporates characters from Last Laugh both sickens and intrigues me, so I guess that’s a good thing, right? Willingham’s principle of some reaction over none at all.
Also, lest you think I’m not keen on it at all, I do appreciate your assortment of choices. You presented a nice range of characters that all could pop in this ensemble cast while none of them are so headline as too overshadow the rest (Crane’s the closest to that, but he’s still safely under headliner status).
My team is fatally flawed in that, as I review my choices, I realize I lack even the semi-headliner. I went too obscure. Alas, I soldier on regardless.
My team leader is The Jacobian. I know, I know, who? He’s the bald fella in the drawing above.
Right. And?
Well, in addition to sharing a name with a mathematical principle, he was a character in a Detective Comics backup story about five years ago. He also was once, most likely, a hero called The Moment.
Anyway, he is gifted with the ability to “look beyond the moment” (hence the name) and alter the environment around him. Essentially that makes him an excellent detective and strategist and gives him Neo-esque abilities to freeze time, etc. Given that he has problems with amnesia, it would be easy enough to set him up for a crime. He would know that he did not commit it but have no idea where he was and thus be able to provide no alibi. Once he’s behind bars, Task Force X comes a-calling and offers him a way out and, quite possibly, the chance to find out who set him up.
No, I have no idea why it occurred to me that he’d be a good choice.
Moving on…
No good Squad is complete without behind the scenes jockeying for position and leadership conflicts. With that in mind, I’ve selected Killer Moth, the anti-Batman. Or at least, that used to be the idea. Then, somewhere along the way, he get beat up by Batgirl, teamed up with Catman (pre Secret Six makeover) and Calendar Man (the costume wearing variety, not the bald headed riddle speaker), and turned into a mutant moth named Charaxes. Thankfully, in Face the Face, James Robinson introduced a new Moth. That’s this guy.
He’s smart, dangerous, and has got something to prove. This is the Catman of this book, a villain ready to rehabilitate the name.
Stealth has always been a big part of the Suicide Squad, and I’ve got three players to bring in with that in mind.
First, the twin aerobatic thieves called Double Dare. They’ve stolen for some of the best and from some of the most secure places on the planet. They can bring that talent to the covert operations of the Task Force.
Plus, there’s something sick inside of me that likes the idea of one of the twins being killed during a mission while the other survives. I think that could make for great comics.
The second selected for the ability to quietly get into places others cannot is Pathfinder. I could not find a picture of him on the net which just boggles my mind, but you may remember him from the recent Deadshot miniseries. He’s a teleported with the ability to phase through people, J’onn style. I really like his design and he fits either as a villain who gets more well known or goes down in the course of action.
My next recruit is Flash villain Double Down. He’s another guy who I think he a great design but has yet to be given a personality equal to his look. Plus, his flesh cards (ewwwww) are a form of long range weaponry and so far this team is lacking that.
Long range weaponry will also be provided by the villainous…Overthrow!!! Yes, I think he might have died in OMAC. No matter. This guy’s a new villain who purchased the gear through some sort of villain auction (perhaps in that underground market depicted in Flash during Johns run). He has an absolutely ridiculous gimmick that is still sort of useful. Sounds perfect for a Suicide Squad corpse member.
My closest headliner is Major Disaster. Sure, it appeared that he was on the straight and narrow when Kelly put him on the JLA, but it was not to be. OYL a series of events plunged Disaster back into his criminal past. Ashamed at his fall from grace, the formerly good Major is hoping to redeem himself through risking his life for the Task Force. He’s probably closest to Deadshot in attitude as he has very little concern about whether or not he lives or dies. If he lives, great, it is another time he’s done the right thing. If he dies, so be it, he’s already shamed for life anyways.
Our muscle comes from none other than Shakedown, the burly Master of Disaster. I think he makes great cannon fodder. Plus, dig that beard.
Our perspective figure is Peek-a-Boo. She’s a “criminal” who was only trying to help her father. She’s guilty, no doubt of that, but she’s no monster. The prison system threatens to swallow her up and leave her either broken or dead. At her wits end, moments from taking her own life, in sweeps in the US Government with an offer of eventual amnesty. She reacts, taking it without question, and for a time she starts to feel better. Then the missions become less clear cut, the political questions more daunting. Soon, Boo is questioning what the point of earning your freedom is when you’re selling your soul to do it.
And that is my team. I’m sort of proud of it, but I do think it is too obscure overall.
Ungajje looks vaguely familiar
As long as we are the topic of Suicide Squad, what can you tell me about Wizard’s suggestions for the Squad from last month? Little bio work and maybe your opinion if you think they would work.
Tim is, of course, referencing the article in Wizard #179. Why he’s referencing something not written by Wizard scribe extraordinaire Ben Morse is beyond me. But anyway here goes.
Resurrection Man is practically a column regular. Here’s what we wrote last time:
Mitch Shelly was a just your typical homeless man. He lived on the streets, but he also had amnesia. He had shards of memory, but nothing really concrete. He then discovered that he couldn’t die, for long. Every time he died, he could come back to life. And every time he died he would come back to life with powers to counter the way that he died last.
Eventually he found out that he was a lawyer who was part of an experiment by a very wealthy man. The guy wanted the secret to immortality. Mitch proved to be a success. They gave him tektites, which would rebuild him anytime he “died.” They also stimulated his powers. But then he later found out that the tektites were only stimulating his natural abilities.
So basically Mitch Shelley, the Resurrection Man, is immortal. He’s also crossed paths with Vandal Savage a few times in the past and future (?). He had his own book that ran 28 issues. I really recommend it. DnA wrote it, and it featured the art of Butch Guice. It’s a mighty fine read.
My thoughts; I’m not really for it. I can’t see how he’d be part of the team. I mean, I just don’t buy that he’d be part of the team.
Master Jailer Oddly enough we’ve covered this guy too;
Ah Carl Draper the Master Jailer. Well, they have both appeared in the current DCU, but are they one and the same? See Carl Draper was just your average wealthy security expert, with no real link in Clark Kent. One day his daughter challenged him to trap Superman. Well being the pop that he was, he adopted the costumed identity of Deathtrap and he tried to trap Superman. Mister Miracle got involved too. Needless to say, they escaped the trap. But Carl was crafty enough to avoid capture and the disclosure of his double identity. Score one for the bad guys. Carl’s story starts in Adventures of Superman #517.
Now Master Jailer first appeared in Superman #186, during the time when Manchester Black was trying to destroy Superman. Master Jailer was part of the plot to attack Super’s friends and loved ones. He made Metropolis into on giant penitentiary. Of course Superman “won” but the Master Jailer is still an enigma. Is he Carl Draper or someone entirely new? And if he is Draper how did he get his powers to their new levels? Maybe answers will be forthcoming, but I doubt it?
My take; I guess he’d fit on the team, provided he was killed off, quicky.
Atomic Skull – Joseph Martin had his metagene activated during Invasion!. Unfortunately he was then hit by a blast of energy which completely altered his body. His skin became transparent and he could blast energy. Oh yeah he was also way strong.
My take; he seems a tad powerful. Plus exactly what are the health risks that he poses to his teammates. This one just seems a bit too iffy.
Calendar Man – Calendar Man was just one of those corny Bat rogues with a foolish gimmick. In his case he’d commit crimes on holidays and wear a costume that corresponded with the holiday. His crimes could also take place on anniversaries or other special dates. He was a corny guy. That is until The Long Halloween which made him into a criminal mastermind who toyed with Batman.
My take; I suppose he could work. I don’t really dig the idea of him being so far from the action, but I suppose that could prove compelling. Still, how would you give him access to communicate with the team, yet keep him confined. He’d be a logistical nightmare.
Phobia is another returnee to the column:
Angela Hawkins III (seriously a “III” for females?) is a member of that wacky British aristocracy. One day, at a young age she discovered she had the ability to project fear.
Later she became part of the Brotherhood, the team put together by The Brain to battle the Teen Titans. She’s never attained “big time” status, but she’s pretty powerful. She’s recently received a bit more attention since appearing in Identity Crisis.
My take; she could work. She’s big enough, yet expendable enough. Plus she’s an aristrocrat and I don’t see her digging the idea of getting her hands dirty for the US.
Jason Todd – I’m not covering this guy. If you don’t know who Jason Todd is, I’d really have to question why you’re reading this column.
My take, I’m vetoing this one. Most of the allure of Jason Todd is because of his role with the Bat Fam, sticking him in the squad just makes him another body and strips him of his unique standing in the DCU.
Doctor Poison – Doctor Poison was a foe of the Golden Age Wonder Woman, and the current incarnation is the granddaughter of the original. She’s basically a pro when it comes to poisons and that includes toxins. And she’s been known to dabble in plagues.
My take, sure why not. I wasn’t really aware she existed. She sounds cool. Maybe this could be her launching pad, like it was for Deadshot.
Bloodhound – Travis Clevenger was a cop who killed his own partner. He also had a knack for tracking down meta criminals.
My take; I’m torn. I want to see Trav again, but I’d be worried about his safety. So I guess that means he’d fit perfectly.
Hey, Mathan, thanks for the info. Of course, you had to give it to me because I’m your boss and could take your life apart, piece by piece, but still. I appreciate it.
Wow, that was a very quick column. But I’m not going to complain too much, because the sun is nowhere near up, which is a good thing.
Next week we’ll delve into retconning, multiverses and Steel. And your questions, provided you send them to me.
Anyway as always send me your questions or post them on Our Keen Thread.
But before I go here’s my question to you; who do you think would win the dance off, softball game and/or poker game?
“Keeping busy is just wasting time and I’ve wasted what little he gave me.”
