Tim, what did you do for your mom on Mother’s day? And what about the fiancé’s mom?
Umm…they got phone calls?
Sadly, I work on Sundays so I couldn’t make it to the CT to visit my mom or my stepmom. In Janelle’s case, her mom and stepmom live in Minnesota and Arizona respectively so visiting them was not much of an option either.
However, the phone calls those four received were, I assure you, heartfelt, kind, and a little bit funny.
Links
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Tim, anything to link this week?
Hmm…I guess I don’t…I feel much shame about this.
What I Read Last Week
JLA Classified #38 – I kind of enjoyed this issue. I liked the JLA sitting around and debating things. I liked seeing Amazo wig out. I liked seeing Frank struggle. And after reading this, I’m really looking forward to seeing that Milligan’s going to do with Infinity Inc. on characters he’s not really limited with.
You liked this a lot more than I did. I just found it…eh. Liked Amazo, but the rest of it was uninvolving and the JLA’s dialogue borderlined on painful.
Black Panther #27 – I’m hating the new Fantastic Four. Hating it. I’d also like a regular penciller on this book. Oh and I hate the Fantastic Four. And I’m everso overjoyed that I’m finally getting a taste of Marvel Zombies. (That was sarcasm.)
Yay! Someone else who hate the Zombies. Yay!
Countdown #51 – I liked the issue. I enjoyed the Mary Marvel stuff. I actually enjoyed the Red Hood stuff (and I really don’t get why everyone is saying that he’s lightened up.) But I’ll agree that the Monitors are going to drag this book down. Though I’ll admit that I kind of like how the Monitors are to the multiverse as the Linear Men were to the timestream. I dig the concept, but not the execution.
I think I can concur with that. Except the whole “liked the issueâ€. But your last sentence…that’s on the nose.
Tales of the Unexpected #8 – Is it wrong that my heart leapt when I saw the caption for the further adventures of Team 13â„¢? Was it wrong that I loved this chapter so much? Or that my heart sunk when I turned the last page, despite the Doctors orders? This is one book that I didn’t want to end.
Nothing wrong with that at all.
Checkmate #13 – Loved the cover. Loved the issue. It was the perfect mix; mostly Checkmate with a pinch of Outsiders. I’m sure that this title is one of DC’s most underrated.
Outsiders #47 – Great having Clark and Thibert back again. There wasn’t quite enough Checkmate for my tastes, but I still enjoyed the issue overall. It sucked to see Judd limited in terms of language (“screwed” really?) but I had enough fun to make up for that. Yeah, this was a good issue.
Thumbs up to the Checkmate issue, thumbs nearing down for the Outsiders.
Y the Last Man #56 – Wow. I swore that the ending of this issue was never going to happen. Actually I convinced myself that it wasn’t, so that I wouldn’t be devastated when it didn’t (and I was sure it wasn’t.) But man, that ending was so emotional. After I read it I almost called a friend I know that reads the book so that I could share the moment. This was the best cliffhanger yet.
Green Arrow #74 – I really can’t wait for the battle next issue. It was nice to see Dinah and Ollie reconcile and to see that Ollie was making strides to be a better man. But, c’mon. A year? Is that all? Try three and a half, in Sin City. That is an accomplishment.
And we all applaud you. Good for you, turning a negative into a positive.
Green Lantern Corps #12 – Gleason and Nguyen’s art both melded rather well. It wasn’t a glaring difference between the two artists. As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of dig Guy on the run. Kilowog on a rampage rubbed me the wrong way, but I can deal with it, knowing where it came from. I’m really liking where this book is heading.
Nightwing #132 – Hm, what can I say that’s nice? I liked Diaz’s art. I’m glad this arc is finally over. I’m really glad the arc is finally over. I’m hoping the next art is a step up. On another note, how many “Dick diving off a roof” covers have we had in the past year? Three? I get it; he’s an acrobat, enough with the leaping off of roof poses.
Aaron has plenty of influence
I’m always hearing how “The Dark Knight Returns†was the most important/influential comic of the last 20 years. I’ve read it and I dug it, but I don’t have 20 years of hindsight to see if these claims are true. If so, I’m curious as to where else in the industry you’ve seen its influence? If you don’t buy the hype, I’m curious as to what you really think was the most influential book of the last two decades.
DKR: Savoir or destroyer of modern comics? Who cares?! You see how hard that guy is clocking that other guy?
Y’know Aaron, I do think that DKR is worthy of the hype. It was groundbreaking for its use of an iconic figure to tell an adult story, full of violence and politics. And it did create a shift in the medium.
Dark and Brooding tone – Bruce was a dark and brooding guy in DKR and for the most part that’s been his consistent portrayal since then. I’m not saying that he’s not justified for his attitude, but it seems that every creative person became enamored with the idea of a literal “Dark Knight.”
And honestly this extends to all of the characters in the late 80’s and early 90’s that went the grim and gritty way. DKR proved that this was profitable direction to take.
Comics and Graphic Novels Taken Seriously – This tale is one of the reasons why comics began to be taken seriously. It not only showed comic books could be used to tell a serious story, but that comics could be considered literature.
Also it showed the industry that Graphic Novels were viable. The idea of a comic, without ads, not sold in newsstands and featuring an adult tone could still be profitable seemed absurd, but DKR proved it could be successful.
The Relationship between Batman and Superman – Before DKR these two guys were the “World’s Finest”, but pretty much every writer who’s dealt with them since has portrayed their relationship as standoffish. They aren’t really buddies or chums, they just know they can trust each other.
The Death of Thought Balloons – Using a device that he employed often, Frank Miller used caption boxes written in the first person for narration, and this book was the final nail in the coffin of thought balloons. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a thought balloon?
Um, those are the ones that spring immediately to mind. I’m sure that it’s had other influences, but those are the four that top my list.
Tim, do you think that DKR is the most influential comic in the last couple of decades?
It is certainly up there, but I’m not sure if it is “the most.†Certainly it is top two for superhero comics, but taken the medium as a whole, I’m not sure I feel comfortable making that blanket statement. Let’s say for the whole medium, it is certainly top five.
Tii-iii-iiime is on Neil’s side, yes it is.
What’s up with Father Time? I read that he regenerates every year on New Year’s, so why was he told in World War III that even though he got his face ripped off he was due to molt anytime now (seeing as how WWIII takes place in April, a full 8 months before he should regenerate?)
And if what I read about him regenerating as a white guy with a beard is true, does that mean the latest JSA: Classified story takes place last year?
Ugh, will World War III never end?
Did someone say WWIII?
Um, maybe when they said “molt” they meant it more in a “new layer of skin” way rather than “brand new appearance” way?
Or maybe they were just lying to him, y’know how doctors on TV sometimes sugarcoat the truth because having a positive attitude is crucial to beating illness? Possibly?
I just don’t know. I mean I appreciated him in Seven Soldiers, but Battle for Bludhaven turned me off of Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters so I’ve seen very little of the Father before WWIII.
I do know that at the conclusion of Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters he was once again a Black man, which would seem to place the recent JSA Classified as a OYL story.
But yeah, I’ve got no idea why the talk of molting was happening in April.
Tim, do you have any thoughts on Father Time or his appearance?
I liked him in Seven Soldiers when, again (or, first?), he was a Black man. Otherwise though…I’d just assume not see him. Especially if he provokes questions like this.
Aaron doesn’t hide behind a mask
Heroes who don’t have a “secret identity”. For awhile, didn’t the world know Wally West = Flash? Who are some others that don’t care about secret IDs and, more importantly, how do they reconcile that with their day jobs, social lives, neighbors, etc.?
Ray Palmer – It’s not that he didn’t care about a secret ID, his ex-wife published her memoir which kind of outted him. But he still managed to keep his teaching gig at Ivy University, so it wasn’t too bad.
Beast Boy – When your epidermis is a verdant hue, it’s hard to keep your identity secret. But his look helped him with his acting work for awhile, but it later hindered him. He’s pretty much always whining, but I don’t know if he’s bemoaning his lack of a secret identity, his loss of family or his green skin. Possibly he’s just a crybaby.
Jade would also fit in here, but, sadly, she’s dead.
Guy Gardner – Guy is just a jerk who care about no one but himself.
Wally West – Wally had a public identity, but when Hal Jordan was the Spectre he made everyone forget it so that Wally could have a semi decent married life. Accordingly, we haven’t really seen much of him since.
Ralph Dibny – Since Ralph made his living as a detective, the impact on his life was minimal. It did it easier for him to be reached by people in trouble. And when Jack Knight retired it gave Opal a marquee hero name for the city to rely on.
Robotman – I mean really, when your brain is put into a robot body, what impact isn’t it going to have?
David Knight – This guy was so eager to follow in his father’s footsteps that he allowed his “duty” to Opal to supercede his love life.
Aquaman – He doesn’t have a secret identity, but no one cares about Aquaman. Poor neglected Aquaman.
Zatanna – She’s got a public identity, which really helps her when she’s booking gigs as a magician.
Wonder Woman – Wondy didn’t have a secret identity, which really hurt her during the whole “snapped Max Lord’s neck” thing. I’d have to imagine that having a public identity didn’t really help any of the people working at her embassy.
She actually has one now though, post-IC. She’s Diana Prince, Government Agent!
Power Girl – Power Girl outted herself as Karen Starr, software developer. But since then, not too much has gone into her private life. It’s probably because Power Girl was so radioactive for continuity issues.
Those are the examples of heroes with public identities that I can come up with. I’m sure there are some more, but for the life of me I really can’t think of too many stories that dealt with the ramifications of having a public identity. I can think of more examples of people being targeted because they were close to a character with a secret identity (like everyone who lived in Nightwing’s apartment building), than I can of someone getting hurt because of a public identity.
Tim, anything to add on public identities?
Hmm…did Pieface ever get around to publishing that book that he wanted to? Because, if so, people should know who Hal Jordan is.
Otherwise, I’m coming up empty.
Babos has some stalking to do!
What comic conventions will Mathan be going to this year?
Honestly? I probably won’t attend any. The last con I attended was the Baltimore con in 2003. 2003 was also the year that I moved to Las Vegas. Las Vegas is a convention capital which ironically has no comic cons. You want to check out an adult entertainment expo? It’s here. Consumer electronic show? You’re covered. But you want to bask in fanboy splendor, you’re out of luck pal!
It sucks that there aren’t any cons in Las Vegas. Imagine how much fun it would be for fanboys and comic pros to descend upon Sin City and bask in its glory. Think about how much money would be spent at the strip clubs (and I don’t mean clubs on the strip) or in the casinos? Plus it’d be a chance me to rub elbows with everyone. Why Wizard has cons in Chicago, Texas and L.A. but not Vegas is beyond me.
I don’t know…he looks like a comics fan to me.
And I loved the Baltimore con. It was a blast going with my best friend and trying to find the best deals on stuff. It was always fun to see who at the con was going to have the best costume and who’d have the lamest. I’ll never forget how my best friend convinced me to get Martin Nodell’s autograph and how I returned the favor by getting him to get George Perez’s.
But, sadly, unless I should happen to move back to Baltimore, chances are I won’t be attending any cons for a third straight year. At least I have our message boards, which is kind of like a con. Sort of. If you squint.
Tim, what’s your con calendar look like?
Not sure, really. This summer is all moving (in June) and working and school (in August) so that complicates things. I know I’m due to meet Babos himself at a con, (Baltimore, in fact) but that’s not until September so I’ve got time.
Next year though, well, I was going to say SDCC, but then I remembered the whole wedding thing. So…we’ll see.
Dhaise is so corporate
Whatever happened to the members of the Conglomerate?
Oh, the Congolmerate. Back when the Justice League was a franchise like C.S.I.. But then it became a franchise like Law & Order and lost it’s steam. The Conglomerate was one of those casualties.
The team initially consisted of established heroes Booster Gold, Gypsy, and newcomers Praxis, Maxi-Man, Reverb, Echo and Vapor. Vapor was an acidic mist, Reverb was JL Detroit member Vibe’s younger brother and had similar sonic abilities. Echo could redirect energy or force, Maxi-Man had super strength and Praxis has mental abilities.
Of those original members Maxi-Man died. Gypsy went on to bigger and better things, including Birds of Prey. Praxis, Vapor, Echo and Reverb (now called Hardline) went on a lunch date with Bloodwynd and were never heard from again.
The Conglomerate eventually had a team shake up and took on new members; Jesse Quick, Nuklon and Templar. Obviously Jesse and Nuklon (now called Atom-Smasher) are still around, but Templar is MIA.
So basically Templar, Praxis, Vapor, Echo and Hardline are (possibly) all out there somewhere, waiting for a writer to either a) reintroduce them in the DCU or b) use them as cannon fodder to make a villain look truly ruthless.
Tim, what do you think will happen to those lost members and do you think they might be worth a Revamping®?
I like your idea of them meeting up with Bloodwynd. They’ve been training for years, honing their skills. They run small quiet missions on the underground, sweeping in and out without being noticed. They are literal legends amongst criminals (not like that overexposed Batman), a super team that sweeps in, takes criminals away, and leaves no trace of themselves or their prey.
Then, one day, a reporter who happens to be in the right place at the right time (or perhaps, wrong place, wrong time?) witnesses a raid from this highly underground team and exposes them to the world. The fallout from that article will be incredible, the secrets revealed unbelievable, and the team’s first public appearance will shake the hero community to its core.
If I had to choose one hero to revamp out of the group, it would be Hardline. Totally.
The Shade is opposed to people improving themselves and getting new jobs
Since when has Milo been a technomancer? Is this a new thing made up for 52.
Cut the man some slack, he was desperate for some work. Think about all of those awful movies and music videos that Eric Roberts did before he landed on Heroes. Or all of those terrible movies that John Travolta did before Pulp Fiction made him cool again. And what about the horrendous flicks that Mickey Rourke did before Sin City revitalized his career. Sometimes a paycheck is a paycheck.
Professor Milo was just happy to get some screen time. It’s a rough time to be a “Professor” in the DCU. When was the last time you heard from Professor Radium or Professor Merlin? What about Professor Menace or Professor Killgrave? Can you recall the most recent attempt by Professor Elba or Professor Ojo to commit some crime? And don’t even get me started on Professor Powder or Professor Fallout.
My point is that Professor Milo saw a chance to work and took it. Did it fit him perfectly? No, but it got his name out there, and that’s what counts. People are talking about Professor Milo again, he’s got some buzz. That’s all he needs to get his career back on track.
C’mon Tim, clearly Professor Milo is right for a guest role in a future Revampingâ„¢, right?
Why? He’s already been revamped. Crippled technomancer, remember? Professors Killgrave, Ojo, and Radium on the other hand? Revamp gold!
Babos provides us visual aids
Can you walk us through all the folks on this cover (see below) and whether they have a relationship with Booster or the timestream?
I do love breaking down covers and identifying characters. It’s what I do, it’s what I love.
Brainiac 5 – He’s the guy with green skin and blond hair in the upper left corner. He’s well versed in time travel as he’s from the 30th Century and he even bumped into Booster way back in Booster’s original series. They saved President Reagan from an assassination attempt.
Max Lord – He’s the gent with the bloody nose. He and Booster were part of the Justice League International together.
Goldstar – She’s the woman who’s outfit resembles Boosters. We’ll get more into her later.
Carrie Kelly – She’s the seven of spades. She also happens to be the Robin in Dark Knight Returns, a story set in a potential future.
The Question – The four of spades. I don’t recall him crossing paths of Booster nor does his have a history of time travel. Interesting.
He is, however, on a different Earth now, so maybe Booster is traveling through time and earths?
Monarch – He’s the three of clubs. As Captain Atom he was a teammate of Booster’s on the Justice League International. His powers are quantum based and his origin actually involved time travel. And he recently came back from the Wildstorm universe. He might be Booster’s opposite number.
Batman – He’s the two of hearts. Do I really need to delve into him? He was a teammate of Booster’s in the Justice League International.
Mr. Mind – He’s the worm who’s peeking out from behind Goldstar. He crossed paths Booster in 52.
Supernova – He’s the nine of diamonds. Booster masqueraded as Supernova in 52. Daniel Carter, Booster’s ancestor, was also Supernova later in the series.
Rip Hunter – He’s the guy who shares space with a sphere. It’s his Time Sphere. He’s a time traveler. He teamed up with Booster in 52 and on the pages of Booster’s original series.
Guy Gardner – Guy’s the eight of spades. He was a teammate of Booster’s on the Justice League International. He’s not really done too much time travel of note.
Superman – Kal’s the nine of clubs. (Wait, did I really think that you’d need help identifying Superman?) He and Booster both operated out of Metropolis and they were teammates in the Justice League America. Supes has done some time travel in the past.
Jack(?) – He’s the guy who looks like he’s a member of the Royal Flush Gang, with the heart over his eye and the pasty skin. We’ll get deeper into him later.
Jonah Hex – He’s the guy with the “6” on his card and the terrible facial scar. I don’t think he’s crossed paths with Booster, but during the original Crisis he did do some time traveling. He went from the Old West to a post apocalyptic future.
Wonder Woman – I’m really trying to remember of she was ever a teammate of the Boosters. I want to say “no.”
I want to say that they were both on the JLA that got trashed by Doomsday on his way to kick Supes teeth in, but it turns out that I was wrong. Wondy didn’t join until a few issues later. However, Booster was still on the team at that time as evidenced by this cover.
Nice outfit Booster.*snicker*
Robin – He’s the two of clubs. He looks like the adult Robin of the pre Crisis Earth-2. On that Earth Dick Grayson never outgrew the ridiculous Robin costume, though he did abandon the short shorts and get some tights. He didn’t cross paths with Booster nor did he travel through time.
Sinestro – He’s the seven of diamonds. It appears as though he’s the Sinestro from the past, as he’s still a member of the Green Lantern Corp. He didn’t really cross paths with Booster nor did he travel through time.
Johns has already teased in a few interviews that Booster will be meeting Sinestro in the past when he’s still a GL.
The Flash – This appears to be Wally West. He’s done some time traveling and he was a teammate of Booster’s in the Justice League International. Plus Wally’s been MIA and is presumed to be on another Earth.
Phew! That was actually less fun that I thought it was going to be. But what are you going to do?
Tim, what do you make of that cover?
Umm…I kind of already spoiled that above, but what I make of it is that Booster’s is a defender of the time stream and of the multiple earths. He’s like Rip’s go to guy, his favorite Angel if you will (show of hands, who wouldn’t read a book called Rip’s Angels?)
Aaron needs to know what’s in a name
Did anyone ever explain where the “Booster Gold” name came from? I mean I know the basics of the guy’s origin, but how’d he come up with the name Booster Gold? Dear God, that’s not his real name is it?
Babos is keeping it in the family
To that end, can you walk us through a bit more on Goldstar? Were there 2 women who donned the mantle (I’ve read his sister and his assistant both became this heroine)? What is her power? And, what’s the deal with the “original” male Goldstar?
Ok, here’s what happened; Michael Jon Carter came back to the past to become a super hero. He had it all planned out, the name, costume and everything. He was going to be Goldstar.
But what happened was when he saved the President in his big debut he bungled it when he was asked his name. He immediately replied “Booster” as that was his college nickname and then tried to recover with “Gold.” But he ended up being stuck with Booster Gold.
As for Goldstar, that identity was held by two women in Booster’s life. The suit was initially designed by Booster’s company so that Booster could have a female sidekick, because Booster was always concerned with the image. The suit was designed to use magnetism to mimic other abilities. So whoever wore the suit could lock onto a target and then attract themselves to it and appear to fly. The wearer could also repel an object and give the illusion of super strength.
Booster’s assistant Trixie Collins first wore the suit in an attempt to save Booster’s life and it involved a trip back to Booster’s native era. After that adventure Trixie gave up the hero gig. The second to wear the suit was Booster’s sister, Michelle Carter. Booster’s twin came here hoping to follow in his footsteps. Sadly she died, sacrificing her life so that Booster could live. Oh, the Goldstar on the cover appears to be Trixie.
Tim, what do you think about the potential for Goldstar?
What could not be improved by a female version of Booster Gold, I ask you?
Babos has a terrible poker face
The Royal Flush Gang seems to be hinted at on the cover. Have they crossed paths with Booster? If you don’t think that’s what’s being alluded to on the cover, what do you think is?
Yeah, Babs, with you on this one. It’s a clear allusion to their first meeting.
Y’see back in Justice League #4 Max tries to convince the League to admit Booster to their ranks. Batman vetoes it. A rejected Booster leaves the meeting to face the press (which was there to cover the announcement of the latest member of the League.) All of a sudden the Royal Flush Gang attacks. Booster takes them out single-handedly and even gets praise from Batman, who changes his mind and allows Booster into the League.
But the thing is that Max Lord set the whole thing up. He wanted Booster in the League and had the Royal Flush Gang there so that the media and the League would see Booster in action. It was a part of his plan.
So it does appear to me that there’s a rematch in Boosters future. Should be interesting.
Wow…Booster’s everywhere this week.
Tim, do you have any thoughts on the Royal Flush Gang?
I think they are great and should get so much more play around the DCU. Intergang? Awful. Royal Flush Gang? Awesome.
And on that note the column has come to its conclusion.
But of course we’ll be back next week with even more questions and probably some answers too. Be sure to either email me your questions (mathan_e@hotmail.com) or post them on our thread. It’s a blast, and it’s free!
Before I go here’s my question to you; how do you feel about the new multiverse?
“Why is the night so still? Why did I take the pill?”
