Pulling the New 52

So the wait is finally over, and the results are in: the New 52 was an apparent success. DC is raking in some very high numbers on these new issues, and there is a definite energy around the market that has been somewhat missing for a little while. Of course, there's no telling just how long these powerful sales will last, or for that matter if DC has truly managed to pull in new and/or stagnant readers, but you can't argue with the fact that this first month has been a success for the company on paper.

However, as a comic reader and buyer, I must admit that the monetary success of DC was not my primary concern with this "soft-reboot." Of course I want them to do well financially (after all, no money, no comics), but I"ll admit I spent most of my time wondering how it would all turn out in print! And now that the launch is behind us, I can reveal to all of you readers which books made the cut, and which books got the cut.

In choosing my list, I attempted to cut it down beneath 15 regular pulls. However, after strenuous difficulty in deciding which to keep, I decided to keep a portion of books that are on the "probation list." I'm going to follow these titles through their first arc, and see where they take me. In other words, I'm tempted but not quite sold. I really wanted some of these titles to be better than they were (Superman), but then some of them turned out to be much better than I anticipated (Batman). Overall, I felt this was a great start with a lot of great (or at least promising) titles, and I can't wait to see where DC is going to be taking us over the next year.

And so, with no further blab, I give you, "Paul's Fabulously Fantastic Pull List of the New 52!!"

Official Pulls:

1. Action Comics - It was fantastic, although I'll admit I wasn't crazy about Morales' drawing of Clark Kent at times. Everything is, top notch. You can expect great things here.
2. Aquaman - Wow Ivan Reis, just wow. You rocked Blackest Night, and you still got it.
3. Batman - Scott Snyder knows Batman, that's all I can tell you.
4. Batman and Robin - This one was iffy for me going in, but Tomasi did something here he failed to do with GLC: he pulled me in. I'm not sure about the regressing Damian, but I'm on board for now at least.
5. Batgirl - I really liked seeing Barbara on familiar ground that felt unfamiliar to her, it was compelling.
6. Demon Knights - Paul Cornell, you teased me with that first issue, but after reading the second, you hooked me. You got skills sir.
7. Detective Comics - I don't know what I expected here from Tony Daniel, but it wasn't this. And I like it.
8. The Flash - Barry Allen has arisen as one of my new favorite characters, and while I'm sure I'll miss Johns on the writing, Manupal is definitely familiar with the character and is giving him justice. And he's an artistic Beast.
9. Green Lantern - This was fantastic. I'm back on board with GL like I haven't been since Sinestro Corp and Blackest Night. Kudos Johns.
10. Justice League - Two words: Lee and Johns. Are you gonna pass this up? I didn't think so.
11. Swamp Thing - This one surprised me, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. After some pondering, it was good, I'm in for now.
12. Teen Titans - I want to read cool stories with these characters, even if the first issue was a "?" for me. I'll wait it out.
13. Wonder Woman - Very good stuff. I liked what JMS did before, but I think this could be something special.

Probational Pulls:

1. Batman: The Dark Knight - This was the bottom of the Bat books, but I'll give it 3 issues.
2. Green Lantern: New Guardians - I want a cool story with the different corp, which we have yet to see post-Blackest Night for me. Let this be it.
3. Nightwing - This was a good book, just not solid enough for certainty. We'll see.
4. Red Lanterns - I like Ed Benes. And I like Atrocitus. I'm hoping for something better going forward.
5. Superman - I want to pull this. And Perez is already off in a few months, so I'm going to stick it out and see where it goes.
6. Stormwatch - Another Cornell book, it's yet to blow me away, but I'm going to see where this arc goes anyway.

So officially, that's 19 books (not counting TMNT which I'm also pulling). I plan on knocking it down to 15 after the first arc, so we'll just have to see who can make the cut by then.

Seth's New 52 Pull List

Whether or not the new 52 has succeeded in pulling in that coveted "new reader" demographic that DC so desperately wanted remains to be seen. However, as far as I'm concerned it was a success. As of August I was pulling in the neighborhood of 12 DC titles. Starting in October I'll be pulling 26 titles.

Now, with a few of these titles (heck, really with all of these titles, as I'm picky in what I obligate myself to buy) there's drop-off potential. JLI, JLD, and Captain Atom are all books that have a lot to prove. Even with strong first issues in the cases of JLD and Captain Atom, they have a lot riding against them. With JLI it's getting added solely because I love the characters and while the first issue didn't really wow me, it was still solid enough to make the cut.

I added Animal Man. I did this because, though I didn't love the first issue, the critical acclaim being lavished on the book is enough to make me think maybe there's just something I'm missing here that everyone else sees. Yes I stand by my opinion that the first issue wasn't great and yes I still hold to an intense dislike for the art but I'm going to give it a little time.

I'm sad that the Superman title won't be on my list for the first time in about six years. Yes I even survived Strasczynski's run. On the other hand, nearly every Bat title is on my list for the first time since I started collecting again back around 2002. That's saying something for someone who loves the Bat universe.

There were  some surprises as well, like Suicide Squad, Supergirl and Birds of Prey. They came out of no where and really pulled me in with good first issues and in all three cases, fantastic art.

None of the ancillary Green Lantern books made the cut but then again, I haven't been all that involved in the GL universe outside of the main title since 2009. The new Corps. books just did nothing for me.

At any rate, here's my list.

Justice Leage

Wonder Woman

Aquaman

The Flash

Justice League International

Green Lantern

Batman

Detective Comics

Batman & Robin

Birds of Prey

Catwoman

Batgirl

Batwoman

Nightwing

Swamp Thing

Animal Man

Justice League Dark

Demon Knights

Frankenstein: Agent of Shade

Hawk & Dove

Stormwatch

All Star Western

Suicide Squad

Action Comics

Supergirl

Captain Atom

New 52: Final Week (almost done)

Disclaimer: I've had this written for well over a week but kept forgetting to post it. There are only a few books left from the final week that I haven't reviewed in this list and I'll try to get to them in the next day or so. We'll see how well that goes...

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The last week of the new 52 brought with it the largest number of easily dropped books. Thankfully. My pull list has grown exponentially due to the relaunch and adding more than a couple of titles this week was going to break me. After this weeks reviews I'll post a list of which books I'll be keeping for you to peruse.

　

All Star Western #1: Flashback to Wizard World LA 2005. I was sitting in a DC panel when Dan Didio announced this book and showed the cover art by Frank Quitely. The place went nuts with applause. When it came out I picked up a handful of the early issues and then sort of forgot it existed. It's now 2011 and Jonah Hex still has his own book. Sure it's a new title but Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray are still writing it.

At this point Gray and Palmiotti have been writing Hex so long that it has to feel like old hat to them. The inclusion of characters like Arkham (totally blanking on his first name) and Mayor Cobblepot are a lot of fun, and even help to flesh out the history of Gotham City. Moritat's pencils are solid for the most part. He's excellent at drawing character interactions and though a few panels looked rushed and a little sketchy for the most part he gets the job done. I didn't think I would be but I'm adding this to my pull list.

　

Aquaman #1: Aquaman is a strange book. I'll point out it was my favorite of the week but it also seemed like Johns was getting his sea legs under him (get it?!? because it's Aquaman!) in certain sections of the book. The constant hammering home of the fact that Aquaman is considered a joke by the normal people of the DCU was so over the top that it grew annoying fast. Other than that though, this was the Geoff Johns I haven't seen since his early work on Flash. This entire issue is merely introducing us to this character and giving us some hint at a looming threat. There aren't any epic action sequences or boss battles. I loved it for that. Though not as stellar as his work on Green Lantern #1, this still ranks as some of the best work I've seen from Johns in years.

Ivan Reis, just continues to impress me. His art style here reminds me of older Neal Adams or Alan Davis work but he's good at the quiet character moments. The scene in the diner was drawn so well that it took what could have been a minor sequence and transformed it into something more. The panel with Arthur looking at the seafood menu was beautiful in its simplicity.

It's going on my list and I expect to see great things from this book and it's creative team.

　

The Dark Knight #1: David Finch used to be one of my favorite artists. His work on books like New Avengers and Moon Knight was energetic and exciting. His DC stuff though has left me under whelmed, to say the least. Other than Batman: the Return, his previous Dark Knight run looked rushed.

His work here continues the downward progression. His characters have constantly changing faces, yet ever-present grimaces. His backgrounds are far less detailed than they used to be. Heck, even his action sequences are drawn in such a lifeless way that it's hard to believe I'm looking at the work of the same guy who impressed me so much just a couple years ago.

I'm spending so much time talking about Finch because, despite the presence of Paul Jenkins assisting on writing chores, the book feels like a continuation of what Finch was doing before the relaunch. DK has been his baby. Sadly, Jenkins does nothing to help the proceedings. His dialogue feels like it belongs in a late 90's Spawn comic. Judging from that last page cliffhanger that is probably the level of storytelling we should expect from this team.

Sadly, I won't pick up another issue. Rarely has one artist deflated me as much as David Finch has done with this book.

　

Blackhawks #1: DC's answer to GI Joe has arrived and it's... okay. There really isn't much to be said about this book. It's well written, competently drawn and a fun read. It didn't blow my mind nor did it anger, or annoy me with it's awfulness. I like the idea of a Joe-like team existing within the DC universe, and due to my undying love for crack squads of military commandoes taking on threats too big for the standard military I'll probably pick up another issue or two.

The book is written by Mike Costa (who I don't think I've heard of before this) and drawn by Graham Nolan. The story is intriguing for the most part but the characters come across as little more than half-hearted attempts at thwarting stereotypes. That doesn't make sense? How about a red headed, rowdy guy who everyone calls "Irish"... who is in fact, a one-time Spetsnaz operative from the former Soviet Union. Rather than, y'know, an actual Irishman. There's more where that came from.

At any rate, as stated, I'm going to pick up at least another issue. There's a chance this book could become something special.

Flash #1: Flash is having praise heaped on it from all over the blogosphere. It certainly is a good book but it also suffers from some weak writing. This first issue introduces us to a Barry Allen who isn't married, and is still perpetually late. However, that's about all we learned about him. Unfortunately the opening story seems to center around character duplicates or clones or alternate reality doubles...? We've been here before. Even in a Flash book. Even within the last few months. Hopefully, this isn't going where I fear it is.

However, this is the best looking book out of the relaunch. Francis Manapul should draw this character the rest of his career. His page layouts are getting more bold, and his panel progression, particularly during action sequences, is downright thrilling. Whether or not Brian Buccellato is a good writer remains to be seen. The dialogue is problematic at times and the story seems very familiar. On the other hand, it's a first issue and I have enough faith in Manapul as an artist to add the book to my list and hope for the best.

　

Fury of Firestorm #1: This is... bad. Really, really, not good at all. I'm saddened to see Gail Simone's name on the cover, to be honest. Other than the Ethan Van Sciver (who is also to blame for co-writing this mess) cover, there's literally nothing good I can say about this book. This first issue is muddled, badly written, and Cinar's art is rather dull. The whole thing reads like the first draft of a script that badly needed polishing. I won't give it a second chance, even with Simone's presence. Yes, it's that bad.

　

Green Lantern: New Guardians #1: Another poor title from Tony Bedard. His Blue Beetle was one of the worst issues out of the new 52 and apparently he mandated himself to try and top it with this. He failed. While this is by no means a good comic, it's not at Beetle's level of boring ineptitude. I'm finding it hard to even have much to say about the lousy books this week, mostly due to burn out. There's only so much I can write about a book this dull.

The Tyler Kirkham art is probably going to take some flack but I found it passable. He comes from the Michael Turner school of art (disclaimer: not an actual educational institution) so if you like that sort of cheesecake then you'll enjoy this. Sadly, the writing is just bad. Bedard seems to have a really hard time writing dialogue that isn't posturing, cloying, annoying, or stupid. This book is full of that.

　

I, Vampire #1: I was surprised by how much I liked this book. Joshua Hale Fialkov is a name I've been hearing for months but this was my first time reading his work. Though not much happens in this issue it does a good job of setting up our main characters and introducing their conflict. The art by Andrea Sorrentino, however, was a little off-putting. It's not bad. In fact, it's actually quite good, but it looks so much like the work of another artist that I found myself taken out of the story with each turn of the page.

Other than that one complaint I found this to be a really good first issue. I'd like to see this book succeed too. It's not a superhero book and I like that DC is branching out into other genres. However, I don't think I'll be picking up another issue because it seems like something I'll enjoy far more when it's collected and I have to make cuts this week to keep my list under budget.

　

Justice League Dark #1: Now this, I can get behind. Where Stormwatch and Demon Knights both left me a little underwhelmed Dark packs a punch. In its opening issue alone we witness the Justice League crash and burn to a mystical threat, and are introduced to the members of this team without actually seeing them come together just yet. I guess in tone this is very similar to the other Dark titles we've seen (Swamp Thing, Animal Man, Demon Knights) but it feels bigger which is fitting for a team book with world-ending threats.

Milligan redeems himself for that Red Lanterns book here, writing characters who I want to learn more about and setting up what looks to be an interesting story. Mikel Janin on art does a good job, aside from a few stiff character moments. I'm adding this one to my list. I could see it being the underdog story of the whole relaunch if it can up the ante issue to issue. And more Zatanna is always a good thing...

New 52: Week Four (wave 2)

Blue Beetle #1: I want to like the new Blue Beetle. The character, not just this title. I've enjoyed his appearances in other comics and I liked the one episode I've seen of Brave and the Bold that featured him. For some reason though I've just never connected with him. Unfortunately, that carried over into his new number 1 issue. Adding such a sci-fi feel to the book didn't do the concept any favors though. In fact, now I feel like this is DC's attempt at a Nova-style character, with a whole mass of scarabs out in the cosmos just flying around waiting to bestow power on unsuspecting teenagers.


Tony Bedard does a poor job with the writing of this book. Dialogue is awkward, characterizations seem off and at time even stereotypical and the story is boring and repetitive of other, better books. The art by Ig Guara, whose work I'd never encountered before, was lackluster at best. This was one of the weaker books out this week and I won't be picking it up again.


Captain Atom #1: The comic book science, and old fashioned feel of this book were just what I needed this week. I've always been a Captain Atom fan and though it seems doubtful that this book will have a long life, I'll be onboard until it's end if it maintains this level of fun. I like the Captain Atom in this book. He's stoic and serious as always but philosophical as well. Sort of the New DCs version of Silver Surfer.

This is the first book I've genuinely enjoyed by JT Krul since he wrote the Blackest Night Titans series. He's reeled in his tendency toward writing cloying dialogue and focused more on superheroics. The Freddie Williams II art was great too. I've enjoyed his work before, particularly on Justice Society All Stars. His style here has been changed up enough to separate it from his past pencil work but his characters still emote and "act". This guy is a great visual storyteller.

Again, this book was good. Surprisingly, it will make the jump to my pull list.

Nightwing #1: Nightwing is my favorite member of the extended Batman family. When I first got back into comics in the early 00's his title was one of the ones I got hooked on. This feels like a natural part of those Dick Grayson stories with a new cast, new setting (the old Nightwing title was set in Bludhaven) and a closer tie to the Bat books. It's a solid book, with an interesting story that gives some back story to Dick and his early life in the circus. Unfortunately, it's just "solid". I used to dig the sense of fun and adventure in a Nightwing book and those feel absent here.

However, I'll be adding it to my pulls. Kyle Higgins obviously has a plan for the book and title character and I have enough of an interest in the title character to stick around for a bit. The Eddy Barrows art is, again, solid. His linework is fine, his backgrounds are detailed and he has the ability to draw exciting action. Unfortunately there were some really awkward facial expressions on display here. That's nitpicking, given, but it was something I noticed.


DC Universe Presents Deadman #1: Paul Jenkins is such a spotty writer. Though he's written some great comics, he's also responsible for books like Sentry: Fallen Son. One of the worst comics I've ever read. One of his biggest faults has always been that he writes wordy books. How wordy? It took me at least 25 minutes to read this book. I realize when I'm shelling out 3 bucks for a comic spending more time on it might seem like a plus but, unfortunately, it's a dull book. Very little happened. Not only that but I feel like I've read this book before. It feels like something that Neil Gaiman or Allan Moore would have written far better in the 80's.

On the other hand I was really impressed by Bernard Chang's art and the dynamic cover that Ryan Sook did. Chang rests comfortable in that Darwyn Cooke cartooning camp but without the nostalgic tint that defines most of that ilk. His pencils are perfectly suited to this character, I just wish the writing could stack up to it. I'll be passing on this book unless I'm a fan of the next writer they bring on.


Green Lantern Corps. #1: Falling directly in line with previous continuity, this book doesn't feel like a number one issue at all. Not only does it do a poor job of introducing new readers to the Corps or the lead characters but it's boring to boot. Choosing to focus on Guy Gardner trying to find a job as a football coach, and John Stewart failing to keep a job as an architect rather than a more introductory or action-heavy story seems like a mistake to me.

Peter Tomasi has been working with these characters and concepts almost as long as Geoff Johns has. However, where Johns excels at concepts, character and dialogue Tomasi writes tends to buckle in those areas whenever he's writing these characters. The Fernando Pasarin art is fine, but there's very little to be said about it. He gets the job done.

If you love sci-fi or just the Green Lantern concept this is probably the book for you. After well over five years though, I'm burned out on this type of book. Pass.


Legion of Super-Heroes #1: Why was this book even relaunched? Taking place entirely outside the relaunched timeline (seriously, a character even refers to the Flashpoint time-change and the fact that it hasn't affected these characters or their universe) the story picks right back up where it ended before the new 52. And it's just not my thing. There are way too many characters, the writing is overflowing with exposition and the art is subpar. I've got nothing more to say about this.

Justice League #1 Team Review

Almost a month since it's release date we're finally ready to talk about Justice League. I remember posting a story about a Jim Lee/Geoff Johns JL title all the way back in 2009 so suffice to say this has been a long time coming. To review the book in as varied a way as possible I've enlisted the help of former co-hosts on the podcast, Jason Utes and Paul Shirley. Let's get to it.

What worked:

Seth: For me, the highlight of a good team book has always been about the interplay between the characters. Sure it's fun to see them crush massive enemies but I want to see some pithy banter exchanged between leads in between all that. In this first issue we get almost nothing but interplay. When it works, it's fantastic. By focusing on only two characters (Green Lantern and Batman), with a small section featuring Vic Stone (Cyborg) in the first issue, Johns was able to focus on setting up the world these characters inhabit and craft some really fun exchanges between Bats and GL.

The characters in this book are younger, less polished, and not necessarily the ones we know and love. Batman seems like more of a rookie than we've seen him in a long time. More the Year One Batman than the Hush version. Johns' portrayal of Green Lantern/Hal has drawn a lot of flack for being a cocky piece of crap. Frankly, I loved it. Especially after reading Green Lantern #1 and getting an idea of the character arc Hal is in for. Some times it's good to see a character evolve and I'm going to thoroughly enjoy that aspect of this book.

Jim Lee has helped to set the tone of the New DCU with this issue. Though a bit scratchier than some of his more recent work, it's still hyper detailed and beautifully rendered. Lee has always been one of the great action storytellers and he doesn't disappoint here. The opening shoot out on the roofs of Gotham was perfectly choreographed and even exciting. Alex Sinclair on colors does a fantastic job of adding atmosphere to the book as well.

Jason: I came to the DC game extremely late, so this entire relaunch business can, for me, be just as much of a “jumping off” point as it is a “jumping on” point for others.  It is a little bit frustrating for me that I was recently establishing a real feel for the context of the DCU and now I need to discard a lot of that.  Nonetheless, as a relatively new reader now being rendered a newcomer once again, I was entertained by this issue and remain interested enough to stay onboard for now.  This book has been pushed as DC’s “flagship” title for this relaunch, and thankfully, they seem intent on treating it as such- Lee’s pencils alone make this feel like an event.

Now, I’m known in some circles (and by some circles, I mean Seth) for having canned responses for everything.  I’m busy, and I don’t have time to saunter into your realm and bicker with you cretins about your funny books.  So in that spirit and in an attempt to not flat-out repeat everything Seth said (yet essentially repeat what I said in that paragraph up there…..I’m just intentionally wasting time and space here….). 

Paul: Did this issue work? Was it good? Did it meet expectations?... With all the "Dream Team" flak going on in pop culture this past year, trust me when I say this is the One team that I expect to meet expectations (unlike the Miami Heat who couldn't get the win, and the not-so-dreamy Philadelphia Eagles. And yes, I'm aware this is a comic blog). Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are a perfect fit for the Justice League. This first issue focused on easily two of the best characters in comics, Green Lantern (Hal) and Batman. I have no doubt that by the time Johns and Lee step off the book, there will plenty of critics complaining about this thing and that thing. If they didn't, what would they write about? But the fact is, we have a rare jewel in this creative team. Fans have been asking for this for AGES, and while I'm sure it won't be perfect in a nice little bow, it will undoubtedly be one of the most talked about, loved/hated series of the decade.

As for what works about this particular issue, I'll keep it short and sweet. I'm sending a digital high five to Seth for his points, for which I unanimously agree. As for Lee's art, let me say I loved it (wow, bet you didn't see that coming). I love his art anyway, but I was a little afraid I'd see Bats from Hush and Supes from For Tomorrow in here, and I didn't really want to. This is supposed to be new, fresh- the flagship for the new 52. I felt like everything about the art was just that: Jim Lee perfection meets subtle innovation. I mean come on, tell me you didn't love that last page with Superman's new "Kryptonian Armor"?

Johns conducted a fantastic story. He managed to do what many authors (with a few exceptions) have failed to do with this soft reboot: invite new readers with little previous knowledge. The GL/Bats banter is spot on, and I can already tell from issue one that these characters have so much more to show, with real personality and true depth. One more little thing I really enjoyed was the last line, Superman questioning Batman, "So... what can you do?" Heck yes, I can't wait to read Superman v/s Batman.

What didn't work:

Seth: Too much exposition sort of clogged up the works. Yes, I know we're establishing a brand new status quo here but some of the dialogue made me feel like I was being hammered with explanations for things. I guess it's admirable Johns didn't resort to narration balloons for everything but still, the dialogue in this issue was a bit spotty.

The only other complaint I have is with Superman's costume. It looks okay when drawn by Lee, but in every other book I've seen him in it nearly makes me want to toss it across the room in fear. A very minor complaint I know, and in all honesty, one not necessarily aimed at this book.

Jason: My complaints here are really just gripes due to my inability to suspend disbelief for the interest of story and character development.  I stand firmly on the side of those who believe Hal Jordan is being portrayed as a glowing green phallus.  I find nothing endearing about this character whatsoever, but I’m well aware they’re building him up to the point where his heart will grow three sizes- Then he’ll pull Superman’s head out of a kryptonite toilet and really bring the team together.

Meanwhile, we have a grown man in a batsuit pantsing muggers and getting in karate fights with helicopters on the evening news, but he’s managed to remain a myth to GL and completely unknown to Superman.  All I’m trying to suggest here is that if I had a magic ring and I heard rumors about BATMAN, I’d think myself up a flying green sandwich and investigate much sooner, if even for amusement.

If I’m being serious, I felt that some of the dialogue was a little painful.  Specifically, I felt like the jokes were a little bit reaching (HA!  Says THIS guy).  For a man who has seen multiple worlds, Green Lantern speaks like an Autozone employee, and Batman just shouldn’t be that playful.   Oh, and I was bored during the football game.

Paul: In case you haven't noticed, Seth is the level headed critical view, Jason brings the witty cynical aspect, and I tend to... well, be the naive fanboy. That being said, I'm going to try to give some valid criticism here. For one, I can see how some of the more drastic changes may scare people away. I hear the complaints concerning Hal's attitude, and I can see their validity for people that are unfamiliar with the character. Since he's one of my favorite characters, I'm excited about where his development is going, but I can definitely recognize that he may put off some readers. As for the Superman costume, I love it. However, I am afraid it may alienate age-old fans of Sups. And trust me, I'm right there with you all. I guess I'm just more excited about what's ahead, and trying not to dwell on what may be lost in translation. After all, this is the comics world, and anything is possible.

The one off-hand complaint I have concerns Batman's character. As Jason commented, if Green Lantern heard of Bats, he'd surely find out if it was true, right? Perhaps. What is more difficult for me is the fact that Batman wasn't well-versed on Green Lantern. Well, maybe not that he wasn't "well versed," but rather that he was rather skeptical. I realize that this Batman is a bit "green behind the gills," but the Bruce Wayne I know makes it his business to have this kind of knowledge. I love the idea of these fresh-off-the-press heroes, but this felt a little strange to me.

Overall:

Seth: This was the book that introduced us to the new 52 and I'd say it did it's job. It seems like a very workmanlike issue in a way. It's not interested in flashy action or a giant set piece. It introduces us to a couple of our leads, and sets about putting the band together. The art is wonderful, the action that is here is kinetic and fun and the interplay between the leads is interesting.

I've heard the book bashed for being decompressed but I don't think that's the case. It's setting things up and it does so in a way that seems reminiscent of Bendis' early work on Ultimate Spider-Man. I think that works and it doesn't throw too much out there that would overwhelm a new reader. I believe it's a great introductory issue and honestly believe it's only going to get better from here.

Jason: I liked this issue.

As far as keeping completely new readers for the long haul, I’m not exactly sure how it’s going to pan out.  Certainly, there was an explosion of new readers (and thanks to that the “New 52” has only been the “New 2” for me thus far, because I was too busy to update my pull list), but I’m fairly certain if you were just some gluehead who got caught up in the hype you won’t be sticking around.  This crap’s expensive.  If you were a Marvel fan with a sincere interest in checking out DC, this book should hold your interest at least through this arc.

Paul: I have looked forward to this issue for months, and even years before it was announced. This is the team we've always wanted, and now we have it. Was it the best single issue ever?... No. Was it great? Well, I thought so. This issue has spiked my interest in a way that I haven't felt since Morrison's run on Batman and Robin. I know one thing, when next month's releases roll around, I'll be rushing to my comic store for my pulls the morning JL #2 arrives. (By the way, did anyone else notice our Superman colors?)

A Plea to the Nerd Population of Planet Internet

　

Another day another internet-spawned, DC related controversy. What has raised the hackles of the angry masses this time? Apparently an issue of Catwoman and an issue of a terrible little comic called Red Hood & the Outlaws. Both books have been taken to task over their portrayal of women. Most seem to agree that the books are objectifying it's heroines and some are going so far as to claim it's another example of DC misogyny.

I'll quickly lay my cards on the table and state that Red Hood & the Outlaws is a bad book. Its poorly written, and if not for the art would probably go down as one of the worst I've read in years. The misogyny that fanboys and fangirls are pointing toward comes in the form of one of the main characters' (Starfire) promiscuous nature and panel after panel displaying her in various, absurd poses while wearing next-to-nothing. It's exaggerated to the point of parody and does nothing to help the poor characterization, lame dialogue, and dull plotting of the book.

However, the poses, and attitude of Starfire (which is, already, a ridiculous sentence that really displays the irony of how "serious" this argument has become) are pretty much in keeping with the way the character has been portrayed for at least the last 8 or so years. For further proof of this refer to 52 wherein she ran around literally naked half the book. Starfire is just one of those characters who has been locked into this sort of fanboy-pandering characterization. It's nothing new. I don't condone it, and being a stodgy old man I don't really approve of it, but it's nothing new.

The same holds true for Catwoman. Honestly, I can't quite figure out why people are targeting this book in the first place. Catwoman has always been a sultry character who slinks around in tight leather and has a relationship with Batman. It's silly to even begin to act like this book has shown the character in some sort of unspeakable display of misogyny. It hasn't. The art, the poses, and the characterization (I'm using that word a lot) of Selina as shown in this book are perfectly in line with the 90's Chuck Dixon series, and her recent appearances in Batman Inc. I'd even go so far as to say her appearance in that book was even more cheesecake than what is seen of her here.

So why is everyone up in arms?

As near as I can tell, nerds just want a cause. Something to rant against. This was evident earlier this year when DC was first hit with the "misogyny" label over their supposed lock-out of women creators. People rushed to slam DC for their "blatant sexism" ignoring facts such as that there are generally very few women superhero comics creators. Look across the market ladies and gents, there is a very small group of female superhero comics creators. This isn't to say there aren't women writing and drawing comics. Indeed some of my favorite creators are ladies. Maybe DC didn't do enough to hire women, maybe it did. To this day I find it very hard to believe that DC went out of it's way to lock women out of the creative process. It makes little to no sense.

None the less, that was the fanboy cry. Blog posts were written, site coverage was given, heck Dan Didio and Jim Lee issued a statement declaring their commitment to diversity.

The funniest thing about this whole outcry was that everyone was more than happy to rant and rave about the problem but no one was able to offer a solution. Did the nerds writing blog posts offer up suggestions for ways to integrate more women into the mainstream superhero market? Nah, that would interfere with the time spent "borrowing" other writers arguments against DC and claiming them as their own. Or it would have cut into the time spent spouting off meaningless data read on twitter. I'm looking at you, guy-who-asked-Dan Didio-about-the-percentage-of-women-creative-at-Comic Con.

It's easy to whine, rant, and moan about perceived problems but actually takes thought and original ideas to come up with solutions.

So now we're onto the Starfire/Catwoman controversy. DC-gate. I'm not sure who first pointed out the Starfire one but whoever went after Catwoman needs to read more than one comic staring the character before attacking the book and DC in general. The amount of articles now written about this single issue of a comic that portrays the title character perfectly in keeping with prior continuity is one of the most blatant examples of the hive-mind that is internet comics fandom I've ever seen.

I spent some time last night reading an article on Comics Alliance about this subject written by their leader, Laura Hudson. It's a well-written piece about the misrepresentation of female characters in the DC relaunch. Of course it ignores strong female characters like Batgirl, Wonder Woman and the Birds of Prey but hey, she's on her soapbox and she can write well and expresses some valid points. If you read the comments section of said article though it's a different story. Essentially you have 1000+ comments echoing (occasionally word-for-word) what Laura said or exclaiming how right she is in her views. Those poor few who post to voice their disagreement are met with derision, or, of course, accusations of being misogynists, pigs, inbred hillbillies, or uneducated dolts.

I didn't read a single comment that offered a valid point that would have bolstered Laura's post. Heck, to be honest most of the people who posted to argue AGAINST her weren't really making any valid points. It's instead a maelstrom of uninformed opinion, blatant plagiarism, or name calling.

Listen, I'm not on the side of displaying women in a misogynist manner or objectifying anyone. Heck, I'm sort of a prude when it comes to this stuff. But come on, nerds (of which I am one) try and come up with some original thoughts. Inform yourselves. Don't quote meaningless numbers that you read on twitter. Don't shout misogyny as soon as you hear someone else do it. For the love of all that's holy... LEAVE THE HIVE. It's okay to have opinions contrary to those held by your favorite comics news site. It's okay to disagree with that one guy you follow on twitter. It's okay to actually make some statements that aren't regurgitated from an article or blog post you just read.

I'm not taking the creative teams side on their portrayal of Starfire but I am asking you why you're so dead set against or for them. Do you even know?