I suppose I should probably get around to discussing your responses to my inquiry about how folks feel regarding DC’s New 52 initiative. …Especially since, thanks to Jim, we’re up to 52 comments! Coincidence? …Nah.
I’m probably going to go through over the next day or so and respond more thoroughly to specific comments, but the first thing that I noticed was that a few people are not entirely thrilled with Action Comics thus far, citing plot or art concerns. And, I can understand that….
A PROGRESSIVE RUIN ACTION ALERT! Okay, I just deleted several rambling paragraphs about changes to the Superman franchise and how this new status quo may be interfering with Morrison’s storytelling, or at least reader interaction with same, and blah blah blah you can read what I already wrote about some of my disconnect with this New 52 Superman here. In essence, I think Morrison may have been better served picking up from where the previous Superman creative teams left off, and just telling crazy new stories with the franchise’s toys (like he did with his New X-Men run) without having to deal with these editorially-mandated alterations. Of course, “Superman’s New Costumes!” gets more real world media attention than “Mad Scottish Writer Takes Over Superman, Vows Revenge” so that probably wasn’t going to happen.
Anyway, a lot of what I wrote felt awfully dismissive of people’s reactions to the actual plotting and pacing of the stories, which I totally wasn’t intending to do, so out all that went. I do think there’d be less of a disconnect if it were stories about the Superman we knew and not the post-Flashpoint version, but that wouldn’t necessarily address any storytelling concerns folks might have. I mean, I like Morrison’s Action quite a bit, and it’s selling very well for us, but I can see where people might not be so into it. “‘Your mileage may vary,’ he clichéd.”
I do admit that I’m not sure I like how Jimmy Olsen is being drawn in Action. I prefer the “Representational Archie Andrews” version of the character.
Urgh. My struggling over even that bit of incoherent weblogging took up all my ProgRuin time tonight, and then some, so I’ll get to your specific comments and such tomorrow. Especially those terrible, terrible things being said about Swamp Thing.
…Yes, today’s post was bit of a carwreck. Please enjoy its flaming glory, and I’ll see you tomorrow.
So we’re three issues deep on the New 52 DC titles (and onto the fourth issue for the first-weekers), and we’ve now seen how sales are shaking out for the various series. Justice League, Action Comics, Batman and Detective seem to be the big winners, at least at our shop. Animal Man and Swamp Thing were the surprise hits…and not just at our shop, so you can’t blame the Sterling Factor for the Swampy sales. (“Hey, did you get the new Swamp Thing?” “Nah, wasn’t interested.” “You should really buy it.” “I said I wasn’t….” “I’m putting it in your bag…you’re BUYING IT.”)
But now that we’re a little over three months in…how are you, as readers, liking the titles? Did some start strong for you, then sort of peter out? Or did some grab you right away and then just sort of meander their way out of your hearts and pull lists? Or did some just plain hit the spot right out of the gate, and continue to satisfy month in and month out?
In my case, I thought Justice League started weakly, but improved a bit with subsequent installments. Granted, I don’t know that we needed a “watch the team slowly assemble over several months” storyline, but it’s been enjoyable, and Wonder Woman’s introduction in #3 was a hoot.
Fury of Firestorm didn’t do anything for me at first, which may have more to do with my reaction as a longtime fan to the drastic rearranging of the character’s premise than any particular “flaw” in the book. As more issues have come out, I’m come to appreciate and enjoy the series, though my fanboy jury is still out in regards to the All-New, All-Different Cliff Carmichael.
The other book I didn’t much care for at first is Superman, which, as I noted at the time, was more exposition-dump than story, and more interesting than, you know, entertaining. And that interest stemmed from curiosity about how the New 52-version of Superman differed from the Supes we knew before…I mean, aside from the terrible costume. Again, as more issues have come out, things have improved slightly and the direction of the story is a little more clear. However, I still can’t shake the feeling that we’re not reading stories about the real Superman, but rather some Elseworlds/parallel universe version, which, I suppose, we are, in a way. (And perhaps it seems even more removed to those folks who think the mid-’80s reboot Superman is an imposter.)
Swamp Thing I am still enjoying, naturally, though I do wish a bit that they’d swamp or get off the pot already and get Alec Holland back into Swamp Thing-form. Yes, I know, they’re leading up to it…I’m just being impatient.
That was probably the worst thing I had to say about the New 52 books I’m following…the ones I didn’t care for I dropped right away (Mister Terrific – just didn’t like the writing or art; Justice League International – nothing about it really grabbed me). So, overall, aside from those two, the New 52 titles I started with in September I’ve either continued to enjoy or have moved from “eh” to “okay, I’m enjoying it now” – in the latter case either the books actually have improved or my taste is declining, and there are solid arguments for both possibilities.
Just for the record, here are the New 52 titles I’m reading: Action, Animal Man, Aquaman, Batgirl, Batwoman, DC Universe Presents, Demon Knights, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E., Fury of Firestorm, Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians, Justice League, Justice League Dark, O.M.A.C., Red Lanterns, Superman, and Swamp Thing. …Gee, looks like a lot when I write ’em out like that. Also, for someone who sure complains about multiple titles for the same franchise, I sure do read a lot of Green Lantern series.
Anyway, please let me know in the comments…how are you feeling about the new DC books you’re reading thus far? Have they improved? Have you dropped any? Have any surprised you? Isn’t O.M.A.C. the greatest? GIVE ME INPUT.
So I asked for caption submissions for that Swamp Thing/Starfire/Robin pic, and several of you delivered some good lines. I have picked this one as the winner, emailed to me in that time-honored format of the gag motivational poster:
That’s from reader Michael (whose fine first name had no influence upon my decision), and you can visit his website, with many more funnybook-related motivational posters like the above, at Michael Paciocco’s Mind.
Thank you, Michael, and thank you to everyone else who contributed!
In other news:
Tim O’Neil writes smart about the passing of Dwayne McDuffie and the great value of his work.
So that Chris Sims guy has a story in Image Comics’ Skullkickers #6 and would like you to buy it. I have read it, and it is the kind of subtle, thoughtful and heartstring-tugging work you’ve come to expect from anything with the name “Chris Sims” slapped on it. Very recommended.
I’m not big on this type of fighting game, but after seeing some footage of the Galactus battles in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, I’m intrigued. Here’s an article with some details on his appearance in the game, and an embedded video showing the big guy in action (short ad at beginning of video, Galactus shows up at the 45 second mark).
And now, for no good reason other than that my pal Corey pointed out to me that it was up on the YouTube, here is one of my all-time favorite SNL sketches:
It’s not so much that it’s laugh-out-loud funny as it is just damned peculiar.
Here’s a colorful cast of crazy characters from the May 1983 DC Comics retailer order form…click on the pic below for a larger image:
Now that’s a Justice League line-up I’d like to see.
I was trying to come up with some funny dialogue or a humorous caption for the above picture, but my fever-addled brain is having none of it, so you folks go ahead and give it a shot. My favorite gets…oh, I don’t know, a big fat plug for their webpage or whatever on my site, for all the good that’ll do you. Just keep it…somewhat clean, is all I ask. (Both the submission and the website you’d like me to plug.)
The timing on this worked out fairly well, as I’m under the weather and this is content provided by YOU, the reader. As I was hoping, some of you folks took this map and did something creative and amusing with it, which, as someone in need of some cheering, I very much appreciate.
So in the Millennium trade paperback (by Steve Englehart, Joe Staton and Ian Gibson), there’s a scene where alien Green Lantern Arisia comments on her own acclimation to life on Earth…well, specifically to one particular region of Earth:
Well, that seemed rife with possibilities, and while the original panel is Funny Because It’s True (I mean, I’m an American, and I love my grub and drink), I suspected there were other folks Arisia could sound like.
So here you go…some pals of mine and I have cooked up a few alternatives:
(by Steve Englehart, Joe Staton and Ian Gibson), there’s a scene where alien Green Lantern Arisia comments on her own acclimation to life on Earth…well, specifically to one particular region of Earth:
