Throwback Thursday - One Year of DC's New 52 (2 Years Later)

This was originally posted on my Tumblr back on August 31, 2012. Funny how I haven't read any comics in at least a year now. 

One Year of DC’s New 52 - Growing Up

While this isn’t really a response to Ryan over at The Signal Watch, it is inspired by his recent post about DC’s relaunch and growing up and, well, life, I guess. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, though I don’t completely disagree either. Just minor details. Anyway it’s a very good post so be sure to check it out here.

So, it’s been one year since DC’s relaunch and I’ve been a big defender of it from the onset. The idea of a fresh start to the universe was just appealing and frankly, necessary. Whether it needed to be a full reboot or not, something had to be done. Characters like Wonder Woman and Superman were just not working anymore. Batman was, which is why nothing was really changed there. I had tired of Green Lantern, but it still had an audience as well. Either way, I welcomed a reboot. Once the books were out and I tried most of  them, what stood out to me was the idea that they were publishing a variety of books with different creators and tones to appeal to a wider audience. They weren’t setting out to appeal to everyone with every title. Who can afford 52 books a month, after all? Take the Batman family for example. Early on, I realized I wasn’t going to be reading all of them. I did not care for Dark Knight or Detective Comics. Not my thing, though a lot of people did like those. But the Batman title, with Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo continues to be one of my favorite books, a year later. And as long as that team (particularly Snyder) is involved, it will likely be the only superhero book I’ll continue to read a year from now. 

In addition to the varied tone, the representation of genre in the new books has kept me interested in DC at a time when I’ve been moving further and further away from an interest in reading about men in tights. Books like Swamp Thing, Animal Man and Frankenstein, while they take place in the same universe as Justice League are far from being the same kind of book as Justice League. Even Wonder Woman has basically been a Vertigo book under Azzarello, which suits me fine. Granted, I follow creators such as Lemire and Snyder closely and would probably read their grocery lists, so I’m not sure I would be reading these books if someone else were writing them. Matt Kindt took over Frankenstein at the perfect time, as I had just gotten into his style as well. And, by the way, creator turn around and cancellations were to be expected since many of the books were basically an experiment, and during a time when publishing a book that doesn’t sell is not really an option, so I can’t fault them for that. Whether or not creators left under bad circumstances, I don’t necessarily worry too much about, and I don’t say that as some blind defense of DC. But my concern is really just the books themselves.

If there is one glaring problem with the New 52 it’s the continuity issue. If you ask me, the mistake isn’t that the continuity doesn’t make sense, it’s that the concept of continuity between a wide range of books should be completely abandoned. I read Batman and Wonder Woman. I do not read Justice League, nor do I care how those characters are represented in that book. For me, it works out, so far. There is no “Batman” as a character. There is only the Batman as interpreted by whoever is currently writing him. Grant Morrison himself played with this idea in his run by trying to incorporate every version of the character into canon. It was bold and fun, but ultimately, it doesn’t really work outside of his run. I don’t mind if one creator tells a story that directly contradicts what another did before. The truth is that that has always been the case in comics. The idea of continuity was only forced onto the medium in an attempt to market to us as we got older and make us buy more books. It doesn’t have to be that way.

I do worry that eventually, possibly soon, DC will try to start shoehorning events from one book into another. They’ll want to try to get me to buy more books again, and in desperation will resort to this old tactic. So far, though, the two crossovers I’ve dealt with, The Court of Owls and The Rot, have happened organically within the series themselves. What’s more, with The Court of Owls, I did not, nor did I feel like I had to, read any of the other Batman books. And this is key, because this is what has reduced my Marvel reading to almost nothing. I am no longer interested in giant, company wide events that “change everything,” which I know is ironic since I’m defending a relaunch that came from just that. Basically, I just want to read my book, month to month, and not worry about a “big picture.” If I’m not already interested in Justice League, interrupting my Batman story because The Justice League is in a heated battle against the Teen Titans, is not going to go far in making me buy either of those two books. In fact, that just happened over at Marvel and I dropped Wolverine and The X-Men as a result.

I’m also completely ok with characters being changed. I always say it’s in the execution. So the idea of changing Superman, for example, is not problematic to me. The problem is that the reality of the relaunch was that the new version of Superman, even Morrison’s, just wasn’t interesting to me. In the case of Morrison, I just feel he already told the only Superman story that ever needed telling in All Star Superman. But again, not every book is for me. And that’s fine. I’ll read the ones that are until they aren’t.

You know what else wasn’t for me, after all? Before Watchmen. I defended the idea of it and still do. But after trying a few of the first issues, what I found was that it just wasn’t necessary. In his post, Ryan talks about how superhero comics are no longer exploring anything meaningful. I can totally see that, though I don’t see anything wrong with that necessarily (a good story can just be a good story). However, I think that observation nails absolutely what I didn’t like about the Before Watchmen books I read. It turns out that anything Alan Moore didn’t already explore in the original, has been explored, deconstructed and reconstructed in the countless stories inspired by Watchmen. Books like The Authroity, which Ryan mentions, have filled any gaps. I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been possible to make the Before Watchmen books relevant or at least not seem redundant, but again, it’s all in the execution and I don’t think they executed. I could be wrong since I only read the first issue of a few of them, though. I might check them out when they get collected.

Overall, the fact is, we’re all growing up (FINALLY!). I’m 39 now with a daughter and another child on the way. That’s not to say we should give up comics, or even superhero comics. But we’re not going to be into the same things anymore. What’s more, for years now, we’ve been the target audience for Marvel and DC and it’s no secret that that has been a huge mistake on their part. They have not cultivated new readers along the way. Now they are taking action because they are waking up to the fact that we are slowly moving away from their product anyway. At least I am. I read a lot more independent books than I ever have, and virtually none of those are superhero books. So no, they aren’t publishing books for us. For that, I am glad, actually. I’d rather they continue than die with me. I’d rather whole new generations grow up on virtually unrecognizable versions of the same characters I love than to see the characters completely go away. I want to hear my kids, in 35 years, complaining about how DC broke up Superman and Wonder Woman.

Comics of the Week - Icons in Transition

I continue to enjoy Snyder and Capullo on Batman. The Court of Owls story is getting more and more complex as we go along, going back into the past to reveal some startling details about Gotham and the Bat family. This week, we find out that Dick Grayson was meant to be a Talon for the Court. This revelation is sure to cause some controversy among the fanboys. I think it plays right into what Snyder is doing. And what he's doing is ultimately something that needs to be done. As much as I love Batman, he's fallen into the same trap that Superman always ends up in as a character: he's just too much of a badass. Rocking his world like Snyder is doing, making him question his ties to Gotham and his very family, is ultimately something that will ground the character. I'm not sure how I feel about the Night of the Owls event crossing over into the rest of the Bat books, though. One thing I've enjoyed about the relaunch is that I can completely ignore the idea of continuity. I can just read the books I like and not worry about anything happening in other books. Each writer can do what they want, or so I thought. Sure, this idea came from Snyder, but what if Snyder were forced to write in a concept that came from another creator, one I may not like. I think doing a crossover is fine when it originates with the writers, as it is with Swamp Thing and Animal Man. But this seems like DC trying to bring together the Bat books, when having them separate and on their own is kind of working just fine. Either way, I don't intend to read anything I wouldn't normally read just because of this.

Wonder Woman also continues to ground the character in unexpected ways. Three times a year, the Amazons hijack passing ships, then rape and kill all the men in order to get pregnant. Also, when they have boys, they would kill them, if not for Hephaestus, who saves them by trading them for weapons and taking them to work in his forge, building weapons, mostly for the Amazons. Dark, grim stuff. Personally, I like it. I think it's logical and Diana's reaction to it brings a new depth to her character. This complexity of character is something Azzarello is good at and here it is pulled off very well. My concern is that now I'm not sure if Wonder Woman can be a traditional, iconic hero. While I am OK with that, I wonder how you can ever create an all ages version of this history. If the idea of the relaunch was to appeal to a broader audience, a younger audience, I'm not sure this will accomplish that. Up until now, I was looking forward to giving these books to my daughter as soon as she gets a little older. Now, it seems I'll have to wait longer than I thought. And that's fine, since I'm still enjoying it and I think it's an interesting direction to take. I'm just curious as to how long this will stand before DC has to reboot it yet again, because they can't market it to younger readers. This may have worked better as a Vertigo book, much like Marvel does with their Max line of titles.

Comics of the Week - There's Really Only One

For a few weeks in a row, now, I've been going on about Fantastic Four and the epic story Jonathan Hickman started telling a couple years ago. This week, Fantastic Four #603 concluded this story and the ending did not disappoint. Big action. Big ideas. And it all came together going back to the very beginning of this saga. What's left after all of this sets up a great status quo going forward. Hickman is off of Fantastic Four in October, I believe, so it will be interesting to see what's next.

Another arc that wrapped up was in Batman and Robin #7. One of the great things about the relaunch has been the tonal variety of the books. Yes, there are a lot of Batman books, but each one is slightly different in tone and you have a Batman for each taste. For me, it's been Scott Snyder's Batman, mainly, but Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Robin has been right up there as well. This first arc was a great re-introduction to Damian as we see him and Bruce adapt to being partners as well as father and son. The dynamic between Batman and Robin is skewed from what Bruce was used to in many ways, such as Damian possibly being a tiny bit of a psychopath. Patrick Gleason's art continues to impress me. He's not getting the same attention that Capullo is getting over on Batman, but this book looks just as good.

Then there's Saga. . . . I read this first, and I very nearly didn't bother reading anything else. I just sort of sat there, wondering why all comics couldn't be this good. Brian K. Vaughn may be the best writer in comics right now, if not, ever. And I don't think that's an overstatement. There is just something about his characters that can keep the most insane things grounded and the reader fully absorbed. Saga is like taking the craziest elements of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and maybe Dune, amping up the far out concepts, but then, somehow, making it all cohesive, relatable and completely plausible from page 1. I think he does this because regardless of the concepts, he's telling a story, first and foremost, and is concerned with the human element, even if the characters aren't human. He can somehow make you care about a character the minute you see them, because he chooses what your first impression is going to be so carefully, and then backs it up as the story moves forward. He's not re-inventing the wheel here, so it's ironic that that is what makes this such a breath of fresh air. You never get the sense that he's trying to blow your mind in any way. There's no pretension and the whole thing comes off as completely organic. It's like the author completely disappeared and this book is just happening. This is about as perfect a first issue as it can get. Everything is laid out, without tons of exposition. You never feel lost. And a big part of that is Fiona Staple's art. She clearly has the chops to be flashy if she wanted, but instead she gives us visual storytelling of the highest order, never showing off for the sake of showing off. Every line, every expression is there for a reason. The looks on faces tell stories of their own. And that's not to say the art isn't beautiful, because it is. But it's there to serve the story. This is a creative team that is clearly in sync here. Pick this up now! This book will save your life. . . . OK, that was over the top, but still, pick it up and read it in issues. I can tell it's going to be a great ride already.

For the Kids - Wonder Woman

One of the greatest joys for me as a father is reading to my daughter. We try to read a little bit of everything to her from Little Golden Books to Dr. Seuss. At two and half, she's starting to follow along with the actual story somewhat, so I wanted to start giving her some positive female role models to counteract the Disney Princess flood. With me as a father, she's at least aware of who the major superheroes are (hell, she's named after Hawkgirl). She was Wonder Woman this past Halloween and we recently got a couple of books designed to help kids learn to read featuring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, and another featuring Spider-Man. One of my proudest moments came recently when I started to read from one of these:

"Clark Kent is a reporter for the Daily Planet. He is secretly Super-"

"NO! I want Batman!!"

Thing is, there's only one Wonder Woman story in the book, so I wanted more. I looked online and quickly realized there wasn't much to go on, so I turned to Twitter and asked for a recommendation from Ali Colluccio AKA Wonder Ali, who's articles I've read on iFanboy. She was nice enough to recommend, glowingly, Wonder Woman: The Story of the Amazon Princess by Ralph Cosentino. (Coincidentally, about a week later, iFanboy posted this article on the subject of young girls and comics, which is definitely worth a read.)

So, I ordered the book and it came in on Wednesday, comic day, which only added to my excitement for it. I opened the Amazon box and looked through it, immediately struck by the bright art. Reminiscent of Power Puff girls, it was clean and cartoonish and it popped. The design, while maintaining a storybook form, called to mind comic style and structure. The story is simple enough, covering all the basic Wonder Woman bits. She was made out of clay. She wins a contest on Paradise Island. She flies her invisible jet. She saves people and animals and battles Cheetah, Circe, Ares, etc. Nothing groundbreaking, but it is presented in a very economical way that still flows for children. It's everything I wanted and more. I hope I can find more material like this, maybe featuring other female heroes, and that are, hopefully, more than just origin stories.

While I didn't read it to her that night (I was reading my own comics, thank you!), I did read it to her last night and I am happy to report that we loved it. As I read the opening lines about where Wonder Woman comes from, she repeated "Paradise Island" and kept echoing the end of each section for a few pages. Eventually, she just settled back in bed and listened, drifting off, dreaming (I hope) of being like the strong, empowered princess that protects the world, talks to animals and generally kicks ass.

Custom mask by our good friends at Wonderland Creations.

Comic of the Week - Serious Fun

One of the big divides in comics, particularly superhero comics, is this idea that they have to either be grim and gritty or fun. The legacy of Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns was an over reliance on the grim and gritty to the point of becoming absolutely ridiculous. It's only been in the last several years that the fun has really started coming back. But the question that arises, in my mind, is whether or not we can't have both, even in the same story. Can we get a story that is serious, harrowing, has ramifications, is "realistic" and yet, is still fun? Well, the answer is yes. Of course it is. And while I'm sure there have been other comics that have accomplished this, the idea really struck me as I read Batman #5.

There's a long history of stories, particularly on TV shows, where a character (or characters) is trapped somewhere. Could be a meat locker, storage container, or some other place that won't be checked for several days, making it a survival thing. For some reason, this is what I thought of, in a good way, as I was sucked into this issue. Batman has been trapped in a labyrinth by the Court of Owls for about 8 days now. He is slowly losing his mind, possibly because the only source of water is drugged, but also because the mind games he is enduring are likely taking a toll. In addition to the trapped motif, this reminded me of British show The Prisoner. Every time Batman thinks he's got an answer, some new trick is played putting further from escape and deeper into madness. Meanwhile, out in Gotham, we have scenes of the people in Batman's life dealing with his disappearance. Seeing the way people like Gordon, Alfred and Damian worry was, to me, more poignant than anything we saw a couple of years ago when Bruce "died."

But, as I said, this book manages to take all that heaviness and somehow keep it fun. How? By making the book in such in a way that it puts you in the labyrinth with Batman. The book is essentially printed in a spiral formation. Pages start normal enough, but at a certain point, they are printed side ways, requiring a turn. Then, you turn again and it takes you a second to realize the book is now actually upside down. It's actually quite disorienting because by this point, you're just sucked in to the story, so your first instinct may have you reading out of order, which only adds to the subjectivity of this method. When the book finally turns again, the image is a shock to the system. All of this, while taking you deeper into madness, makes the actual reading a blast. Snyder and Capullo masterfully kept the story serious while playing with the medium itself in a way that never feels gimmicky.

And about Capullo: Wow. Any reservations I had when I read the first issue of this series are more than gone. I read on Twitter that the whole turning the pages thing was his idea. Clearly, he's not just drawing here, but is a storytelling partner to Snyder. Aside from the playfulness of the flipped pages, panel to panel, there are no missing steps. Batman takes comfort in the darkness while in the labyrinth and Capullo draws him, almost dripping in and out of the shadows, his cape dragging like ink as he tries desperately to disappear from his tormentors. Seeing Batman actually afraid would be one thing, but this is also about madness and duality. His masked ripped, one eye is exposed, looking like the eye of a man wracked with fear. Capullo is basically acting out this role for us. Not only are we never lost in terms of the action (unless he wants us to be, in the labyrinth) but we can feel what the characters are feeling.

I've said about all I can about Snyder at this point, in previous posts. He has done no wrong as far as I can see. I know he gets sort of pigeonholed as a horror writer, but I think this series is proving, more than anything else he's written, that he can do much more than horror. I'm not saying I want him off Batman any time soon (or ever, at this rate), but I am curious to see what he will be doing after Batman. Can he take on an actual "superhero"? I'd like to see him try.

Comics of the Week - The Feats of Strengh Edition

Heavy week for comics, quantity and quality. These aren't even all the books I really enjoyed.

As usual, here's my Scott Snyder praise. Batman #4 continues to build the mystery of the Court of Owls. Bruce's revelation that he's been investigating them since he was a boy makes perfect sense. Whether or not the conspiracy ties to his origin remains to be seen. Capullo gets better with each issue. That last page is gold. Not sure what else to say that I haven't said about every other thing Snyder has written, though. This guy is on another level.

This week, we had dueling Batmen, with Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes, the much anticipated continuation of his epic Batman story. coming out as well as Snyder's Batman. In the opening pages, there's a note letting us know this takes place before Flashpoint and the New DCU. We get to see Stephanie Brown back in action as Batgirl and Dick Grayson as Batman. All good. But, I feel like the time between that last we read and the reboot hurts the impact of anything revealed here. By the end of it, I am not sure I care enough. I'm not a continuity freak, but this is the type of story that would have ramifications on the characters. If it has no bearing on the current continuity, then I'm not sure what to do with it. On the flipside, because it's taken so long and it's a double size issue, I think it's over hyped. It's a fine story, but when we get the last reveal, I just didn't see the big deal. Had this played out in regular issues, I think it would have had better impact. None the less, it is what it is and at least we get to see where Morrison was going with this. I still look forward to the next installment.

Fantastic Four 601 was, as much as I hate the overuse of this word, epic. It was huge action and huge moments. Johnny Storm returns from the Negative Zone and the moments where his family realizes he's back were short, but just as powerful as the moments we saw when he died. This, like Morrison's Batman story, has been a long time building and it's clear that Hickman has planted seeds for everything we see from the start. Epting's art is, well, fantastic, as usual.

It was just last week that Uncanny X-Force ended the Dark Angel saga. This week, back again, picking up the pieces, Remender continues to deliver on a book that, apparently, will continue to be one of the best books published in 2012 as it was in 2011. I had one small, maybe-problem with last issue in that last bit when Angel comes back. This issue made it clear that having him be "alive" actually does not take anything away from the beauty, sadness and power of the scene with him and Betsy as he died. I also like that this issue is setting up new pieces for Wolverine and The X-Men. Fantomex has quickly become one of my favorite characters. As much I've enjoyed Wolverine develop as a character, I'm glad Remender let them argue naturally to the point that I feel Logan came off looking like a bit of an asshole. That's character depth. Also, this issue, Robbi Rodriguez on art, fitting in perfectly. His style seems a bit rougher than we've gotten in this series, but that fits thematically since, at this stage, the team is pretty much in shambles. I like it!!

Wonder Woman. Man. This is just good. It's really playing out like a Vertigo book. This is a characterization of Wonder Woman and the gods that I'm not sure I've ever seen, but is exactly right. Azzarello really shines here. I enjoyed 100 Bullets for it's twisting narrative which was appropriate to that story, but here he's letting the characters tell the story by just being. It's a much less complex narrative, so far, though I'm sure things are about to get crazy. Chiang's art is so elegant. I find myself staring at his Wonder Woman in admiration. He draws her like a real woman, who is also a warrior. She does not have giant boobs and a pencil thin waist. She feels real and sexy. I've said graceful in previous posts and that still comes to mind, but also, and obviously, powerful. 

Comics of the Week - Tension and Class

There are many challenges to writing a good mystery. It can't be too difficult to solve or it will be hard for the reader to follow. It can't be too easy of a solution, or the reader will be ahead of the story and if the main character is meant to be a great detective, they will come off looking dumb. Overall, the mystery has to make sense. On top of this, the author has to slowly give you bits and pieces and maintain a level of tension that only more answers will release. All of these challenges are met, with mastery, in this latest issue of Scott Snyder's Batman. Bruce thinks he knows Gotham better than anyone else. He's the world's greatest detective. And yet, this story is about a mystery that was right under his nose the whole time. Watching him uncover it, in all it's creepiness, was to be put off balance, just as he must feel. The story telling in this issue, from both Snyder and Greg Capullo was outstanding. The Council of Owls is a great addition to the Batman mythos. It's creepy, mysterious and menacing. It brings the right amount of conspiracy to the table, and it's somehow quite believable. I could see this story being a David Fincher movie.

There's been some talk on the internets about the changes to Wonder Woman's origin. Some people aren't too happy, but I think they are way off. This is great. Previously, Wonder Woman was made of clay by her mother, Hyppolyta and brought to life by the gods, so she had no father. This issue reveals that this was just a story, a legend, told to protect her and others from the truth. Hyppolyta had an affair with Zeus, who is Diana's father. What makes this work is that the clay story remains. As a matter of fact, the other Amazons used it to taunt Diana, calling her Clay. So, by the end of this issue, it really plays out in beautiful, symbolic form that she is breaking away from her past, as if emerging from a clay shell, while telling the Amazons not to call her Clay anymore, or Diana. She is now just Wonder Woman. It's a very elegant way to re-energize the character without having to go through a whole convoluted identity crisis like they did before the reboot. Azzarello really raised the bar here in terms of using origins to define a character. And Chiang's art is breathtaking really. His layouts are clean and economical, perfectly balancing the story. Wonder Woman looks gorgeous without the need for exaggerated sexuality. It's just plain classy.

Comics of the Week - Three is a Magic Number

It's been a while since I wrote about just one comic. I had every intention of picking only one this week, only the one I really liked best. Then I read book after great book and it was impossible to pick just one. Uncanny X-Men #544 ended the series really well, with nods to the past and an eye towards the future. Supergirl #2 picked up from last issue and delivered good story and character development once again. A lot of potential there for this series. Nightwing #2 had several revelations and several beautiful panels. But at the end of the day, it was these three that took the cake for me.

With the first issue of Batman by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo I was left a little unsure. I'm clearly a Snyder Zombie at this point and with good reason. The dude knows how to tell a story. He hasn't missed a beat yet. But this was a different Batman than what he did on Detective Comics, and the art was screaming just how different it was. Maybe it was just the shock of Capullo's art in that first issue, but I wasn't too enthusiastic, even if I did like it overall. With this issue, I'm all in. Capullo's art works perfectly here, probably because there's a lot more action. Snyder used the first issue as a bit of a re-introduction to the world of Batman, and that's fine, but for me, this is where the story really starts. Batman is up against a secret society that has existed in Gotham for hundreds of years, except he won't accept that they even exist because they are a challenge to his status as a legend. We're going to get Gotham history, which is always interesting, conspiracies, legends and Batman having to come to terms with his status as protector of Gotham. Already, I can tell this will be another legendary run in the making. Right off, we have a new villain in the form of this Society of Owls assassin, that I hope sticks around for a long time. Watching Bruce have to fight this killing machine, as Bruce, was good fun. I can't wait for more.

Speaking of legendary runs, Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang are quite possibly giving us the definitive Wonder Woman story she's never had. It's still a bit early to tell where this is going, but so far, it looks like exactly what the character needed. It's rooted in Greek mythology, but the way it's presented has more of a realistic touch to it in spite of the fantastical elements. The pairing of the story and art style is probably one of the most perfect in the relaunch. The way Chiang draws Wonder Woman is very different than anything I have seen. The emphasis is on her athleticism, though her grace comes through in her posture. She's not oversexualized at all, and as a matter of fact, her costume is quite respectable, but she is still beautiful and sexy. This may not be appropriate for young girls, given the horror elements that have and will be involved, but this is a book I would love to have my daughter read. And yet, the feminist aspect is just an afterthought. I don't believe the creators are consciously trying to do this. Instead, they are doing what good writers and artists are supposed to do, telling a good story. And the story is good. There's action to be sure, but every moment in this book felt natural to me. I even sensed a little Shakespearean touch here and there, when dealing with the Gods and it seemed appropriate and subtle. Working with mythological elements like this sometimes leads to cliche and too much cleverness on the part of the writer. This is likely where most writers have failed with Wonder Woman. Azzarello has, so far, found the right approach, by using the myths, but not being afraid of making them his own.

It's the second page of this book where a reporter asks a cop "Is it true that Kung Fu related deaths are already up 200% over last year?" And that's when I knew this book was going to be a blast. I wasn't wrong. Wolverine is packing up to leave San Francisco after the events in X-Men Schism (he's going back to Westchester to rebuild the Xavier school). Along the way, he winds up teaming up with Gorilla Man from Agents of Atlas. Together, they uncover a heroin ring that is bringing in the heroin though, well, let's just say unexpected and unconventional means. After reading about Wolverine inadvertently killing his children in the last arc, as much as I loved it, and the events in X-Men, this is a great palate cleanser of an issue from Jason Aaron. The humor in this is right on. Ron Garney's art is clean and bright. This series has been great from the beginning, but it's good to see the tone can change without negating anything that came before. With Aaron writing this book and the upcoming Wolverine and The X-Men, I suspect we'll get more consistency in how he's portrayed and in the events that take place. I am hoping that part of the story will be that he quits the Avengers to focus on the school as it's the only thing that would make sense, unless his other mutant power involves time manipulation of some sort. Or maybe in the Marvel U, the days are 40 hours long. Either way, this is still a great series and I can't imagine anyone else writing Wolverine now.

Comics of the Week - Girls, Boys, etc.

I continue to call this a good time for comics. There's one more week left of DC #1's and for me, it seems to be winding down, but each week, I find something to be surprised by. Meanwhile, other books are coming out that are just as good. But I'll just focus on the DC books this time.

I've been singing the praises of Scott Snyder, particularly his work on Detective Comics, for months now. I was really looking forward to Batman #1 and his teaming up with Greg Capullo on art. I suspected this would be my favorite book of the relaunch. It was good, but I don't think it was my favorite. I may have over hyped myself on it. Snyder is still right on, bringing something new to Batman, this time, Bruce. But something is off. Capullo's art is fine, though, I prefer the Batman scenes. His Bruce Wayne comes off too much like a pretty boy to me. But I think the problem I have is not with either the writer or the artist. The Batbooks were on a roll for the past couple of years, and when the reboot was announced I was worried they'd ruin a good thing. Then we learned that the events of the past few years would still play into the continuity of the Bat Family. The problem is, in practice, that doesn't work. It's easy to say "well, don't think about it too much," and just take the stories for what they are. And I am. But, it's hard to get past the idea that these characters could have grown and become what they are now, and yet, Bruce is somehow younger. I just get the feeling, in the back of my obsessive nerd brain, that the timeline is about to get real muddy, real fast. I'm still reading though. As I said, Snyder is still on point, introducing a new mystery that is sure to unravel into another great story arc.

There are two reasons I read Blue Beetle #1. One is that I'm interested in seeing what is being put out there for younger readers and this is supposed to be a teen book. The other reason is that this a Hispanic character and as a Hispanic character myself, I am curious about DC's diversity initiative (my words). On the first point, I think the book pulls it off. As I was reading the opening scenes, I was reminded of Invincible. I think this has a lot of potential in attracting new, younger readers. The action is there (and beautifully so, with art by Ig Guara and Ruy Jose) and the teen age drama is there. Some of the story is a little convoluted, but I think it will clear up as the series goes along. As for the Hispanic thing, it's complicated. I appreciate that the book is written by Tony Bedard, who is Puerto Rican. And there is nothing to be offended by here. But, and this really comes to personal taste, I am not a fan of minority characters, in this case Hispanic, that are almost exclusively surrounded by more minority characters. Granted, this is one issue and we are only being introduced to the characters, but I wish there had been more diversity within the cast of characters Jaime Reyes hangs out with. Other than that, the Spanglish was kept to a respectable level, although I could live with never seeing a character use the word "Chica" again. I want to see this develop and see how Jaime is incorporated into the rest of the DCU.

The Internets are on fire this week (again), because Batman and Catwoman had graphic sex in Catwoman #1 written by Judd Winick with art by Guillem March. Well, there's more to what has people upset than that. Here we have Catwoman being introduced, half naked from the start, fumbling along, until Bruce shows up. I won't go into the whole representation of women issue here (maybe later), but I didn't really care for this issue because it came across as a cheap attempt at being titillating. Oh, look Batman and Catwoman are doing it, in costume, for several pages. It wasn't all that interesting, didn't tell us anything about the characters and really just stood out as being superhero porn. Now, there's nothing wrong with that, per se, but at the end of the day, it is boring. The rest of the DC books have ended in cliffhangers that make you want to pick up the next issue to see what happens next. Judging by the last panel of this issue, next month, we'll be treated to Batman taking a nap. Exciting stuff. Once you get beyond the sexy, there's really nothing else holding this together. Had this taken place in issue 4, after some actual character and plot had been developed, I would likely have a different opinion on the whole thing. As it is, although I am curious to see where this goes from here, there are way too many books out that are actually telling stories, so I'll likely just read about it than read the actual book.

Kyle Higgins does a good job re-introducing Dick Grayson as Nightwing in Nightwing #1. There is mention that he took on the role of Batman while Bruce was "away" and that's about all that you really need to know about it. In that sense, I think this book is the one that does the best at dealing with the muddy timeline I mentioned earlier. We're immediately off onto something new for Dick, and although it's related to his past with the circus, it doesn't feel like it's muddled by how much time has actually passed since his parents were murdered and he was taken in by Bruce. At its heart, this is just a story about Dick, and the continuity isn't the main focus. This could turn out to be one of the better surprises of the relaunch as time goes on, if it maintains its focus.

And this is the other book that has the Internets ablaze this week. For my money, the representation of Starfire in Red Hood and The Outlaws #1 is only one part of the problem, though. The whole issue is basically cheap one liners and over the top mayhem. I get that it's not for me. I understand the audience for this is likely 13 year old boys who want to see some badass dudes do badass things and have hot chics run around half naked while they do it. Catering to your target audience however is not the same as pandering to them. You can write something for 13 year old boys without writing it as if you were a 13 year old boy yourself. There is a lack of imagination in this book that I think will be apparent, even to most walking hormones, once they get over the hot orange lady who has sex on a whim. And about that. I'm a father and I'm pretty sure when my 2 year old girl is old enough, if she were to read comics, this would be a huge problem for her. Make no mistake about it, and I know there has been debate online, this is an example of women being objectified, not empowered. Luckily, I'm willing to bet the book won't last long.

A first issue should introduce you to a character, give you some background on them, set up the major conflict and get you interested in the next issue. If that's done well, more than likely, it's done through action more so than a lot of exposition. Supergirl #1, by Michale Green and Michael Johnson, with art by Mahmud Asrar delivers on all counts. From the opening page, there's momentum that continues to build. The inner monologue is minimal, but tells us all we need to know at the right moments. The more I think about this issue, the more I think it was my favorite this week. In a week where Catwoman and Starfire were put through the ringer, it's good to see a female character get introduced in such an impactful manner, without resorting to unnecessary sexualizing. I never read Supergirl before, but I'm on board with this series. I hope they keep it up.

I'm calling it, folks, this is the Wonder Woman series she's always needed. Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang are cooking something here that I'm confident will be considered legendary. Right off, we don't even see Diana until several pages in and rather than try to give us an origin or some grandiose exposition, they just show us who she is. Setting up the mythological aspects in more of a horror tone really brings the whole concept down to earth, too. I think in the long run, it will make her more relatable. Like many out there, I've wanted to like Wonder Woman for a long time, but there has not been a series that really allowed for her to reach her full potential as a character. This is the time for it, and this is the book. Wonder Woman should be graceful, elegant, adventurous, brave, protective and more. Although we only get a small glimpse of her in action here, she is all those things. The pants or no pants argument is completely moot, which goes to show that it's about how the character is written, not so much how they are drawn. Having said that though, Chiang totally captures her personality in his clean, simple style. This is just a good book with a good team on it.

Comics of the Week - More #1's

This was a HUGE week. It felt like a stronger week than last one, with no real losers. What we do have is more and more variety. This is a great time for comics. I can't stress enough how there really is something for everybody coming out. That's what comics are supposed to be. Not everyone will like every book, but every book should appeal to someone. Hopefully this is only the beginning.

This is one I was worried about when the reboot was announced. The relationship between Damian and Dick Grayson in the past couple of years was a huge part of what made the Batman books so much fun, particularly this title. Having Damian team up with his father, in Batman and Robin #1, while possibly interesting, seemed wrong to me at first. I'm not sure yet whether this works in the long run, but in this issue Tomasi gives us a fresh take on the Batman and Robin relationship. Yes, past Robins were Bruce's adopted sons, but this is different. Damian actually calls him father. Ironically, though, they don't know each other at all at this point, really. Damian is still a know it all little prick here, which is critical to making the character work. Bruce seems much softer and the point of this story seems to be that he's redefining himself, by letting go of the past.. I'm not entirely on board with that, yet, as I don't know where it's going, but I'm willing to ride it out for a little longer to see.  The main thing about this book is that it retained the fun of the last couple of years.

For some reason, I only read a couple of issues, here and there, of Rucka and J.H. Williams III's acclaimed run on Detective Comics featuring Batwoman. The few issues I read were beautiful, but I think I lost the thread of the story and never went back. I plan on correcting that soon. Meanwhile, Batwoman #1 is fantastic. Art like this is beyond special. Here, J.H. Williams is also co-writing with W. Hayden Blackman, and if there's a weakness it's a couple of lines in badly translated Spanish in one scene that really took me out of the story. Other than that, this issue was right on. The action scenes are fluid and the layouts are phenomenal. The art is telling the story here the way you dream a comic book should. There are several artists getting writing duties in the new DCU, but I am going to go on a limb and say J.H. Williams is the best suited for this transition. It's clear, even from a quick glance at his layouts, that he is not thinking in single panels. His pages flow and move and even in the quiet moments, he is conveying emotions and moods like few artists do. As for the story itself, it's classic Batman with a couple of twists. Batwoman is a character I'm not that familiar with, but I'm looking forward to changing that in the coming months.

I am not a fan of Fantasy and I've never really liked Etrigan as a character. I was not going to get Demon Knights #1 and only picked it up because my buddy at the shop said he didn't normally like the Demon either but this book was fun. He was right on. This was a ton of fun, and thinking about it now, 2 days after reading it, I'm finding I like it even more. I think what helps it is that it's not mired in stereotypical Fantasy tropes. It really feels like a modern story, except for the setting. Also, the Demon is not speaking olde English or rhyming, so it's not overly silly. We have a love triangle with a twist, a team of misfits coming together, an exploding baby, dragons, wizards, swords, etc. You know, fun. With a capital F. There really isn't much more to say except pick this up. It takes place in the Dark Ages and while it will likely tie in to last week's Stormwatch (also written by Paul Cornell) and the upcoming Justice League Dark, one thing about the new DC so far is that it seems you can read a book without worrying too much about following continuity in other books. Hopefully, this stays true.

Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1 is a wild one. You have Frankenstein, who was apparently on Mars before this issue begins, working with Father Time, who is now in the body of a sassy little girl and teamed up with a host of creature commandos, including his estranged wife, to fight monsters. Oh, and their base is a miniaturized city, created by Ray Palmer, floating in a tiny globe. It's been described as being similar to Hellboy, which I can see. But I think there's also a bit of Fantastic Four and Shield thrown in, as well. You have science and occult coming together with a certain wacky fun that somehow all blends together in a delicious smoothie of awesome. Having read Lemire's indie work in Essex County and Sweet Tooth, I have to say I didn't see this level of fun and humor coming. His range has left me more impressed with his work. While reading this, I was blown away by how sucked in I was. This was my favorite book this week and I can't wait to read more.

The thing about Resurrection Man #1 that really made it stand out is that it just sort of started, without a lot of explanation, and yet it still worked. I came into this knowing the concept, but not the character. Basically, Mitch Shelly dies and comes back to life with a new random power, repeatedly. Right off, the premise had me hooked, which is why I picked it up. Overall, I think Abnett and Lanning did a great job of making this fun and interesting and mysterious. But then at the end, there were a series of phone conversations that sort of stopped this from being great and only made it good. All the exposition that was unnecessary and avoided at the beginning of the issue came at the end, in a repetitive and clunky way that stuck out like sore, cliched thumb. Still, I'm going to give this series a shot based on the rest of this issue.

And then there's Ultimate Spider-Man #1. For some reason, I've never read a Spider-Man story that really grabbed me. I've never had much interest in the character, though in theory, he's exactly what I like. I recently read Spider-Man Blue, by Loeb and Sales and the whole time I was a little bored. I just couldn't really relate to the characters, for some reason. So, along comes Miles Morales and it's ironic that at the ripe age of 38, I may have found a Spider-Man I can actually read and enjoy. Interestingly enough, he's not Spider-Man in this issue. It's just the beginning. But what we do see is a boy with a family and real world problems. We get characters with depth and situations that ring true. I have to say, this is the best Bendis I've read since Alias. I actually forgot it was written by him until now. He really did focus on story and character here, rather than dialogue. If he continues to do that, I'm in. I can't wait to see how Sara Pichelli draws Miles in costume, in action.

Comics of the Week

One good thing about the DC reboot is that, at least this week, it was a great week for comics. That's not to say everything was a winner, but it was interesting and varied with a good chance that something would stick. Fresh takes and good set ups.

The thing about Grant Morrison is that while he can go to really trippy, surreal and nearly impossible to understand places, he can also get to the heart of what makes a character tick in a mythological sense. With Action Comics #1, he is going to the roots of Superman and doing what no one has been able to do in who knows how long now. For years I've heard (and often said) that Superman was irrelevant, too powerful, outdated, boring, etc. Something had to be done to make the character interesting again. Many attempts have been made to make him hip and relevant, but they all just tried to modernize him and mostly missed the point entirely. Morrison goes back to the forgotten roots here, giving us a Superman on the streets, without all his god-like powers yet, living on the edge in a world that fears him. From the pieced together costume to the attitude, I think this is the right way to develop the character into something that can once again be a character we can relate to. As expected, this is one of my favorite #1's and I will definitely be reading this each month.

Speaking of Morrison, his run on Animal Man in the 80's is a prime example of how a creator can take a character you normally may not be interested in and hook you. But now it's Jeff Lemire's turn and he not only brings it, he brings it to another level. This was easily my favorite of the #1's this week, and as the internets can attest, I'm not alone. Lemire is one of the best writers working today and this is a perfect example of what he does. It's a superhero story, it's a family drama, it's a horror tale, it's all of that and more. Right from the opening prose section that gives us a background on the character in a way that doesn't feel forced, it's clear Lemire is bringing a little piece of the meta aspects of Morrison's run, but making it his own. By the last page, it's something else entirely that had me say out loud "Yeah, I'm in." The art by Travel Forman is also a standout. It's clean and odd and beautiful. It makes you uneasy and captivates you all at once, which is perfect for this material. I almost didn't pick this up, because although I like Lemire, I'm not a huge Animal Man guy, but now, I can't wait for the next issue.

When the reboot titles and creative teams were announced, my biggest disappointment was probably that Scott Snyder was off Detective Comics and moved to Batman. As I've said, his run on Detective is legendary already. Instead, we get Tony Daniels, writing and drawing Detective Comics and based on his work on the Batman title before the reboot, I was not excited. I have to say, this issue was better than that. His art was never the issue, and here it is good as always, if not better. It's clear, however, that he either is getting better at the storytelling or his editors have stepped up to address some of the previous problems. The story itself is a basic Joker vs. Batman affair, with the Joker in his serial killer persona. That's all well and good. The last image is what is apparently setting something up that really could be interesting even if we have no idea at this point what it could be. Overall, though, this issue is definitely geared for the new reader. Some of the dialogue, for those of us who know Batman and have read him for years, comes off a little hokey. To someone who's never read Batman, though, I could see it working. I can't fault Daniels for that, but this may not be my Batman book. Still, I want to see where he's going with the Joker here.

Here's a book I only read because of the creator, and almost didn't. Scott Snyder's Swamp Thing may or may not hook me on the character, but that doesn't mean I won't be reading this book. At this point, if Snyder publishes a grocery list, I will consider reading it. I can't even really put my finger on exactly what makes his work excellent, but I think it's a combination of elements. Some writers you can say they are really good at this one thing, whether it's overall emotion, character, a specific genre, action, etc. With Snyder, it's a complete package type of thing that just stands out somehow. His work is somehow character driven and plot driven at the same time. It's brimming with mood and emotion and things happen organically. It doesn't hurt that he's paired with great artists who can tell a visual story with all the elements, like Yanick Paquette does in this issue. Like Animal Man, this is a horror story, but it is more than that. The word is that this will actually cross over with Animal Man and the idea of Lemire and Snyder working together on a big story boggles my mind. I'm on board with this.

Comics of the Week

One thing ends, a new one begins and yet another just stays consistently great. Hard to argue with any of it, really.

Flashpoint #5 may not have had the most mind blowing revelations, but it did deliver what I had hoped would happen. Flashpoint directly sets up the DC reboot. It would have been a waste had this not been the case. Now, I am looking forward to seeing how much of what we saw in the Flashpoint tie ins will pop up in the new DC books. Overall, the wrap up of the Flashpoint universe did seem a little rushed. Suddenly all these characters, who had last been seen making their way to this final battle in their tie-in books, just start appearing but not really doing anything. At point, Grodd's army shows up and Barry Allen says "Grodd too?" and that's about all we see or hear of it. The real payoff is in the end when Barry shows up in the regular/new DCU and delivers a letter to Bruce from Thomas Wayne. We've already seen a kinder, gentler Bruce since his return from the dead, and this moment reinforces this idea for the new universe. It will be interesting to see how much Barry remembers about Flashpoint and the old DCU as time goes on. Clearly, they've left the door open to go back if needed. I don't fault them for that, and really, it makes sense creatively.

Sometimes what makes a comic book great is the promise it sets up for upcoming issues. I would say this is what takes Justice League #1 to the next level. Basically, it's a great first issue, even if you know nothing about DC. For months, we've all been waiting for the reboot with anticipation, dread, disdain, excitement, fear, etc. Now that it's here, this first book really feels exactly like what they promised. It's a whole new world. Yes, the characters' essences are still there, but you really aren't sure what's coming next. I like that. For all the talk from fans about how DC and Marvel always do the same thing, it's been interesting to see them rage against this change. And from past experiences with "change" I understand that. This is not the same as before. It really feels different. It's not a Heroes Reborn take on the characters. It's not a Crisis in which characters are de-aged and histories compressed. This really feels like a fresh take on characters, rather than just a new version of the same events we've seen over the years. Granted, it's one issue in, so who knows where it's going, but like I said, it's the promise of the next issue(s) that makes this great. And that promise has me excited.

Then there's Uncanny X-Force #14. This has been one of my favorite books being published since I read the first arc. What Remender has going here is what makes X-Men books so great, but there's something else here that is just special. This team is on there own, with little to no interference from the rest of the Marvel U. It almost plays out as if this were the only book to ever feature these characters, even though they have these elaborate histories that influence them and the story in every way. I know a little about these histories, but even if I knew nothing, I'd still love this book. To top it off, this issue features the return of Jerome Opeña on art. If I need to say more about why that is something to drool over, then you haven't read the first arc of this series and you need to do so. Interestingly, Wolverine is out of commission for the majority of this issue, and even though he's the character I'm most interested in, the others are so compelling, even Deadpool, that I didn't notice how little of Logan there was until the end. If you love X-Men, pick this series up. If you don't love X-Men, pick it up anyway, and it may change your mind.

Comics of the Week

The final issues of four Batman books came out this week. Each ended in its own way, and not necessarily for the best. Although there are still two more weeks to go until the DC reboot, this week felt like the last week to me, as the books left to end have not been my favorites.

Batgirl #26 was going to be difficult, no matter how you cut it. The character has the most uncertain future in the new reboot. Stephanie Brown will not be Batgirl in September, and we really don't even know if she'll be at all. I get the sense that Bryan Q. Miller had big plans for this book and the reboot decision really threw him off the rails. The previous issue was a lot of fun and seemed to be building towards a climax, but it was clear going into this issue that it was a climax that would have been nearly impossible to pull off in one issue. Instead, we have a story that reaches more of a stop than an end. I can't really say I blame Miller for the sentimental and somewhat meta touches at the end, though I'm not sure they came off too well. I sincerely hope he is given a chance in the coming months, to write another big book for DC, because some of the best books in the past two years were Batgirl issues.

Batman and Robin, as a series, has gone through several changes. It started with Grant Morrison on a very high note, bringing a freshness to the concept that was much needed. The character of Damian, in particular, was developed into one of the more interesting characters in the DCU, mostly in this title. Even as creative teams changed, the book always maintained a certain energy, thanks to the relationship between Dick and Damian. This relationship is what I will miss most in the new DCU. This issue, by David Hine and Geg Tocchini was interesting. Rather than giving us an ending, it's just another story, and a crazy one at that. What I think they managed to do was to subtly give a nod to the surreality of Morrison that was somehow all their own. The art didn't work in a few places and there could have been more focus on the Dick and Damien relationship, but I think just telling another story was a bold choice to take with this book.

Tim Drake is a badass. Throughout this series that's never been in doubt. As a whole, the series had it's ups and downs, but was always solid even during the few issues that weren't terribly exciting. Fabien Nicieza made a different choice than Miller and Hine in ending this series. He didn't go with sentiment and also didn't go with just another story. This story was not just a regular adventure for Red Robin. This was about a moment of truth for him and one that ends on an ambiguous note. At the end of this issue, reboot or not, Tim has a lot of decisions to make about what kind of man he is going to be, what kind of hero. He needs to decide what the balance is between vengeance and justice. He's always been the Robin that was most like Bruce but here he shows he is his own man or is at least on the verge of being his own man. It would have been interesting to see where Nicieza would have gone next with this character. I will miss this book.

I ran out of great things to say about Scott Snyder, Jock and Francisco Francavilla on Detective Comics several issues back. I repeat that this will be considered one of the greatest comic runs in history for years to come. This issue was no exception, ending the story just as strong as it started, if not stronger. Ending a title that has been around for 70 years on such a high note is a huge accomplishment. The tension that had been built throughout the run was not squandered by rushing the ending, which is a common problem. Snyder has proven himself to be a master storyteller, start to finish, with this. He took his time in all the right places and delivered a surprising and satisfying ending to both the stories of James Gordon and Dick Grayson.The art on this issue featured both Jock and Francavilla, in a seamless interaction of styles. This is an incredibly rare thing. In most cases, two artists working on one book, even when both are brilliant, can be jarring. At the end of the day, I don't really care who did what, because they are both masters and the results speak for themselves. It will be interesting to see Snyder on Batman in September, writing Bruce Wayne.

Comics of the Week

It's official. The best book of the Flashpoint tie ins, by far, was Batman Knight of Vengeance. If I had any complaint about this mini series, it would be that it could have maybe used one more issue, but that's really just maybe. This issue wrapped up what is basically the story of two parents who lost a child and dealt with it in different, horrifying ways. In the end, it's a metaphor for some very real issues and that's where the power of this lies. Sure, on one level Azzarello and Risso give us a gritty Batman story, but, really it doesn't have to be Batman at all. It could easily just be any two parents.The creepy factor in this issue comes mostly from the recognition that these are human beings. Where the Joker in regular continuity is best when he's least explained, here the origin gave the story depth. The flashback panels of the Waynes in Crime Alley capture the desperation and horror of losing a child while perfectly illustrating how each parent will be dealing with the loss. By the time we get to the end, where the Flashpoint part of this comes into play (if only slightly), Martha's reaction is just perfect. There's no happy ending to this story in any universe.

Severed #1 is the beginning of something that I think could be as big as Walking Dead. That might sound like a huge exaggeration based on one issue, where, to be honest, not a lot happens, but what is evident in this book is an attention to detail that is setting up a mood, a time and a place in a way that few books do or can. Scott Snyder (yeah, him again) and Scott Tuft are in no hurry to give us big scares and gore. Instead, they are meticulously setting up the characters and putting us in the middle of life in 1916 America in a way that is not glamorized at all. And what they do with the writing is carefully supported by Attila Futaki's art. Like the best horror movies, even when nothing is happening, you feel tension from the way even the most mundane images are composed. The slightly off balance frames make every page ominous in subliminal ways that emphasize the danger of a boy heading out to be a hobo and ride the rails. This is horror done right.