C.S. Daley's Blog, page 13
September 14, 2011
The New DC Universe: Week 3 Reviews
When I was a kid the best day of the week was new release day. My friend Steve and I would hop onto a Muni bus and then transfer to the J Church Muni line to get to our favorite comic book store. We would sit in the store for hours looking through the new books. We had a few that we bought no matter what but we were always looking for good stories and art. Even as a kid I was all about story. This ritual was the most important part of my childhood. Comics were my religion. The comic book shop was my church. I was safe and happy there. I don't think I have felt that enthusiasm for comics since then. I have always read them but a little of the shine had worn off (especially DC and Marvel Comics). The DC Universe relaunch has really given this back to me. After last Wednesday all I could think about was I can't wait until next week. I am just bursting at the seems to get my hands on the books. Digital has a lot to do with this because I can finally get my books when they come out, not months later. As we roll into the third week I can't wait to see what surprises me next (here is the link for my week 1 and week 2 reviews).
Batman & Robin #1
Written by PETER J. TOMASI; Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
This is going to be a hard book for me to like. I am not a fan of the character Damien as Robin. Nothing I read in these pages changed my mind. I do not like the interaction between him and Batman. I think it is silly to try and get the readers to believe Batman would let Robin willingly disobey his orders and put them in danger. The bratty dialog was not to my liking. This was also the first book which left me a little confused about the reboot timeline. Somehow Damien knows about all the previous Robins. How many Robin's has Batman gone through since the timeline started over? The art was not bad and others might not have the Damien problem I have. 6 out of 10.
Batwoman #1
Written by J.H. WILLIAMS III and W. HADEN BLACKMAN; Art and cover by J.H. WILLIAMS III
This book was a long time coming. It was originally supposed to appear in 2010 and was delayed several times. Finally, DC decided to hold it off and relaunch it during the reboot. I am not sure how much, if any, of the story had to be redone for the reboot. Let me start off by saying Batwoman is drawn beautifully. I loved, loved the art in this book. I think you could argue this book might be worth buying for the art alone. Luckily, the story was quite good also. A good solid mystery to sink our teeth into right away. There were a few parts I actually thought the writing got a little wordy but not many. I really can't wait to read the next one. I do have my usual complaint though. I know this book is part of the Batman family but could we have waited a few issues before Batman made his appearance ? I repeat what I said last week. Batman is the worst secretive loner ever. 9 out of 10.
Deathstroke #1
Written by KYLE HIGGINS; Art by JOE BENNETT and ART THIBERT; Cover by SIMON BISLEY
I admit I was a little perplexed when I saw Deathstroke was getting his own book. One of my all time favorite villains of the DC Universe. I decided to put on my "roll with it" hat and give it a chance. The reboot was supposed to be all about bringing in new readers, trying new things. This book is a hard one to review, not because I didn't like it, I did. I just don't want to given anything away. This book was a pleasant surprise. The art was good, some genuinely funny moments and a story you could sink your teeth into. 8.5 out of 10.
Demon Knights #1
Written by PAUL CORNELL; Art by DIOGENES NEVES and OCLAIR ALBERT; Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
This was a hard one for me. I love it is set way in the past and the passing references to Camelot. I have always liked Demon and am interested to see where they go with it. It has a lovely touch of supernatural and fantasy. The art is good and the storyline was interesting. This is a book made for me and yet honestly it didn't completely grab me. I was certainly left wanting more and have hope the book will pick up. I think a lot of people are going to like this book more than I did. 7.5 out of 10.
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1
Written by JEFF LEMIRE; Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI; Cover by J.G. JONES
I have to be honest when I heard this book announced I was not at all hopeful. Then I saw who was writing it and thought, hmm, maybe. Now I have read it and I am not completely sure how I feel. I love horror comics and this one looks like it is leaning in that direction. The problem I have is the art is all over the place (some good, some not so much) and I felt they jammed the story with a lot of exposition to give us an idea what the heck was going on. This leaves me firmly on the fence. I see the potential and I think Jeff Lemire is a great writer. I will ride this one out for a few issues. 7 out of 10.
Green Lantern #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS; Art by DOUG MAHNKE and CHRISTIAN ALAMY; Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
I guess I should start off with a confession. I have never liked Green Lantern. I don't know why because really I should. I love science fiction and Green Lantern has always leaned towards world building science fiction stories. I have tried several times over the year with little success. I liked the Green Lantern/Green Arrow run in the 70′s but really Adams and O'Neil were the main reason for that. In a lot of ways I was expecting to not like this comic. I didn't think it would be bad but I expected more of the Green Lantern I have grown to not care about. While the first issue wasn't perfect I did enjoy it more than I thought I would. I liked the new more fallible Jordan. The mystery behind Sinestro hooked me and I loved the art. It also had a few funny moments in it. I did think it was going to be a hard book for a new reader to just pick up and dive into though. I have to assume they are hoping the new readers have seen the movie. 8 out of 10.
Grifter #1
Written by NATHAN EDMONDSON; Art and cover by CAFU
Another book I had zero expectations for and was pleasantly surprised. I loved the story. The mystery it sets up is very good. The dialog was crisp and the art solid. So far I have been very impressed with how well they have incorporated the Wildstorm Universe into the DC one. You know you have experienced some good writing when you have no idea what is going on but want to come back for more. 8.5 out of 10.
Legion Lost #1
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA; Art and cover by PETE WOODS
I was worried when I read the announcement for this book. There has been a couple of great Legion story lines over the years but I was not sure the Legion of Superheroes needed two books. Especially, if they were siphoning off some of the best characters. Why not do one really good book? My worries met reality today and I have to say I was disappointed with this book. The art was okay but the storyline was slow and truthfully has been done a bazillion times before (this is a slight exaggeration). It wasn't that the book was terrible but there was nothing really impressive about it either. It was just kind of there. 6.5 out of 10.
Mister Terrific #1
Written by ERIC WALLACE; Art by GIANLUCA GUGLIOTTA; Cover by J.G. JONES
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Some of the dialog was really snappy and funny. The problem is it was really just an average superhero book. Absolutely nothing new under the sun. It didn't hook me at all. The story had all the classic comic stories. Smart boy becomes smart man becomes hero after traumatic event. I don't mind reading superhero books but was looking for more out of the reboot. 7 out of 10.
Red Lanterns #1
Written by PETER MILLIGAN; Art and cover by ED BENES and ROB HUNTER
The whole spectrum of rainbow lanterns happened at a time I did not read Green Lantern. I vaguely knew what they were. I was actually looking forward to this book more than Green Lantern, mainly because of Peter Milligan. Milligan is a little all over the place as a writer in his career. Sometimes I love him and sometimes I wonder what was that? Color me red with surprise on this book (sorry about the bad pun I should have warned you). This book was worth buying for the first few pages alone. I laughed out loud at the introduction to the Red Lanterns. I really loved this book. It was a little heavy-handed in the writing in a few places but I was completely hooked. I can only hope the book stays this good. It looks like I have been suckered completely into the Lantern world, rainbow colors and all. 9 out of 10.
Resurrection Man #1
Written by DAN ABNETT and ANDY LANNING; Art by FERNANDO DAGNINO; Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
I love the premise of this book. A man dies. A man comes back. When he comes back he always has a new power. Throw in some supernatural creatures wanting to eat his soul and some very good writing and you have a winner. I am finding it interesting which of the supernatural/horror books I am digging the most. I liked this one a lot. Nice set up for the story and art that felt just right for the book. Had moments where it felt very much like a Vertigo book. A solid start. 8.5 out of 10.
Suicide Squad #1
Written by ADAM GLASS; Art by MARCO RUDY; Cover by RYAN BENJAMIN
I am not sure about this book. The suicide squad has always been an interesting concept for me. Take a bunch of bad guys and set them loose on the world. I have read a few stories over the years which worked nicely. This book did an okay job setting up the world and the characters. It is quite possible I will like future issues more. My main problem with the first one is I felt it spent all of its time trying to set up the world and the characters' viewpoints. I know you want new readers but you have to show a little trust in them. I think we would have picked up the story dishing a little of the back story at a time. Harley Quinn was awesome though. 7 out of 10.
Superboy #1
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL; Art by RB SILVA and ROB LEAN; Cover by ERIC CANETE
In order for Superboy to work for me it was going to have to do something completely different from any of the other Superman books. As I have said before I have never been a big Superman fan. This lack of fandom applies to all of his extended family. I was very pleased with the way they set up this story. Just enough of the back story to leave you wanting more. A connection to Superman but a very different book. It was a well written first book with a nice mystery to carry it forward. I also liked the art a lot. A solid superhero book. I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised with the direction and tone the comic took. 8 out of 10.
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DC Power Rankings
1) Animal Man – I was hoping this book would be great in Lemire's hands and it was. The art was creepy and gave power to the excellent story.
2) Action Comics – A complete shock to me. Even with Morrison on board I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did.
3) Stormwatch – Exciting story and everything I had hoped the first Justice League would be. Left me wishing I had the second book.
4) Red Lanterns – Seriously, even if you don't buy this book find a way to read the first few pages. I dare you not to laugh.
5) Batwoman – The art was gorgeous. I am hoping this book won't be plagued with lateness though. I am going to assume they have quite a few issues ready to go since it was supposed to come out last year.
6) Grifter – Not quite up to the start of Stormwatch but close. I was hooked pretty quickly into the story.
7) Resurrection Man – I was really hoping to like this book. I love the premise and can see a lot of potential. They delivered a very good first book.
8 ) Deathstroke – I refuse to say anything on the grounds I will ruin the story for you. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.
9) Swamp Thing – A great start to a character I once really loved. It reads well for new readers and I like how they poked the old readers who thought they knew what was happening.
10) Batgirl – An above average bat book. Didn't blow me away but a solid superhero comic.
11) Green Lantern – Had a lot of elements I really liked. Nothing new or crazy for a comic but I look forward to seeing where the first story goes.
12) Men of War – I hope the second story picks up a little because I have a feeling the Sergeant Rock storyline is going to only get better.
13) Superboy – I liked the other world quality Superboy gives off. It has a solid science fiction story behind it too. This book has a lot of potential.
14) Justice League – It wasn't what I was hoping for right out of the gate but I think it will get better.
15) Demon Knights – This was a good solid almost for me but I have hope I am going to like it a lot more in future issues.
16) Detective Comics – I was underwhelmed with the story. It wasn't terrible but it read like every other standard Joker-Batman book.
17) Frankenstien, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. – The art is going to put a lot of people off. I have faith in Jeff Lemire though, and expect this book to get steadily better.
18) Green Arrow – Not a blazing shot out of the cannon but there is hope. I like Green Arrow so I want this book to succeed.
19) Batwing – You could flip-flop this one with Green Arrow. They are about the same for me.
20) Justice League International – First thing this book needs to do is get rid of Batman. Then jump out of the box and try something new.
21) Mister Terrific – A very predictable book. The dialog saved it from being a total wash for me.
22) Suicide Squad – I actually saw some potential in this book but the story is going to have to get going in the next issue.
23) Legion Lost- I might have been tempted to give it a higher rating if the story hadn't felt so cliched. I guess there is hope it will pick up but just a glimmer.
24) Batman & Robin – They won't cancel this book but for me it is going to have to get a whole lot better. I am a Batman fan and I just didn't dig it.
25) O.M.A.C. – I liked the art but I have always been a fan of Giffen. The book barely held together on the story front.
26) Hawk & Dove – Right now I see this book as an early possibility of getting voted off my DC island.
27) Static Shock – The art was okay but nothing else about this book caught my imagination. Could also easily be voted off my DC island.
September 12, 2011
Digital Comic Book Pricing
I am not going to be making a few of my friends happy today. This blog will annoy them to no end. I truly understand their pain but it doesn't change how I feel. Comic book stores are dead. Some of them just don't know it yet. DC could have and should have delivered the blow to the heart this last week but they didn't. If they know what's good for them they will very soon.
You see digital comic book prices need to come down. They haven't for a lot of reasons but one is the fear of killing the direct market. It is a fear I don't get. There was a time a comic book would sell a million copies routinely and I am not talking about the bloated 90′s either. Marv Wolfman has been quoted saying it used to be they would cancel a book which didn't move 175,000 copies. Now comic book companies do a victory dance.
It doesn't have to be this way. The digital market is there for the taking. Someone just has to be brave enough to make the move. DC should have done it with the release of the New 52. They have never had more free publicity than they are getting now. If they had combined this with a reasonable price on comics they could have blown the digital market up.
I am no business genius but I used to order the comics for the bookstore I managed. It was a wonderful time then. Everything was selling. It isn't that way anymore. Comic book shops are closing everywhere. There is no comic store in my town. The comic store in the college town next to me is awful (they are a good hobby store). It seems to me part of the success of your business is bringing new fans in. Bringing back old fans. A comic book publisher's business decisions should not be based on other people's business model, like say comic shops.
The digital age is on us but if you think you are going to be bringing in people with a price point of $2.99 to $3.99, you're nuts. There was a time in this country when comics were the way most boys I knew got hooked on reading. When comics were everywhere. Every town had a newsstand with a spinning rack full of the lovely joys. Those days are gone.
Along with those days being gone is an increase in entertainment competition. I asked my classroom full of sixth graders last week how many of them liked comics. They all raised their hands. I asked them how many owned comics, none of them raised their hands. I asked them how many would buy comics digitally and all but three raised their hands. I asked how many would pay $2.99 and only one raised his hand. Why? Because they said they could buy a couple of apps or three songs or rent a movie.
I know it isn't scientific but I think there is truth in it. It isn't that kids don't want to buy comics, it's that they don't see the entertainment value in the comics. Again back when I was a kid and comics were giant sellers I could buy several comics a week with my limited income.
Comic book companies keep groaning about not being able to bring new fans in. About having trouble getting kids reading again. Well here is your chance. Don't blow it. I don't know what the price point is. Although, if you can make a profit selling them at $0.99 like a song on iTunes, do it. They will buy. My students were dying to read the DC books. Last year I brought some of my comics in to sell for a fund raiser at school and sold over 300 in a couple of days.
I want this industry to survive and thrive. I love comic book stores. They were my favorite places to hang out as a kid. A safe haven from the chaos around me but I love the product more. It's time to make them accessible and affordable to young readers again. Not just in big cities either but in every small town USA with an internet connection. Maybe I am crazy but I think the market is ready to be tapped. Someone just needs to jump in.
September 10, 2011
Incarnators Week 10
I am writing this after watching a very sad Dateline on 9/11. A stark and haunting reminder of the worse our world has to offer. And the best. The heroism of all those who thought only of helping others. Who thought of others before themselves. It makes me proud. The horror of the day will linger with me forever.
As for my writing. I had a good week. The novel is ticking along and I will go past 40,000 words this weekend. I know the path and most of the end game. Now I just have to drive the story there.
I promise I will write more next week but, truthfully, I don't have it in me right now. I am sad and feel at a loss for words. I leave you with a kitten because they bring me joy.
September 7, 2011
The New DC Universe: Week 1 Reviews
Well DC gave me a nice little softball warm up last week with only the release of Justice League. This week we get crazy busy with the release of 13 new number ones. Now we are getting serious. I admit last week's Justice League wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I came into this week very excited. A whole slew of comics I had high hopes for. This is the week we start to see how serious DC was about hooking new readers with quality comics. There was no way Justice League was going to fail. Not the case this week. Some legitimate sleepers in this bunch. This week the power ranking starts to mean something. If you end up at the bottom this week you might be in trouble of getting voted off my DC island. Let's get at it already.
Action Comics #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON; Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT; Cover by RAGS MORALES
I need to give a couple disclaimers here. One, is I have never liked Superman in comic form. There are exceptions. Every so often somebody does something different but for the most part Superman has always bored me. Two, is I love Grant Morrison. I would read Archie comic books if he wrote them. I was very interested to see what he had up his sleeve for Superman and I was not disappointed. Besides making Superman younger, he also made him a tiny bit arrogant and sarcastic. This was without a doubt my favorite Superman story ever. I had low expectations and was completely blown away. The story was great. The dialog really snapped. It was accessible to new readers and Lex Luthor was alive and nasty. Did I mention the art is fantastic? The last page of the story left me excited for what will happen next. This was a hard trick but Morrison made Superman feel young and relevant. 10 out of 10.
Animal Man #1
Written by JEFF LEMIRE; Art by TRAVEL FOREMAN and DAN GREEN; Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN
Animal Man has had a very mixed history in the DC Universe. Grant Morrison changed the way I thought about comics with his run on Animal Man. Still one of my favorite series ever. Then there was the mini-series which recently came out and was one of the worst comics I have ever read. I had no real idea what to expect here other than the fact Jeff Lemire was writing the book. I love his book Sweet Tooth so I was hoping he could deliver a great Animal Man. Did he ever. A spectacular book and a great story. The book focuses on Animal Man and his family. It starts very much a domestic super hero book and quickly spirals into an urban horror story. Some of the images in the book are haunting. Another great example of what this relaunch is about. This is a book for anyone who likes horror. The book is different but I have a feeling it will be the comic book everyone is telling their friends, "If you read just one relaunch, make sure you read Animal Man." 10 out of 10.
Batgirl #1
Written by GAIL SIMONE; Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES; Cover by ADAM HUGHES
Of all the relaunch books this one had the most controversy surrounding it. Barbara Gordon returning as Batgirl. If you are a non-comic reader you are not going to care but fans of Barbara Gordon's other incarnation Oracle were rightfully pissed. You see the old Barbara was crippled by the Joker but continued to operate as a super hero despite being in a wheel chair. The new one is out of the wheel chair although it is part of her past. I understood why people were mad but tried to approach the book with an open mind. I like Gail Simone as a writer and expected she would tell a good story. I think she did just that. I still think Oracle is a more interesting character but this book was a good read. The art was solid and it had some wonderful dialog. I liked the doubt Batgirl carries with her and I can really see Gail doing some interesting stuff in future issues. 8 out of 10.
Batwing #1
Written by JUDD WINICK; Art and cover by BEN OLIVER
Really had no clue what to expect of this book. I loved that it was set in Africa. It has always been a pet peeve of mine how there never seems to be many super heroes in other countries. This doesn't completely fix it but it is a nice touch. I also wondered, why another book in the Batman family? I understand how important Batman is in the DC Universe. I also understand this is an attempt to add a little racial diversity into comics. Truthfully, I would have gone with Black Lightning in his own book before creating a new bat character. The story was intriguing and I liked the art but I really wasn't sold on the comic. It was an average superhero book. They're going to have to do something more to keep my attention. 7 out of 10.
Detective Comics #1
Written by TONY S. DANIEL; Art by TONY S. DANIEL and RYAN WINN; Cover by TONY S. DANIEL
The first solo Batman book out the door. I have liked Tony Daniel's art in the past but I can't remember if I have ever read a book written by him. For the most part I was not impressed with the story (except for the ending which I thought was great). It was a typical Batman book. The external dialog wasn't that great. The internal dialog was much better felt a little like a noir novel. Art was good but nothing we haven't seen before. Overall, I was a little underwhelmed with my first Batman book. Really should have been a bang up book, they gave him the Joker to work with. 7 out of 10.
Green Arrow #1
Written by J.T. KRUL; Art by DAN JURGENS and GEORGE PÈREZ; Cover by BRETT BOOTH and ROB HUNTER
This is about as complete of a reboot as you can get. The Green Arrow is much younger. Located in a different city and has a couple of behind the scenes no costumed side kicks. I thought the story was fairly well done from the stand point of starting over and giving new readers a chance to jump on board. The back story was quickly established. The art was good but not great. The dialog was again a little comic book clichéd and I am completely unsold on the behind the scenes side kicks. I thought they took up way too much of the book. Throw in some lame super villains and the book is just average. 7 out of 10.
Hawk & Dove #1
Written by STERLING GATES; Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD
This book had an interesting start. I liked the interplay on the plane. The first fight sequence was kind of cool. It was all down hill from there. I have never been a fan of Rob Liefeld's art and this book didn't change my mind. It isn't terrible but something about it always makes me feel distracted. The back story in this comic was not good. When Hawk & Dove were not fighting, I was bored. I am guessing this book was already a hard sell but I don't think they did anything which will make people want to come back for more. If you are a fan of Liefeld's art there is at least something in the book for you. Number 2 will have to be considerably better. It wasn't a complete failure but did nothing for me. 6 out of 10.
Justice League International #1
Written by DAN JURGENS; Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN; Cover by AARON LOPRESTI
Why is Batman in this book? Batman must be the worse loner ever. He is popping up everywhere and truthfully this book doesn't need him. I like the international heroes. The art is average and the story is fairly run of the mill. I liked the humor. Sometimes hero comic books take themselves way too serious. My main problem is I saw nothing new. It was entertaining but it had a definite "been there done that" feel. 7 out of 10.
Men of War #1
Written by IVAN BRANDON; Art by TOM DERENICK; Cover by VIKTOR KALVACHEV
Really had no expectations with this book. Didn't know the direction or the subject matter. It contains two stories which makes the book a tiny bit uneven. The front story by Ivan Brandon covers the soon the be Sergent Rock. It is a straight war story set in a world occupied by superheroes. I enjoyed it a lot. Very well written and a complete surprise to me. I love the mystery of where the superheroes are going to fit in. I love that it was a straight war story. By itself I would have given it a 9. I was not as enamored with the second story by Jonathan Vankin. It wasn't terrible but it really didn't compare story wise to the first one in the book. Plus, I was not a fan at all of the art in the second story. 8 out of 10 (back-up story pulled it down).
O.M.A.C. #1
Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN; Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH
I found this another curious choice for a relaunch book. I was excited to see Giffen was drawing it but had no idea what to expect out of DiDio's writing. I didn't hate it but it was another average book. The art was good but the story felt like a science fiction B movie (which isn't always bad). The story was a run of the mill, out of control hero smashes everything in sight. I did like the little mystery being set up. I think there is potential here but the writing needs to pick up. In particular the dialog between characters (some of which actually made me groan. In a B movie kind of way). 7 out of 10 (but just barely).
Static Shock #1
Written by SCOTT McDANIEL and JOHN ROZUM; Art by SCOTT McDANIEL and JONATHAN GLAPION and LeBEAU UNDERWOOD
I will stick with my early question. Why an obscure hero (correction: not a new character as Whitney pointed out in the comments. I never saw the WB cartoon or any of his comic appearances) when you could have relaunched Black Lightning? This kid's powers are even in the same ballpark. This book felt like an attempt to gain younger readers. It tried to give off the cool teenager vibe. I didn't buy it and I would be surprised if any teenager does. Truthfully, I thought Action Comics gave off a much cooler teen vibe then this book did. The art was okay and some of the action sequences were cool but this book did not work for me. The second one will have to be much better. 5 out of 10.
Stormwatch #1
Written by PAUL CORNELL; Art and cover by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
There have been times I have been a big fan of Stormwatch. When I heard it was being incorporated into the DC Universe I was skeptical, especially when I heard Martian Manhunter was joining them. It felt like a gimmick. Shows you what the hell I know because this book was great. Not only does Martian Manhunter fit but he feels like he completely belongs. The last page of this comic will make any former Stormwatch fans let out a yelp of joy. Even better was the story hints at what the hell may be happening in this new DC Universe. I liked the art. The story was great and it left me wanting more. This could easily end up being one of my favorites of the new 52. I really didn't see that coming. 9 out of 10.
Swamp Thing #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER; Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing showed what a gifted writer could do with a kind of silly concept. I mean it's called Swamp Thing. Yet Moore elevated it to something more. I was happy to see Scott Snyder was working on this book. I like his work. It gave me hope to a return of the glory days of Swamp Thing. I am happy to say that while it wasn't quite fantastic, it was very good. A nice mix of horror and mystery. If I had a fault it was the appearance of Superman in the book. I don't mind Swamp Thing returning to the world of heroes in the DC Universe, it just felt a little forced. I would have preferred a much more subtle reminder that Swamp Thing was in the world of heroes again. On the other hand the book completely surprised me with its story. It kind of grabbed me and said "we are going here" and then pulled the rug out from under me. I can't wait to see what Snyder does next. 8 out of 10.
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DC Power Rankings
1) Animal Man – I was hoping this book would be great in Lemire's hands and it was. The art was creepy and gave power to the excellent story.
2) Action Comics – A complete shock to me. Even with Morrison on board I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did.
3) Stormwatch – Exciting story and everything I had hoped the first Justice League would be. Left me wishing I had the second book.
4) Swamp Thing – A great start to a character I once really loved. It reads well for new readers and I like how they poked the old readers who thought they knew what was happening.
5) Batgirl – An above average bat book. Didn't blow me away but a solid superhero comic.
6) Men of War – I hope the second story picks up a little because I have a feeling the Sergeant Rock storyline is going to only get better.
7) Justice League – Click for earlier review
8 ) Detective Comics – I was underwhelmed with the story. It wasn't terrible but it read like every other standard Joker-Batman book.
9) Green Arrow – Not a blazing shot out of the cannon but there is hope. I like Green Arrow so I want this book to succeed.
10) Batwing – You could flip-flop this one with Green Arrow. They are about the same for me.
11) Justice League International – First thing this book needs to do is get rid of Batman. Then jump out of the box and try something new.
12) O.M.A.C. – I liked the art but I have always been a fan of Giffen. The book barely held together on the story front.
13) Hawk & Dove – Right now I see this book as an early possibility of getting voted off my DC island.
14) Static Shock – The art was okay but nothing else about this book caught my imagination. Could also easily be voted off my DC island.
The New DC Universe: Week 2 Reviews
Well DC gave me a nice little softball warm up last week with only the release of Justice League. This week we get crazy busy with the release of 13 new number ones. Now we are getting serious. I admit last week's Justice League wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I came into this week very excited. A whole slew of comics I had high hopes for. This is the week we start to see how serious DC was about hooking new readers with quality comics. There was no way Justice League was going to fail. Not the case this week. Some legitimate sleepers in this bunch. This week the power ranking starts to mean something. If you end up at the bottom this week you might be in trouble of getting voted off my DC island. Let's get at it already.
Action Comics #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON; Art by RAGS MORALES and RICK BRYANT
I need to give a couple disclaimers here. One, is I have never liked Superman in comic form. There are exceptions. Every so often somebody does something different but for the most part Superman has always bored me. Two, is I love Grant Morrison. I would read Archie comic books if he wrote them. I was very interested to see what he had up his sleeve for Superman and I was not disappointed. Besides making Superman younger, he also made him a tiny bit arrogant and sarcastic. This was without a doubt my favorite Superman story ever. I had expectations and was completely blown away. The story was great. The dialog really snapped. It was accessible to new readers and Lex Luthor was alive and nasty. Did I mention the art fantastic? The last page of the story left me excited for what will happen next. This was a hard trick but Morrison made Superman feel young and relevant. 10 out of 10.
Animal Man #1
Written by JEFF LEMIRE; Art by TRAVEL FOREMAN and DAN GREEN
Animal Man has had a very mixed history in the DC Universe. Grant Morrison changed the way I thought about comics with his run on Animal Man. Still one of my favorite series ever. Then there was the mini-series which recently came out and was one of the worst comics I have ever read. I had no real idea what to expect here other than the fact Jeff Lemire was writing the book. I love his book Sweet Tooth so I was hoping he could deliver a great Animal Man. Did he ever. A spectacular book and a great story. The book focuses on Animal Man and his family. It starts very much a domestic super hero book and quickly spirals into an urban horror story. Some of the images in the book are haunting. Another great example of what this relaunch is about. This is a book for anyone who likes horror. The book is different but I have a feeling it will be the comic book everyone is telling their friends, "If you read just one relaunch, make sure you read Animal Man." 10 out of 10
Batgirl #1
Written by GAIL SIMONE; Art by ARDIAN SYAF and VICENTE CIFUENTES
Of all the relaunch books this one had the most controversy surrounding it. Barbara Gordon returning as Batgirl. If you are a non-comic reader you are not going to care but fans of Barbara Gordon's other incarnation Oracle were rightfully pissed. You see the old Barbara was crippled by the Joker but continued to operate as a super hero despite being in a wheel chair. The new one is out of the wheel chair although it is part of her past. I understood why people were mad but tried to approach the book with an open mind. I like Gail Simone as a writer and expected she would tell a good story. I think she did just that. I still think Oracle is a more interesting character but this book was a good read. The art was solid and it had some wonderful dialog. I liked the doubt Batgirl carries with her and I can really see Gail doing some interesting stuff in future issues. 8 out of 10.
Batwing #1
Written by JUDD WINICK; Art and cover by BEN OLIVER
Really had no clue what to expect of this book. I loved that it was set in Africa. It has always been a pet peeve of mine how there never seems to be many super heroes in other countries. This doesn't completely fix it but it is a nice touch. I also wondered, why another book in the Batman family? I understand how important Batman is in the DC Universe. I also understand this is an attempt to add a little racial diversity into comics. Truthfully, I would have gone with Black Lightning in his own book before creating a new bat character. The story was intriguing and I liked the art but I really wasn't sold on the comic. It was an average superhero book. They're going to have to do something more to keep my attention. 7 out of 10.
Detective Comics #1
Written by TONY S. DANIEL; Art by TONY S. DANIEL and RYAN WINN
The first solo Batman book out the door. I have liked Tony Daniel's art in the past but I can't remember if I have ever read a book written by him. For the most part I was not impressed with the story (except for the ending which I thought was great). It was a typical Batman book. The external dialog wasn't that great. The internal dialog was much better felt a little like a noir novel. Art was good but nothing we haven't seen before. Overall, I was a little underwhelmed with my first Batman book. Really should have been a bang up book, they gave him the Joker to work with. 7 out of 10.
Green Arrow #1
Written by J.T. KRUL; Art by DAN JURGENS and GEORGE PÈREZ
This is about as complete of a reboot as you can get. The Green Arrow is much younger. Located in a different city and has a couple of behind the scene no costumed side kicks. I thought the story was fairly well done from the stand point of starting over and giving new readers a chance to jump on board. The back story was quickly established. The art was good but not great. The dialog was again a little comic book clichéd and I am completely unsold on the behind the scenes side kicks. I thought they took up way too much of the book. Throw in some lame super villains and the book is just average. 7 out of 10.
Hawk & Dove #1
Written by STERLING GATES; Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD
This book had an interesting start. I liked the interplay on the plane. The first fight sequence was kind of cool. It was all down hill from there. I have never been a fan of Rob Liefeld's art and this book didn't change my mind. It isn't terrible but something about it always makes me feel distracted. The back story in this comic was not good. When Hawk & Dove were not fighting, I was bored. I am guessing this book was already a hard sell but I don't think they did anything which will make people want to come back for more. If you are a fan of Liefeld's art there is at least something in the book for you. Number 2 will have to be considerably better. It wasn't a complete failure but did nothing for me. 6 out of 10.
Justice League International #1
Written by DAN JURGENS; Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN
Why is Batman in this book? Batman must be the worse loner ever. He is popping up everywhere and truthfully this book doesn't need him. I like the international heroes. The art is average and the story is fairly run of the mill. I liked the humor. Sometimes hero comic books take themselves way too serious. My main problem is I saw nothing new. It was entertaining but it had a definite "been there done that" feel. 7 out of 10.
Men of War #1
Written by IVAN BRANDON; Art by TOM DERENICK
Really had no expectations with this book. Didn't know the direction or the subject matter. It contains two stories which makes the book a tiny bit uneven. The front story by Ivan Brandon covers the soon the be Sergent Rock. It is a straight war story set in a world occupied by superheroes. I enjoyed it a lot. Very well written and a complete surprise to me. I love the mystery of where the superheroes are going to fit in. I love that it was a straight war story. By itself I would have given it a 9. I was not as enamored with the second story by Jonathan Vankin. It wasn't terrible but it really didn't compare story wise to the first one in the book. Plus, I was not a fan at all of the art in the second story. 8 out of 10 (back-up story pulled it down).
O.M.A.C. #1
Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN
I found this another curious choice for a relaunch book. I was excited to see Giffen was drawing it but had no idea what to expect out of DiDio's writing. I didn't hate it but it was another average book. The art was good but the story felt like a science fiction B movie (which isn't always bad). The story was a run of the mill, out of control hero smashes everything in sight. I did like the little mystery being set up. I think there is potential here but the writing needs to pick up. In particular the dialog between characters (some of which actually made me groan. In a B movie kind of way). 7 out of 10 (but just barely).
Static Shock #1
Written by SCOTT McDANIEL and JOHN ROZUM; Art by SCOTT McDANIEL and JONATHAN GLAPION and LeBEAU UNDERWOOD
I will stick with my early question. Why invent a new hero (correction: not a new character as Whitney pointed out in the comments. I never saw the WB cartoon or any of his comic appearances) when you could have relaunched Black Lightning? This kid's powers are even in the same ballpark. This book felt like an attempt to gain younger readers. It tried to give off the cool teenager vibe. I didn't buy it and I would be surprised if any teenager does. Truthfully, I thought Action Comics gave off a much cooler teen vibe then this book did. The art was okay and some of the action sequences were cool but this book did not work for me. The second one will have to be much better. 5 out of 10.
Stormwatch #1
Written by PAUL CORNELL; Art by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
There have been times I have been a big fan of Stormwatch. When I heard it was being incorporated into the DC Universe I was skeptical, especially when I heard Martian Manhunter was joining them. It felt like a gimmick. Shows you what the hell I know because this book was great. Not only does Martian Manhunter fit but he feels like he completely belongs. The last page of this comic will make any former Stormwatch fans let out a yelp of joy. Even better was the story hints at what the hell may be happening in this new DC Universe. I liked the art. The story was great and it left me wanting more. This could easily end up being one of my favorites of the new 52. I really didn't see that coming. 9 out of 10.
Swamp Thing #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER; Art by YANICK PAQUETTE
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing showed what a gifted writer could do with a kind of silly concept. I mean it's called Swamp Thing. Yet Moore elevated it to something more. I was happy to see Scott Snyder was working on this book. I like his work. It gave me hope to a return of the glory days of Swamp Thing. I am happy to say that while it wasn't quite fantastic, it was very good. A nice mix of horror and mystery. If I had a fault it was the appearance of Superman in the book. I don't mind Swamp Thing returning to the world of heroes in the DC Universe, it just felt a little forced. I would have preferred a much more subtle reminder that Swamp Thing was in the world of heroes again. On the other hand the book completely surprised me with its story. It kind of grabbed me and said "we are going here" and then pulled the rug out from under me. I can't wait to see what Snyder does next. 8 out of 10.
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DC Power Rankings
1) Animal Man – I was hoping this book would be great in Lemire's hands and it was. The art was creepy and gave power to the excellent story.
2) Action Comics – A complete shock to me. Even with Morrison on board I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did.
3) Stormwatch – Exciting story and everything I had hoped the first Justice League would be. Left me wishing I had the second book.
4) Swamp Thing – A great start to a character I once really loved. It reads well for new readers and I like how they poked the old readers who thought they knew what was happening.
5) Batgirl – An above average bat book. Didn't blow me away but a solid superhero comic.
6) Men of War – I hope the second story picks up a little because I have a feeling the Sergeant Rock storyline is going to only get better.
7) Justice League – Click for earlier review
8 ) Detective Comics – I was underwhelmed with the story. It wasn't terrible but it read like every other standard Joker-Batman book.
9) Green Arrow – Not a blazing shot out of the cannon but there is hope. I like Green Arrow so I want this book to succeed.
10) Batwing – You could flip-flop this one with Green Arrow. They are about the same for me.
11) Justice League International – First thing this book needs to do is get rid of Batman. Then jump out of the box and try something new.
12) O.M.A.C. – I liked the art but I have always been a fan of Giffen. The book barely held together on the story front.
13) Hawk & Dove – Right now I see this book as an early possibility of getting voted off my DC island.
14) Static Shock – The art was okay but nothing else about this book caught my imagination. Could also easily be voted off my DC island.
September 5, 2011
A Labor of Love
Got to love the catchy title don't you (okay it was hokey but I can't help myself). I got to spend a wonderful Sunday afternoon meeting new people and listening to Marian Call play music at a house concert. If you have never been to a house concert make sure you do so some day because you have never really experienced the intimacy of music until you have the musician a few feet in front of you. Marian told all of our lovely little group about her friends at the Alaska Robotics website doing a blog for Labor Day listing some of their favorite independent comics done by women. It was a nice way to help support something they loved. Run on over and take a look at their site because they have some great creators listed.
I really liked the idea of highlighting artist on Labor Day and told Marian I was totally stealing the blog idea. As an independent writer trying to do my own thing outside of the umbrella of the corporate world I know how hard it is. I write because I love to and to not write would be the death of me. I like when people pick up one of my books because then it has been read. I am not making a living at this and am a long way from doing so (hence the day job). We live in an interesting time right now. The model for artists is blowing up. When the dusts settles we are going to see more and more people going their own way. As consumers of art we need to support that which we love. A few years back Sheri and I made a decision to actively support the arts. Every year we make sure some artists out there creating pieces of magic gets as much help as we can give them. Here are a few people I really love. Check them out. If you find someone new and exciting and can give them your support, great. If you are a little short of money to do any supporting then just spread the word. Getting noticed is half the battle most of the time. I would also encourage you to write a blog. Post on Twitter, Facebook, social media of your choice, links to artists you would like to spread the word on. It is a lot of work to create art. If we, the fans, don't support it then a lot of the things we love will go away.
I am going to start right off with this geektastic choice. Her music is funny, touching, warm, geeky, and everything in between. I wrote a lot of my last novel listening to her music. She works her ass off to bring fans great art. There was never a better time to jump on the Marian Call bus because she has a new double album coming out October 1st. Trust me when I tell you it is fantastic. Go take a listen, you won't regret it.
Kim just made one of my favorite albums ever. If you haven't heard The Impossible Girl, then you are depriving yourself of musical joy. Kim has been trying to break out of the box for years. The constraints of the corporate music world have always hampered her true goal in life, to play music for everyone. She uses Kickstarter a lot and her latest adventure has been to pre-sell concerts in towns across the U.S.
She plays the cello. This is not really an accurate statement about what Zoë does. She plays the frakking hell out of the cello. A one woman cello orchestra with easily the best live show you will ever see. This is not an exaggeration. You will not want to leave one of her cello performances as she layers her cello magic one track on top of the other. She does everything live on stage (which also makes going to multiple shows a joy because they are never exactly the same). I can listen to her albums over and over again (and have since I listen to her more than anyone while writing).
I love Amanda because she is fearless. This doesn't mean she knows no fear. Only that she will not let it stop her. Like all the women above she is always looking for a new way to connect with fans. Make her music. Create great art and somehow support herself. She is also the main reason Sheri and I support the arts as much as we do now. A few years back she talked about how important it was going to be to have fan supported art and how great art needs patrons. We really took it to heart.
The little web show that could. Growing up I used to love watching sitcoms on TV. Laughing keeps me sane. About five years ago I noticed I was barely watching any sitcoms. They were simply not funny anymore. They had taken the formula and driven a stake right through the heart of it. This web series is everything a TV sitcom should be. First and foremost it is fucking hilarious. I would recommend not watching it with liquid in your mouth because you will be spraying that shit all over your computer screen. You add in great writing that is telling a really interesting story about finding love while not losing yourself and you have a complete winner. This series often gets written up as a geek anthem to dating but honestly for most people dating is a difficult dance. Everyone will be able to relate to the journey. Plus, did I mention it is hilarious. Go and watch it. They don't get made without fan support so if you like it help them get season 3 made when the call goes out.
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time you know I am a huge fan of The Guild. I am sure there were web series before and of course there have been a lot after but The Guild will always be the standard-bearer for me. Like Awkward Embraces there isn't a show on network TV which delivers the laughs in 30 minutes which The Guild gives you in six. The whole cast is spectacular. I know the show has blown up (if you don't believe me try to get into a Comic-Con panel) but the truth is non-gamers and visitors to the geek world are still missing out. Do a friend a favor and make sure they watch it. Dspite getting huge in the geek world none of the individual cast members are out their blazing a path of glory across the TV and movie world. The show started as a way to show everyone what they are capable of and we need to support it so they can all have long and successful careers.
Molly is my favorite artist walking on the planet right now. I wish I had a bigger house so I could buy even more paintings. I am simply running out of room on my walls. She is currently working on a crazy Kickstarter project where she locks herself in a room and fills every available inch of wall space with her art. She does comics, books, posters, t-shirts and I have yet to see a picture I didn't want to own. I would love her just for her art but I love her even more because she helped me pick out some books for a gifted artist in my class to practice with. I hope I can send some support back her way.
The Bean is a web comic drawn by Travis Hanson. It is well written and superbly drawn. I am always waiting expectantly for the next part of the adventure and Travis never fails to disappoint. A great comic for family members of all ages, it has easily passed Bone as my favorite comic out there (and I love Bone. So this is high praise). Travis has a Kickstarter going right now to support the omnibus edition of his first four collections. Never a better time to jump on board. Check out his site. Read a few strips and then buy a collection. All comics should be as good as his.
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I hope you find something new and interesting above. If nothing jumps out at you as something you would like to support go find something which does. I can think of no better way to celebrate Labor Day.
September 3, 2011
Incarnators Week 9
Great week of writing this week. Had two days where I wrote over 7000 words. The word count soars past 25000 and the book is well and truly on its way to getting finished. I still have moments of writing log jams. They are usually caused by my inexperience.
I didn't take good enough notes on the first two books so find myself going back and looking things up to make sure the plot thread is right. When I wrote Keepers I knew it was going to be a world I came back to someday so I took good notes for future books. You would think knowing this was going to be a trilogy I would have done the same for this one. I have learned it the hard way.
The story is moving at a good pace but I have a couple of plot threads I have not decided how they are going to connect. This doesn't worry me too much because the same thing happened in the last two books and eventually I pulled everything together.
This next week will be interesting because I want to keep up the good pace but I have committed myself to a huge blog on Wednesday. I am still going to review each and every one of the new DC Universe comics. This means I am going to have to make sure I manage my time well.
On the marketing side of things I still suck hard. I am not selling as many books as I would like but I know part of this is I am not devoting enough time to marketing. I know after this book is done it is going to have to be a crash course in marketing 101. I did send out some review requests this week but have heard back from no one.
This book should be done by the end of October (although, I am still hoping for the middle around my birthday). Then I will have two books to edit and publish in a row. By the end of next year I am going to have 6 books out. I am a writing fool (which is better than the fool I usually am).
August 31, 2011
The New DC Universe: Week 0 Reviews
The day is finally upon us. After months of hype. Hours of conversations with my friends. The new DC universe is launched. Let me put out a little disclaimer here. I know many loyal DC fans are up in arms about the reboot and I admit I have some concerns about some of their choices. Having said that if I was in charge of the world (and really I am not sure why this power hasn't been granted to me yet) I would reboot the DC and Marvel universe about every ten years on principle. I think it is healthy for the industry.
When you make the back story of your comic so complicated that new readers don't want to pick it up then you are hurting the industry. I love comics. I have been reading them for 36 years. I want the industry to thrive. Rebooting the universe does not take away the joy or memory of any great stories I have read before. Instead it gives creators a chance to deliver new and interesting stories. To think outside the box and not be confined by what we know has gone on before. I am really hoping DC does this right. I am excited to see what new adventures they take us on. I am hoping I can hook my wife, brother, and a myriad of other people into reading comics.
A brief side note about digital releases. I live in a small town. It has been over twenty years since I have been able to read a comic from Marvel or DC on the day it was released. Hitting the download button on my iPad today sent a childhood thrill through my body. Alright onto the first review. This week's review and power ranking will be easy. DC only released one comic. Next week my challenge ramps up with multiple releases.
Justice League #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS; Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
I have not always been a huge fan of either Johns or Lee. They both have done things I really like but sometimes lack the little subtleties which really stick with me weeks after reading a comic. My first impression upon scanning the page is Lee can draw Batman. The overall art in the book is fairly standard comic book art but it is crisp and clean. Scott Williams does an excellent job with the inking.
The story itself left me a little cold for a first issue. The dialog itself was all over the place. It made me laugh in a few places (one interaction between Green Lantern and Batman is still bouncing around in my head) but sometimes it hit with a giant thud. I know they are trying to set up a new universe in a very limited time but I thought the pacing was too fast. You are starting everything over, take your time. The book primarily is a Green Lantern and Batman story. I never jumped onto the Green Lantern train so I was hoping for something to convince me to like him. I appreciated the attempt at humor but it didn't quite connect this first time out.
My overall impression with the first issue is it's a pretty standard fair. It hit the reset button. It started a story but I wasn't completely wowed. I admit I was maybe hoping for a little more from the launch issue. My main disappointment was the writing. It didn't feel fresh or interesting. I have hope though. I was interested and will willingly buy the second issue to see where it goes.
Justice League will be one of those books which is in no danger of being cancelled. It's also a tricky book because it is a team book and I think they are a little harder to write. This book really felt like a love letter to traditional fans though. A sort of, "see we didn't mess with anything to bad." I hope the next books out take bigger chances. Why hit the reset button and do basically the same type of story we have seen a thousand times. On a scale of 1 to 10 it is a 7.5 for me (a lot of the seven had to do with Williams inking which was really fantastic).
DC Power Rankings
1) Justice League – It gets to be number one for a week but I am guessing this will not last past next week (I should say hoping with all of my comic book heart).
The New DC Universe: Week 1 Reviews
The day is finally upon us. After months of hype. Hours of conversations with my friends. The new DC universe is launched. Let me put out a little disclaimer here. I know many loyal DC fans are up in arms about the reboot and I admit I have some concerns about some of their choices. Having said that if I was in charge of the world (and really I am not sure why this power hasn't been granted to me yet) I would reboot the DC and Marvel universe about every ten years on principle. I think it is healthy for the industry.
When you make the back story of your comic so complicated that new readers don't want to pick it up then you are hurting the industry. I love comics. I have been reading them for 36 years. I want the industry to thrive. Rebooting the universe does not take away the joy or memory of any great stories I have read before. Instead it gives creators a chance to deliver new and interesting stories. To think outside the box and not be confined by what we know has gone on before. I am really hoping DC does this right. I am excited to see what new adventures they take us on. I am hoping I can hook my wife, brother, and a myriad of other people into reading comics.
A brief side note about digital releases. I live in a small town. It has been over twenty years since I have been able to read a comic from Marvel or DC on the day it was released. Hitting the download button on my iPad today sent a childhood thrill through my body. Alright onto the first review. This week's review and power ranking will be easy. DC only released one comic. Next week my challenge ramps up with multiple releases.
Justice League #1
Geoff Johns & Jim Lee
I have not always been a huge fan of either Johns or Lee. They both have done things I really like but sometimes lack the little subtleties which really stick with me weeks after reading a comic. My first impression upon scanning the page is Lee can draw Batman. The overall art in the book is fairly standard comic book art but it is crisp and clean. Scott Williams does an excellent job with the inking.
The story itself left me a little cold for a first issue. The dialog itself was all over the place. It made me laugh in a few places (one interaction between Green Lantern and Batman is still bouncing around in my head) but sometimes it hit with a giant thud. I know they are trying to set up a new universe in a very limited time but I thought the pacing was too fast. You are starting everything over, take your time. The book primarily is a Green Lantern and Batman story. I never jumped onto the Green Lantern train so I was hoping for something to convince me to like him. I appreciated the attempt at humor but it didn't quite connect this first time out.
My overall impression with the first issue is it's a pretty standard fair. It hit the reset button. It started a story but I wasn't completely wowed. I admit I was maybe hoping for a little more from the launch issue. My main disappointment was the writing. It didn't feel fresh or interesting. I have hope though. I was interested and will willingly buy the second issue to see where it goes.
Justice League will be one of those books which is in no danger of being cancelled. It's also a tricky book because it is a team book and I think they are a little harder to write. This book really felt like a love letter to traditional fans though. A sort of, "see we didn't mess with anything to bad." I hope the next books out take bigger chances. Why hit the reset button and do basically the same type of story we have seen a thousand times. On a scale of 1 to 10 it is a 7 for me (a lot of the seven had to do with Williams inking which was really fantastic).
DC Power Rankings
1) Justice League – It gets to be number one for a week but I am guessing this will not last past next week (I should say hoping with all of my comic book heart).
August 29, 2011
The New DC Universe
So if you read comics (and maybe even if you don't) you know DC Comics is about to hit the reset button on all of their comics this week. 52 brand spanking new comics will start rolling out with the publication of the Justice League #1 on Wednesday. Then every Wednesday we will get about 12 to 13 more until all 52 are out.
It's an ambitious plan and it is partly built around an attempt to bring in new readers who have been scared off of comics in the past. With day and date release of all comics digitally DC will be making a hard push and getting at the millions of readers who never set foot in a comic shop.
The ambition comes with a lot of risk because every comic geek knows at least a few fans who are going to blow a major gasket over losing years of continuity in comics. This is further complicated by the fact they didn't actually hit a pure reset button. They chose what they were going to keep of each heroes history. Often packing in years of story into a new 5 year history. For anyone who has been reading DC for a long time we are left scratching our head a little on what it is all going to look like.
The thing is this isn't really for long time readers. Comics' sales have been crashing for years. I applaud DC for trying to get out in front of the digital market. While I may not be entirely sold with the direction of many of the books, anything which brings new readers into the world of comics is a good thing. Will this work? Who knows but it is going to be a fun ride watching it.
One of the first things I thought when I heard the announcement of 52 new number one issues is that some of them were going to fail (by some I mean many). Some are going to fail because of poor execution. Some are going to fail because despite the quality they might bring to the table they are not connecting with a mass audience. One of the goals is to bring in new readers. The whole project fails if they don't accomplish this.
I have decided to embrace the ride whole heartedly. Starting this week I will buy each and every one of the new 52 issues (my wallet is already feeling the pain). I will then give a mini-recap which will include how readable I think the comic might be for new readers. Then I will rank the book against each of the 52 issues out so far. This will give me a DC power ranking.
I am then going to use this power ranking to start voting comics off the DC island. This will be my prediction on which books are going to get canceled. I am going to give each comic at least two issues (again my wallet groans in protest). At that point I will start knocking books off my read list. At some point I will whittle it down to just the books I want to read. I have no idea what that magic number is.
I am really curious on how this whole thing will turn out. In particular my predictions of cancellation. Since I will be basing my predictions primarily on quality and this is not always an indicator on what will get canceled. For instance, what if Wonder Woman sucks (I hope it doesn't). DC will never cancel Wonder Woman so if I vote it off my island I will do so knowing I will be wrong no matter what. I hope many of you will join me because it would be awesome to get a comment section going with other people's thoughts and predictions. If you're interested spread the word and see you on Wednesday.
