DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) - Page 2

Turtletrekker · August 31 2011, 09:54 AM

So.

My LCS had a midnight release party for Flashpoint 5 and Justice League 1. I actually wouldn't have made the special trip (Especially since Diamond distributing would only let them sell those two books. I'll be back tomorrow for the rest of my books for the week.) but as fate would have it, I was driving by anyway.

First a quick note about Flashpoint 5. Without having read any of the series, I thumbed through the finale. It was mostly gibberish, frankly as I hadn't much of a clue about the status quo in this altered timeline. However, I found the ending to quite unexpectedly and surprisingly touching. Enough so to make me consider picking up the trade.

Onward-- Justice League 1. I liked it a little better than the reviewer I linked to earlier did, but I can see where he's coming from. Despite assurances that there would no more "writing for the trade", this issue really feels incomplete as a single issue.

My favorite bit comes soon after Batman and Green Lantern meet...

Young Hal Jordan in fun. He is cocky as Hell and supremely confident in his rings ability to handle any threat. Therefore, after the previous exchange, it is extra fun to see...

GL's ring determines that the creature that they are both chasing is extra-terrestrial in origin, the follow it into the sewer where the nature of threat is revealed to the readers, if not immediately to the heroes.

The issue ends with the pair...

An interesting thing that I noticed regarding Cyborg.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be sticking with this through the first arc.

Admiral_Young · August 31 2011, 10:07 AM

Yeah. It had some fun moments in it, pretty much what TurtleTrekker pointed out, but I wasn't as entertained as I should have been and still think it was average. I will stick it through this first origin arc (I was intrigued at the mention of

Myasishchev · August 31 2011, 01:32 PM

Ok, those exchanges held within Turtle's impregnable spoiler fortress actually sort of makes me want to buy this. That's really kind of hilarious.

Also, I enjoy hating Batman, so this might be good for me, especially given that Geoff Johns is the only writer on Earth willing to have another character give him the beating he so richly deserves.

the G-man · August 31 2011, 02:10 PM

I find this neither good nor bad but I do find it kind of amusing how, these days, the "Trinity" seems to be Superman, Batman and GL. Just an observation on the changing tastes of fans.

JoeZhang · August 31 2011, 03:34 PM

the G-man wrote:

I find this neither good nor bad but I do find it kind of amusing how, these days, the "Trinity" seems to be Superman, Batman and GL. Just an observation on the changing tastes of fans.

Instead of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman?

Has that trinity ever really existed outside of DC Marketing and the 30,000 or so people who buy Wonder Woman and want their hero to be important?

Admiral Buzzkill · August 31 2011, 03:41 PM

Turtletrekker wrote:

In the lit forum there is usually a moratorium on un-coded spoilers for about a month for new books. That doesn't seem like a bad policy to have in this thread.

A month is far more reasonable.

Myasishchev · August 31 2011, 03:54 PM

JoeZhang wrote:

the G-man wrote:

I find this neither good nor bad but I do find it kind of amusing how, these days, the "Trinity" seems to be Superman, Batman and GL. Just an observation on the changing tastes of fans.

Instead of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman?

Has that trinity ever really existed outside of DC Marketing and the 30,000 or so people who buy Wonder Woman and want their hero to be important?

Sorta. Bats, Supes, and WW are or at least were the most popularly known heroes. I mean, no one called them that until DC did, but I'd say it had some basis in reality... there's a reason For The Man Who Has Everything stars those three plus Robin. Although it would've been pretty hilarious if Hal Jordan had crashed the party uninvited and gotten beaten to death by the alien with yellow skin.

That said, yeah, WW hasn't been successful in, what, decades? They say she's the hardest major DC character to write, and I believe it. Oh well, just get Johns on her, and he'll give her the motivating tragedy involving parental death and/or disgrace that the kids go ga-ga over these days.

davejames · August 31 2011, 04:02 PM

I'd say WW still deserves that status. She may not be overly popular now, but she was back in the day, and the name IS pretty damn iconic.

Certainly more than GL, who only seems to have emerged as an upper-tier character very recently.

Professor Zoom · August 31 2011, 05:29 PM

Both books were sorta MEH.

By the way, I'm not going to use spoiler tags. There's a Spoilers Welcome in the title of the thread.

Justice League: This should've been special. Maybe 40 pages. Or 80 pages. And I think it shoulda introduced the members of the team--what are they doing, where are they, etc, etc, instead of the the battle of "wits" between Batman and Green Lantern. I'm choosing to read it all as homoerotic subtext, it makes it make more sense.

Not much REALLY happens in this issue, and that's disappointing. Pages of art, with some plot, basiclly. Vic gets more time than I thought he would. And OOO, what a TWIST ending, Superman!

For a "relaunch" it feels very much the same. Not much risk in the story telling.

You know what it feels like: an adaptation of a movie that's coming out.

Flashpoint: so, wait, Barry saving his mom's life causes the UNIVERSE to come apart? SERIOUSLY? Her LIVING redirects Superman's pod? REAIMS Joe Chill's bullet? SERIOUSLY?

And that two page spread that "explains" the nunuDCU? Um. Ok. Great explanation. I couldn't figure out the three streams that needed to be reunited.... DC, Wildstorm and... Vertigo?

Silvercrest · August 31 2011, 05:33 PM

Myasishchev wrote:

JoeZhang wrote:

the G-man wrote:

I find this neither good nor bad but I do find it kind of amusing how, these days, the "Trinity" seems to be Superman, Batman and GL. Just an observation on the changing tastes of fans.

Instead of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman?

Has that trinity ever really existed outside of DC Marketing and the 30,000 or so people who buy Wonder Woman and want their hero to be important?

Sorta. Bats, Supes, and WW are or at least were the most popularly known heroes. I mean, no one called them that until DC did, but I'd say it had some basis in reality...

True. Each of them had a successful TV show which is still remembered generations later. They're the only DC heroes who did, so that puts them among the most popularly known heroes right there.

Allyn Gibson · August 31 2011, 05:44 PM

Professor Zoom wrote:

Flashpoint: so, wait, Barry saving his mom's life causes the UNIVERSE to come apart? SERIOUSLY? Her LIVING redirects Superman's pod? REAIMS Joe Chill's bullet? SERIOUSLY?

And that two page spread that "explains" the nunuDCU? Um. Ok. Great explanation. I couldn't figure out the three streams that needed to be reunited.... DC, Wildstorm and... Vertigo?

Yeah, that's what it seemed to be saying.

I'm ignoring that the two-page spread exists. As far as I'm concerned, the coda with Barry and Bruce in the Batcave is in the DCU. And the DCnU is to the DCU what Earth-1 was to Earth-2. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

C.E. Evans · August 31 2011, 06:28 PM

I thought Justice League #1 was good as far as being the opening act of an origin story.

As far as Flashpoint #5...well, I think Star Trek XI did a better job in establishing an alternate universe, but I thought it ended well with its final pages.

Takeru · August 31 2011, 06:42 PM

Meh, Justice League #1 was weird. That's supposed to be the start of the DCnU, the first issue that's supposed to get new readers exited? It wasn't bad, but there was nothing new about it, it didn't feel like a fresh start at all and it wasn't even about the Justice League. They're really writing for the trade and that's just stupid, why not tell a simple story to show what the Justice League is about in one issue, how many new readers will stick around for a few months until they get to read stories about the Justice league?

If they want to write for trades they should just release trades and kill the monthlies.

middyseafort · August 31 2011, 06:45 PM

Professor Zoom wrote:

Dennis wrote:

Wait a minute - you mean there are people who really expect not to find out what happens in a monthly periodical until it's republished all together a year or two later? And they consider that it's a reasonable courtesy for other people to not discuss it in a timely fashion as it's published?

What a sense of entitlement that must require.

Yeah... I sorta agree...

Me too.

Oh, and Ozymandias materializes a fucking giant squid on top of New York City.

Sandman gets killed at the end. And comes back.

More to the point. Morpheus dies and Daniel, son of Hippolyta, becomes him.

the G-man · August 31 2011, 07:33 PM

middyseafort wrote:

Professor Zoom wrote:

Dennis wrote:

Wait a minute - you mean there are people who really expect not to find out what happens in a monthly periodical until it's republished all together a year or two later? And they consider that it's a reasonable courtesy for other people to not discuss it in a timely fashion as it's published?

What a sense of entitlement that must require.

Yeah... I sorta agree...

Me too.

Oh, and Ozymandias materializes a fucking giant squid on top of New York City.

Sandman gets killed at the end. And comes back.

More to the point. Morpheus dies and Daniel, son of Hippolyta, becomes him.

The robber that Spider-man was too selfish to stop turns out to be the burglar that killed his Uncle Ben.

August 31 2011, 09:54 AM	#16
Turtletrekker Vice Admiral Location: Tacoma, Washington	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) So. My LCS had a midnight release party for Flashpoint 5 and Justice League 1. I actually wouldn't have made the special trip (Especially since Diamond distributing would only let them sell those two books. I'll be back tomorrow for the rest of my books for the week.) but as fate would have it, I was driving by anyway. First a quick note about Flashpoint 5. Without having read any of the series, I thumbed through the finale. It was mostly gibberish, frankly as I hadn't much of a clue about the status quo in this altered timeline. However, I found the ending to quite unexpectedly and surprisingly touching. Enough so to make me consider picking up the trade. Onward-- Justice League 1. I liked it a little better than the reviewer I linked to earlier did, but I can see where he's coming from. Despite assurances that there would no more "writing for the trade", this issue really feels incomplete as a single issue. My favorite bit comes soon after Batman and Green Lantern meet... ...and Jordan is trying to figure what exactly Batman can do... Green Lantern: "What are your powers anyway? You can't fly?" Batman: "No." GL: "Super-strength?" Batman: "No." GL: "Hold on a second... You're not just some guy in a bat costume, are you? ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!" Young Hal Jordan in fun. He is cocky as Hell and supremely confident in his rings ability to handle any threat. Therefore, after the previous exchange, it is extra fun to see... ...Jordan's shock when the "powerless" Batman easily slips the ring off Jordan's finger. Batman:"I'm guessing it works off concentration. You weren't concentrating." Green Lantern: "You won't do that again." Batman: "Not unless I want to." GL's ring determines that the creature that they are both chasing is extra-terrestrial in origin, the follow it into the sewer where the nature of threat is revealed to the readers, if not immediately to the heroes. Green Lantern: "'Dark Side'? What is that? Is that a band?" The issue ends with the pair... ...going down to Metropolis to question Superman, a known extraterrestrial. After confidently telling Batman that, "I can handle this", GL is immediately knocked into oblivion by a red and blue blur. The blur come to stop in front of Batman and says, "I don't handle easy." Turn the final page for the reveal of Superman as he confronts Batman... "So... What can you do?" An interesting thing that I noticed regarding Cyborg. A pre-Cyborg Victor Stone appears for a few pages in this issue, and of course, he has already been confirmed as a founder of the League. This has led some to wonder what this means for his history with the Teen Titans. However, in the character sketches section in the back, Vic is refered to as "a Titan to be", which would indicate that perhaps his first stint with the League will be a short one that leads into the creation of the Titans. All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I will definitely be sticking with this through the first arc. __________________ Coulson lives!

August 31 2011, 10:07 AM	#17
Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Location: Metropolis	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) Yeah. It had some fun moments in it, pretty much what TurtleTrekker pointed out, but I wasn't as entertained as I should have been and still think it was average. I will stick it through this first origin arc (I was intrigued at the mention of Darkseid __________________ Admiral Young Chief of Operations Ignoring the The Last Stand since 2011.

August 31 2011, 01:32 PM	#18
Myasishchev Rear Admiral Location: America after the rain	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) Ok, those exchanges held within Turtle's impregnable spoiler fortress actually sort of makes me want to buy this. That's really kind of hilarious. Also, I enjoy hating Batman, so this might be good for me, especially given that Geoff Johns is the only writer on Earth willing to have another character give him the beating he so richly deserves. __________________

August 31 2011, 02:10 PM	#19
the G-man Commodore Location: to your immediate right	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) I find this neither good nor bad but I do find it kind of amusing how, these days, the "Trinity" seems to be Superman, Batman and GL. Just an observation on the changing tastes of fans.

August 31 2011, 04:02 PM	#23
davejames Vice Admiral Location: Sac, Ca	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) I'd say WW still deserves that status. She may not be overly popular now, but she was back in the day, and the name IS pretty damn iconic. Certainly more than GL, who only seems to have emerged as an upper-tier character very recently.

STAR TREK

CSI

ABOUT US

August 31 2011, 05:29 PM	#24
Professor Zoom Vice Admiral Location: Idealistic	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) Both books were sorta MEH. By the way, I'm not going to use spoiler tags. There's a Spoilers Welcome in the title of the thread. Justice League: This should've been special. Maybe 40 pages. Or 80 pages. And I think it shoulda introduced the members of the team--what are they doing, where are they, etc, etc, instead of the the battle of "wits" between Batman and Green Lantern. I'm choosing to read it all as homoerotic subtext, it makes it make more sense. Not much REALLY happens in this issue, and that's disappointing. Pages of art, with some plot, basiclly. Vic gets more time than I thought he would. And OOO, what a TWIST ending, Superman! For a "relaunch" it feels very much the same. Not much risk in the story telling. You know what it feels like: an adaptation of a movie that's coming out. Flashpoint: so, wait, Barry saving his mom's life causes the UNIVERSE to come apart? SERIOUSLY? Her LIVING redirects Superman's pod? REAIMS Joe Chill's bullet? SERIOUSLY? And that two page spread that "explains" the nunuDCU? Um. Ok. Great explanation. I couldn't figure out the three streams that needed to be reunited.... DC, Wildstorm and... Vertigo? __________________ Batman does not eat nachos.

August 31 2011, 06:28 PM	#27
C.E. Evans Vice Admiral Location: Saint Louis (aka Defiance)	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) I thought Justice League #1 was good as far as being the opening act of an origin story. As far as Flashpoint #5...well, I think Star Trek XI did a better job in establishing an alternate universe, but I thought it ended well with its final pages. __________________ "Shout, shout, let it all out..."

August 31 2011, 06:42 PM	#28
Takeru Captain	Re: DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely) Meh, Justice League #1 was weird. That's supposed to be the start of the DCnU, the first issue that's supposed to get new readers exited? It wasn't bad, but there was nothing new about it, it didn't feel like a fresh start at all and it wasn't even about the Justice League. They're really writing for the trade and that's just stupid, why not tell a simple story to show what the Justice League is about in one issue, how many new readers will stick around for a few months until they get to read stories about the Justice league? If they want to write for trades they should just release trades and kill the monthlies.