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

The Future's End books I've read so far for Anny month have done zero for me. I'm just not getting into it. Usually I can find at least one aspect to get excited about or that interests me...but so far ziltch.

 

To me, this just sounds like the series takes place on an alternate Earth, something that was speculated in the early days of the JL3000 anyway.

Last year I just bought the books directly related to Forever Evil and bought other issues as they came up in comics I was actually reading. I think I will do the same this year and skip September until I decide if I am actually going to care about the five years later arc.

 

Ugh. On the one hand, Justice League 3000 was so bad I only got through a few issues, even though I'm a HUGE Giffen/DeMatteis fan (their JLI and JL Europe are my favorite Justice League comics ever). On the other hand, seeing Giffen/DeMatteis's Blue beetle and Booster Gold (or at least very similar versions) sounds awesome. I may have to check this out, even if the JL 3000 issues I read were some of the worst New 52 comics I've read.

 

I think the thing that is taking me out of it is the narrative of Future's End. This is five years later and after a significant "War" that would appear to be Geoff Johns "Darkseid War". We are seeing a time and place drastically altered after a significant event that we haven't seen yet. Normally I'm not usually this jarred by this...but for whatever reason this time I am.

 

Read the Aquaman Futures End One Shot last night.
This event is for sure tied to the Darkseid war since it's made mention that Apokolips might never have taken notice of Atlanteans and Xebel had Aquaman not brought them into the conflict. It's for sure tying into events that have taken place within the title. The return of the Dead King Atlan and the ties to the enchanted golden Atlantean armaments that the Others wear.

So while Swamp Thing just ends, strangely, at least this is a two parter that continues into Aquaman and the Others Future End One Shot. There is the hope it'll feel more complete and flesh things out a bit more.

This is still coming off as a wonky idea to do, this 5 year jump. It feels like forcing a narrative. That the EIC can't allow for things to develop organically cause for whatever reason they are going to scrap it all again, or large parts, so they want to cram as much as they can into this nu52 narrative timeline.

 

^ Yep. I agree with that last paragraph.

 

I love the artwork in Sensations Comics Featuring Wonder Woman #2. It's much better than in the main Wonder Woman title.

 

I'm not getting into these Future's End issues at all. It just all feels like a fake future story that's going to be wiped away. What are they going to do, have this big Darkseid War and then jump the entire continuity five years forward to the point of these issues? Wasn't the entire point of the continuity reboot to make the characters younger and erase their long history?

 

Of course it's a fake future. When ever Marvel or DC does one of these storylines it's not to tie the characters into any particular future, but to tell some hopefully interesting stories. The issues after Futures End will pick up right after the issue's before it.

 

For those of you who have been following the so called "Band Aid project" starting next March (During the final move to Burbank) DiDio and Jim Lee confirmed through the DC All Access Video that "Booster Gold Future's End #1" and "Superman: Doomed #2" are important to "Blood Moon" and that it will take place outside of continuity while "they're taking a break from the line" (i.e. finishing the move).

I assume that "Darkseid War" is going to be next summer's event and tie-in to the Crisis anny/homage or perhaps be the new crisis.

 

It looks like these September events are going to continue for awhile:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=55981

 

That's pretty impressive.

 

I generally use September as a. Chance to save a few bucks by refusing to buy event books not by regular creative teams--or at least the writer. They're just fill ins that have no impact on anything.

 

^ Agreed. Especially last month's batch...which were both frustrating and disappointing.

 

I thought the "Futures End" books reminded me greatly of the Armageddon 2001 annuals from back in the day. There might be a little more of an over-arching plan to them than the A2001 books, but they still felt like inessential throwaways.

 

It also doesn't help that basically all of them weren't written/drawn by their own creative team. All of them kind of felt like bad annuals.

In other news..."Blood Moon" might not be called "Blood Moon".

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/10/07/dc-comics-blood-moon-is-not-blood-moon/

 

Books that are in borderline straits of cancellation based on August #s:

I read Swamp Thing was also in danger somewhere else on CBR's site cut can't find the article now. Constantine was another. Batwoman as well. It was something like "Top 10 titles on the cancellation bubble" or something like that. It had Marvel titles mixed in as well. If I find the list I'll edit the post.

I'm enjoying both A&tO along with Swamp Thing and would be displeased if they get axed. I'm a bit surprised that the audience giving the solo Aquaman title healthy numbers wouldn't also be with A&tO in stronger lockstep.

 

Well, Charles Soule is leaving Swamp Thing in a few months either way, and I was going to stop reading when he left. So even if it goes away he'll probably get to finish his run, which would have been the end for me anyway. I found The Others to be extremely boring characters when they first showed up in Aquaman's main book, so I haven't bothered to read their book anyway. Infinity Man & The Forever People is a decent book, but I'm not surprised that its in danger. Its still the best use of any New Gods characters in the New 52, though (and that's counting Orion in Wonder Woman, every appearance of New 52 Mr. Miracle and Big Barda, and Darkseid in JL).

I dropped Batwoman when the real creative team got pushed out, so good riddance to a book that should have just been cancelled once DC editorial decided to actively ruin it.

 

Constantine should have remained a title in its own continuity.

 

Batman #35: End Game Begins! Yet another amazing issue. I can't how every single issue of Snyder/Capullo Batman can be this epic and good. I definitely did not see that last page twist coming! I'm hooked!