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

I'm sure this has already been remarked upon somewhere uptopic, but the fact that DC decided to launch their new approach to all of this at roughly the same time of year that the TV networks premiere their new seasons is interesting and the resemblances between the "new 52" and the television programming model are not coincidental. Bet you see the first wave of cancellations and announcements of new premieres within four or five months.

 

Here's to mid-season!

 

Why would having two Superman titles make less sense? I dont think having characters with more than one title was part of the "mess" they wanted to "clean up".

Well with Batman you have four comics to follow!!!!!

 

There are two different time periods in the relaunch continuity. The past, and the present. Or more specifically Five Years Ago as it's now known. Action Comics is different as it goes even further to basically show Superman's introduction to public crime fighting. Justice League takes place Five Years Ago to show us how "the worlds greatest superheroes" came together for the first time in this new continuity. I assume that it is this way because this is the way Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns (the writers of the two books in question) wanted to tell their stories. As was mentioned both book's first arc are in the past then we will catch up with the present. It's not complicated.

 

It's probably multiple storylines and looser continuity. The last time DC tried to integrate the books together was during the New Krypton arc and that wasn't a success. But really Morrison works at his own pace and trying to have Perez following along probably won't end well.

 

Not me. That was CaptainCraig.

 

Thanks for the explanation, that does make sense then. I may have to look for this one down the road either in TPB or a dealer $1 box(regardless of the print run).

For sure they will announce by end of 1Q '12 which books aren't going to make it to issue #8. But will they, as the analogy goes, usher in "mid season" replacements or just wait till the new "Pilot" season in September again?

We already know we are getting a new Anthology title, it escapes me at present, with Garbage Man, Tanga and another that essentially picks up from the Weird Worlds mini earlier this year. So a sprinkling of other #1's are coming prior to "Wave 2/Midseason" it seems but I have to think another Big Push for some characters will happen. Recapture lightning in a bottle if you will.

 

DC will announce cuts and new projects the same way they always do...through the interwebs and cons. I'd be surprised if we didn't learn something by the New York Comic Con which is the next big con coming up.

The anthology title is DC Universe Presents, unless you're referring to something else.

 

Yes, DC Universe Presents, thank you Admiral!

 

Over on Bleeding Cool, the writer said,

Which is TRUE, BUT... her size also helps her stand out in a frame of a bunch of other people. That's how we ALWAYS recognized Amanda, even in silhouette. AND, let's have a little diversity of size. Or is everyone in the nuDCU a size 0?

 

I just finished reading Legion Lost and yeah not going to follow the book. Will be sticking with the main LOSH book. Can't stand Pete Woods art work and the story didn't interest me at all...even with Dawny part of the Lost team.

 

This.

I feel this way about JLI, as well: it's as though DC only listened long enough to hear "people still like JLI" or "Amanda Waller caught on as a character", without even trying to figure out why those things might be. Amanda Waller has been a successful creation because and not in spite of her size. Fans can recognize a realistic, well-drawn character who is (crucially) different from other characters. The JLI's appeal is largely nostalgic, but again based on well-defined characters. Just throwing some people in a room - even some of the same people - and slapping "JLI" on the cover does not mean it'll work.

 

Having the Wall lose weight would be like the Marvel equivalent of de-sizeing the Kingpin. The size of these characters are apart of their mythos and how other characters underestimate them based on it as well. I guess DC is trying to make some of their characters reflect their movie counter parts now...

 

I can't think of any female superheroes in comics who look to be a size 0 - artists like to draw them all with big busts and hips and waists that are unreasonably small.

Doubtless I'm overlooking more than a few, but the trend is still the trend and it's not toward anorexic or even slight women.

Not at all - part of the Penguin's personna is his resemblance to a fat little bird. How is Waller's character defined by "fat?"

 

^ I meant The Kingpin lol. Did anyone pick up Mr. Terrific? Karen Starr is there as I believe Michael's best friend and roommate. The issue was pretty decent.

 

Oh, yeah, that reminds me, everybody buy that DC Retroactive thing with Giffen, de Matteis, and Maguire.

And I've said it before, but why no K/D/M JLI? Maguire can't stick to a monthly schedule? Fine, make it bimonthly. Or have a rotating art team ala Williams and Amy Reeder. I might suggest Chris Batista, that guy you fired.

Do what it takes to make good product, not available product.

It just blows my mind that Scott Lobdell has three books, Giffen is only co-plotting and drawing a vanity project*, and de Matteis has no work at all.

I think they really missed what made people upset about late books. It wasn't the wait (people wait years between films and video games, and months between seasons of TV shows), but simply the unpredictability and annoyance of broken promises.

*That is nonetheless pretty decent, in a Godland sort of way. I've praised Godland before, but the thing about Godland is, as much as I enjoy it while I'm reading it, it completely clears from my system the moment I put a trade down. It feels hollow, and OMAC is sort of the same way. This keeps me far away from sampling Jack Kirby's more esoteric work. People have called these successful Kirby pastiches, so I have to assume that something like Kamandi would feel hollow too.

This is a fantastic analogy.

 

I guess that's a little more plausible. "Kingpin" was initially sort of a pun on the character's shape, but none of that has a lot to do with how his character functions.

Unfortunately (I guess) no producer of mass entertainment follows that principle above all others...and DC apparently aspires to a mass media model.

Date and time, date and time...everything DC is doing makes more sense - or, at least, looks very familiar - if you pretend that they're trying to run a television network.

 

I was using 0 because I don't know women's sizes for shit. I've been married for 6 years and I have no idea what size my wife is. So, I plucked a number out of the air.

Nevertheless, my point is everyone is the same shape...as you said, big busts--which Amanda REALLY has now, and a tiny waist.

 

Batwoman was very interesting. I wonder how much of the original story Williams had plannned was retooled for the retcon. I see what Nerys Myk was wondering about Renee. Kate Sawyer is an interesting love interest for Kate. Looks like we get Bruce next issue!

 

I think the "Oprah" rationale offered by Guy works. Maybe she'll balloon again later...in fact, you can make book on it.