DC Comics Reboot

[AfghanAnt]

So I finally sat down and read through the Earth 2 books tonight... and just wow. I know I was in the camp that was kinda blah about Earth 2 originally... but this has been a fun ride.

shame they spoiled the whole who is the new batman mystery with the announcement of the earth 2 toyline

Earth 2 and Wonder Woman are the only books I can stomach. Also I had no idea they spoiled who it was. I will go on living in ignorance.

EDIT:
Oh wait...I thought that spoiler was wrong? No?

[Tomato]

James Robinson confirmed that the spoiler was legitimate, but honestly the only reason I knew about it was because people pointed it out. I'm sure we'll find out for sure this week, since Annual #2 is supposed to be Batman's origin

[AfghanAnt]

James Robinson confirmed that the spoiler was legitimate, but honestly the only reason I knew about it was because people pointed it out. I'm sure we'll find out for sure this week, since Annual #2 is supposed to be Batman's origin

It was ok. It wasn't written by Robinson (who is leaving DC). I'm actually sad that Earth 2 is going to go downhill now that he won't be handling it. I really enjoy this comic.

[deano_ue]

i read it but i'm torn, i like the idea that bruces parents weren't as squeaky clean and perfect as always. but i hate the fact that now batman is simply a old druggy murderer

[Tomato]

Eh, it doesn't bother me because I see Earth 2 as more of an elseworlds, and it's more or less a convenient way for them to bring back the Flashpoint Batman.

As for Earth 2 suffering outside of Robinson's hands... while I have really enjoyed the writing on E2 so far, this is the same man who brought us Cry for Justice AND JLA:Omega. I'm willing to give another writer a decent shot at it.

[BentonGrey]

Wow, that does not sound like something I'd enjoy.  Ha, yikes.  I'm curious to see what will happen with the change in Aquaman writer.  I think that, with the head of steam Johns built up, a different writer could do a lot of good for the character and the book...especially if they will leave the freaking "Others" out of it.

[Tomato]

Ehhh... You probably wouldn't Benton, but I think we're making it sound worse than it is... we're tiptoing around the spoiler of the current Batman's identity, so we're being overly vague about what happened.

Spoiler

Batman I, aka Bruce Wayne, is the same as he always was: he was his parents killed in front of him, dedicated his life to stopping crime, etc.

However, it turns out his Father was still alive. He'd gotten in big with the Mob before having Bruce, doing drugs and all that, but tried to back out when he became a father. The mob then sent a hitman after him, leaving him in nearly critical condition. Thomas then faked his own death, rationalizing his actions as being for Bruce's safety, and spent the next few decades plotting revenge.

It's during this revenge that Bruce discovers his father is still alive. But however much he loved his father, he also sees right through him: He's an addict, trading recreational drugs for Miraclo, a super-steroid. In disgust, he refuses all attempts by Thomas to get back into his life. Eventually, Bruce dies saving the world from Darkseid, never having reconciled with his father.

For Thomas, taking up the name of Batman is his means of honoring the son who died a better man than Thomas would ever be. And I appreciate that take on it.

But as TUE points out, this is still a man who killed mobsters out of revenge and takes drugs to get superstrength.

[Podmark]

I'm curious to see what will happen with the change in Aquaman writer.  I think that, with the head of steam Johns built up, a different writer could do a lot of good for the character and the book...especially if they will leave the freaking "Others" out of it.

Actually DC is launching a new Aquaman and the Others ongoing in a few months. I think Dan Jurgens is writing it.

[BentonGrey]

I know, and while it is super awesome that the Sea King is going to be headlining two books for the first time ever(!), I really can't stand the Others. 

[AfghanAnt]

...I really can't stand the Others.

Why?

[BentonGrey]

I know AA, that may seem a bit strange.  Honestly, my dislike of them stems from the fact that they were basically shoved down my throat in the Aquaman book.  All of a sudden, this group of characters are thrown at me, and I'm told, without knowing ANYTHING about them, 'care about them!  See, they're interesting, and one of them is dead!  Oh no!'  Their subsequent experiences were similar, style over substance, and really unnecessary plot complications that took the focus off of the character for which I bought the book in the first place.  Now they just sorta' annoy me.

[AfghanAnt]

I know AA, that may seem a bit strange.  Honestly, my dislike of them stems from the fact that they were basically shoved down my throat in the Aquaman book.  All of a sudden, this group of characters are thrown at me, and I'm told, without knowing ANYTHING about them, 'care about them!  See, they're interesting, and one of them is dead!  Oh no!'  They're subsequent experiences were similar, style over substance, and really unnecessary plot complications that took the focus off of the character for which I bought the book in the first place.  Now they just sorta' annoy me.

Got it. That pretty much sums up the whole Nu52.

[BentonGrey]

That's true.  I have CONSTANTLY found myself reading a story where a classic idea/story arc/character is glossed over in the rush to cover new ground (think of all the implied past adventures in Justice League), and fervently wishing to read THOSE stories rather than the ones being presented.  I've often felt like DC writers are falling into the same problem a lot of modern narratives do (I've especially noticed this in movies these days), trying to imply more than they explain.  When done well, such a tactic can create the illusion of a rich, deep history behind your narrative.  (Think of the hints of a wider world in The Lord of the Rings)  Yet, when done poorly, audiences just feel lost or unmoored in the story.

[AfghanAnt]

That's true.  I have CONSTANTLY found myself reading a story where a classic idea/story arc/character is glossed over in the rush to cover new ground (think of all the implied past adventures in Justice League), and fervently wishing to read THOSE stories rather than the ones being presented.  I've often felt like DC writers are falling into the same problem a lot of modern narratives do (I've especially noticed this in movies these days), trying to imply more than they explain.  When done well, such a tactic can create the illusion of a rich, deep history behind your narrative.  (Think of the hints of a wider world in The Lord of the Rings)  Yet, when done poorly, audiences just feel lost or unmoored in the story.

I completely agree. It is so weird because at first I was like "yes this is going to be like an unboot with minor changes to make DC more grounded in the modern times". What we got was rotating creative teams, unfinished ideas, and the significant loss of epic history. As much as I like what is being done with Cyborg, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Earth 2 there is so much more I absolutely hate. Namely Teen Titans and it's lack of consistent history. They can't even decide if Tim Drake was a Robin or not. It really is a shame because DC Comics was the brand I loved as a child and now it is just some 90's Wildstorm/Image comics mess.

[deano_ue]

Don't get me started on teen titans, I finally caught up with the back issues I had. What in the hell is that. I knew superboy fans were annoyed at what had been done to Conner, but kid flash fans should bloody riot

[Tomato]

Yeah... I choose to forget that Teen Titans even exists. It's right up there with Twilight in terms of "things I wish never happened"

[BentonGrey]

AA, I feel exactly the same way.  Heck, I spent years of my spare time composing a giant freaking love-letter to DC Comics.  It is a shadow of its old self these days.

[Podmark]

So Scott Synder's Batman title has been consumed by the Zero Year storyline which tells the New 52 version of Year One. It's a fine story, but I can't get that excited about it.
This week they took a break from Zero Year (to give artist Greg Capullo time to draw the next issue) for sneak peak at the upcoming weekly title Batman Eternal. This was a very nice change of pace and had a few things of interest to me:

Spoiler

The issue revealed that civilian cast member Harper Row will join Batman as Bluebird. Harper was one character people thought might be the new Robin, but it seems she'll be a completely different colour bird. I like this. Builds the character, story, and cast without going straight to the old Robin persona (though there might very well be another character as Robin). That said I don't love the costume and uses shock pellet guns which doesn't seem quite right for an ally of Batman.

Spoiler aka Stephanie Brown made her New 52 debut, and at first glance I like her updated costume.

There's also an unidentified person helping out at the cave in an oracle like role.

Also things seem to have taken a turn for the worse in Gotham. There's a curfew and mention of an infection. Also Catwoman is acting as a kingpin of Gotham's underground.

These kinds of developments have me pretty interested in what's coming up.

Batman is probably the only DC book (that I actually read) that I can legitimately recommend.

[bat1987]

So Forever Evil 6....wow

Major spoilers ahead

Spoiler

So, Alexander Luthor is the hooded prisoner. Which is not as as surprising as the fact that he is Mazahs! (their version of Shazam obviously ). While def not expected, seems kinda random that he is Shazam of their world. He also seems to be able to absorb their powers. Captain Cold was pretty hardcase here. Nightwing is strapped to a bomb that can only be deactivated when his heart stops. And I don't buy it for one sec that Nightwing is actually dead. Luthor said its under control (I'm assuming he stopped his breathing in order to stop the heart?). Hopefully they don't turn him into a Talon or something. Oh and it wasn't revealed what the threat that destroyed their world was. Guess we'll see the answers in the final issue.

[JeyNyce]

Forever Evil was great but....

Spoiler

I wasn't too crazy and Batman stopping Luther.  I know that Batman got emotional, but even I figure it out that if you stop his heart, you can then disarm the bomb and them give Nightwing CPR to bring him out.  Batman should have thought of that first.

[bat1987]

Forever Evil was great but....

Spoiler

I wasn't too crazy and Batman stopping Luther.  I know that Batman got emotional, but even I figure it out that if you stop his heart, you can then disarm the bomb and them give Nightwing CPR to bring him out.  Batman should have thought of that first.

Oh for sure

Spoiler

but since it was written by Geoff Johns, expect Batman to act totally out of character and be incompetent. If anyone else wrote this I'd surprised, but not Johns.

[bat1987]

LoL, Forever Evil indeed, last issue has been delayed until 21st of may
http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/915?stockItemID=JAN140237

Also affected are JL, JLA, Nightwing and Suicide Squad.

No official reason was given but

Spoiler

Would be funny as hell if second time in a decade the editorial had creative differences over Dick Grayson's fate (the first being Infinite Crisis)

[Podmark]

LoL, Forever Evil indeed, last issue has been delayed until 21st of may
http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/915?stockItemID=JAN140237

Also affected are JL, JLA, Nightwing and Suicide Squad.

No official reason was given but

Spoiler

Would be funny as hell if second time in a decade the editorial had creative differences over Dick Grayson's fate (the first being Infinite Crisis)

I'd imagine it's slow art. Dave Finch isn't the fastest artist and I think some issues of Forever Evil were slightly delayed already.
The others being delayed is just a result of FE, I'm quite sure. Their stories will play off the final issue of FA.

[Tomato]

Forever Evil was great but....

Spoiler

I wasn't too crazy and Batman stopping Luther.  I know that Batman got emotional, but even I figure it out that if you stop his heart, you can then disarm the bomb and them give Nightwing CPR to bring him out.  Batman should have thought of that first.

Yeah, I find it even sillier when you consider...

Spoiler

Temporarily stopping someone's heart to stop a bomb was a major plot point in Arkham Origins.

[daglob]

Waitaminit...

Spoiler

That was also The Chief of The Doom Patrol's origin. His ORIGINAL origin, 'way back in the '60s.

[JeyNyce]

Ah......The classics, they never get old do they?

[AfghanAnt]

Anyone else excited about Earth-2?

It is easily becoming my favorite comics.

[Thunder]

I am really enjoying Earth 2.  I'm a HUGE JSA fan from way back. That being said, I love seeing new interpretations of these classic characters.  I'm interested to see Val come to his true powers.  Always hoping for a Hawkman to complement Hawkgirl. I love the interplay between all the characters.  I'm going to be interested to see who else they brng in from the "old guard". DC already announced a weekly series called World's End: Earth 2.   

[Ares_God_of_War]

I like Earth 2 and they may be bringing PG and Huntress back to it based on some images I have seen. I do miss the old fun Powergirl though.

[SickAlice]

I tend to shy away from alternate universe just because I already get too many books and it's tough to lump another line in. Your (AA) enthusiasm sold me on given it a go and the Worlds Collide event provided a good jump on point, as well I got wrangled into the Ultimates books now for Marvel via Hunger, so may as well. Which means I'm mostly only familiar now with Power Girl and Huntress, and a bit with the E2 Batman. I like the stories I read so far, more though the character depth. These ones are written as 3 dimensional persons that I can justify caring about their adventures as opposed to the polar end of flat plot mover ones, so it's good reading thus far by that account. Thanks for turning me onto it.

In other news, and not sound bratty, but that Forever Evil delay is turning into a bit of a thorn on my end and more so than I imagined it would. I'm finding I'm opening one comic after another, staring down at an unrecognizable setting and establishing point, immediately the first pages referencing FE#7 and indicating the story as fall out from that as yet unreleased comic, then finally me shutting the book again and placing it in a "hold" pile of sorts. Even now in the case of books that weren't directly tied in, like Flash for example. I won't shed skin over it and it'll be worked out eventually but I really can't hide what a bummer it is, and a tiny bit of shame on the publisher for dropping the ball that far. 

Oh and the last Larfleeze issue was so great I spit my Pringles midchew. That book has become my modern " Sensational She-Hulk " replacement. I'm also really taken by Red Lantern Supergirl and everything else happening in the RL book, especially the ever increasing Zox character growth. Personally I'm overall happy with the way the new GL Family creative team is handling things, most of all in getting the various characters on equal footing instead having Hal always front and center. No love lost for Hal either, I just like seeing the other mainstays getting their due.