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Started by LunarSage, February 29, 2012, 02:57:36 PM

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Callie Del Noire

I'd say I started with the arrival of Nimrod back in the mid 80s..

Sabby

Well... I got Steampunk Palin...

[Doctor Weird]And in retrospect, I ask... why?[/Doctor Weird]

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Sabby on May 17, 2012, 08:01:51 PM
Well... I got Steampunk Palin...

[Doctor Weird]And in retrospect, I ask... why?[/Doctor Weird]

Cause, apparently, you're into inflicting pain on yourself?

Sabby

Ahhh! She looks like a 10 year old Japanese girl Dx how is that possible?!

Cold Heritage

Thank you, fellow Elliquiyan, and have a wonderful day.

Sabby

Dude! A postal van just pulled in front of my bike and the driver hands me my Three World War comic right out the window. What an epic guy! He needs a jetpack and a theme song xD

Also, just got a subscription to Dark Horse Presents. Saw that issue #12 had an Aliens cover, and I've been meaning to subscribe anyway.

rick957

Anybody here got an opinion, pro or con, about any of the famous "Crisis" series from DC -- Crisis on Infinite Earths, Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and/or Final Crisis? 

Personally I like it when people give lots of details, but single-sentence replies are fine too.  I have strong views on the first three, haven't read the last one yet -- haven't found all of it yet in the bargain bins. 

I'm re-reading COIE right now, which is why I thought to ask.  :)

Sasquatch421

I've only got Infinite Crisis one in paperback and the other in graphic novel form. I really enjoyed it myself and when Superboy Prime went crazy and started killing everybody? Wow... Makes you wonder if Clark decided to go bad how much damage could he do? Then again it took 2 Supermen stop Superboy Prime and imprison him the second time and Prime killed one.

Heaven Sent Blossom

It's too quiet in here comic thread, why don't we talk about how terrible the new DC reboot (that isn't a reboot really except for where it is because it makes no sense). Specifically I present to you this gem brought to us by the ghost of the 90's:


"a creature of unknown Kryptonian origin who is not only more powerful than Superman, but is also smarter than Supergirl and more lethal than Superboy."

His name is H'el. I believe his story arc is going to be called "H'el on Earth". I'm hard pushed to think of anything worse that isn't from Jeff Loeb or named Maximum Carnage.

Sabby

Don't know a thing about Superman canon, but ya gotta admit, that picture is pretty baus...

Speaking of awesome artwork, got The Dark Tower. Wow this is pretty. A bit strange... but very pretty.

Heaven Sent Blossom

#310
Superboy's face is perfect there because it acts as a surrogate for how I feel that this is a thing which is happening. Just all "Oh god, why? Why would this happen? This is terrible!".
I become more and more convinced every day that DC is run by people who just hate fun.

Dark Tower stuff is quite pretty. It also gets bonus points for having Peter David work on it, he's my favourite comics writer currently.

rick957

QuoteI become more and more convinced every day that DC is run by people who just hate fun.

Never were truer words spoken.  :)  I'm enough of a grouch, though, to extend that criticism to most modern superhero comics, at least since the late 90s, with some choice exceptions of course.

Peter David has real writing talent.  It amazes me that some people hate him.  He does, however, push the envelope sometimes in terms of doing things in comics that people don't normally do.

I keep buying Jeph Loeb comics for the artists, but I dread getting around to reading them.

I'd like to know more about what sucks or doesn't suck about the recent DC stuff.  I've bought some things here and there but haven't read anything yet.

Callie Del Noire

Hence my current habit of reading Atomic Robo.. It bounces around the timeline a bit but it's fun. :D

Chris Brady

Some of it's not so bad.  Batwing is enjoyable as is Batman.  Nightwing was OK as well.

I admit I'm not happy what they've done with Starfire, though.
My O&Os Peruse at your doom.

So I make a A&A thread but do I put it here?  No.  Of course not.

Also, I now come with Kung-Fu Blog action.  Here:  Where I talk about comics and all sorts of gaming

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Chris Brady on August 10, 2012, 06:26:49 PM
Some of it's not so bad.  Batwing is enjoyable as is Batman.  Nightwing was OK as well.

I admit I'm not happy what they've done with Starfire, though.

I like Detective Comics.. Batman.. DESPISE Damian Wayne.. (HATE!)

I liked the Council of Owls storyline a lot.

rick957

QuoteI admit I'm not happy what they've done with Starfire, though.

*drags out soapbox*  :)

Turning Starfire into a dumb fucktoy is an incredibly immature and mindblowingly stupid thing to do.  Worse yet, it's thoughtless and offensive, not because her sexuality is being played up, but because they're playing up the sexuality of a character who is by far best known to the general public as a character in a kids' cartoon on television.  It's like sexing up Minnie Mouse, fer chrissakes.

It's only a matter of time before Warners takes enough interest in DC to force them to handle their valuable intellectual property in a more mature and responsible way.  Many morons will be fired.  If and when that happens, it will actually be a rare benefit of DC's corporate ownership. 

On the other hand, Rocafort is a top-notch artist, and his T&A stuff is su-perb.  So, I wish they hadn't done that to Starfire, but since they did anyway, they picked a great artist for it.  :)  I'm a pig, it's true.  :(

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: rick957 on August 10, 2012, 06:41:54 PM
*drags out soapbox*  :)

Turning Starfire into a dumb fucktoy is an incredibly immature and mindblowingly stupid thing to do.  Worse yet, it's thoughtless and offensive, not because her sexuality is being played up, but because they're playing up the sexuality of a character who is by far best known in the general public as a character in a kids' cartoon on television.  It's like sexing up Minnie Mouse, fer chrissakes.

It's only a matter of time before Warners takes enough interest in DC to force them to handle their valuable intellectual property in a more mature and responsible way.  Many morons will be fired.  If and when that happens, it will actually be a rare benefit of DC's corporate ownership. 

On the other hand, Rocafort is a top-notch artist, and his T&A stuff is su-perb.  So, I wish they hadn't done that to Starfire, but since they did anyway, they picked a great artist for it.  :)  I'm a pig, it's true.  :(

They can redeem her.. have her vaporize Damian Wayne.. PLEASE..

I'm .. not sure exactly what they had in mind for Starfire. It makes no sense.. particularly given how she's been portrayed in the past.. she's never been slutty or so.. 'out there' before.

Chris Brady

#317
Rick, the issue for me is that she was a lens.  Her free-love attitude was there to poke fun at US and our prudishness and preoccupation over our own bodies and sex.  That's what I liked about her.  As you say, Rick, turning her into a living teenager's dream sex toy has been beyond offensive to me.  I wish I knew how to get in contact with them so I could write a letter telling them just how idiotic this change in her has been. Politely, and I'm serious.

Callie, I also like the Council of Owls storyline.  It's been rather cool to see that there are NEW ideas that can be thought up of instead of rehashing the Joker et al.  As much as I like Ras Al Ghul, even he needs a rest sometime.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide
I am still so glad they actually KILLED the Joker in Arkham City, 'bout damn time someone offed the damn clown.
My O&Os Peruse at your doom.

So I make a A&A thread but do I put it here?  No.  Of course not.

Also, I now come with Kung-Fu Blog action.  Here:  Where I talk about comics and all sorts of gaming

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Chris Brady on August 10, 2012, 06:48:16 PM
Rick, the issue for me is that she was a lens.  Her free-love attitude was there to poke fun at US and our prudishness and preoccupation over our own bodies and sex.  That's what I liked about her.  As you say, Rick, turning her into a living teenager's dream sex toy has been beyond offensive to me.  I wish I knew how to get in contact with them so I could write a letter telling them just how idiotic this change in her has been. Politely, and I'm serious.

Callie, I also like the Council of Owls storyline.  It's been rather cool to see that there are NEW ideas that can be thought up of instead of rehashing the Joker et al.  As much as I like Ras Al Ghul, even he needs a rest sometime.

The thing I liked MOST about the Council storyline..was it brought Gotham the CITY back into the game so to speak. Gotham is an old city with LOTS of secrets (I like the stuff with Jonah Hex and Amadeus Archam in their book.. the Crime Bible folks vs the Owls.. you get to see the Cobblepots, Waynes and the rest in the mix)

They need a good Penguin storyline.. something .. that shows his teeth so to speak. Perhaps something that ties into the blood lines.

Heaven Sent Blossom

#319
Quote from: rick957 on August 10, 2012, 04:25:05 PM
Never were truer words spoken.  :)  I'm enough of a grouch, though, to extend that criticism to most modern superhero comics, at least since the late 90s, with some choice exceptions of course.

Peter David has real writing talent.  It amazes me that some people hate him.  He does, however, push the envelope sometimes in terms of doing things in comics that people don't normally do.

I keep buying Jeph Loeb comics for the artists, but I dread getting around to reading them.

I'd like to know more about what sucks or doesn't suck about the recent DC stuff.  I've bought some things here and there but haven't read anything yet.
The basic gist of my problems with DC is that it seems like everything is over designed, with the gold standard being a 12 year old from the 90's idea of what is cool, edgy and dark.
It's kind of sad when you consider how they spent a good portion of the "X-TREME!" phase of comics back in the 90's still writing love letters to the Silver Age, only now they're writing love letters to the worst things about comics for the most part. I blame Steve Lobdell and hope he falls off a ladder.
Also they managed to make Justice League boring (and also kind of creepy), and that's just crazy.

And then there's the character decisions. Barbara Gordon back as Batgirl because she's the most "iconic" in the role and both Steph Brown and Cass Cain being erased from continuity strikes me as being kind of shitty, but at least they put Gael Simone on the book. If anybody can redeem it she can.
The Alan Scott thing is kind of janky as well.
Oh and let's not forget that they dropped the ball with Voodoo. I'm not sure how you ruin a book that is demonhunting, kung-fu fighting strippers but somebody managed it and I am hella disappoint.

There are exceptions of course. GM is doing his usual work and the fact that he is still in love with the Silver Age makes him seem so much better on account of all the grim-dark shit around him. Although to be fair I'm no big lover of GM outside of All Star Superman.
Aquaman is pretty good but will make a better trade, as is the way of the Johns writing.
Brian Azzarello is doing nice things with Wonder Woman (although I don't like the new origin that much) hell even a fraction of the Before Watchmen stuff is shaping up to be very good it seems, although only bad people would actually be buying those books and supporting an awful business practice but whatevs.
Oh and some of the Batman stuff seems to be good, but I've no idea exactly what is going on there because I was kind of bummed out over the idea of Greyson and Damien no longer being Batman and Robin since their book was pretty baller.

And I feel you on the Loeb thing. Guy has been terrible ever since his loss but he gets paired up with some great artists and basically says to them "What do you REALLY want to draw? I can make it happen!" and then everything is great to look at but so terribly painful to actually try and read.
It's a shame because the guy was super talented back in the day.

On a different note I'm kind of stoked for the Marvel NOW campaign that's coming, the new Hawkeye had an amazing first issue. Hell the new Gambit was really good, and Gambit is a mostly terrible character so I have a lot of faith in what Marvel have planned going forward.
It's a shame about Loeb on Nova and Defenders being cancelled though. Defenders is awesome.

Chris Brady

The thing with Barbara Gordon was that The Killing Joke was never meant to be 'canon'.  In fact, it still isn't.  Some writer thought it was and ran with it, and unfortunately, the rest of the DC universe got caught in it.

As for Oracle, I personally HATED it.  As a cripple I find it highly offensive, that someone who willingly refuses aid (like in her case reconstructive surgery) is a coward, attention hog and the worst kind of person, someone who refuses to grow, and fight, his or her disability.  I'm crippled for life, but I WILL BE DAMNED if I don't beat this.  I WILL beat this.  She didn't out of some stupid excuse, when she could have been doing more good as an actual Bat operative, than an information hub that someone else could also do.  She got no sympathy from me.

As for Steph Brown, Spoiler was nice, but she wasn't really superhero material.  Something about her was 'off'.  Not sure what it was.  As Ms. Cain, I'm glad she's gone.  Now we won't have writers abusing her anymore.  I'll miss that costume design though, I thought it was neat.
My O&Os Peruse at your doom.

So I make a A&A thread but do I put it here?  No.  Of course not.

Also, I now come with Kung-Fu Blog action.  Here:  Where I talk about comics and all sorts of gaming

rick957

QuoteRick, the issue for me is that she was a lens.  Her free-love attitude was there to poke fun at US and our prudishness and preoccupation over our own bodies and sex.  That's what I liked about her.

You're so right about this, and that's terribly well-expressed.  I wonder if Wolfman himself could have put it better.  I guarantee you that few if any of the current DC writers understand this point at all.

QuoteAs you say, Rick, turning her into a living teenager's dream sex toy has been beyond offensive to me.  I wish I knew how to get in contact with them so I could write a letter telling them just how idiotic this change in her has been. Politely, and I'm serious.

I don't know this for certain, but I suspect that the DC writers and execs haunt the DC website message boards, which are vast and active, or at least, they were last time I looked, which was long ago.  This topic has probably already been discussed over there, but if you're looking to have your voice heard by the people in charge, that might be a place to look into.

QuoteThe basic gist of my problems with DC is that it seems like everything is over designed, with the gold standard being a 12 year old from the 90's idea of what is cool, edgy and dark.

This is so horrifically and utterly true.  From what I've heard, at least two of the major players in early 90s Marvel superhero comics -- Jim Lee, and one of the execs whose name escapes me -- are directly responsible for the New 52 initiative, and it shows.  The costume redesigns on the major characters are an absolute embarrassment, IMO, and reek of 20-years-ago.  Why are so many comics buyers apparently untroubled by this? 

The New 52 was a smashing sales success, which means that we're destined for much more of the same for many years to come.  Back in about 1992, I started to wonder just how many times Marvel and DC could "re-boot" successfully -- convince their fans to buy yet another wave of new "collector's item number one issues"!  I wasn't cynical enough to guess that the commercial viability of reboots was inexhaustible, as time has shown it to be.  There will be more, every year or two, with all the same problems and frustrations and annoyances and cheap manipulations of the audience, until they finally stop selling -- which will apparently never happen.  Maybe when comics finally die off altogether as an ongoing, active medium (which could happen anytime!).

GM is a gigantic talent, among the best writers comics have seen, but I've only read a fraction of his output so far, so I can't endorse him unequivocally.  :)  It's good to hear that Loeb has good stuff in his past, because so far, everything I've read has been either unremarkable -- average -- or atrocious.  :(  I hope his good stuff is among the stuff I've bought but haven't read yet.

HSB, thanks for the rundown of various characters -- you added some insights and info that were new to me, so that's much appreciated.  :)

QuoteThe thing with Barbara Gordon was that The Killing Joke was never meant to be 'canon'.  In fact, it still isn't.  Some writer thought it was and ran with it, and unfortunately, the rest of the DC universe got caught in it.

I'd love to hear more about this, where you heard about it.  I kept up with comics at the time of Killing Joke's release -- I was a young'un, of course -- and I don't recall hearing anything at the time about KJ being outside of normal continuity.  Back then, "Elseworlds" did not exist as a term, and doing stories outside of continuity was almost unheard-of; Miller's DK 1 was the one gigantic exception.  That and the "imaginary stories" of the Silver Age.

QuoteAs for Oracle, I personally HATED it.  As a cripple I find it highly offensive, that someone who willingly refuses aid (like in her case reconstructive surgery) is a coward, attention hog and the worst kind of person, someone who refuses to grow, and fight, his or her disability.  I'm crippled for life, but I WILL BE DAMNED if I don't beat this.  I WILL beat this.  She didn't out of some stupid excuse, when she could have been doing more good as an actual Bat operative, than an information hub that someone else could also do.  She got no sympathy from me.

I bought some of the new Batgirl (for Simone, natch) but haven't read it yet.  In the comics I've read (which isn't much, I admit), I absolutely loved the idea of Oracle as a powerful and important hero whose physical condition was unhidden but also wasn't played up as some crucial element of her character, in the way that minorities of any sort usually have their minority characteristics exaggerated and highlighted in comics, in the most dumb and obvious ways (ex. "BLACK Lightning" and the pseudo-"ghetto"-slang of every black superhero prior to the 90s).

Whether you can get your voice heard by the DC management or not is hard to guess, but people with physical disabilities are precisely the readers whose opinion about the handling of Barbara Gordon matters the most, IMO (my apologies, of course, if I'm using any terminology here that bugs you in any way).  Because I'm behind with things, I don't even know yet how they got the character out of her wheelchair, but if she was handled in a way that is just embarrassing or irritating or offensive to some people, I hope that DC's management hears that as often as possible.

It isn't easy or simple to find a thoughtful and sensitive and balanced way to portray minorities of any kind in popular media -- do you ignore their differences from others, or emphasize them, or what? -- but it's an important question IMO, not just for comics but for movies, TV, etc.

Chris Brady

I only have anecdotal sources, outside of opinion pieces that claim the same thing from Moore.  I spoke with a former DC artist Neal Adams at the Ottawa Comic Con and I asked him about it, and he said originally it wasn't meant to be canon, he had no opinion on wether or not it was good thing or not though.  Well, I didn't actually ask that though.

He and his sons were pretty cool people.  Can't wait for this years Montreal ComicCon.
My O&Os Peruse at your doom.

So I make a A&A thread but do I put it here?  No.  Of course not.

Also, I now come with Kung-Fu Blog action.  Here:  Where I talk about comics and all sorts of gaming

hatewheel

Does anyone know what connections the Justice League has to the US government? In several depictions, the League is portrayed as a rogue setup, like private contractors who operate inside government boundaries but are not actually attached to the government. In fact, the government views them as a threat. Has the JLA ever been sanctioned by the government?

What kind of permits would it take to build something like the Hall of Justice?

Chris Brady

Quote from: hatewheel on August 18, 2012, 12:54:06 PM
Does anyone know what connections the Justice League has to the US government? In several depictions, the League is portrayed as a rogue setup, like private contractors who operate inside government boundaries but are not actually attached to the government. In fact, the government views them as a threat. Has the JLA ever been sanctioned by the government?

What kind of permits would it take to build something like the Hall of Justice?

Are you really going to tell Superman and Wonder Woman 'No you can't do that!', and I'm not talking about either of them being a dick and threatening people.  The popular opinion, and general populace would go out of their ways to make it happen.  Supes and WW are incredibly popular and well loved by the people, some of which would be in the local governments, so getting the permits would be no issue.  Not to mention that their satellite, the Watchtower is their real base of operations, and no one has jurisdiction on outer space.  Yet.
My O&Os Peruse at your doom.

So I make a A&A thread but do I put it here?  No.  Of course not.

Also, I now come with Kung-Fu Blog action.  Here:  Where I talk about comics and all sorts of gaming