Anyone Call for a Reboot?

Back from the long weekend and... Woo boy. Today is turning out to be one of the biggest days in a long time as far as DC Comics goes.

I'm sure a lot of people are going to have a lot to say about the immense reboot that DC seems to be undertaken. I'm not going to be one of those people, at least not today. There's too much to process and too little real information for me to be able to say what I feel about this right now.

All I know is that I'm going to be sad losing the history built up in the high numbering on Action and Detective. But that's a cosmetic thing, and doesn't really mean much in the long wrong.

Also cosmetic -- but potentially more worrying -- are the new Jim Lee costume designs. I've never been a big fan of his costume designs and I'm particularly wary about the new look of Superman. It just doesn't feel right.

But that's cosmetic, as I've said. And I'm sure people felt that the current Superman costume -- a far cry from the original 1938 version in a lot of ways -- didn't feel "right" either. Change is sometimes necessary. We'll see if this change works... And sticks.

Thursday Night Thinking #185

Yeah, it's been a while. But I'm back, and so is Thursday Night Thinking!

That's our Superman; always thinking about others.

Question, though: what the hell was Barack Obama doing in that issue? Last time I checked, he's not president in the DCU...

The Death of a Certain Character

I was sure that someone was going to die during the War of the Green Lanterns story arc. I just didn't expect that Lantern to die. This is your last warning for spoilers, by the way.

So they went ahead and killed Mogo. Now, once upon a time Mogo was just another interesting character in the GL universe. But in recent years Mogo has been built up to be something important and integral. Mogo was the keeper of the rings and decided who would get them.

Where does that leave the Corps? Without Mogo, who decides where the rings go? Who picks the worthies to wield them?

I feel like this story is shaping up to be one of those tales that really does change things. After War of the Green Lanterns there is going to be a change to the status quo. There has to be. Too much has happened in this story to have no repercussions.

I'm excited to see what happens next.

Begone, Stan Lee

I am weary. Weary, I say! Weary of the constant and unending "news" about one Stan Lee.

Many, it would seem, believe him to have had a a great influence upon the world of comics. I disagree. By all accounts the man merely mooched upon the skills of his collaborators. Men such as Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby.

I know that many of you will call me a fool or a blasphemer. I don't particularly care what you Marvel zombies may thing of me. My point is proved by the power of science. Logic vindicates me.

Consider: most -- if not all -- of Stan Lee's creations for Marvel comics were created with the aid of collaborators. They have been largely successful. But what about the creations that he created without the help of collaborators? How successful have they been? Where is the massive popularity of Striperella? How many people are lining up to see the Governator?

Even if you claim that Stan Lee was responsible for the success of his Marvel creations then you must admit that the man has list whatever mythical "touch" he may have had. He is now little more than a joke. And so I laugh derisively at him.

Such is the way of super-villainy. And besides, he ripped me off when he created Magneto...

Green Lantern Trailer

It has been about a week since I last posted here. That's mostly because, well, I needed a week off from everything after school came to an end for the semester. Now that I've had a chance to breathe I can get back to doing the things I normally do.

I would like to first direct you to the latest trailer for Green Lantern. Does anyone remember when the first trailer came out? Remember how the Internet howled at the apparent comedic aspects of it? How far we have come.

I think this movie has the potential to change the landscape when it comes to DC movies. If a film based around a clearly second tier character that stays close to the source material can make money (and Lord I hope it makes money) then any DC character can do it.

Keep in mind as well that Green Lantern is coming to the theaters a few years after Geoff Johns stepped in and revitalized the GL franchise. The case could be made that he's on his way to doing that again, only with the Flash.

Will we ever see the Flash on screen? Or Wonder Woman? Or any number of other minor characters? I really can't say. But I never thought I'd see the day where I'd see Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan as a cardboard standup at the grocery store.

Flashpoint #1

Flashpoint somehow managed to exceed all my expectations.

Now, my expectations were always pretty mid-range for this particular event. I've never had any huge interest in Barry Allen as a character. But the way things turned out... I think even if my expectations had been high Flashpoint would have surpassed them.

The first reason is this: Flashpoint isn't just a story about the Flash. It's a story about the DC Universe and its history. Its about the things that make the DCU what it is. And everybody knows I love that kind of stuff.

Flashpoint gave me that in spades. A few "what ifs" and everything we know is altered... Mostly. Some things seem to be the same, but there are certain divergence points that have left a world a lot darker than the one we know.

Among the highlights were seeing a Barry Allen I could actually relate to. A man frustrated with the pace of life and his place in it. This isn't the life that Barry wanted... But it's the life he might have had if he'd never become the Flash.

Another cool bit was the chance to see Cyborg shine among a range of altered heroes and villains. Geoff Johns has talked Cyborg up for years. Let's see if he can really make him into a tip tier character.

The best thing about the issue for me was -- and this is a spoiler -- the identity of Batman. I called it correctly and I'm glad that I did. Because I know that this story will be richer and more interesting with Thomas Wayne as Batman. Because what wouldn't he risk to give his son a chance and life? And will Barry Allen risk that if it means the loss of his mother?

Flashpoint #1 has done exactly what a comic is supposed to do: it's made me frustrated as hell that I've got to wait a month for the next issue.

Knight of Vengeance

The first issue of Flashpoint hits tomorrow. As is tradition, that means it's time for me to start making predictions.

The big one has to do with the Flashpoint timeline's version of Batman. I think I've figured out who he might be. Here's the thing: in the interview with Brian Azzarello he leaves us with a vital clue about Batman, Knight of Vengeance:

He's older than the Batman we know.

Here's the thing about changes in the timeline: they can't really make people older or younger. Everyone is going to be the same age, it's just going to change the way they've lived their lives. That tells me that this Batman is not Bruce Wayne.

If he's not Bruce Wayne, then who is he? Here's my guess: somehow the Reverse Flash intervenes on that fateful night in Crime Alley. As we would expect, Joe Chill shoots Martha Wayne. Who else does he shoot? Perhaps this time it is not Thomas Wayne, but rather his son Bruce.

How would that change reality as we know it? What would the loss of his wife and son do to the doctor/philanthropist? Would he turn his back on medicine and direct his energies to a war on crime?

We know that this Batman seems willing to help the Flash "fix" the timeline. Why would he willingly offer his assistance? I think it could only be the knowledge that the correct timeline means his own death... But the survival of his son.

Wouldn't that make for a hell of a story?

Flashpoint Fact

Okay, this is just silly. There's a post over at Newsarama snickering about the fact that a Flashpoint image of Mera features her wearing the same helmet as Flashpoint's Wonder Woman.

It's pretty simple, really. It's originally Mera's helmet, Wonder Woman kills her (taking the helmet as a trophy), and that's why Aquaman really wants to kill Wonder Woman.

It's not that hard to put two and two together, people.

Thursday Night Thinking #184

Here's a quick Thursday Night Thinking! Enjoy!

Trailer

Another quick one. Here's the new trailer for Green Lantern. What do you think? It looks pretty snazzy to me...

Busy Week

It's only going to be quick posts this week, I fear. This is the last week of classes and my first big term paper is due a week from today. So I'm going to have to keep this short and sweet for a while.

So rather than go into a long-winded explanation of what I think about the Superman "citizenship" thing I'll just point you to Scipio's post on the subject. He sums up my thoughts pretty well.

Surprise Surprise

What is the most shocking news of the past week?

Might it be President Obama's surprise release of his long form birth certificate?

Or perhaps it is the astonishing announcement that terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has been killed?

I submit that neither of these is the most surprising event of the past week. Here's the real winner: DC Comics won an award... for Rise of Arsenal.

You remember that story, right? It's the one where Roy Harper goes crazy, gets back on drugs, and then hallucinates that a dead cat is his daughter.

It was not a pretty story. But that doesn't mean that the award might not have been well-deserved. After all, it's a PRISM Award, and Rise of Arsenal got it for its "accurate portrayal of mental health/drug issues."

Is that an accurate assessment of Rise of Arsenal? It's hard to say, as I've never been addicted to heroin. When I say that I mean it in all seriousness: I don't have any personal experience with such a situation. I can only assume that the people who choose the winners of the PRISM Awards do have some expertise in that issue.

And if so, drug addiction is far scarier than I ever imagined it.