[Comics] DC's new 52 (Comics; Nick, help!)
- Thread starter Hailey Knight
- Start date
and maybe he be brought back with personality.
Tangentially related, any comic character can be made interesting, but good comic characters are ones written interestingly in the hands of multiple people (which has been a big problem lately).
In the case of John Stewart it's pretty tricky. The character was created as "Angry Black Man who teaches white guys about racism" and didn't have a whole lot else going for him. In truth about as interesting as Silver Age Hal Jordan. Once they removed that aspect of the character he became ... bland. and not in the way that every character was. Everything that was written to define his character served to make him the mild, level headed, precise character that the other Lanterns (and let's be honest, the starring Lanterns) got to play off of. Have you ever gamed with a power gamer who is terrified of doing anything that might be even remotelyinteresting non-optimal? John Stewart is kind of like that. Mind you this is not a lack of character development, that is his development. There's a reason he was a completely different character on Justice League and JLU. A character they keep trying to turn comic John Stewart into, which doesn't stick do to its forced nature. When DC swapped Kyle for John on JLA they tried this as an instant change. The result is Stewart lecturing the "rookie" Flash (Well established at this point that he had been fighting crime and saving the world at age 10. John got his ring already into his adulthood) on Justice League Regulations. Recently they've been retconning in a career in the Marines prior to becoming an architect and GL. This done by making him a reservist while in college, allowing him to all of a sudden remember that he was a Marine 1 weekend a month, 2 weeks a year and can thus act like a jarhead stereotype, and slowly expanding that to "elite military sniper." Recently in the books they've turned him into a killer of planets, BECAUSE HE DOES WHAT IT TAKES KYLE!
Bottom line John Stewart is a supporting character that doesn't work when attempts are made to turn him into the starring role.
In the case of John Stewart it's pretty tricky. The character was created as "Angry Black Man who teaches white guys about racism" and didn't have a whole lot else going for him. In truth about as interesting as Silver Age Hal Jordan. Once they removed that aspect of the character he became ... bland. and not in the way that every character was. Everything that was written to define his character served to make him the mild, level headed, precise character that the other Lanterns (and let's be honest, the starring Lanterns) got to play off of. Have you ever gamed with a power gamer who is terrified of doing anything that might be even remotely
Bottom line John Stewart is a supporting character that doesn't work when attempts are made to turn him into the starring role.
In Justice League and Justice League Unlimited the Green Lantern is an interesting character with a (rather dull and boring) power ring who happens to be named John Stewart.
I think the issue here isn't the writer coming up with a story that involves the death of a hero but rather that the writer is being told by editorial that they have to kill a hero. One is a creative evolution that may or may not lead to a good story and the other is a directive designed 100% to gain a short term boost in sales.
I say good for him for not caving to Didio and CO and recognizing that hero death is truly passe in comics.
FTFY
Jean Grey is still the patron saint of dying and being resurrected. The only character that's died more in main continuity is Mr. Immortal.
"I ain't wearing any mask, this black man lets it all hang out!" He lets his...face hang out? I have never heard the term "hang out" to be used for anything but testicles, because they actually hang from someone. But faces don't really hang, they stick to things. Glad his lingo changed over time.
I know this is a really old post, but wasn't Punisher made into some Dark Avenger at some point? Leading an X-Factor style team of Avengers for wetwork ops or something.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/06...s-talks-about-leaving-dc-and-marvel-for-boom/
Really interesting read about the current state of the two big Comic companies from an insider. DC really needs to nuke their current editorial staff from the top down and start from scratch.
Really interesting read about the current state of the two big Comic companies from an insider. DC really needs to nuke their current editorial staff from the top down and start from scratch.
Jesus. I knew DC & Marvel were kind of a mess these days, but not to that point.
figmentPez
Staff member
I feel this site is relevant:
http://www.hasdcdonesomethingstupidtoday.com/
http://www.hasdcdonesomethingstupidtoday.com/
http://nickpiers.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/long-term-thinking-for-comic-books/
I ranted here about comic book's short-term thinking and how, honestly, long-term thinking might be the better way to go for them. Not sure how well it all comes together, as this was mostly free-written.
I ranted here about comic book's short-term thinking and how, honestly, long-term thinking might be the better way to go for them. Not sure how well it all comes together, as this was mostly free-written.
Thanks. Though someone commented with a good point: doing something like this might push away those old, long-term readers. I don't know if I entirely agree, but I can see their point. Maybe a better balance between the continuity-laden stories and the self-contained stories would work.
So, there are ONLY 52 Earths in the DC multiverse now right? Is there like, a magic spell stopping more universes from existing because the whole point of multiverse theory is that there are infinite realities each of which branching out and making new realities. Or do alternate time-lines not count as alternate universes?
Also in your article I see you mention the Earth-1 books, are those good? I heard good stuff.
Also in your article I see you mention the Earth-1 books, are those good? I heard good stuff.
They are terrible.
I don't think DC has come out and said for sure that there are only 52 Earths in this new continuity. They tried that with the reboot and it didn't work very well at all. It's better not to think about it too much.
As far as the Earth 1 books, I've only read the first Superman one. And didn't like it very much. The villain was incredibly cliche whose only purpose was to give Superman something to hit at the end. I've heard some good things about the second book, though. And the Batman one is supposed to be good, but I can't look past artist Gary Frank's work. Whenever someone's mouth is open, all of his characters look like they're ancestors of squirrels or something.
As far as the Earth 1 books, I've only read the first Superman one. And didn't like it very much. The villain was incredibly cliche whose only purpose was to give Superman something to hit at the end. I've heard some good things about the second book, though. And the Batman one is supposed to be good, but I can't look past artist Gary Frank's work. Whenever someone's mouth is open, all of his characters look like they're ancestors of squirrels or something.
In the second book Superman encourages murder, and Batman Earth One suffers from the movie problem of Batman is against killing, unless someone does it for him.
Okay those sound like books to stay away from, thanks guys.
One comforting thought about the multiverse is if it DOES adhere to true multiverse physics, than logically there has to be an alternate universe where the New 52 never happened! Where Aquaman still rocks that awesome beard and water hand, where Beast Boy isn't some angry rejected X-men character, and where Raven wears her classic cloak rather than that new costume that I can't look at without laughing(though I am glad her personality seems the same).
One comforting thought about the multiverse is if it DOES adhere to true multiverse physics, than logically there has to be an alternate universe where the New 52 never happened! Where Aquaman still rocks that awesome beard and water hand, where Beast Boy isn't some angry rejected X-men character, and where Raven wears her classic cloak rather than that new costume that I can't look at without laughing(though I am glad her personality seems the same).
Well Lobo's basic idea was a parody of the 90s hyperviolent comics, so if you were to update him to modern comics I really can't think of what other than that image would suit him.
The vast chunk of Lobo fans are just like majority of Squirrel-girl fans. They don't seem to be in on the joke.
The vast chunk of Lobo fans are just like majority of Squirrel-girl fans. They don't seem to be in on the joke.
I've never read a Lobo comic or have had any exposure to him beyond him being voiced by Brad Garret in Superman and Justice League but yeah, if that's the case, I guess so.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08...ium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+ign/all+(IGN+All)
So apparently the new Lobo design is for a one shot where this character is supposedly the REAL Lobo and the Lobo that was introduced in Deathstroke #9 was the fake Lobo even though he looks like the original...okay I'll admit that sounds potentially hilarious.
So apparently the new Lobo design is for a one shot where this character is supposedly the REAL Lobo and the Lobo that was introduced in Deathstroke #9 was the fake Lobo even though he looks like the original...okay I'll admit that sounds potentially hilarious.
If the one-shot ends with that Lobo being killed at the end as I predict it, I'll be cool with it. However this is DC and to expect a good idea like that from them nowadays...yeah nnnnnnnnnot so muuuuuuuch.
figmentPez
Staff member
Lobo is supposed to be a bad-ass space biker who rides a hog and gets into bar fights, right? This guy looks like he'd ride the space equivalent of one of those Japanese motocylcles that puts your ass over your head, and use it to get to various... swim... meets. Is this guy suppoed to tap into the Free! fanbase or something?
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Zappit
Staff member
No. DC comics doesn't believe in women.
The New 52 continues to be a horrible, horrible mistake.
I do have to admit that I've been reading back issues of Animal Man and Swamp Thing and they are brilliant, but that has nothing to do with the relaunch. Everything in those books would have worked just fine in the normal continuity.
I do have to admit that I've been reading back issues of Animal Man and Swamp Thing and they are brilliant, but that has nothing to do with the relaunch. Everything in those books would have worked just fine in the normal continuity.