DC Reboot: Superman #1, Batman #1, Flash #1

19 Oct 201123 Apr 2020 ~ Chris Cocca ~ 2 Comments

From when the New 52 was still new:

As you might recall, I really liked the social justice superheroics of Action Comics #1. Last night, I finally got around to reading Superman #1, Batman #1, and The Flash #1 and wanted to share my thoughts.

Superman #1: Very ambitious. We have the struggles of new vs. old media, the problems with media conglomerates in general, Superman as guardian of the past, Clark Kent rejecting a sweet cable news deal because 1) he despises cable news and 2) millions of people would see his face every day, like, forever, a Perry White full of vim and vigor, saying “let’s show them the hard-hitting analysis that only print can deliver!” A lot of things like that, which I eat. right. up. The conflict between Supes and the actually “villain” of the arc wasn’t as interesting to me, but I do like the fact that the book serves as a one-shot while giving us the seeds of some classic arcs. Clark loves Lois like Dobie Gillis loved Tuesday Weld. And there’s even a young (much nicer) Warren Beatty type between them.

Unfortunately, the content of Clark’s exclusive story about Superman and the big incident, which we get in caption boxes, doesn’t feel like the front-page work of a great reporter. I’m eager to give George Perez the BOD on this because 1) I’m a writer, and yeah, it’s freaking hard, and 2) he’s George Perez. Maybe Clark’s unpolished style is part of his cover? There’s also a very strange crossover page from Stormwatch that makes Ben 10 look like Beowulf.

Overall, a good read with a lot of interesting things to say in the first half about history, time, urban renewal, economic decay. I want to give it a 7 out of 10, but Action was so good, Superman feels more like a 6.5. I’m conflicted. I’ll go 7. That seems high on a ten-point scale, but not as good when you think about it as a percentage and covert that to an an academic grade. (This is why I blog).

Batman #1: The best of the bunch. Bruce’s new contact lens tech is great, the Batcave looks great, and the internal monologue that stitches most of the story together is top-notch. Bruce’s love for Gotham, and his investment in its future, could be a template for the philosophies of hope surrounding some very pressing real-world reclamation projects. He exudes a strong ethos, suggesting that forward-thinking and risk-taking for the common good are moral virtues. I’m not saying this was a civics lessons disguised as a comic book, but it was uplifting and hopeful. Not something you tend to expect from a Bat-book. And did you notice that I keep saying “Bruce”? That’s an effect of good writing and successful character development in a matter of pages. This still isn’t a book for kids, as a crime scene near the end (central to the hook for issue 2) reminds us. If you’re looking for a Batman title for younger readers, The Brave and The Bold is good if you don’t mind mostly slap-stick violence.

8.6

Flash #1: There’s a very special place in my heart for the Flash. But my Flash is and always will be Wally West. Jay Garrick is my second favorite. That’s not a comment on my feelings about Baby Boomers in general…Wally is the Flash I grew up with, an imperfect hero struggling with all kinds of emotional issues and mentored by an icon from the Golden Age. What’s not to love? I totally get that Wally’s favorite Flash is his uncle, original mentor, and former partner, Barry Allen. I totally understand the overwhelming sense of loss that pervades Wally’s Flashness, especially in the 90s, is what makes his character so compelling. I also love that he’s a screw up. I’m not 100 percent sure where he’ll shake out in the new DCU, but I hope there’s a prominent place for him. I hope he’s not de-aged like all the Robins, but I suppose he has to be if Barry and Iris aren’t married yet.

Onto the Barry-centric book at hand. Loved the splash page. Captured the Silver Age feel that brought us Barry in the first place. The story moved quickly (ha) and ended on a cliff-hanger that has me interested. It felt like a younger read, something akin to those titles from DC’s early-90’s Impact line. (The Fly was my favorite). Since Impact was meant to introduce new, mostly younger readers to old characters at an accessible level and the reboot is meant to do the same, mission accomplished. The Flash has always been one of the most kid-friendly of the major DC heroes (emotional issues that we adults love aside), and I think that will continue.

It was a fun read, which is the point of a Barry book. I don’t like the new suit. Too panel-y.

A good mix, but nothing touches Action.

DC’s Superboy, Red Robin, and Kid Flash Reboot For New Teen Titans Book (And I Think of the 90s)

10 Jun 201118 Nov 2018 ~ Chris Cocca ~ 7 Comments

This post is from 2011. As of 2018, it still gets new views. The Teen Titans, not to mention the entire DC Universe, have gone through many iterations since then. Why are fans able to accept that continuity is fluid when it comes to comic books, but not when it comes to properties like Star Wars or the Wizarding World?

To be honest, I don’t really accept a living Jason Todd, or a universe in which Tim Drake was never Robin. But I also know that the pendulum will likely swing back, and that I get to pick what I consider canon. That’s one of the great things about fiction.

Okay, so I think of the 90s anyway. That said, here’s the picture for the rebooted Teen Titans:

I was chatting with someone today who said this whole reboot reminds him of the 90s, and, specifically, what Marvel tried to do with Heroes Reborn. The Superboy and Kid Flash designs specifically make me think of 90s aesthetics. That patch on Bart’s left shoulder? Reminds me of Jim Lee’s first shot at redesigning Superman, circa 1996:

Kid Flash should be minimalist and throwback. When Bart Allen gave up the Impulse identity and became Kid Flash, it was in honor of Wally West and his costume reflected the importance of legacy in the Flash mythos:

This is the right look, but the boots are too busy. The thing going on at the top of this post is just a mess.

As for Superboy. If you were 13 in 1993, you know that the modern incarnation of the Boy of Steel debuted during the Reign of the Supermen arc following Superman’s death. He was punk, and he looked every bit the 90s awesome he was meant to be:

Haters hate, but I think this costume was perfectly awesome for the time. And yes, after seeing this, I did go home and try to draw Starter jackets for Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and the Flash. That said, I think everyone agrees that Superboy’s most recent look is 100% DCAT (Don’t Change A Thing, with thanks to Paul Lukas):

This has become Connor Kent’s iconic Superboy look. In the solicit picture for the reboot, he’s back to being a scenester. What’s with the gothy tape job on his back? The bar-c0de tattoo? What could possibly tattoo him, anyway? For that matter, how did he pierce his ear in the 90s? I know, I know: same way he shaves (his own heat vision in a mirror).

Red Robin (Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin before becoming Red Robin in the current DCU) is said to be leading the new new new Teen Titans. I liked the Kingdom Come-inspired Red Robin costume of the last two years, and I liked the red and black look Tim sported during his final stint as the Boy Wonder. Now he has feathers. I want to say I hate it, but I sort of don’t. Tim’s original costume was, perhaps, the perfect union of 90s re-design and timing. It was current, believable, and, most importantly, not ridiculous. The cape was black, the legs were covered. The R was finally stylized. He got a bo-staff and real boots. He got his own book and became a sidekick who was always more than that. Tim was the best of the all the Robins because Tim’s skill set, intellect, and emotional complexity made Robin a real hero in his own right and a compelling character to boot. Tim Drake did for Robin what Nightwing did for Dick Grayson. It makes sense that Tim would keep part of the Robin identity even as he moves on, but I’m not sure about those feathers. Why not the current Red Robin costume with a domino mask instead of a cowl? The rest of what’s going on above is way too busy. I know that the hooded Robin look is being done by Damien Wayne, and Tim’s Robinmobile is called the Redbird. I get that Tim ought to retain some of that mythos and the feathers signal the Tim (as opposed to Damien) side of things, but still. Unless he starts to fly (please, no), he really shouldn’t have them.

If the 200os saw DC return to the Silver Age in terms of story and allusion, it feels like September 2011-forward are looking like the 90s redux. Short from letting Supes fly his freak flag every now and then, I’m not sure that’s the way they should be going. Then again, I was one of those kids that started reading comics because of the Batman movie and then in earnest with the Reign of the Supermen and the Knightfall series. One of DC’s immediate goals is to give new readers and brand new point of entry, and the reboot and renumbering certainly provides that chance on a massive scale. Still, feathers? You know what? I’ll admit it. He does look kind of cool.

DC Comics Reboot: Is the Justice League too White?; Superman Misplaces Vital Item

3 Jun 201123 Apr 2020 ~ Chris Cocca ~ 9 Comments

The reboot in question is 2011’s New 52. A lot has changed since then, but a lot of this still holds up. From 2011:

I’m just going to go ahead and be a nerd here for a few minutes. DC Comics is renumbering three-quarters of their titles with 52 new Issue #1’s staggered weekly beginning August 31. That’s essentially a reboot, right? DC honchos are calling it a new point of entry for a new generation of readers, which makes sense given the massive platforms offered by the popularity of superhero movies and merchandising.

Fine. Actually, more than fine. I think it’s a great idea. A lot of fanboys think it’s long overdue after the almost-reboots of the last few years, but I think the timing is perfect. I think it’s great and I look forward to it. It might get me to start subscribing to a few regular titles again, which would be a lot of fun (especially since I have a vintage grocery store comics rack that I can’t fit my bagged and boarded 90’s books in). What I’m not so sure about is the new Justice League roster (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Aquaman, and … Cyborg?)

I’m always of the opinion that the Justice League should be Superman, Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, a Green Lantern, and Aquaman. I left out Green Arrow. Maybe I shouldn’t have. Is he iconic? Green Arrow is on the bubble, like the letter y. He’s a legacy character with classic runs in the 70s, and he’s the team’s resident dissident/progressive. He’s the League’s only bow-and-arrow guy, so there’s that. But he’s not an archetype like the Big Three, and he doesn’t stand in for great elemental and cosmic forces (Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern). The same’s true for Cyborg, and so I’m conflicted. Nothing against Vic, but neither his history nor his skill-set seem to bring something essential, or quintessential, to the team.

I know without Vic, the team is all-white, and I don’t think that’s acceptable. Who’s the most iconic of all the non-white characters in the DCU? John Stewart as the Green Lantern? Absolutely. He was the best character on the the animated Justice League series not named Batman (sorry, John, but Bats will always be my favorite), and, truth be told, he carried the show and the team. Justice League established him in popular media as a quintessential character to the JL mythos, and it wasn’t because of his green ring. It was because of how awesome, conflicted, and noble he was. What does Hal Jordan really bring to the table? I know, I know, he’s the Silver Age original, but while he was away, John Stewart became the definitive Green Lantern for me, even as Wally West became the Flash. Sorry, but that’s just how I see it. Somewhere, someone is saying “what about Kyle Rayner?” Exactly. Loved him. Haven’t thought about him in years.

I’d bump Hal and Cyborg and sign John up in a heartbeat, if he’d take the job. If DC is also hoping to skew younger with the Cyborg character (he’s historically been cast as younger than the DCU’s banner heroes), what about Static? Isn’t his full inclusion in the top narratives of the DCU long overdue? Wouldn’t putting Static in the JLA add some much-needed youth and also be a more-than-fitting tribute to the late Dwayne McDuffie? No one else pictured above has Static’s elemental kind of powers. There’s a fast guy, a strong girl, a strong guy, a dark avenger guy, a mystical space military guy, a water guy. Where’s the electric guy? Static to the Justice League the second I’m in the door at Editorial. (Also, Pete Rose to the Hall of Fame).

All of this still leaves us with a relatively undiverse grouping, but it’s a step in the right direction. Where’s Martian Manhunter, by the way? I know he’s dead in current continuity, and I’m guessing that he’ll appear later in the series like he did way back when in the original. Speaking of which, I know that Supes and Batman weren’t part of the old league back in the day, but whatever. I’m writing about comic books so I get to say that.

On to my second issue. It has to do with costumes. Wonder Woman’s change is long overdue, but they should have kept some yellow. Black threads on a color palette that doesn’t historically have them are gimmicky in baseball and gimmicky in comics. Aquaman looks great, which is sometimes hard for Aquaman to do. This look honors his history even as the military collar recalls his finest hours as my harpoon-handed beard-twin. (His current incarnation on Batman: The Brave and The Bold is brilliant and my undeniable favorite). The Flash has those weird piping lines on his cowl, which is to be expected with these kind of reboots. If you look closely, Batman probably has them, too, and his gauntlets are more modular and armor-like. Fine, though I like a cleaner cowl for Batman. Flash’s chin thing is meant to make his ensemble look younger, hipper. Fine.

But sweet Siegel and Shuster, where on Krypton are Superman’s red briefs? What’s with the bishop/general collar? I only just now noticed the blue on blue gauntlet piping and red sleeve trim. Is that a red belt? I can only imagine what his boots look like. This feels a lot like the future version of Superman that Connor Kent/Superboy became a while back in Teen Titans. I thought then that the evolution of this look might work over time, but this seems so sudden, so…drastic. This is Superman we’re talking about. I know he’s been changed in varying degrees over the years, but the late Golden Age and Silver Age look has been kept largely intact until now. The lack of briefs is shocking, but the collar bugs me most. It looks way too Zod for Kal. And now that I’ve lost most of my regular readers, I bid you a fond “till next time!”