Something that's been bugging me

I'll admit, I'm way behind on reading the Green Lantern books. I fell off around the time that Geoff Johns decided cutting two pages from the page count was an excuse to increase the number of double-page splashes of aliens flying at things. I haven't bothered to drop the titles yet, but I suspect that will change once I actually sit down and see what's become of them.

But I have seen some of the covers, with the Earth Lanterns becoming Rainbow Brite's posse, and it's brought to mind something that's been rolling around ever since the retcon of Sinestro's power ring (namely, that it's powered by fear, and specifically Parallax). Namely, has anyone referenced the fact that Guy Gardner used Sinestro's ring for a good long time?

Seriously, between his Green Lantern days on the JLI and JLA and his Vuldarian Warrior days, Guy Gardner rocked a yellow ring. It's the ring he had when the JLA fought Doomsday, and for awhile thereafter.

People talk about how great Hal is for conquering fear and all, but given the ring's retcon, wasn't Guy conquering that fear for months or years? There had been talk at various times about how removing the yellow impurity would drive Green Lanterns mad with power, but Guy shouldered the burden pretty well, I think (having not read his solo title at the time, it's possible that there was more drama to it). To date, I think this puts Guy just behind Hal as "Lantern who's worn the most different power rings."

I don't know, I'd just think that this is the kind of thing that would get a passing mention.

Walking with Superman: Day 128

In Brightest Day, in Blackest...Friday? It's the biggest shopping day of the year, and at the biggest shopping center in America, that means enormous crowds of bargain-hunters looking for a head start on the holidays. To some people, that scenario sounds hellish, but it's music to Larfleeze's ears! The one and only Orange Lantern has come to the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, to bask in the glory of unfettered capitalism. Unfortunately for him, the outpouring of greed all around him seems to have put his lantern in a giving mood! Suddenly the thousands of early-morning shoppers have become an Orange Lantern Corps, fighting over sale items with some of the most powerful weapons in the universe. Even Superman is overwhelmed by the crowds, and so he decides to fight power ring with power ring by calling in Green Lantern John Stewart! But will one ring be enough to stop a horde of orange hoarders? Or will space-cop Stewart need to take a Deputy of Steel?

Short Takes

Work and real life are kind of kicking my butt at the moment, but while it's caused me to put the temporary kibosh on "Superman Sundays," it hasn't impacted (and won't impact for at least the foreseeable future) the "Walking with Superman" series. I'm right on track with that series, and every time I think I might be running out of ideas, I find some cool place in my research or think "what's a cool thing that I want to see Superman do?" and I'm all right again.

But that's not what this post is about. This post is about some of the comics I've actually managed to read recently, and other associated thoughts. And so...

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In the "news to absolutely no one" department, I finally managed to purchase the newest volume of Adam Warren's "Empowered," and it was quite awesome. The increasing continuity in the title has inspired me to go back and read the whole series all at once, probably before my next "Scott Pilgrim" read-through, to be honest.

I could gush for long periods of time about all the awesome stuff in the book, but one thing I think it does particularly well is exploring the idea of a superhero culture. The "Empowered" universe has a superhero 24-hour news network, superhero TV shows, superhero award ceremonies, and radio programs devoted to fantasy-football-style superhero fandom. It's the sort of thing that great books like "She-Hulk" and "Manhunter" and "Bulleteer" and so forth have examined in smaller degrees, and it's something I wish comic creators would put more thought into. In a world where being superhuman is not entirely uncommon, we should expect to see a culture rise up around those superhumans, whether it's the mutant subculture explored in books like "X-Statix" and Grant Morrison's "New X-Men" run, or the ramifications of superhero existence implied by "Damage Control" and so forth. I'd like to see more creators ask "if superheroes existed, what else would we expect to see," and I think Adam Warren is one of the best creators out there in that regard. And that's not even the main focus of the title! So kudos to Warren for one of the best superhero books on the stands, even if it is a little embarrassing to purchase, shrink-wrapped and all, from my local Borders.

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I also enjoyed the most recent Invincible trade, but I have less exciting things to say about that.

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My feelings about J. Michael Straczynski's "Superman" ought to be well-known about seventy-one times over at this point, but Paul Cornell is rocking the house on "Lex Luthor's Action Comics." It's been a solid title from issue one, showcasing some of Luthor's eccentricities and weaknesses in ways that don't make him any less threatening or intimidating as a villain.

It also featured Gorilla Grodd wielding a "combat spoon." And that's amazing. I don't know how a book about DC's greatest villain manages to be this crazy and fun, but it does, and I hope it continues that way.

Incidentally, next issue is the one with Death. SPOILER ALERT! I'm not entirely sure how Lex is going to get out of this apparent jam, but I'm interested to find out. That? That was a cliffhanger. END SPOILERS.

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Speaking of "Action Comics," despite the fact that I downloaded the Jimmy Olsen preview on my iPhone last week, I never quite got around to reading it until today. The way it treats the Silver Age wackiness of Jimmy Olsen's career with such matter-of-fact panache and uses morse code as a plot point in such a perfectly spot-on Silver Age way, is pitch-perfect awesome. I love the new characters, though it's going to probably take a few stories before we see whether or not Chloe Sullivan is anything like her spunky television counterpart.

A techno-genie. Man, "Action Comics" is amazing.

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Action Comics also got me thinking about the weird way that some supervillains manage to "graduate." Like, most villains start as villains for some specific hero or team, but some manage to move up to universe-wide villains, villains who would be believable as the focal characters of major crossovers or fighting nearly any other hero. I've made a quick list of villains who started as single-hero foes and made their way up to universal threats:

• Lex Luthor (Superman)
  
• Dr. Doom (Fantastic Four)
  
• The Joker (Batman)
  
• Deathstroke (Teen Titans)
  
• Ultra-Humanite (Superman)
  
• Gorilla Grodd (Flash)
  
• Norman Osborn (Spider-Man)
  
• Loki (Thor)
  
• Magneto (X-Men)
  
• Kingpin (Spider-Man)

And so forth. I don't know exactly what qualifies a villain to make that jump; it seems like some of them start by shuffling around to different heroes (the way that Dr. Doom fought Spider-Man in an early "Amazing") or going after teams that their main rival is on (Loki being the first enemy of the Avengers). But, like, why would Deathstroke take off as a major DCU villain over, say, Brother Blood?

I also think it'd be interesting to compare/contrast this list with the list of villains who became heroes/antiheroes, during the '90s in particular and during other times in general. Deathstroke's on both lists, and arguably the Joker is too, given his solo title in the '70s. The Punisher started as a Spider-Man villain, but then you also have Venom (the "lethal protector"), Morbius, and a host of other characters to choose from. Not to mention the Suicide Squad and Secret Six.

It's interesting fodder for future posts, I suppose.

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I appear to be the only person in comics fandom who wasn't wowed and wooed by "Chew." I don't know exactly what the problem is, whether it was just too many "innaworld"-type high concepts stuck on top of one another or something else entirely. All I know is that everyone is singing the title's praises with superlative accolades, including lots of people whose opinions I trust, and who have caused me to run out and buy other titles in the past on recommendation alone. But man, it just did absolutely nothing for me. I feel like I need to re-read the book again, or like there's something wrong with me. Rest assured, I'll do the former, and I suspect the truth of the latter.

I expect they'll be by for my comics blogging license any day now.

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I like that the Green Lantern books are finally dealing with Sodam Yat. His sacrifice, up to and including the way it mimicked that of Hal Jordan in "Final Night"--was obviously going to be a non-death, and it's nice to see some movement on that plotline. That being said, I'm pretty sure that his story is being dealt with in "Emerald Warriors," and I really don't think I'm going to subscribe to a third Green Lantern title. I love Guy Gardner and all, but I think I'll be sticking with the two main titles for now. Maybe I'll change my mind soon, but not so far.

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The current tragedy of my comic collecting is that I didn't have the funds to pick up "Darkwing Duck" as it was coming out, and so I only have the first issue. The closest shop that has any additional issues is A) not close and B) missing #2. I might ask my new LCS guy if they can procure the additional issues. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow, then. But man, $3.99 an issue sure makes trade-waiting an attractive prospect.

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Looks like that's it for now. Feel free to tell me how or why I'm wrong in the comments. Especially if you're a "Chew" fan. I'd love to be sold on the series--I bought the first trade, after all, so I'm at least a little invested--but man, absolutely nothing.

My Detailed Thoughts on the Announcement of Blake Lively Being Cast as Carol Ferris in the Upcoming Green Lantern Movie

Who?

A short spoilery thought

Spoilers ahead!
So, given Kyle's history, does this mean that he's been dating himself?

I'm more convinced now than ever that Blackest Night will end with a mass resurrection. And now we know what drives Guy over to the Red Side.

Bat-Month: Blackest Night Musings

I haven't been able to keep up with Blackest Night quite as much as I'd like to, particularly the tie-in miniseries. Even so, I have some thoughts about where the series might be going. I'm still pretty well convinced that the story's going to end with Hal Jordan becoming the (temporary) White Lantern, uniting the emotional spectrum with the power of life. The effect of this, I imagine, will be the undoing of a whole bunch of superhero deaths, and probably a moratorium on the "revolving door of death" in the DCU--at least for a little while.

The question I have is who'll be coming back? First priority, I think, are the people who have died in the course of the story: Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Gehenna, Tempest, Damage, and so forth. After that, I suspect it'll be the really significant characters: Aquaman and Martian Manhunter will be back in some way or another, Ronnie Raymond, and the other obvious ones. I'm curious, though, how far the resurrections will go. Might we see a return for obscurer characters like Azrael and Conduit? Could Ted Kord and Max Lord--and other characters with significant event-specific deaths be on the way back? What about civilians, like Tim Drake's parents?

The real ballsy move on DC's part, the twist that would make a real interesting impact on the DCU and would show a commitment to shaking up the status quo (in the same way that New Krypton and Dick-as-Batman do), would be to resurrect everyone. We've already established that the only corpses which become Black Lanterns are ones who have particular emotional connections to our heroes, so it's not as if we'd have billions and billions of people returning (with the exception of resurrected planets like Xanshi)--that would make for a very crowded Earth. This would be an interesting way to lead into the "legacies" event that Dan Didio has talked about for next year--though they could do that with just a hero/villain resurrection as well.

But imagine a world where Thomas and Martha Wayne are alive again decades after being gunned down in an alleyway. Would Alfred tell them about Bruce's secret life? Would they get to meet their grandson? What would they think if they, knowingly or unknowingly, found the cave? What would they think if they found out that their son was dead and hadn't been among those resurrected? The same could be said for the Flying Graysons...how would Dick react to having his parents in his life again? How would they react to finding that their son had been adopted by a multimillionaire?

I think that would make for some interesting drama--although it'd kind of derail whatever independent paths the Bat-books (and several other books--what about Jor-El and Lara? Zor-El? Coast City?). It'd especially be intriguing to see what happens when Batman finally returns. How would the resurrection of his parents affect him? We've already seen him work to stop it (in "Tower of Babel"), so presumably he thinks it'd be an overall bad thing, but would it cause him to give up his crusade? Would he even be able to face them, given how their deaths have affected him?

Or would he return to find that they'd been quietly murdered again by the man who's wearing his face, Tommy Eliot?

In any case, I imagine that Blackest Night, if not leading directly into the return of Batman, will cause more than just Tim Drake to think that he must still be alive. At least some of the heroes will have to be wondering why Bruce wasn't among the resurrected/Black Lanterns, especially when his grave was among the first to be defiled by Black Hand. Obviously a Black Lantern Batman would be a great asset to the undead hordes, so it doesn't make sense that they'd leave him be. Someone is going to notice his absence and draw the likely conclusion that he must not actually be dead.

And if no one does, then I imagine that the heroes of the DCU are a lot denser than previously suspected. Come on, Detective Chimp? The ghost of Ralph Dibny? Someone will have to connect the dots.

Controlling the Spectrum

I've been of two minds about the whole "emotional spectrum" idea running through the Green Lantern comics of late. My analytical, scientific mind scoffs at the notion. The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum is vast, ranging from radio waves on up to gamma rays, and the visible spectrum is a tiny sliver of it. Moreover, it's a tiny, arbitrary sliver--that it's the only part of the spectrum which humans can interpret visually is an accident of biology, not some fundamental property of the universe. Other animals just here on Earth can view different swaths of the spectrum--bees, for instance, can see into the ultraviolet. In a universe as densely populated as DC's, with beings that can see well into the X-Ray and Infrared ends of the spectrum, it seems silly to single out light with wavelengths between 380 and 760 nm as having particular cosmic significance. It's the kind of anthropocentricity that makes humanoid the default body design among alien races and makes Earth into an effective weirdness magnet. It's understandable from a storytelling point of view, but not really a scientific one.

However, my comic fan mind thinks the idea is really cool, and can't wait to see how it plays out. The fact that there's an upcoming Blackest Night: Superman miniseries gives me hope that my prediction about the Man of Steel will be coming true.

It's not often that my comic fan and scientist mentalities agree and live in complete harmony. Most of the time, they're pretty well separate, but occasionally one of them screams under the oppressive weight of too much suspended disbelief. So when they actually agree on something, it makes me giddy in a very geeky way.

See, the Controllers recently decided to lay claim to the Orange Lantern and the power of greed. It's a natural choice for them, being the self-serving isolationist cousins of the Guardians of the Universe. But this isn't the first time the Controllers have aped the Guardians' corps concept. They've made two other attempts: the Darkstars and Effigy.

So far, so what? I'm not entirely sure what sparked the idea, but a comic fact surfaced from the trivia sponge that is my brain: the Darkstars' main weapon was a maser, which isn't just a misspelled laser. "Maser" stands for "microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation" (laser, is the same acronym, but with "light" instead of "microwave"). What exactly masers do (and what the Darkstars' fictional masers did) isn't important; what is important is that microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, with a long wavelength that puts them between radio waves and infrared light.

Effigy basically had the same powers as a Green Lantern, except instead of green willpower plasma forming his constructs, he used fire. Fire itself isn't a form of electromagnetic radiation, but it does give off quite a bit of it. Most flames give off visible light of various frequencies, in addition to lots of radiant heat in the form of infrared light, which is just outside of the visible spectrum on the low frequency side. Moreover, flames are plasma, and probably the plasma* we're all most familiar with (with lightning and certain HDTVs coming in close behind).

What this suggests to me is that the Controllers have been trying to tap into the emotional spectrum in the same way that the Guardians have, but with less success. Their first attempt gave them troops with weapons based on the low-energy end of the EM spectrum, and no apparent plasma-construct abilities or emotional ties. Their second attempt was closer to the Corps model, with the ability to wield plasma-based constructs, but there was no clear emotional tie. Effigy's constructs would have emitted all sorts of light from the low-energy end of the EM spectrum, primarily red, orange, and yellow--suggesting a mix of rage, greed, and fear. Most of the emission, though, would have gone to infrared light, which is just outside the visible spectrum and apparently outside the emotional one as well. Having failed twice to create their own corps of warriors with the emotional power and purity of the GL Corps, the Controllers (some of them, anyway) abandoned their development efforts and tried to assimilate a ready-made Lantern.

I like the way this all falls together. The Controllers' efforts clearly show some progress toward the Guardians' model, and I suspect that a lot of the Guardians' early success has to do with their dabbling in magic and getting some celestial assistance. I think this is a rich area to mine for further stories about the emotional spectrum: do microwaves and infrared light have emotions associated with them? What about X-Rays and gamma rays? Since the low-energy end of the spectrum seems to be devoted to "negative" emotions (rage, greed, fear), might we see infrared correspond with lust or envy? Could ultraviolet light or gamma radiation be associated with providence or charity or self-sacrifice? As the spectrum stands, the emotions become more personality-altering and consuming as one moves away from the center, with the Red Lanterns and Star Sapphires losing most of their individuality; would we see the same trend continued as one moved beyond those extremes, or would there be some kind of drop-off, or perhaps just a more subtle consumption of individual personality? Could Air Wave, whose powers fall at the extreme low-frequency end of the EM spectrum, be affected by the emotional spectrum?

Like I said, there's some rich material to be mined there, if a bit mired in science geekery. While I think it'd be interesting to discuss the Controllers' previous efforts in terms of the emotional spectrum, the implications would open up several new storytelling opportunities.

There's also the possibility for further connection to other fundamental aspects of the DCU. There are several core principles guiding the DCU--Order and Chaos, the Endless (yes, they're Vertigo, but they get referenced often enough in-universe--see "Identity Crisis," for instance), the Elemental Realms (the Green, the Red, etc.), the Seven "Deadly Enemies"/Seven "Sacred Virtues" of Man, etc.--and I don't think it's too early to suggest that the Emotional Spectrum is another such principle. While I don't know that I'd want to see a Grand Unified Theory of DCU foundational principles, I don't think it would be ridiculous to mesh a few of them together, draw connections, and so forth. The easiest place is with Shazam's "Deadly Enemies"/"Sacred Virtues," since several of them (Greed, Wrath/Rage, Hope, Fortitude/Willpower) are already represented along the Emotional Spectrum. Endless Nights gave us at least part of the connection between the Spectrum and the Endless, and it wouldn't be hard to claim that Order reigns in the center, but Chaos takes over at the extremes. The door to Elemental connection is most clearly open through The Red/Red Lantern connection, since nature is "red in tooth and claw," ruled by base animal instinct and driven by the need to survive.

I'm just riffing here at this point; I don't claim to be able to unite all these, but I think a good attempt to do so would weave the tapestry of the DCU a little more tightly together. This is the task for the Geoff Johns of the next generation, assuming that the Geoff Johns of our generation isn't already working that way.

One last thought: We have the color spectrum, but one ring doesn't fit**. The Black Lanterns presumably represent death; black isn't a color on the spectrum (it is, in fact, the absence of color), and death isn't an emotion. This suggests to me the existence (or climactic discovery) of the White Lantern, which would obviously represent Life. White, as you'll recall from middle school science, is made up of all the colors of the spectrum. Any guesses how Blackest Night is going to end yet? Or who the White Lantern will be?

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*Plasma is a state of matter (like solid, liquid, and gas), in which a gas has been partially ionized, stripping the electrons from the component atoms and molecules and allowing them to move around somewhat freely. It's not to be confused with the liquid part of blood, which shares the same name.
**Okay, at least one ring doesn't fit. "Willpower" isn't an emotion, after all. The only reason it makes sense at all is because it's at the center of the group.

Bluest Knight

Still working on a couple of those Watchmen review posts. I hope to have the movie review done tomorrow or so. In the meantime, here's something I've been thinking about during the ramp-up to Blackest Night.

I'm not one of the people who has a problem with the rainbow spectrum of lanterns. I figured out the symbolism of the color yellow a little before Johns made it explicit, and while it's a little cheesy, I actually really like the idea. That other concepts would have associated colors is a natural progression. There's some thematic resonance here with The Green and The Red, and the other color-coordinated Elemental domains, and even a bit of connection to the Endless. Someday, Johns or his spiritual successor is going to tie all those things together the way that the Chaos/Order thing came together, weaving the tapestry of the DCU a little tighter.

Anyway, the Blue Lanterns have been hanging around the GL books recently, and I'm wondering a bit when (or if) the other shoe's going to fall with them. In the recent past, we've seen Batman near-drafted into the Sinestro Corps for his ability to create great fear, and I seem to recall him donning a green ring briefly as well. When you have a universe-spanning story like that, it's nice to throw a bone to the characters whose defining characteristics would make them a natural fit.

My point in all this being: When are the Blue Lanterns going to draft Superman?

There is no greater symbol of hope in the DCU than Superman. Heck, he's already got "Big Blue" as a nickname; plus, the story writes itself: "Superman Blue." One of the few innovations of "Birthright" that I've come to like was retconning the S-Shield to be a Kryptonian pictograph for "hope;" this was confirmed in "52" (along with the point that its inversion means "resurrection"--which would seem to have some bearing on the Black Lanterns as well). Given that Johns was part of the "52" team, and that he's working on both Superman and Green Lantern titles right now, it seems likely to the point of inevitable that Superman will be wearing a blue ring in the near future. If they don't do this, it'll look (to me, anyway) like seriously dropping the ball.

So when's Superman gonna put a ring on it?

Unsolicited Opinions

The September '08 Solicits are out, which is odd, because I could have sworn that the December solicits just came out last month. Curse my temporally-displaced memory! Click the new little expanding posts link below to find out what I think, because you care so much.

TRINITY #14-17
Written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza
Art by Mark Bagley & Art Thibert, Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens, Mike Norton, and Tom Derenick & Wayne Faucher
Covers by Jim Lee & Scott Williams
Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman lead the heroes of the DCU against the machinations of their malevolent counterparts, resulting in a cataclysmic event that will change the world – but not like anyone involved expects. Plus, Hawkman and Gangbuster make their move to rescue Tarot, and Konvikt breaks loose.
Issue #14 on sale September 3; issue #15 on sale September 10; issue #16 on sale September 17; issue #17 on sale September 24
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I seem to be one of few enjoying "Trinity" so far, and maybe it's because of things like this solicit: the return of Gangbuster? Busiek knows what I like. Also, I'm surprised to see Tarot making an appearance...does this mean that Chris Sims will be annotating it?

DC UNIVERSE: DECISIONS #1-2
Written by Judd Winick & Bill Willingham
Pencil art by Rick Leonardi
Covers by Stephane Roux
Election season is upon us, and the stakes have never been higher! An unknown villain is attempting to assassinate the presidential candidates, and only the heroes of the DCU stand in the way. As Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Superman, Batman and more try to learn the killer’s identity, they are faced with the difficult task of reconciling their own personal ideals with the mission at hand.
Brought to you by writers Judd Winick (GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY, TITANS) and Bill Willingham (FABLES, DAY OF VENGEANCE) and featuring sensational art by Rick Leonardi (ROBIN, SUPERGIRL)!
Issue #1 on sale September 10; issue #2 on sale September 24 • 1 and 2 of 4 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I don't think I've ever been less excited about a comic than I am about "DC Universe: Decisions." I have a feeling that it may be the most anvilicious, straw man-filled, poorly-conceived caricature of a comic ever. Given that Winick and Willingham's politics are basically caricatures of reasonable positions anyway, I have little doubt that this series will serve only to piss off absolutely everyone.

FINAL CRISIS #4
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by J.G. Jones and Carlos Pacheco
Covers by J.G. Jones
It's one month after the Anti-Life Equation was released worldwide. Millions now toil as slaves of Darkseid, while the Justifier shock troops of Apokolips lay waste to the planet Earth and hunt down its protectors.
The remaining free humans and superheroes are stationed around the world, besieged within the walls of ten very familiar 'Watchtowers', as they fight a desperate, losing battle against the triumphant forces of evil.
While Green Arrow and Black Canary attempt to deliver the secret of humanity's last hope across America's blasted wastelands, the Outsiders brave the horrors of the Bludhaven bunker in search of Batman. The ultimate battle is coming...but which heroes will become villain – and vice versa? And what part do the Secret Society have to play in the dawning of this new Age of Evil?
Darkness is falling and death rules the day. Is this truly the end of the Age of Super Heroes? Don't miss FINAL CRISIS #4: “How to Murder the Earth!”
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers by J.G. Jones that will ship in approximately 50/50 ratio. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale September 17 • 4 of 7 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

So I hear that skipping the last 40 issues (or so) of "Countdown" and not actually finishing reading "Death of the New Gods" may have greatly enhanced my enjoyment of "Final Crisis" #1. In any case, I'm pretty psyched about the series, and this issue's solicit suggests that we may get the same kind of awesome dystopian storytelling that Morrison presented in "JLA: Rock of Ages." And that can only be good.

FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #2
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by George Pérez & Scott Koblish
Covers by George Pérez
Geoff Johns and George Perez continue crafting the Crisis of the 31st Century! As Superboy-Prime leads the Legion of Super-Villains against everything and everyone inspired by the legacy of Superman, the Legion of Super-Heroes are forced to call for help from beyond their world. Meanwhile, contingency plans are created by Brainiac 5 as he attempts to overcome Colu’s devastating betrayal, Dawnstar and Wildfire pull off a startling rescue, but at a horrible cost to the universe, and Saturn Girl uncovers the source of the Legion’s troubles.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers by George Pérez that will ship in approximately 50/50 ratio. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale September 17 • 2 of 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

"Legion of 3 Worlds" is the only Final Crisis tie-in series I'm really excited about. I think "Rogues' Revenge" will be good (even if only because it reunites Johns, Kolins, and the Flash), I'll begrudgingly buy "Requiem," I might read "Reign in Hell," and I'm curious about "Superman Beyond," but I'm chomping at the bit for "Legion." Johns' Legion arc in "Action Comics" was his best so far, and I love the Abnett/Lanning and Waid Legions to death; seeing them team up should be a blast.

But nothing can compare to my excitement over this:

AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #3
Written by Keith Giffen & Robert Loren Fleming
Art by Keith Giffen & Al Milgrom
Cover by Amanda Conner
Darkseid makes a list and checks it twice! Plus, a shotgun wedding, alternate universes, more OMACs than you can shake a stick at and the very important return of Super-Turtle all wait for you in this all-new, all-ridiculous third issue.
On sale September 24 • 3 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Ambush Bug is the definition of awesome. Ambush Bug, Amanda Conner, and the Inferior Five? This book may require a warning label to explain the side-effects of a fun overdose.

SECRET SIX #1
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott & Doug Hazlewood
Cover by Cliff Chiang
Because you demanded it! The Secret Six are back in an all-new ongoing series that promises to deliver some of the darkest, most twisted action-adventure the DC Universe has seen since...well, the last time the Secret Six got together! Writer extraordinaire Gail Simone (BIRDS OF PREY) is reunited with BIRDS penciller Nicola Scott to chronicle the adventures of the Six, and you will not believe what they have in store. Join Catman, Scandal, Deadshot, Ragdoll, and ?? as they prepare for an adventure that will take them through a gauntlet across the seediest parts of the DC Universe, and will ultimately pit them against a foe more monstrous and murderous than any they've had to face! Don't miss the beginning of the most ferocious and scandalous Six story yet!
On sale September 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Yay! This almost makes up for losing Gail on All-New Atom (and subsequently losing All-New Atom).

ADAM STRANGE SPECIAL #1
Written by Jim Starlin
Art by Rick Leonardi & Dan Green
Cover by Jim Starlin & Al Milgrom
A RANN/THANAGAR: HOLY WAR tie-in! After narrowly escaping a deadly blast, Adam Strange finds himself spiraling through the timestream, forced to relive the past and helpless to watch as his future unravels before his very eyes. Will he be able to pull himself together to rejoin the Holy War?
On sale September 3 • 40 pg, FC, $3.50 US

Dear DC,
There are writers besides Jim Starlin who can do space opera adventure stories. In fact, I daresay there are much better writers for that than Jim Starlin. Please make a note of it.
Sincerely,
Tom Foss

TEEN TITANS #63
Written by Sean McKeever
Art and cover by Eddy Barrows & Ruy Jose
Bombshell is back! But wait — isn't she dead?

My first thought upon reading this: "Who the hell is Bombshell?"

My second thought: "Isn't she on X-Force or something?"

My third thought: "Why am I still reading Teen Titans?"

SUPERMAN #680
Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes & José Wilson Magalháes
Cover by Alex Ross
“Atlas,” part 4! The grand finale of the Atlas epic finds Superman's foe seemingly victorious! With Superman down for the count, who can stand in the way of the city's supposed new ruler? Enter Krypto, (Super)man's best friend, who will do anything to protect his master. Don’t miss Krypto at his most heroic, a worthy addition to the Superman Family – and a very good boy. Plus: A new, magical character settles in Metropolis, just when Superman needs him most.
On sale September 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I can't wait for James Robinson's Superman to start, but this solicit got me thinking: is Kurt Busiek's Krypto-centric story ever going to get published? Because I'd really like to see that.

SUPERGIRL #33
Written by James Peaty
Art by Ron Randall
Cover by Stephane Roux
Coming off the most devastating decision of her young career, Supergirl finds herself at a crossroads. Is she worthy of the "S" she wears? Can she involve herself in the affairs of humans again after misusing her powers so badly? Enter the Empress (of YOUNG JUSTICE fame), who has a whole different perspective on the matter!
On sale September 3 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

I'd complain about Supergirl getting another new writer, but I'm so incredibly happy about seeing Empress again that I can't bring myself to say anything bad.

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #17
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art and cover by Phil Winslade
Supergirl and Raven team up to save San Francisco from a new super villain with deep roots in the DC Universe!
On sale September 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

You know, I like Marv Wolfman as much as the next guy, but I really hope he isn't permanently taking over "Brave and the Bold." If Waid can't do it, why not Karl Kesel? Dwayne McDuffie? Someone else with an encyclopedic knowledge of the DCU and the ability to write characters with distinct voices? As far as I can tell, Wolfman's only got one of those skills.

Also, that cover is hideous.

GREEN LANTERN #35
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Cover by Ivan Reis
The conclusion to “Secret Origin”! The prelude to the Blackest Night begins as the climax of the story of Hal Jordan’s first adventure comes to a close! Hal and Sinestro are confronted by the Guardians over their greatest fears. Plus, Sinestro uncovers a new prophecy all his own as the stage is set for next month’s “Rage of the Red Lanterns”!
On sale September 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Oh, holy crap. You know, I thought "Secret Origin" was almost done at this point. I was kind of expecting it to wrap up in the next issue or two. I mean, it's not a bad story, I just can't bring myself to care about the latest retelling of Hal Jordan's origin. Yes, it's a great deal better than "Emerald Dawn," does it have to be twice as long too?

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes
Cover by Ed Benes
Vixen and Animal Man journey into the sacred Tantu Totem to solve the mystery of their altered powers. But Anansi, the African spider god responsible for these changes, has only begun reshaping the powers and histories of the Justice League, as eight-year-old Bruce Wayne shoots the burglar who killed his parents, Wonder Woman retires from the JLA after the tragic death of her husband, Superman, and The Green Lantern Corps quarantines Earth after one of their number destroys an American city. With the team’s history changing before Vixen’s eyes, is the JLA we now know gone forever?
On sale September 17 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US

McDuffie has gotten the short end of every stick with this JLA run. Between the artist, Meltzer's loose threads, and half a dozen stupid crossover tie-ins, there's been very little opportunity for him to do anything interesting or original with the series. I'm glad to see him still trying, and this story looks pretty interesting, but I'd really like editorial to give him as much free reign as they gave Brad "six issues of table talk" Meltzer.

TINY TITANS #8
Written by Art Baltazar and Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
School is in session at Sidekick City Elementary and it’s time for report cards and parent teacher conferences.
Plus, Beast Boy gets more than he bargained for with a trip to the local library and hilarity ensues at Blue Beetle’s birthday party with a case of mistaken identity and much, much more!
On sale September 17 • 32 pg, FC, $2.25 US

I love "Tiny Titans," and that cover gag is precisely why. Major props if this issue has Raven waiting in a pumpkin patch for the Great Trigon.

Also:


Hm...the Doctor Manhattan toy looks more like a Photoshop effect than an actual action figure. Is he unfinished, or just naked? I notice there's no new Minx titles slated for September; is it just a lull in the schedule?

Anyway, that's about it for DC. Looks to be a much better month than July. I'll hit Marvel up tomorrow.

Reasons to take away my comic blogger's license

• I'm actually kind of psyched about all the Tangent Comics stuff going on in DC these days. Now if only someone will revive Amalgam.
  
• I'm not exactly psyched about Jim Shooter's return to the Legion. I really like the Waid Legion, and Shooter's admission that he hasn't read the comics in quite some time makes me worried about how well the personalities will remain constant.
  
• Yeah, I still really liked "Superman Returns."
  
• I can't stand Kevin Nowlan's art, and I've never understood why he's so beloved. Same for Sal Buscema.
  
• I tried Nextwave. I thought Nextwave tried too hard. Yes, Fin Fang Foom wears purple underwear, very observant. Can you think of a new joke for issue two, please?
  
• Speaking of which, I've never read anything by Warren Ellis that I cared for. Granted, I haven't read much by Ellis. What I read of Authority was rather uninteresting (Joe Kelly was right to treat those characters as a one-note joke, as far as I could tell), his issues of JLA: Classified were utterly boring, and his episode of JLU was a low point in the season.
  
• And all that adds up to me having a better opinion of Judd Winick than I do of Warren Ellis, since I actually liked Winick's "Green Lantern."
  
• I don't hate Marv Wolfman, nor do I wish any harm to befall him.
  
• While I think the end of the Green Arrow marriage was ridiculous, stupid, and gratuitous (and, because of all that, utterly ineffective--my first thought was "okay, is it Everyman or Clayface?"), it was a superhero wedding, which means that something had to go wrong. It's in the superhero bylaws. The only reason Clark and Lois's ceremony went off without a hitch was because they agreed to sacrifice the honeymoon to terrorists. At least this time it was the groom in trouble; Black Canary fared better in that regard than Starfire and Linda Park.
  
• I like Adam Strange.

I think that's enough for now.

Thinkin' 'bout tomorrow...

So, a veritable flurry of news has come down over the past several days, between solicits from both companies, convention reveals a-plenty, and Lying in the Gutters. Spoilers are coming, hard and fast!

So, let's start with The Flash. The series started off on the wrong foot and broke an ankle or two under Bilson and DeMeo's overhyped and underperforming first arc. Guggenheim took over, and I hear things got better. I have the full pile of Guggenheim issues waiting in my "read" pile, so I can't speak for myself. Then again...
...So, I just read the run so far. It's okay, and certainly better than the previous run, but it relies a bit too much on prior knowledge of the characters (particularly Val, Bart, Inertia, Pied Piper, and Iris). It's nearly all action, with little time spent on supporting cast or the status quo. Given the recent revelation, it's pretty clear why; the title went almost straight from its meandering first arc which introduced some new aspects to the character and new cast, directly into the finale, which had to close the dangling plot threads. I'm a little psyched to see the next issue, just to see how it plays out (I predict: Bart survives, because someone else [Iris, Val, Inertia] takes the Speed Force into themselves and is taken by the Black Flash. Alternately, the Black Flash takes the Speed Force and dies, releasing the energy back to where it belongs). The biggest failing of this arc is the failure of the whole Bart-as-Flash idea so far: there's not only very little in the story or narration to suggest that this is the same character who once was Impulse, but there's absolutely nothing to justify his place as The Flash over Wally or Barry. Aside from a few brief references to his past as Bart Allen, all the narration in this could easily have been Wally's.

So, now Mark Waid's taking over, and the book is being renumbered to coincide with the previous series, as if this whole series never happened. Waid's cryptic remarks to watch the current storyline in JLofA, coupled with Scipio's predictions suggest a return of Barry Allen. It would be somewhat fitting, given that the Return of Barry Allen is probably Waid's most memorable story from his previous run on the title, and I'm all but convinced that "The Lightning Saga" will end with the resurrection of the Silver Age Flash.

However, Rich Johnston reveals that Wally and his family are returning, and while that might be an oblique reference to Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris, I tend to think that Waid might be returning to the characters he's most familiar with. If that's the case, then I'll be on Flash for as long as possible, despite my mixed feelings about Waid's previous work. Though I really dislike Daniel Acuña's art, and that's almost enough for me to give up the title even before it begins.

Now, remembering back to Waid's tenure on the title before, Barry wasn't really a character. He showed up often enough, but he was a McGuffin in spandex, a drive-by deus ex machina. While I could understand Waid bringing Barry back, to expand on his previous Brave and the Bold series, I tend to think that the answer is somewhere between Scipio and Johnston. Wally will be the focus of the new Flash series, while Barry ends up in one of the many Countdown books that are debuting, or possibly in the JLofA.

So, where to next? How about JLofA? Dwayne McDuffie, of JLU fame, is stepping up to the plate, and suddenly I can't wait for Brad Meltzer to leave. Not that I could wait before, mind you, but now I really want him gone. McDuffie is a no-brainer for the title. Now we just need "New Gods" by Karl Kesel, and I'll be in heaven.

On the flipside, Bob Wayne declared that the Milestone characters aren't on one of the 52 Earths, which seems like a poor move to me. I'd love to see the Milestone characters return, maybe even tussling a bit with the JLA, and McDuffie's precisely the guy to do that.

Back to Countdown, I'm of mixed opinions on the various series spinning out. I think I'll be passing on Countdown to Mystery. I like Dr. Fate, but the last couple of miniseries attempts with the character have left me flat. I really liked the Hector Hall incarnation of the character, and I'm not thrilled about another new/old face under the helmet. That, and I couldn't care less about the new Eclipso.

Countdown to Adventure is right there on the razor's edge. I love Animal Man and Adam Strange, I'm ambivalent about Starfire, and Forerunner is kind of a dumb character so far. Given how less-than-thrilled I am with Countdown proper, I'm a little less than iffy about picking up any of the spinoffs. The prospect of Nazi JLA, though, is almost enough to cinch it for me.

Countdown: The Search for Ray Palmer is in similarly shaky territory. I've missed Ray, and I like the idea of a tour around the new Multiverse. I like the idea of a new Challengers of the Unknown Beyond--I liked it after Zero Hour when the original Challs were bouncing around the timestream, I liked it after Kingdom when the Challs were trying to navigate through the dangers of Hypertime--but Donna Troy, Jason Todd, and Kyle Rayner? We have a character who was never supposed to exist and has been a point of boredom and confusion ever since, a character who people paid to kill who has floundered since a decent resurrection arc, and a character who has alternated between being universally loathed, generally loved, universally tolerated, and generally mocked. I don't know if there's enough oomph in the story to justify the leads.

Speaking of Kyle Rayner, what's up with the solicitation for Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents Parallax #1? "In this initial installment, the writer who introduced Kyle, Ron Marz, dissects what led Kyle to his downfall and explains the
Parallax entity." People are rampantly speculating that Kyle will be possessed by the yellow dragon-worm you love to hate to become the new Parallax. My guess, given that Kyle's going to be a Challenger from Beyond and that he's back in the crab mask there, is that he ends up relinquishing the Ion power, and somehow Parallax gets it.

Quick thoughts for the 52 spin-offs:
Black Adam: The Dark Age: No.
Booster Gold: Yes.
Crime Bible: Maybe. Ask again Later.
Four Horsemen: No.
Infinity Inc.: Yes.
Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag: Maybe; definitely in trades.
Bonus! Wonder Girl: Probably not.

From the Countdown solicit: "Karate Kid battles Equus," which I assume means the would-be Wolverine from the awful Azzarello/Lee "For Tomorrow" arc in Superman, and not the stage play where Harry Potter gets naked. I guarantee the latter would be more entertaining; that particular phrase sets of the blazing klaxons of a "Boredom Alert" in my head. I'd hoped that "For Tomorrow" was filed away in the never-neverland of continuity limbo. Countdown, you really want me to drop you, don't you?

Anyone else find it funny that Newsarama claimed it was Jason Todd fighting Dove on that cover? Seems pretty clear to me that it's Owlman.

From the Metal Men #2 solicit:

“Whenever one body exerts force upon a second body, the second body exerts an equal and opposite force upon the first body.”
—Newton’s Second Law of Physics

No, Newton's Second Law of Motion states that "The alteration of motion is ever proportional to the motive force impressed; and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impressed." Or, more succinctly, F=ma. You're thinking of Newton's Third Law, which is commonly phrased as "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
This shouldn't be confused with Asimov's Third Law, which says "A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law," or Clarke's third law, "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Green Lantern #23 has my favorite cover of the new batch of solicitations. Freakin' awesome.

Welcome back to the chopping block, Teen Titans. I liked the future team once; I'm not thrilled with seeing them again, unless they're going to explain that Superboy became Superman because he ain't dead anymore.

That seems to be about it. Come back tomorrow when I address Marvel. Am I thrilled? Am I bummed? Or do I just not care anymore? The answer may surprise you!

Warning: Long, Rambling Post Ahead!

Late in so many ways

Way back when, after WizardWorld, I promised a little present to Ragnell and Kalinara. Well, Kalinara's, like that darn bloggiversary post, is still forthcoming, but I just got Ragnell's back. See, at the con, I ran into this dashing fellow.
I snapped that picture with his permission. I realized, though, that this was a golden opportunity, so a few moments later, I took one more.
Happy new rear!