Posts Tagged ‘ Batgirl ’

It’s only fair that, as I’m picking up all the DCnU books this month that I try to post some quick thoughts on them…

Action Comics #1 – I’ll be honest I have pretty strong feelings about Grant Morrison’s writing and they’re not all positive. While I think as an ideas man and plotter he’s top-notch I have real issues (ho-ho) with his execution a lot of the time. Much of his books seem to have little leaps in narrative that require you to go back and re-read to tell what exactly is going on. While many like that, I don’t – especially not in the middle of the book. Here, Clark’s insistence that Jimmy and Lois not board the train required a few leaps in logic, as do Lex’s apparent engineering of the whole thing to capture Superman at the appointed time. What little we see of Lois and Jimmy isn’t very encouraging either, character-wise. I’ll read it again, but Morrison is up to his old tricks here. On the art side, Rags Morales can’t seem to get a handle on the appearance of young-ish Clark – sometimes he looks like an adult, sometimes he looks like a teen. Overall, a slight disappointment – but I suspect many will love it.

Animal Man #1 – Very good. Yes, a little too much set up before we get to Buddy donning his new (horrible) costume, but all very good stuff. Clearly Buddy’s marriage is in trouble but he’s got blinkers on, but the main conflicts seem to be from the threat to the Red and perhaps his daughter herself. Lots of story to sink your teeth into, and Lemire and Foreman make for a strong team. Suitably creepy and foreboding – should be a fun ride.

Batgirl #1 – The winner of the week for me. Gail Simone and Adrian Syaf fired on all cylinders. We get a younger Barbara, clarification that yes, Killing Joke happened, yes she was Batgirl before, and yes, she was paralyzed for three years before being miraculously healed – but it all fades into the background as she sets about re-establishing herself as a hero. A great start to the series and one I’ll definitely be sticking around for.

Batwing #1 – Surprisingly enjoyable, if let down a little by the fact that the impact of the surprising last page (which was spoiled on the internet a while ago) is watered down by it being a flashback. Still, David Zavimbi is nicely established, even if I still don’t know why he’s chosen to go into business as a superhero, and villain Massacre is suitably irredeemable. Winick and Oliver work well together, and while Winick’s script is workmanlike, Oliver’s art is pretty damn good. A pleasant surprise for me.

Detective Comics #1 – I know people slam Tony Daniel’s writing but I really enjoyed this issue, and the last page is more than a bit of a shocker. His art is strong, his Batman is smart, and his fight choreography clear. Absolutely no complaints here – and I enjoyed this a lot more than Action. Did I mention that last page? Wow.

Green Arrow #1 – Exactly what I thought it would be; lightweight and breezy. Jurgens’ art always evokes strong memories of DC past for me (in a good way) and Krul proves he’s better at solo books than team books. Having Ollie with a back-up network of support staff and engaged in some boardroom stuff on the side is a big departure for the character but it works here. This isn’t going to win any awards but it’s good, fun superheroing. The only downside is that I still miss grouchy sourpuss Ollie.

Hawk And Dove #1 – Okay. This is not a good comic on any level. At all. I get the impression that Sterling Gates is trying to weave a coherent story together from Liefeld’s art and having a damn difficult time of it. Look, I’m a cheerful Liefeld apologist most of the time but this is a painful, painful book to look at. Messy dis-proportioned art, bare-bones backgrounds and difficult;t to follow at times. Adding an additional layer to Dawn’s backstory seems a bit pointless, too, and just there to increase the conflict between the two leads. Just…bad. So I’ll probably pick up the next issue.

Justice League International #1 – A good start for the book, and a decidedly different tone from the main Justice League book and the best known bwah-ha-ha incarnation of this one. Jurgens knows his superheroes, and Aaron Lopresti can deliver solid if uninspired art. There’s a nice mix of characters (and I really hope some of the ones that didn’t make the cut show up soon) and some good conflicts, but Jurgens’ heavy-handed swipe at fans complaining about the DC reboot is, well, heavy-handed. Godiva got to say both ‘mate’ and ‘sod off’, though, so I’m good.

Men Of War #1 – Not really my cup of tea, if I’m honest, but the lead story has enough of a pull for me to come back for the next issue. Having Rock and company being men on the ground in a superhero battle where we don’t see the combatants is a pretty neat narrative trick, but I don’t feel there’s enough characterization of Rock just yet. Wasn’t fond of the back-up, which read like a generic strip from a UK war comic when I was growing up.

O.M.A.C. #1 – Okay. I’m very, very surprised how much I liked this. It’s almost entirely down to Keith Giffen’s art, which has adapted into a near-Kirby style that suits the book down to the ground, and the colors here really, really pop. I also like starting off with our hero off-screen for most of the book (all Hulk, no Banner) and just jumping in as shit goes down. I’m in.

Static Shock #1 – Scott McDaniel’s work here is as solid as ever, and John Rozum’s story is pretty straightforward. There’s nothing revolutionary going on, but this is very much a fun book. Having Static working at S.T.A.R. Labs for Hardware provides a nice basis for superheroing, and having Virgil at college seems like it’s going to be fun as we see more of it. Good, strong start.

Stormwatch #1 – I’m torn on this. It felt like a very quick read with not much going on, if I’m honest, but in retrospect quite a lot actually happened. Part of the team tries to recruit Apollo, shit happens. Another team member heads to the moon, we get filled in on a bit of history (apparently tying Stormwatch to Cornell’s other book, Demon Knights, not to mention old Milestone property Shadow Cabinet), and shit happens. Another part of the team investigate a big horn that Superman may or may not be blowing in a few weeks time, and shit happens. Oh, and the moon appears to be growing a claw or something. So yes, lots of shit happening and a lot of characters being introduced including an immortal named Adam, Jenny Quantum, J’onn J’onnz – who is a former JL’er – and more. Huh. I liked this quite a bit more than I thought I did the more I think about it.

Swamp Thing #1 – A very good read. Swamp Thing is very much centered in the midst of the DCnU here, with writer Snyder providing us a first proper look at the modern-day Superman providing Alec Holland with a pep-talk, and cameos from Batman and Aquaman. We also get a nice backstory and entry point into the character for new readers, which is important, and an extremely nasty threat (people having their heads twisted around and shambling on works much better in comics than, say, Torchwood). Great work from Snyder, and Paquette’s art supports the more horrific elements of the story. I’ll be back.

So there you have it; only one real stinker (Hawk and Dove), some real winners (Animal Man, Batgirl, Detective and Swamp Thing), a lot of ones that show promise (Batwing, Stormwatch, Static Shock, O.M.A.C., JLI, Green Arrow), one that’s okay but not my thing (Men of War) and Action which everyone but me probably loved.

All in all, the new DC looks pretty promising so far. I’m not saying it’ll stay this way but I’m generally impressed, being one week in.

The best ongoing superhero book launched in the past few years – probably the best ongoing superhero book period - came to a close yesterday with Batgirl #24 in the aptly-titled ‘Unsinkable’.

Writer Bryan Q Miller has said that when he found out the book was canceled – to make way for the new, Stephanie Brown-less DC – he was part way through writing #22 and had a vague plan of how to end the current arc in #30. A bunch of rewrites and three issues later, he didn’t do manage to get it all in, and the wrap up leaves a lot of open ends – but it almost doesn’t matter.

What Miller did deliver was an issue with a whole lot of validation for Stephanie’s journey as Batgirl, from her mother’s acceptance –

- through Damian’s grudging, wordless respect, and a talk with Barbara at the end that sets her up for an endless adventure.

Incorporated in the book via the Black Mercy (and wasn’t a spin-off Red Mercy used elsewhere in DC recently? It rings a bell) hallucinogen were a bunch of splash pages of adventures we’ll never see, from Steph’s superpowered girlfriends fighting the Queen of Fables –

- to a Batgirls and Blackhawks time-travelling team up, to an untold tale of Blackest Night (with Steph as a Blue Lantern, natch) –

- to her future as both a mom and Knightwing, agent of Checkmate with Damian’s friend Nell as the new Batgirl. You can read Miller’s notes on the dream pages here.

Batgirl went out on a high note- and the last few panels of her swinging off into the (purple, of course) Gotham sunset with a ‘Here we go’ caption perfectly captured the optimism of the character and the book.

So long, Stephanie Brown – Spoiler, mother, daughter, Robin, victim, survivor, Batgirl. See you in the funny pages.

Not a literal bell. I mean there’s no picture of Anne Hathaway in a tight leather costume ringing a bell…
…
…where was I?

Oh yes – The Dark Knight Rises has it’s first official poster:

I like it – and I admit it took a second or two for me to see the bat-symbol – but I almost prefer the fanmade one that cropped up a few weeks back.

In any case, it looks like the marketing machine is starting to move – but when I look at this poster and see the crumbling buildings of Gotham, I can’t help but think of this:

I’m sure I’m one of the few people who remembers the Batman mega-events of the late 90s/early 2000s fondly, but I absolutely loved the cascading events that seemed to dominate three or four years of the line; Contagion – Legacy – Cataclysm – No Man’s Land all had their strengths, and it’s crazy to me that almost all of these are out of print (although No Man’s Land is getting reissued in two volumes later this year). It seems like money left on the table.

Now, do I think that the movie will have the slightest thing to do with Cataclysm? Of course not – but a tiny part of me thinks that the poster could be a subtle nod to fans.

It looks like it’ll be a long year till this comes out…

It occurs to me that there are plenty of things I should have written about here that I haven’t over the past few weeks. In no particular order…

The Death of the Human Torch

Liked it, didn’t love it. Some nice character work (which is where Hickman seems to do his best), but shoddy plotting and characters conveniently forgetting how their powers work in order to get to the point he wants. Just as Sue forgot she could throw up a forcefield quicker than Namor can throw a trident a few issues ago, so Johnny seemed to forget he could (a) fly, and (b) go supernova and at least take some of the bugs with him. Also, the art makes his death seem a little uncertain. What’s to stop the horde stop and take him prisoner as soon as the door closes and Ben can’t see him anymore?

On the plus side, Namor’s reaction to being decked by Sue was priceless (as was her subsequent reaction to him) –

- and Johnny and Ben got their very own Spock and Kirk moment before the Torch checked out.

Other than that, though, the issue – like all of Hickman’s run – was largely disappointing.

Spider-Man joins the Fantastic FourFuture Foundation

I really have three thoughts on this: (1) it won’t last, (2) itisn’t the first time, and (3) that’s one butt-ugly costume.

Moon Knight’s new book

I’d probably actually have an opinion if I gave a monkey’s about the character – but I don’t think throwing more multiple personalities into him is a good idea, to be honest.

The Hobbit to start filming in March

About fricking time! I’ll probably listen to the press conference at some point.

Batgirl #18

Continues to be the most fun book around, and more people should read it – I mean, if you can make me enjoy an issue with Klarion in it, you’re doing something right. Don’t ever leave, Bryan Q Miller!

The death in this week’s Amazing Spider-Man

I know a lot of people will say this is yet another case for Women in Refrigerators, and the victim could just as easily have been Jonah’s son instead of his wife Marla – and they’re right, really – but the bottom line is that I don’t really care about that. It’s always bugged me that back in the 60s Jonah was responsible for the creation of the Scorpion, and financed the Spider Slayers, but that he never really got any comeback for it.

Dramatically speaking, it’ll be interesting to see where Jonah goes from here especially as he accepts his culpability. I suspect he may resign as mayor, but we’ll see. I only wish that there had been some acknowledgment that Mattie Franklin (the former Spider-Woman) had been killed recently, since she lived with Jonah and Marla for some time.

Oh, and the reason that Marla died instead of John? He’s the fricking Man-Wolf, that’s why.

The other major thing that happened in Spidey this week was the loss of the hero’s spider-sense, but that’ll probably be back soon. You know, just like the Human Torch.

Okay, that was a longer round-up than I thought. Anything else I should have commented on recently that I didn’t?

DC have been teasing the upcoming Flash-centric event all day, and it appears to be based around the Reverse Flash changing some key moments in DC’s history so things don’t happen the way that they did.

But that might not be all bad…

From next week’s Batgirl #15…

Goddammit. I may not drop this after all…

From last week’s Batgirl #14:

How can you not like Steph as Batgirl? Do you have stone in your heart and ice in your veins?

I mean, sure, I liked Cass too but all the silent angst was so 90s. Steph, on the other hand is pure exuberance (even with a past full of evil criminal father, absent boyfriend, unplanned pregnancy, adoption, torture and fake death). She’s just a great counterpoint to the rest of the Batfamily to me.

Great book – I’ll be sorry to see the upcoming art team change.

And – bonus – staking vampires in a phone booth, ice cream and a ferris wheel of Draculas.

I mean, really, why aren’t you reading this?

The more I read Batgirl and Red Robin, the more I enjoy both of them.

I’m enjoying the new Batgirl book waaay too much.

So, yeah, busy in work – doubt you’ll get much more than this today.

Posted via web from Comic By Comic’s Wonderous Posterous!

Posted via web from Comic By Comic’s Wonderous Posterous!

As predicted, there’s another promo image out in the ‘I am Batgirl’ line (okay, I think I’m the only one calling them that but whatever).

At this point I seriously doubt that Barbara will be back in the outfit (thankfully), but I don’t think Cassandra will be either.

My money’s on Stephanie Brown – and if I’m right, I’ll be pretty damn happy, actually.

Of course, I suppose Squire’s also knocking about…

One other thing – love Phil Noto’s work on these covers. If you haven’t seen his stuff before, take a look here and here (I’m a big fan of both Beautiful Killer and The New West).

…only this time Dick is Batman! See what I did there?

I enjoyed Battle for the Cowl in a Jerry Bruckheimer-type way; I won’t spend too much time thinking about it but I’ll probably look at it again to look at the pretty pictures.

I’m a little disappointed that absolutely nothing in the series was unexpected, but at this point I’m keen to move forward with the new status quo. I’m not entirely sure I like Damien as Robin as he’s never been portrayed as anything but a snot-nosed brat (and last time we had one of those as Robin, it didn’t work out so well).

Still, at least Tim’s keeping his own book as Red Robin (well, presumably) and I’m holding out hope that Steph’s going to be Batgirl - which does make me wonder what’ll happen to Cass.

So to summarize: there’s a new Robin.

There’s a new Azrael series starting up.

There’s a new Batgirl.

There’s a new ‘bad girl’ book.

The old Robin is moving off on his own to a new identity.

And Dick’s Batman.

It’s like the 90s all over again!*

*Yes, I know Tim debuted in 1989. Give me a break! It’s not like I compared Streets of Gotham to Gotham Central!

That’s a pretty nice pic – and thankfully, the lower half of the mask is gone – it’s funny but I can’t help but think this might be the first of a few alternate images to be released under the “I am BATGIRL” banner.

Obviously this image is supposed to be current Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, but I can’t help but think that maybe it’s misleading. I actually don’t expect Barbara Gordon to be back in the role at this point – if only because having a Batgirl older or the same age as Batwoman seems stupid – but I don’t think Cass, a character screwed up by bad editorial decisions, is going to be in the suit either unfortunately.

No, I think the new Batgirl book might actually be an entirely new Batgirl (and I have an idea who, as well). Of course, I’m usually wrong about these things, so what do I know?

Via The Source

The good folk at Alert Nerd challenged the comics blogosphere to talk about their Scott and Jean a couple of weeks ago…and everyone was supposed to talk about it yesterday. And there were a lot – a lot! – of great posts.

I didn’t do it.

Partly because I kind of forgot, but partly because I don’t think I have a Scott and Jean. I don’t have something sacred that I just can’t discuss rationally.

I mean, you didn’t like the ending of BSG? Your prerogative, even if it means you’re wrong.

You didn’t like OMD? Me either. But the stuff that’s come after it is the best that Spider-Man has been in ten years, if not more.

You hate that Clark and Lois got married? Well, you’re a moron that can’t accept change and wants everything to be like it was when you were a kid, but I guess I can’t stop you from bitching.

You don’t like Star Trek Deep Space Nine, you don’t get that it’s the best that Star Trek ever was? Fine, your loss.

You hate that Cordelia and Conner slept together? Me too, but I’m not going to get worked up about it.

You think that Dr Pulaski was better than Dr Crusher? Okay, you’re kind of weird – but she did have a certain Bones-esque quality to her.

You’re going to cry and whine about how George Lucas raped your childhood with the last Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies? Grow up, asshole, nobody made you watch them.

You hate what DC editorial did to Cassandra Cain? Me too – but it was more the execution than the edict.

So maybe I don’t have a sacred cow. Maybe I’ve just come around to accepting change. Maybe I know that eventually, everything in comics gets reversed, and different people read or see things differently so there are always going to be differences of opinion. I’m not going to get worked up about that.

So. No Scott and Jean for me.

Unless…

..unless you’re going to say something against New Warriors.

Because if you’re going to diss on the original New Warriors under Fabian Nicieza, if you’re not going to see that at the very least the first two years are as close to a perfect super-hero book as you’re going to get…

In fact if you’re going to take shots at anything in those first four or five years of their book…

…yep, even Night Thrasher on his stupid-ass skateboard..

…you do that and it is on.

I don’t think a one word review will do my thoughts on this justice.

First, let’s get the good out of the way: the art here is pretty damn good. Strong, clean, and clear – Don Kramer and Jay Leisten do excellent work, although I could have done without a shower scene, really.

Second, I love the cover for the book (and the subsequent ones), although Barbara sure seems to be wearing some tight shirts these days.

My main problem with the book isn’t even the writing; Kevin VanHook does a pretty good – if thankless – job with the dialog.

No, my issue with this is where it seems to be going. It’s been hinted pretty heavily that Barbara Gordon will be back in the Batgirl outfit when all is said and done.

Now granted, there’s no firm confirmation that the Cure in this mini’s title is for Barbara’s paralysis, as Calculator is also trying to get a cure for his daughter, the Teen Titan‘s Wendy – but I think we will be seeing the return of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl.

This just feels like a regression. Barbara Gordon has, for the past twenty-plus years, been one of the most interesting characters in the DCU. Hell, in comics in general. She’s shown that having a physical disability doesn’t need to stop you living your life or being a hero – I mean, I’m not sure but I’d imagine that she’s been a role model of sorts. To have that taken away by what seems to be an editorial need to have a recognizable Batgirl feels a little like a slap in the face.

Barbara’s flirted with full rehabilitation before, with both a Lazarus Pit and some kind of super-nanite virus thingummy. In the end, she took neither. The recent bouts of lack of confidence in her ability to help people have felt forced to me, as though she’s been pushed in this direction not through natural progression but because this is where DC wants her to be.*

Of course I could be wrong.

I mean, Barbara Gordon’s older than Kate Kane, right? So having a Batwoman younger than Batgirl would be weird, right?

DC wouldn’t do that…

…right?

*Yes, I know that’s what happens to ALL fictional characters.

Via

Let’s see…
Robin as Batman
Dick as Batman
Two Face as a whacked-out Batman
Jason Todd as two-gunned Batman
Damian and Hush (who was altered to look like Bruce)
A pining Harley resting on the Batpod
A reverse J on the Joker card
Alfred looking suspiciously Trinity-like
Batgirlwoman looking for clues…
A Batman suit in the trophy case
And a broken wheelchair behind Hush/Bruce?
A (maybe) female body in a Wayne Enterprises’ box?
No Catwoman. No Barbara Gordon. No Batgirl.

Lots to think about over Christmas!

So great that I had to post it:

welcome to gotham city by ~duss005 on deviantART

James W Powell has badgered me into writing a ‘Greg vs Greg’ post, explaining why I quite like the work of noted swiper Greg Land but can’t stand the work of Greg Horn. 

You know, I like Batgirl as a character but I wasn’t 100% against or appalled by what Adam Beechen did to her in Robin post-OYL – ie turn her into a crazy psychopathic killer – especially as it later got explained by Deathstroke injecting her with loopy juice.

That said…what I didn’t need when I read this week’s Batgirl #1 was the clunkiest, most painfil explanation of just exactly what happened to Batgirl since the conclusion of her own series.

It’s two painful pages of Batman, Robin and Nightwing talking about her like she’s not there:

It’s not that it’s a bad idea to fill in the reader, but this feels like jumping through hoops to explain every little thing that DC screwed up with the character in the past two years – and giving the title to Adam Beechen to write isn’t going to win any fans over.

I wish Beechen luck, and I hope that the character can be redeemed in the eyes of her fans – I’m just not sure she can. I don’t think introducing yet more missing family that she never knew is the answer, though.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see.