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What about Infinite Crisis?
Eyes are the losers in the skies.
I never read the original Crisis, but Infinite Crisis and Final Crisis were pure garbage. DC always promises that they're going to streamline their superhero universe, yet every one of their events requires an encyclopedic knowledge of obscure DC trivia from the 70's and 80's. I've been reading comics for almost 20 years. Granted, I'm mostly a Marvel fan, but the point is I get the idea of comic books. And not only were the Crisis series incoherent, they were boring.
Don't even get me started on Final Crisis. I was willing to give Grant Morrison another chance after Seven Soldiers, but no more. Final Crisis was honestly one of the worst things I have ever read in any medium. Felt like he just wrote down a bunch of crazy ideas and stapled them in random order. It's like he takes pride in making his work completely unintelligible, and then fuck you if you're not smart enough to "get" it. The characters just stand around spouting expository nonsense, without emotion or any semblance of plot.
People praise All-Star Superman as the best Superman stories ever told. I don't think that book is as incoherent as Final Crisis, but it defintely suffered from a lot of the same problems. There's no emotional attachment to anyone or anything.
I've heard The Return of Bruce Wayne is equally awful. I'll never pick up another Morrison book (although I did like New X-Men and We3).
On the other side of the spectrum, Geoff Johns writes books like Green Lantern and The Flash and you feel invested in every single character. Bonus: his stories make sense.
I don't know the DC universe, but is the following canon after Final Crisis?
Spoiler:
Sort of but not really.
Not only that, but here's what happens next.
Read the "plot" section and let me know if you feel bad that you're missing out.
Anyone reading Zatana? Anyone else think that it would be better if Simone was writing it?
Eyes are the losers in the skies.
I read the Zatanna part of Seven Soldiers. I can't make it past the inherent stupidity of backwards-talking sorcery.
DC tends to take stupid silver-age concepts a little too seriously. Another example: the anti-life equation. Although that's just going to get me angry about Final Crisis all over again.
I liked Gail Simone's Secret Six - that was a good example of just having fun with C-list characters. That was the only part of Infinite Crisis I liked, actually.
The backwards reading is off-putting, that's for sure, and she seems unlikeable. Like, when I read Secret Six I get that they are "bad guys" but I root for them and get caught up in the ethical ambiguity, whereas I'm SUPPOSED to root for Zatanna but I don't really want to.
The art, however, is great. Roux and Story are a good team.
Eyes are the losers in the skies.
This probably isn't a new opinion, but all these giant crossovers are really dumb. I hate them.
Blackest Night was decent, but like all crossovers, it relied too much on a thousand other books to tell the actual story, while the core mini-series felt like a greatest hits recap.
The latest X-Men crossover isn't too bad. It's mostly a giant action sequence, but at least it's not trying to be more than it is.
I will probably never read Final Crisis or for that matter any huge comics crossover, but I found All-Star Superman really moving. It took Superman from one of the characters I care least about to one of the ones I care most about. I have no idea what's confusing about it though; there's extra stuff to catch the second time you read it, but there's plenty enough compelling material the first time through. The way that Lex goes from comical to frightening and back is really great, and I mean, I wanted to give Superman a big hug and say thanks. Dunno. Different strokes
I'm reading Frank Miller's Daredevil stuff for the first time and I really really love it. I know Dark Knight Returns is the greatest anything ever but I kind of don't like Batman in it. Sometimes that Batman pulls off the morally ambiguous hard ass but sometimes he just comes off as a deranged, testosterone-fuelled asshole. But with Daredevil he really gives you a character who tries really really hard to be the best guy he can be but keeps sabotaging himself. It just feels a lot deeper to me.
The way hewas kinda groan-worthy though. It was one of the most interesting subplots and he just blew it up in the most awkward, unconvincing way imaginable.Spoiler:
I'm reading Sin City right now and really really like it.
I'm reading DMZ and it's so good I think I'm going to lose a Saturday to it. I don't know why I waited, maybe I was confusing Brian Wood with Brian K. Vaughn-who-I-don't-like.
I'm in.
I just picked up some DMZ my self, good stuff so far.Originally Posted by pissedpissedofferson
If you like Brian Wood's work after this you should check out Local (it was a 13 issue indie he did) that book made me want to travel and do crazy things.
·'No, you're wrong Shmee. They're not bad people. They love me. They don't really mean it when they tell me to get kidnapped.'
100% agree about Morrison, but I don't like Johns either.
The difference being that I don't like Geoff Johns the same way I don't like Alex Ross. I know that they're both enormously talented, but their fixation on what comics were like 20-40 years ago, and the constant press in their works to return the status quo to the nonsensical late-1970s DC continuity, drives me nuts.
Johns is a good writer, and has a great talent for resuscitating dead characters, but who he brings back and why are getting exponentially more ridiculous as time goes on. I know it was Didio's plan, but I'm still annoyed that someone somewhere brought back Barry Allen for no other reason than to have the "classic" Flash back.
Alex Ross though... I'm almost convinced that guy has gone off the deep end. Does he even design original costumes or characters anymore? Last I checked he was plotting a comic about public-domain superheroes that nobody cares about. He's so adamant about restoring the past that he basically can't work in mainstream-continuity anymore.
Last edited by pissedpissedofferson; June 26, 2010 at 2:33 PM.
I'm in.
I what to throw Ian a huge job-well-done on Darkwing Duck. Not only did our shop sell out, but my girlfriend adored the show and loved the book.
Hey, just wanted to let my fellow AST Wednesday-ers know that I will be writing a six issue mini series for Image comics with David Hahn (Bite Club, Murderland, Red Herring, Fables, Spiderman Loves Mary Jane) pencilling and inking. It's called "Challenger," it's set here in L.A. in a rock club in Silverlake called Mothership, and it features superhero action, some comedy, and way more rock music than any comic on the stands. I'll post some preview art here soon. Look for it in January!
Website: www.johnroylive.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=583511916
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/johnroycomic/
This sounds like something I can get behind! Cant wait to see it.
Thanks! I'm really glad to hear people who love the show get the same feeling from the book. That's what all the hard work was for!
John Roy, I'll look for the series. I love David Hahn's work!
“We’ve built a bridge of friendship and carried our goats across. Lay them in the grass with me, Jeff! One’s named Petey and one’s named Sweetie!”—Pete Holmes to Jeff Garlin, Doug Loves Movies
He's awesome, isn't he? I feel very lucky to be working with him.
Website: www.johnroylive.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=583511916
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/johnroycomic/
For those of you who enjoyed Darkwing Duck #1, issue #2 is out 7/21. The week of Comic-Con!
“We’ve built a bridge of friendship and carried our goats across. Lay them in the grass with me, Jeff! One’s named Petey and one’s named Sweetie!”—Pete Holmes to Jeff Garlin, Doug Loves Movies
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