Oh. My. August 28 is Read Comics in Public Day. Who knew? I certainly didn't. I have enough trouble keeping track of Talk Like a Pirate Day, which is September 19, if you've forgotten, don't know, and even if you don't care.
Of course, I already engage in once a week public comics reading, on the subway on the way home on Wednesdays when I read the comics I can't wait until I get home to read. But this sounds like a "bring comics to work and read in the park on my lunch hour if it's not raining" day, because as luck would have it, I'm scheduled to work that day.
Meanwhile, I read 2 comics on the way home this past Wednesday: Supergirl 55, which I liked a lot, and Power Girl 15, which I liked not as much.
I could've called this post "A Tale of Two Karas." I find it interesting how both Kara books so often come out the same week. Bizarro SG is the more fun Bizarro, and her solidify vision still makes little sense, but it was better than it appeared last issue. A fun read.
Then there's Power Girl. In his first issues, Winick was doing a decent job, and while I didn't like Kara losing her company, it worked in well with the previous arc, so I was okay with it. But this issue, I think Judd lost his grip of the plot. Or his sanity. We suddenly find out one of her staff is a hacker with a history that includes snitching after he was busted for identity theft, which doesn't upset or contradict the previous years' worth of story, but still, seemed to come out of left field. But I was okay with it. Until the end where Nick tells Karen that he's figured out she's Power Girl. Not that that would've been hard to do, given how inane her alibis and excuses have been, especially with "Karen" calling him to help PG. If this was supposed to be a plot twist, it fell flat for me, because I considered Nick a pretty smart guy, so if he hadn't figured it out by the last page, that would've been the plot twist, making him the stupidest hacker of all. Because, really, if you can't see what's so obvious. Which I also didn't like, because this Kara is a very smart woman and she really isn't so stupid as to think he wouldn't or couldn't figure it out. But maybe the surprise was that he bothered to confront her.
The writing on the book is okay, but not as good as the previous writers. Which means, for me, that the art needs to pick up the writing to keep me reading and well... Basri is a nice artist. Kara looks pretty good, she doesn't seem overly sexualized, the action is done well, and yet, coming after Amanda Connor's work, there doesn't seem to be much emotion here. A lack of soul, for want of a better word. The lack of detailed backgrounds, and in some panels, no backgrounds, helps the art look flat in many panels. Coupled with a story I don't much are about, this is not a book I'm loving right now. I'll let this arc play out, and then I'll decide if I'll keep reading.
Showing posts with label Power Girl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Power Girl. Show all posts
Friday, August 20, 2010
Monday, June 07, 2010
The To Read Stack Gets Whittled Down
And yet, I've hardly made a dent. I keep wondering if it's worth posting reviews for old books. Anyway, here goes.
Detective 864
No Batwoman; no doubt she's busy getting ready for her new book. The Batman story was just creepy, though well told. The Question story was okay. I've never been a big Vandal Savage fan.
Batgirl 10
This is getting better and better. Steph and Babs make a great team and I'd love for Gail to use Steph as a guest star in BoP. The Calculator, meanwhile, is just getting weirder and creepier, and ever more dangerous. Gotta love that! ;)
Streets of Gotham 11-12
Damian front and center in 11. That kid is a fun Robin. And in 12, the Carpenter is a cool character I'd like to see more of. The Manhunter second feature is also good and I can't wait for the conclusion. Ramsey is a cool kid, but he needs Kate to sit him down for a long talk.
Gotham City Sirens 11-12
Two concurrent storylines in each. In 11, Harley hyenas cut down the neighborhood's dog population and Ivy starts her new job. In 12, Selina's sister demonstrates how unhinged she really is and Ivy's cover ID is blown. This book has been much more than I'd dared hope for. The odd friendship of these 3 characters makes for pure fun.
Power Girl 12
Ah, the end of a delightful run was a most delightful read. I can't say how much I will miss Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner on this book. I'll give the new team a chance, but if Terra isn't a part of it, I won't likely be reading for long. PG's friendship with her has been a highlight of this book, along with the sheer goodnaturedness that infused each story. PG is no pushover here, but she gets to show her human side, something that she rarely has gotten to do elsewhere. Kudos all around.
Wonder Woman 44
A solid end to this intriguing tale that reaffirms all that the Amazons are and mean to humanity. Gail Simone spent her run on this book exploring who Diana is and what it means to be an Amazon. The thought that the next writer will be doing the same, according to the solicits, has me wondering why? Why can't we just get stories about Wonder Woman? Why do we have to keep going back to the well and redefining an iconic character? Sure, Batman's scribes and Superman's scribes have often put their touches on those heroes' origins, but not every 12-24 issues. Sheesh. All that usually happens is that each WW writer reinvents the Amazons and their history grows more and more complex and confused to the point that I don't know which end is up. Gail set up what I consider the best WW scenario in a long time, bringing back Etta and Steve in a fresh, satisfying way, and brought in other DC characters for guest roles that solidified Diana's place in the DCU. Going forward from her does not mean going back to her roots yet again. It means going forward. And I'd like that going forward to include what is currently in place.
The Rise of Arsenal 3
This book has me in a quandary. Roy Harper, for those new to this blog, is my favorite comic book character, going back to the '60s. Okay, I was a teen and had a crush on him, if you must know. There was Roy and Dick Grayson and Element Lad of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Those were my three favorite guys. And on the female side, it was the original Supergirl, Wonder Girl, and Lois Lane. I will always have a fondness for those characters, which is why I'm so happy to see the current SG back on track as the original's replacement. But, as I so often, do, I digress.
Roy Harper. I'll read pretty much anything with him in it, regardless of quality, unless he's being done a disservice. And in this book, well... I can't decide.
The book is based on events prior to its first issue: the death of his daughter and the loss of his arm. That's the reality we the readers and Roy the character have to deal with. I hate that reality, but I can't ignore it. J.T. Krul is a competent writer who often shows a deft touch with characterization and emotion. Many of his scenes are elevated from solid if ordinary storytelling, packing a real emotional punch. And yet...
I can't put my finger on where exactly this book is failing, because it really isn't failing overall. All the right notes are being hit. Roy's grief, his anger, his lashing out, and his hiding in drugs. Yes, I would've liked Roy to be stronger than that, but I can't argue with the characterization. Roy is flawed. Roy has abandonment issues that have never been fully resolved. Roy is emotionally weak. And I'm trusting Krul enough to wait to the end of the story to see where Roy ends up before I judge the story overall.
The scene with Cheshire was a strong one. Roy might now deny he loved her, but his feelings for her in the Titans book(s) was fairly well established, even though he knew he shouldn't feel that way. Her lashing out at Roy fits with her grief, too. And the scene with Dick is powerful. The fight echoed the one after Roy got shot (and that shooting and the scars to go with it, seem as forgotten as Roy's Navaho tattoo). These two men are not so much friends as "brothers." They have a powerful emotional bond.
So, all should be good, right? Not really. Because underneath all this emotion is something flat. Krul clearly wants to write an emotional journey for Roy, and unlike Wonder Woman, whose psyche gets explored with each new writer on her book, Roy has not gotten this treatment for a while. I'm happy to have him front and center of a book that bears his name, even if he's Arsenal again instead of Red Arrow (which connected him too much to Green Arrow and made him seem less independent, anyway), and even if it's because his daughter was killed (ruthlessly by the PTB). And I am feeling the emotion of the tale.
But I can't shake the feeling that Krul read a book on grief, swallowed it whole, and is regurgitating it on the page. It fits, but perhaps too well. It isn't messy. It isn't surprising. Yes, that's what's missing here. The element of surprise. I'm not reading and getting the sense of wonder, of being bowled over by brilliance. I wanted brilliance. I craved the unexpected. I longed for an emotional wringer that came from more than the starting point of an unbelievably sad situation, the death of a child. Damn it, J.T. Krul. I wanted more. I hope I might still get it.
Finally, the art. I can appreciate the phone book list of artists was to make a deadline, which I can appreciate and I'm happy to get the book on time. But the art of the last pages was not up to the quality of the first and middle, and that was disappointing.
Detective 864
No Batwoman; no doubt she's busy getting ready for her new book. The Batman story was just creepy, though well told. The Question story was okay. I've never been a big Vandal Savage fan.
Batgirl 10
This is getting better and better. Steph and Babs make a great team and I'd love for Gail to use Steph as a guest star in BoP. The Calculator, meanwhile, is just getting weirder and creepier, and ever more dangerous. Gotta love that! ;)
Streets of Gotham 11-12
Damian front and center in 11. That kid is a fun Robin. And in 12, the Carpenter is a cool character I'd like to see more of. The Manhunter second feature is also good and I can't wait for the conclusion. Ramsey is a cool kid, but he needs Kate to sit him down for a long talk.
Gotham City Sirens 11-12
Two concurrent storylines in each. In 11, Harley hyenas cut down the neighborhood's dog population and Ivy starts her new job. In 12, Selina's sister demonstrates how unhinged she really is and Ivy's cover ID is blown. This book has been much more than I'd dared hope for. The odd friendship of these 3 characters makes for pure fun.
Power Girl 12
Ah, the end of a delightful run was a most delightful read. I can't say how much I will miss Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner on this book. I'll give the new team a chance, but if Terra isn't a part of it, I won't likely be reading for long. PG's friendship with her has been a highlight of this book, along with the sheer goodnaturedness that infused each story. PG is no pushover here, but she gets to show her human side, something that she rarely has gotten to do elsewhere. Kudos all around.
Wonder Woman 44
A solid end to this intriguing tale that reaffirms all that the Amazons are and mean to humanity. Gail Simone spent her run on this book exploring who Diana is and what it means to be an Amazon. The thought that the next writer will be doing the same, according to the solicits, has me wondering why? Why can't we just get stories about Wonder Woman? Why do we have to keep going back to the well and redefining an iconic character? Sure, Batman's scribes and Superman's scribes have often put their touches on those heroes' origins, but not every 12-24 issues. Sheesh. All that usually happens is that each WW writer reinvents the Amazons and their history grows more and more complex and confused to the point that I don't know which end is up. Gail set up what I consider the best WW scenario in a long time, bringing back Etta and Steve in a fresh, satisfying way, and brought in other DC characters for guest roles that solidified Diana's place in the DCU. Going forward from her does not mean going back to her roots yet again. It means going forward. And I'd like that going forward to include what is currently in place.
The Rise of Arsenal 3
This book has me in a quandary. Roy Harper, for those new to this blog, is my favorite comic book character, going back to the '60s. Okay, I was a teen and had a crush on him, if you must know. There was Roy and Dick Grayson and Element Lad of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Those were my three favorite guys. And on the female side, it was the original Supergirl, Wonder Girl, and Lois Lane. I will always have a fondness for those characters, which is why I'm so happy to see the current SG back on track as the original's replacement. But, as I so often, do, I digress.
Roy Harper. I'll read pretty much anything with him in it, regardless of quality, unless he's being done a disservice. And in this book, well... I can't decide.
The book is based on events prior to its first issue: the death of his daughter and the loss of his arm. That's the reality we the readers and Roy the character have to deal with. I hate that reality, but I can't ignore it. J.T. Krul is a competent writer who often shows a deft touch with characterization and emotion. Many of his scenes are elevated from solid if ordinary storytelling, packing a real emotional punch. And yet...
I can't put my finger on where exactly this book is failing, because it really isn't failing overall. All the right notes are being hit. Roy's grief, his anger, his lashing out, and his hiding in drugs. Yes, I would've liked Roy to be stronger than that, but I can't argue with the characterization. Roy is flawed. Roy has abandonment issues that have never been fully resolved. Roy is emotionally weak. And I'm trusting Krul enough to wait to the end of the story to see where Roy ends up before I judge the story overall.
The scene with Cheshire was a strong one. Roy might now deny he loved her, but his feelings for her in the Titans book(s) was fairly well established, even though he knew he shouldn't feel that way. Her lashing out at Roy fits with her grief, too. And the scene with Dick is powerful. The fight echoed the one after Roy got shot (and that shooting and the scars to go with it, seem as forgotten as Roy's Navaho tattoo). These two men are not so much friends as "brothers." They have a powerful emotional bond.
So, all should be good, right? Not really. Because underneath all this emotion is something flat. Krul clearly wants to write an emotional journey for Roy, and unlike Wonder Woman, whose psyche gets explored with each new writer on her book, Roy has not gotten this treatment for a while. I'm happy to have him front and center of a book that bears his name, even if he's Arsenal again instead of Red Arrow (which connected him too much to Green Arrow and made him seem less independent, anyway), and even if it's because his daughter was killed (ruthlessly by the PTB). And I am feeling the emotion of the tale.
But I can't shake the feeling that Krul read a book on grief, swallowed it whole, and is regurgitating it on the page. It fits, but perhaps too well. It isn't messy. It isn't surprising. Yes, that's what's missing here. The element of surprise. I'm not reading and getting the sense of wonder, of being bowled over by brilliance. I wanted brilliance. I craved the unexpected. I longed for an emotional wringer that came from more than the starting point of an unbelievably sad situation, the death of a child. Damn it, J.T. Krul. I wanted more. I hope I might still get it.
Finally, the art. I can appreciate the phone book list of artists was to make a deadline, which I can appreciate and I'm happy to get the book on time. But the art of the last pages was not up to the quality of the first and middle, and that was disappointing.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
New Team for Power Girl
I have reservations about this announcement on DC's Source. Sami Basri, the artist, is new to me. The preview cover looks nice, but PG doesn't look like PG. A minor problem, because even Amanda Conner's version didn't look like the more realistic PG art we saw in JSA. It's the writer, Judd Winick, who's giving me reservations.
I have enjoyed many stories Judd has written. He did a nice job on Kyle Rayner, GL, and his work on Green Arrow was decent and often good. If it's a character he has a real affinity for, he can write a good story. It's all the other ones who give him problems. I have no idea if PG is someone he can write.
I really hate new directions every time a new team takes over. I understand it; every creative person want so do their own thing, write or draw things their way, put there own spin on things. And when a new team takes over after 2 years or longer, it can make things feel fresh and exciting. But 12 issues? Palmiotti had barely finished setting things up and now we're getting serious changes? I wasn't reading comics during the whole PG in JLI era, so that means nothing to me, so tying her storyline into that does nothing for me.
I'm sorry, but this doesn't excite me. I want to see a continuation of what we were getting, with Karen balancing her work at her company with whatever new threats the new team can come up with. Then, after another year or so, have a natural progression into new territory for her if that feels right. But this constant change every year, especially when trying to establish a new book is, IMO, counter productive. Usually.
In the case of the current version of Supergirl, it was a must. The reboot of the book sucked and drastic measures were needed. Better stories. Better or rather, more suitable, art. Tying Kara more closely to the Superman family. But there were no problems with the Power Girl book. It was fun, with an interesting dynamic that was only beginning to be explored. Is Judd going to keep Terra around as Karen's friend? Could he even write her and the friendship at the level both deserve?
I started writing a whole stream of consciousness about the way characters are treated over the years. I thought perhaps more female characters get reworked more than the males, but I don't think that's necessarily the case. But some females, especially Wonder Woman who has had her role change with each creative team, seem to be written more inconsistently than others, and I would hate to see that happen to Power Girl. I expect differences between their roles in team books than in their own books, but not in their own book from year to year.
I hope Judd does well by Power Girl. I love the character and want only what's best for her. But I'm not counting on it.
I have enjoyed many stories Judd has written. He did a nice job on Kyle Rayner, GL, and his work on Green Arrow was decent and often good. If it's a character he has a real affinity for, he can write a good story. It's all the other ones who give him problems. I have no idea if PG is someone he can write.
I really hate new directions every time a new team takes over. I understand it; every creative person want so do their own thing, write or draw things their way, put there own spin on things. And when a new team takes over after 2 years or longer, it can make things feel fresh and exciting. But 12 issues? Palmiotti had barely finished setting things up and now we're getting serious changes? I wasn't reading comics during the whole PG in JLI era, so that means nothing to me, so tying her storyline into that does nothing for me.
...the latest chapter in Power Girl’s life finds her inching closer to her former JLI teammates...
“It is with GREAT fear and excitement that Sami and I leap into this gig. Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Amanda Conner have bought an amazing, fresh, and inventive rebirth to this character. Our greatest challenge will be to remain faithful to what they’ve created and also take Power Girl to a new place. As far as the course that the story will take, I’ll be uncharacteristically forthcoming : The story is tied to JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST. Not CHAINED to it, but tied. Power Girl has a history with the JLI that will be explored. A lot.” (said by Judd Winick, I assume)
I'm sorry, but this doesn't excite me. I want to see a continuation of what we were getting, with Karen balancing her work at her company with whatever new threats the new team can come up with. Then, after another year or so, have a natural progression into new territory for her if that feels right. But this constant change every year, especially when trying to establish a new book is, IMO, counter productive. Usually.
In the case of the current version of Supergirl, it was a must. The reboot of the book sucked and drastic measures were needed. Better stories. Better or rather, more suitable, art. Tying Kara more closely to the Superman family. But there were no problems with the Power Girl book. It was fun, with an interesting dynamic that was only beginning to be explored. Is Judd going to keep Terra around as Karen's friend? Could he even write her and the friendship at the level both deserve?
I started writing a whole stream of consciousness about the way characters are treated over the years. I thought perhaps more female characters get reworked more than the males, but I don't think that's necessarily the case. But some females, especially Wonder Woman who has had her role change with each creative team, seem to be written more inconsistently than others, and I would hate to see that happen to Power Girl. I expect differences between their roles in team books than in their own books, but not in their own book from year to year.
I hope Judd does well by Power Girl. I love the character and want only what's best for her. But I'm not counting on it.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Short and Sweet
52 46
The end is in sight. I don't know about anyone else, but is there anything more fun than an island occupied by a bunch of loony evil scientists? I feel so sorry for Black Adam, but I'm sure that won't last. Oh, and there was some other stuff in the book, too, with Luther.
Anita Blake 4-5
Definitely a "Guilty Pleasure." Aside from sometimes being unable to tell the male characters apart, other than by their hair, and not always by that, I've gotten quite hooked on this. Anita has a nice narrative voice. I've never read the novels, so the comic will do nicely.
Birds of Prey 104
The current Birds and the Secret Six. Can it get better than that? Lovely cover with Big Barda. Now, here's a cover with a large-chested woman posed so her boobs are leading the way, yet they don't stand out to the detriment of the woman, herself. This is a nice rendering of a sexy, confident female warrior. Scott and Hazelwood did a great job on art chores. The facial expressions inside were wonderful. Helena and Thomas Blake were wonderfully funny together, and he never looked sexier than in a tux and five o'clock shadow. "Did you just hit me with a meatball?" Priceless.
Brave & Bold 2
With GL and SG. And some more with Batman, along with Blue Beetle to hint at next issue. I like that this version of B&B is featuring a long story with characters weaving in and out instead of the single issue stories with new pairings each time of the old version. I've read a few reviews of this, some positive, some negative, especially regarding the portrayal of Supergirl. I can see that, in light of all the other questionable or objectified portrayals of Kara recently, that her flirting with Hal can be viewed as more of the same. But for me, it isn't quite that. She comes across as a 17-year-old girl who has serious issues about belonging somewhere and being properly socialized, an area in which she's lacking. Clearly, her upbringing wasn't the best and since arriving on Earth, she's been the object of Batman's suspicions and Superman's overprotection. She's spent some time with the Amazons, and had a lot of crazy things happening to her. She's trying to fit in. Sure, she sounds dumb, but 17-year-olds flirting with older men usually do. Yet she used her ingenuity and flushed out the bad guy. And her costume looked a lot better, too. I enjoyed this, both for the art (kudos to Perez and Wiacek) and the fun banter between Hal and Kara.
Checkmate 12
A good conclusion to a solid, personal story. Two members of the team with personal vendettas deal with their issues in very different ways. Tommy had every reason to want Bane dead, yet he shows restraint, putting the mission first. Beatriz however, doesn't, putting her father above the team and the mission, but owns up to it at the end. Nice, complicated, messy. Just like real life. I'm looking forward to seeing Amanda Waller getting her comeuppance. At least, I hope she does, the bitch, but not until she puts up a good fight.
Grifter/Midnigher 1
First off, I don't know Midnighter, except for a few things I've read, ie that he's gay. I'm not even sure where he normally appears. I'm getting this mini-series because of my obsession with Cole Cash. I enjoyed what I read, even if it took a while to see Grifter. But I am confused. In the WildCats books I've read (all of the last series and much of the first via compilations), I don't recall him having this mental ability to control others. Can anyone enlighten me? I also suspect this series will conclude before we see WildCats 2. Well, I hope that's not true.
Justice Society of America 4
Gosh, what a beautiful cover. This book is just gorgeous to look at. I really like Ted's son and I hope we learn about his meta abilities. He's a wonderful character, complex from the gitgo. The scenes with Damage were very moving, especially the bit about his mask and his need for it. Nicely done. Also, Jesse is far better in this as Liberty Belle than she was in the Titans as Jesse Quick by Grayson, Faeber, etc. That was her, right? The character folks on the DC boards happily dubbed a "skank"? And I for one love that Power Girl will be leading the team. Sure, some of the men would be great leaders, but Mr. Terrific is busy with Checkmate, Alan and Jay are getting a bit out of touch with the younger generation, and Carter can be a stubborn jerk at times. PG, as the veteran female on the team, will be great in the job. This level of responsibility is just what she needs, for her personal evolution as well as her place in the DCU as more than just a pair of boobs. Oh, and can we get better teasers for the upcoming stories?
Shadowpact 11
Another fun book. I love these characters. They're not the top tier, or even the second tier, but they work hard, they care about each other, and they're willing to sacrifice. The temporary new members did fine. And I love Etrigan as a coat rack.
The Spirit 4
Aside from having the best cover of the week (sorry JSA), this issue broke with a tradition by having Silk Satin, the guest female agent, narrate the story. At first, I thought it was the Spirit's narration because it's his book, but I should've known better by the cursive font. Ah well. I'll try to remember that Darwyn Cooke isn't above tweaking our expectations by playing with conventions. After all, he put our hero in the role of lad in distress, with Silk needing to rescue him, then sacrificing herself to get the bad guys and keep him safe. But all is not lost. It looks like she'll be back. At least, I hope she will. She's too much fun.
Supergirl 15
A real WTF? issue. A typical teenage abusive relationship story that Buffy, the Vampire tv show did much better. At least, Kara wised up and got back at the jerk. I like when she kneed him. Someone really needs to give her some dating advice. Donna Troy, maybe? But someone needs to. Soon.
The end is in sight. I don't know about anyone else, but is there anything more fun than an island occupied by a bunch of loony evil scientists? I feel so sorry for Black Adam, but I'm sure that won't last. Oh, and there was some other stuff in the book, too, with Luther.
Anita Blake 4-5
Definitely a "Guilty Pleasure." Aside from sometimes being unable to tell the male characters apart, other than by their hair, and not always by that, I've gotten quite hooked on this. Anita has a nice narrative voice. I've never read the novels, so the comic will do nicely.
Birds of Prey 104
The current Birds and the Secret Six. Can it get better than that? Lovely cover with Big Barda. Now, here's a cover with a large-chested woman posed so her boobs are leading the way, yet they don't stand out to the detriment of the woman, herself. This is a nice rendering of a sexy, confident female warrior. Scott and Hazelwood did a great job on art chores. The facial expressions inside were wonderful. Helena and Thomas Blake were wonderfully funny together, and he never looked sexier than in a tux and five o'clock shadow. "Did you just hit me with a meatball?" Priceless.
Brave & Bold 2
With GL and SG. And some more with Batman, along with Blue Beetle to hint at next issue. I like that this version of B&B is featuring a long story with characters weaving in and out instead of the single issue stories with new pairings each time of the old version. I've read a few reviews of this, some positive, some negative, especially regarding the portrayal of Supergirl. I can see that, in light of all the other questionable or objectified portrayals of Kara recently, that her flirting with Hal can be viewed as more of the same. But for me, it isn't quite that. She comes across as a 17-year-old girl who has serious issues about belonging somewhere and being properly socialized, an area in which she's lacking. Clearly, her upbringing wasn't the best and since arriving on Earth, she's been the object of Batman's suspicions and Superman's overprotection. She's spent some time with the Amazons, and had a lot of crazy things happening to her. She's trying to fit in. Sure, she sounds dumb, but 17-year-olds flirting with older men usually do. Yet she used her ingenuity and flushed out the bad guy. And her costume looked a lot better, too. I enjoyed this, both for the art (kudos to Perez and Wiacek) and the fun banter between Hal and Kara.
Checkmate 12
A good conclusion to a solid, personal story. Two members of the team with personal vendettas deal with their issues in very different ways. Tommy had every reason to want Bane dead, yet he shows restraint, putting the mission first. Beatriz however, doesn't, putting her father above the team and the mission, but owns up to it at the end. Nice, complicated, messy. Just like real life. I'm looking forward to seeing Amanda Waller getting her comeuppance. At least, I hope she does, the bitch, but not until she puts up a good fight.
Grifter/Midnigher 1
First off, I don't know Midnighter, except for a few things I've read, ie that he's gay. I'm not even sure where he normally appears. I'm getting this mini-series because of my obsession with Cole Cash. I enjoyed what I read, even if it took a while to see Grifter. But I am confused. In the WildCats books I've read (all of the last series and much of the first via compilations), I don't recall him having this mental ability to control others. Can anyone enlighten me? I also suspect this series will conclude before we see WildCats 2. Well, I hope that's not true.
Justice Society of America 4
Gosh, what a beautiful cover. This book is just gorgeous to look at. I really like Ted's son and I hope we learn about his meta abilities. He's a wonderful character, complex from the gitgo. The scenes with Damage were very moving, especially the bit about his mask and his need for it. Nicely done. Also, Jesse is far better in this as Liberty Belle than she was in the Titans as Jesse Quick by Grayson, Faeber, etc. That was her, right? The character folks on the DC boards happily dubbed a "skank"? And I for one love that Power Girl will be leading the team. Sure, some of the men would be great leaders, but Mr. Terrific is busy with Checkmate, Alan and Jay are getting a bit out of touch with the younger generation, and Carter can be a stubborn jerk at times. PG, as the veteran female on the team, will be great in the job. This level of responsibility is just what she needs, for her personal evolution as well as her place in the DCU as more than just a pair of boobs. Oh, and can we get better teasers for the upcoming stories?
Shadowpact 11
Another fun book. I love these characters. They're not the top tier, or even the second tier, but they work hard, they care about each other, and they're willing to sacrifice. The temporary new members did fine. And I love Etrigan as a coat rack.
The Spirit 4
Aside from having the best cover of the week (sorry JSA), this issue broke with a tradition by having Silk Satin, the guest female agent, narrate the story. At first, I thought it was the Spirit's narration because it's his book, but I should've known better by the cursive font. Ah well. I'll try to remember that Darwyn Cooke isn't above tweaking our expectations by playing with conventions. After all, he put our hero in the role of lad in distress, with Silk needing to rescue him, then sacrificing herself to get the bad guys and keep him safe. But all is not lost. It looks like she'll be back. At least, I hope she will. She's too much fun.
Supergirl 15
A real WTF? issue. A typical teenage abusive relationship story that Buffy, the Vampire tv show did much better. At least, Kara wised up and got back at the jerk. I like when she kneed him. Someone really needs to give her some dating advice. Donna Troy, maybe? But someone needs to. Soon.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Boobs on Boobs
Paperghost is my new hero. You've got to read the comments to Meltzer's post. Most folks on Brad Meltzer's MySpace don't have a problem with the cover from hell, aka PG's Breasts Attack! After all, most don't want to upset the man they go there to worship. One or two even wondered why all the protests were from men. Well, this woman is doing her protesting here and on other blogs because I'll be damned if I join MySpace just to comment in that thread or on any other of Brad's posts, even when I want to give him kudos. Which I did once and discovered I needed an account to do so. feh. I don't want a MySpace account.
Of course, the comments, mainly from one Randy, remind me of why I stopped visiting the DC Comics message boards. Randy's too dark user pic has a man, presumably him, holding a baby, which I hope isn't a girl or his, because he won't likely instill a proper sense of independence and empowerment in her judging by his comments in response to Paperghost.
Randy had this to say:
And it's sad that people don't get the real issue. They defend PG's large breasts, not understanding that it's fine for PG to have those giant melons. The problem is that they do not appear to be attached to her body except possibly by glue and in the wrong place. There are plenty of women endowed with enormous breasts who have generously shared nude photos of themselves online. Of course, that won't help artists like Turner who would then need to figure out how high the lift when the breasts are stuffed into spandex which presumably has a built-in bra, probably with an underwire, or else they would likely hang to her waist or lower.
I've said many times here that I don't mind cheesecake provided I get to see my share of beefcake. But same as I wouldn't like seeing a male character's package protruding from his abdomen, I'd prefer to see the females portrayed realistically. Male characters look silly in short pants, even when they are young like the original Robin, unlike females who have legs showing up to their ass. And that's fine. But when Wonder Woman, who is currently a dignified character (all silliness from the past is forgiven if not forgotten), has her ass sticking out of her bathing suit style outfit when normally, the pantyline comes down a bit lower, I call that gratuitous. There is no comparable display of male anatomy to make this fair or reasonable.
I don't want to be rabid here. I like sexy art, and normally, I don't mind a little extra flash of skin. But it's getting to be ridiculous and yes, demeaning, when it's so poorly executed, is unfairly and unevenly distributed between the sexes, and comes when DC, especially Don DiDio, is wondering how to reach more female readers. Covers like that JLA 10 isn't the way.
Oh, and Paperghost provided a link to this wonderful analysis of the anatomical impossibility that is PG on that cover.
Of course, the comments, mainly from one Randy, remind me of why I stopped visiting the DC Comics message boards. Randy's too dark user pic has a man, presumably him, holding a baby, which I hope isn't a girl or his, because he won't likely instill a proper sense of independence and empowerment in her judging by his comments in response to Paperghost.
Randy had this to say:
"See, whereas you're looking at Wonder Woman's ass, Power Girl's boobs and Supergirl's mid-section, there are some readers like myself who prefer to ignore that sort of stuff to watch Wonder Woman rescue abused women (Wonder Woman #5) or Power Girl recruit new members of a team she believes in (JSofA #1) or Supergirl try to figure out her place in the world (Supergirl #12)"Wow. Someone who reads comics just for the words, is that what we're to believe? Sheesh. As Paperghost asks:
"Would you see Superman drawn with his Supernuts hanging out?"When the discussion ends up in a laughable debate as to whether or not the art is good (the fact that it's anatomically awful is viewed as a subjective opinion by some of these people) among the other issues under discussion, then I'm doubly glad I'm not on MySpace.
And it's sad that people don't get the real issue. They defend PG's large breasts, not understanding that it's fine for PG to have those giant melons. The problem is that they do not appear to be attached to her body except possibly by glue and in the wrong place. There are plenty of women endowed with enormous breasts who have generously shared nude photos of themselves online. Of course, that won't help artists like Turner who would then need to figure out how high the lift when the breasts are stuffed into spandex which presumably has a built-in bra, probably with an underwire, or else they would likely hang to her waist or lower.
I've said many times here that I don't mind cheesecake provided I get to see my share of beefcake. But same as I wouldn't like seeing a male character's package protruding from his abdomen, I'd prefer to see the females portrayed realistically. Male characters look silly in short pants, even when they are young like the original Robin, unlike females who have legs showing up to their ass. And that's fine. But when Wonder Woman, who is currently a dignified character (all silliness from the past is forgiven if not forgotten), has her ass sticking out of her bathing suit style outfit when normally, the pantyline comes down a bit lower, I call that gratuitous. There is no comparable display of male anatomy to make this fair or reasonable.
I don't want to be rabid here. I like sexy art, and normally, I don't mind a little extra flash of skin. But it's getting to be ridiculous and yes, demeaning, when it's so poorly executed, is unfairly and unevenly distributed between the sexes, and comes when DC, especially Don DiDio, is wondering how to reach more female readers. Covers like that JLA 10 isn't the way.
Oh, and Paperghost provided a link to this wonderful analysis of the anatomical impossibility that is PG on that cover.
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