Quick recap from yesterday's part of the "New 52" third anniversary experience review:
- "Flashpoint" instigated the changeover to our new universe, and I'm STILL unimpressed with the "event".
- Certain characters really kicked themselves up to a whole new level in the new universe, such as Aquaman and Wonder Woman.
- I intentionally started off positively for my thoughts on the "New 52", because beginning on a grouchy note would NOT serve as a celebration.
But now that we've all ate, drank, and were merry, it's time for a bit of a "New 52" hangover. It's time to look at the upchucked elements of our initial revelries, and see that not everything from our first night of "bliss" looked so lovely in the following morning.
I will begin this with how DC REALLY started off the "New 52" on a very odd note, with the very first book being launched as "Justice League". Written by Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Jim "Deadlines mean NOTHING to me" Lee, we were introduced to the "New 52's" big guns via this team book. ... Oh, we didn't meet them ALL in the first issue, because that'd be "stupid"! No, we had to have the team fully assembled by the conclusion of the first six-issue story arc. (This was later adapted into the animated feature, "Justice League War".) Not to bury the lead, both this introductory arc and the animated adaptation SUCKED ROYALLY. We had characters acting like complete self-indulgent jerks, a rushed introduction to the threat of Darkseid to the new universe, and lackluster action. The high moments of the "New 52" would evidence themselves to my regards, in due time, but this first salvo ALSO set the tone with what I could expect for A LOT of my reading experiences in DC's new playground. Here's a few examples to chew on.
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT- David Finch never met a monthly schedule he liked for ANY comic project he was attached to. And for my tastes, even in his "better days" of illustration, he was mostly "alright" in my regards. (The big beef I have with David Finch as an artist is that he doesn't know how to really depict vibrant action sequences, and his character faces/bodies are VERY hard to distinguish from each other.) But when you mix an inexplicable "superstar" artist with a TERRIBLE Batman story, you just have the recipe for disaster. Even when Finch departed the title, I felt that "The Dark Knight" was a book that just felt plagued by WEIRD writing decisions. I mean, we start off with a gratuitous butt-shot villainess called White Rabbit being involved with the spread of Bane's Venom concoction to the Batman rogue's gallery. Another storyline details a new origin for the Mad Hatter, which feels GRATUITOUSLY dark and nasty for its own indulgent sake. The world's greatest detective deserves a bit better than to be written and created by teams that seem BENT on generating stories more meat-headed than a steroided-up locker room gathering.
BATGIRL- It wasn't the return of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl that irritated me. It wasn't the fact that SOMEHOW she would walk, again, after the spinal trauma that the Joker inflicted upon her that bothered me. What DID really get my goat was that a writer I normally appreciated for her strong female characters... Gail Simone... REALLY dropped the ball giving Babs a new life. Her take on Batgirl made a character that was a stable and intelligent element of the DC Universe as Oracle into a OVERLY neurotic... and rather irritating... Batgirl. Couple that with introducing MANY forgettable villains, and pressing the James Gordon as a "psycho offspring" to Commissioner Gordon button, again, and you stirred up a book that both bored and bothered me. I can't insist, enough, that Barbara Gordon was LEAGUES more interesting a character as Oracle... to this VERY DAY... and that Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown made for GREAT inheritors to the Batgirl legacy. A few months back, a costume change was at least announced for Batgirl. I hope for the best for the character, but at the same point, my cynical mind tells me you really can't put polish on existing fecal matter...
CATWOMAN- Speaking of leftovers in the litter box... It's unusual that I offer up, in trade of two EXCELLENT female-helmed DC "New 52" titles, two others that are just pit stains in my personal regards. I knew from the very first collection of the new Catwoman's adventures that this book was going to be terrible. I mean AWFUL. "Skin-emax" necking between Batman and Catwoman. Unnecessary cheesecake display moments for Selena Kyle. Yet ANOTHER book that featured pointless over-the-top grim violence. As if that wasn't bad enough, we start with the writing of Judd Winick... AKA that guy I SWEAR made some unholy contract deal with the forces of the Underworld to continue in the comic's industry, and lead into Ann Nocienti's run. I'm sorry to people that are fans of either creator, but NEITHER of them lull me into a sense that a book will actually be readable or enjoyable.
HAWK AND DOVE- I often tease and rib Rob Liefeld's original creations on this blog. They're easy comic "critique" comedy fodder. With that said, if I ever had the chance to meet Liefeld, I would actually be interested in the chance. You can say what you want about his artistry... or his aversion to a regular schedule, as well... but you cannot deny the man IS passionate about the industry. But with the "New 52" "Hawk and Dove", this book proved you really CANNOT go back home, again. Y'see, one of Rob Liefeld's first projects was the initial late 80's "Hawk and Dove" mini-series for the post-Crisis DC Universe. This was before "Liefeld" became a creative descriptive term. Even in those fresh days of Liefeld's career, I have to be honest that Hawk and Dove were VERY shaky concepts at best. I just could never fully back their own titles, because their concept and adventures weren't hooking me. But let's just say the Liefeld of "NOW" is a different beast to the Liefeld of 20-years ago. The anatomy is just a WEE bit more loose. The sketchiness of his designs are a WEE bit more strong. And as evidenced by this book being one of the first round cancellations for "New 52" titles, I was proven correct that "Hawk and Dove" are a WEE bit too lame to really establish a title of their own. Regardless of if they're brothers, or the male/female pairing.
TEEN TITANS/WHATEVER THE LEGION IS/RAVAGERS- The New Teen Titans are in the same reckoning as the Legion of Super Heroes for me, as of late. I was not previously passionate about them, but in recent years I've REALLY grown interested in catching up with their adventures. I even followed the monthly books of the Teen Titans and the Legion leading up to their conclusions in the pre-"Flashpoint" universe, and enjoyed them. Lemme be the "old man" for this topic: THESE AIN'T MY TEEN TITANS OR LEGION! I've sampled some of the "Teen Titans" previous to "The Culling" event, and this "New 52" version rubbed me as far too abrasive. Between a confusing backstory for Robin, a rather dull Superboy, and an IRKSOME Wonder Girl, and the brand new members of the team... along with Kid Flash... are shoved aside by the obnoxious elements. Flash forward to "The Culling"... AKA "Battle Royale" for the comics... and we are introduced to the "Why Did They Even Bother?" Legion of Super Heroes team for the "New 52". These characters were KIND OF like certain Legion members I recognized, but their personalities were so bland and nonexistent that they could've just been a generic 90's independent comic team shoved into the event.
SHAZAM- I save my most potent shot of venom... not the Bane kind... for my last topic of discussion. Remember how I mentioned that Geoff Johns could sometimes be off with his creative vision? With his introduction of the "New 52" Captain Marvel... and PLEASE, DC, STOP WITH THIS "SHAZAM" STUPIDITY, because Marvel won't sue you over the Captain Marvel name... Geoff Johns proved to me he could have days as a creator SO FAR OFF, they're not even in the same universe as his less-than-impressive day. This version of the Mightiest Mortal I hated. I won't even hide it: I HATED this take on Captain Marvel. Billy Batson being a self-indulgent jerk of a boy. Sivana acting like a standard sinister government scientist. The concept of Shazam being like a "Voltron" concept of multiple beings combining into one. It takes a lot for me to not even finish a collection of a character's story. I didn't even get to the point where Captain Marvel first shows up in the latest "Shazam" trade before I put this book aside in COMPLETE irritation and disgust. Failure be the name not included in the amalgamation of the SHAZAM name. (By the way, his inclusion in the "Justice League War" animated feature... IN EXCLUSION OF AQUAMAN... was just as terrible of an idea.)
Three years can contain a lot of ups-and-downs. I still feel that DC Comics has a LOT to do to stabilize their universe to some kind of working order. But I at least made sure to put a spotlight on what the company was doing RIGHT. Now if only the rest of the books could follow suit...
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