- Watching the Sportsmaster spank the JSA.
- Okay, if those are Yankees fans, that is definitely another universe.
- Batman at the Korean War Memorial.
- For you kids out there. Just so you know.
- Traci Thirteen versus Eclipso and some of sweetest smack talk on record.
- The splash panel of Lesbian Heaven. Who knew it had owls?
- Jean Loring threatening to remove the hearts of innocent little babies. Probably with her teeth.
- Gosh, Forerunner's hair grows fast!
- Stygian Bees.
- Even Billy has trouble remembering that Captain Marvel's name isn't "Shazam".
- Wait; did Superman just Charge to hit her with a dumpster? That's 5 clicks plus 2 for the dumpster, and I think she may have taken knockback damage. I'm becoming increasingly convinced that they play Heroclix at DC HQ... a lot.
- The Monster Within Blue Beetle.
- The Reverse Flash versus the real Justice Leaguers, while the B Team stands around with their mouths open.
- Miss Martian versus Supergirl.
- Batman's Battle Laptop.
- Jimmy Olsen: blurring the line between bravery and outrageous stupidity for 60 years!
- The fact that everything I thought was going to happen at the end of Countdown happens by about, oh, halfway through Sinestro Corps. THEN it gets really serious.
- I cannot wait until Jaime Reyes meets his new girlfriend's father.
- Why Mrs. Rayner never got better.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Things That Made Me Happy...
in my comics this week.
Oh, man! I looked at the Blue Beetle, thought, "OK, Blue Beetle, consistently kind of fun; Jean Loring Eclipso, death to any title she appears in and reminds me of fricking Identity Crisis *and* Day of Vengeance. Skip it."
ReplyDeleteAnd *now* you tell me that Traci Thirteen was in it! I may have to swing back to the shop tomorrow to have a look.
AND it makes it abundantly clearly Eclipso is actually EMBARRASSED by how evil JEAN LORING is.
ReplyDeleteEclipso didn't posses Jean; it's the other way around...!
You know, I don't think Kyle's the best choice to jump out of that cake anymore...
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I thought when I looked at porcupine Jimmy was "shouldn't those magic quills hurt Superman?"
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is that I haven't bought a comic in years- I've just been reading the blogs.
Sinestro Corps was definitely my suprise good read of the week. I picked it up on a whim, and it was great. A single comic where lots of stuff happens. Who woulda thought?
ReplyDeletePardon my ignorance, but what comic book this week featured the Reverse-Flash? (Zoom, I presume, not Professor Zoom.)
ReplyDeleteWhich Sportsmaster is this? I read somewhere on the internet that the original had died, but I could find no reference to where that happened. I know some terrorist group or other was using clones of him but that doesn't presuppose his death. And I know there was briefly another Sportsmaster in DC in the 90s, a knockoff of Marvel's Taskmaster; was this him?
ReplyDeleteZoom was in (believe it or not) "Sinestro Corps" #1.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Sportsmaster, I don't know. He's young and was wearing the Sportsmaster outfit; isn't that all that really matters for the Sportsmaster?
Well, not to me. I really liked the original Sportsmaster. I may be wrong, but I think he was the first "theme villain" in comics; while villains before him had their affectations (i.e. the Penguin and his umbrellas), he was the first to base his whole identity around his schtick (the Penguin was the Penguin, not Umbrella Man). Admittedly I saw very little of the second Sportsmaster (just his brief appearance in Suicide Squad) but he seemed to me to be just Marvel's Taskmaster in a different suit.
ReplyDeleteFrom comments in the previous ish of JSA Classified, it's supposed to be the original Sportsmaster, but Roy-only-knows how he could still be that young-appearing.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks Scipio! I may have to check that issue out just for the Reverse-Flash appearance, as he is a personal favorite.
ReplyDeleteThe scene in Blue Beetle where Eclipso unleashes the hideous monster within Jaime...almost made me fall off the couch in hysteria. Utterly, completely magnificent. And he and Traci make a lovely couple. Even a couple of references to Ralph and Sue. *sniff*
ReplyDeleteAnd Sinestro Corps was simply mind-boggling. SO much going on, and so beautifully drawn and colored.
And yes, Jimmy Olsen is a complete idiot. You'd think that even HE'D be getting the idea by now.
"Miss Martian versus Supergirl"
ReplyDeleteStrongly seconded. The only bright spot in another annoying Amazons Attack crossover.
I love Miss Martian and I hate the current Supergirl.
HOOOORAY! It's the return after a dark, dark week of Things That Make Me Happy. Seriously, this column has become the capstone of my weekly comics ritual.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Miss Martian vs. Supergirl? Tons of fun! But the Sinestro Corps.... ? Oh my GOD this comic is fun, exciting, and frightening. But isn't Freddy becoming the new Captain Marvel but called 'Shazam' part of the premise of the hopefully-to-be-out-of-continuity-within-10-minutes-of-ending Trials of Shazam? That way.... they can label Captain Marvel as 'Shazam' and nobody has to explain decades old lawsuits! I swear, that must have been half the pitch to Didio. The other half? 'Let's take a franchise based solely on good ol' fashioned fun and introduce blood rituals involving slashing the wrists of hookers, and pouring the blood into the punch at an evil holiday party!
If they permanently angstify my Mary Marvel as a result of the Black Adam Power/Eclipso stuff I fly right over Didio's office and drop a 16 ton fecal bomb like a giant, smelly Chemo.
it's supposed to be the original Sportsmaster, but Roy-only-knows how he could still be that young-appearing.
ReplyDeleteDuring Roy's Infinity Inc. series, the Wizard found the Fountain of Youth in the alternate dimension known alternately as Fairyland and Grimmworld. Perhaps he shared its contents with his former Injustice Society comrades?
And yes, Jimmy Olsen is a complete idiot. You'd think that even HE'D be getting the idea by now.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's not like he's read a longbox full of Jimmy Olsen comics or anything... what would tip him off that he's getting superpowers a version of him in another universe that he don't even know exists?
As for this week's comics, Traci Thirteen remembering her godparents got me all misty...
But isn't Freddy becoming the new Captain Marvel but called 'Shazam' part of the premise of the hopefully-to-be-out-of-continuity-within-10-minutes-of-ending Trials of Shazam?
ReplyDeleteStill don't understand the hate this series gets. I'm actually reading it and its pretty good. It's not like the Marvels were in the 40s and 50s, but that's why we have "Shazam! And The Monster Society of Evil," right? There's 52 Earths out there, there's more than enough room for Freddie Freeman (the guy who's happy-fun origin involves a super-Nazi murdering his grandfather in front of him) to run around as Shazam and also have a old-fashioned Fawcett world, too.
I agree with you abotu Mary Marvel... but I don't see her dark and nasty change being permanant.
I wonder if they are going to to Sinestro Corp Hero Clix? How sweet would it be? Of course I'd just want the one that tried to commit cosmos-icide most recently or Sinestro but still. They'd be sweet.
ReplyDeleteyou know..what with the blue beetle armor able to see magic like any other type of energy, Doc 13 would actually love him.
ReplyDeleteJaime and Traci...best couple of 2007
The Darkness Within Blue Beetle actually made me laugh so hard I started to cry a little bit.
ReplyDeleteAs did the bit where Eclipso gets seriously smacked down. Hah. Take that, you crazy lady.
And I take great satisfaction from the fact that Miss Martian can hold her own against Supergirl.
Why is Power of Shazam getting the hate? Mischaracterization, plain and simple. Are there room for these types of dark stories? Of course. But you can't shoehorn every character into any situation and have it ring true. Marvel COULD choose to do a story about Ghost Rider learning how to love again by taking care of a wounded little puppy. If this happened, it wouldn't suit the original character concept, and people would rightfully point this out. No matter how many earths and versions of Ghost Rider may exist, unless you make a high-concept Earth Puppy Love, and write that story in the context of Earth P.L., people are gonna say 'what the hell?'
ReplyDeleteTrials of Shazam is written in the context of New Earth, which lets us expect character consistancy. So when we mischaracterize the characters, it's GOING to stand out.
Really, if anyone up in arms about Meltzer but is okay with the Trials of Shazem, I NEED some insight into your reasoning for that.
Prediction: All this talk of the multiverse and the continuing references to Earth 1 in Countdown lead me to believe that the only way to take Superboy Prime down will be the return of the real Superman; the guy who could juggle planets. It won't be easy or last long, but I think he's coming back.
ReplyDeleteHm. I hadn't thought of that even when I thought about Earth-1 being out there again. I kind of figured that, like Earth-2, Earth-1 would be missing some core heroes who got merged into New Earth; and every day Superman-NE looks more like Superman-1 and less like Superman-Byrne.
ReplyDeleteWe've had a 'future scene' in JSA depicting the return of Kal-L, and he got powered up to Superman-1 levels in Crisis and Inf Crisis, so I'll guess that he's the knight in shining armor. He'll get to avenge himself on Superboy' .
On the other hand, I didn't see the return of the Anti-Monitor or the whole elite council of the Sinestro Corps coming *at all*, and that seems to indicate a "turn it up to eleven" mindset that could demand the return of Superman-1 as the only way to keep topping the previous shocks.
First off, no, I don't like Metzler's work on "JLoA," just to get that out of the way, heh.
ReplyDeleteTrials of Shazam is written in the context of New Earth, which lets us expect character consistancy. So when we mischaracterize the characters, it's GOING to stand out.
And considering that up until very recently, I don't think Freddie Freeman has, you know, appeared in any other story set on New Earth, how can it be mischaracterization? Who else was mischaracterized? Mary? She was in a hospital with no lines, how is that mischaracterization?
If it was Billy Batson going all Teenage Wasteland and walking with a crutch, I'd agree with you. But it's not Billy, it's Freddie, and a teenage boy who finds himself robbed of his great powers and forced to walk with a crutch is going to be a little angry. And honestly, the story is halfway done now and he's gone beyond being angry all the time; with each Trial, he has learned a little something and has shown some growth. So as it stands, we'll just have to agree to disagree on "Trials." Which is perfectly fine with me, that's the same reason they make chocolate and vanilla.
Again, totally with you on Mary Marvel being dark and angry. That's lame, but I don't see it lasting too long, so maybe it won't be too bad.
Thanks for the response!
Hey, I may be slow, but it just occured to me:
ReplyDeleteThe cover of Sinestro Corps Special shows the GL Corps members impaled by /wood/. Wood..... not their weakness, BUT most certainly Alan Scott's! Who else thinks Alan and the Starheart is gonna play a key role in Sinestro's plan?
I'm so psyched by this idea. Alan is mah FAVE.
By the logic of your argument, I submit that since Geo-Force has not appeared in any other New-Earth story, it's consistant to say that he's a noble powerhouse worthy of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Batman.
ReplyDeleteBut you're right, we're not going to 'settle' this, and like you, I appriciate your reasoned and respectful responce. There's room enough in comicdom... and on this blog.... for fans or Trials of Shazam and detractors alike.
I'm actually thinking that Freddie's going to become the new Wizard, and that Billy will be released from the Rock of Eternity when these Trials are over.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up to go get Blue Beetle. It rocked-- made me happier than any three comics put together have in the last while. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteZundian: Will Freddy be pissed if that happens!
ReplyDeleteLoved Sinestro Corps, best single issue comic I've read in some time; I liked Traci 13, even though I'd only read about her before... Blue Beetle and Atom are two of the funnest books around.
And i like Trials of Shazam, yes I do.