Thursday, September 13, 2012

52 Things I Wonder About

1. Is there a Starman? Was there ever? If not, how can there be a Stargirl in the JLA?
 
2.       There’s an Atom in the big two-page spread battle between the JL and the JLA preview.  But there’s no Atom in the previewed posing shot of the JLA. Is the Atom there, but we can’t see him/her?
3.       So with the new slenderized Amanda Waller and Etta Candy, are there essentially no fat people in the DC?
4.       Where does Supergirl live? And who does her hair?
5.       If Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and Kyle Rayner are still Green Lanterns, when and why in the last five years did that happen?  Did the Guardians just pick a replacement for Hal every time he had a major concussion?
6.       Once we’re done suffering through Wolfman’s atrocious “Rosemary’s Baby” redux in Night Force, can Baron Winter join Justice League Dark?  Not that he’s much of a joiner, mind you.
7.       How long before we see Krypto?  Because certain concepts are simply unavoidable.
8.       Do Earth-1 villains have Earth-2 counterparts?  I don’t think we’ve seen any yet.
9.       Why doesn’t the CW put the Octopus Gang on “Arrow”?  I mean, you’d watch that, right?
10.   How did the Justice League get a satellite HQ, when most of them seem to barely get by in their own lives?
11.   Will Ted Kord be the Blue Beetle of Earth-2? Does Booster remember the Ted Kord of the old Earth-1?
12.   When does Morrison leave Action Comics?  Because I’d like to start reading it.
13.   There’s a new KGBeast Heroclix figure out.  Was there still a KGBeast?  Because that character barely made any sense 30 years ago, let alone now.
14.   Will we ever see a new Rainbow Raider?  Do we want to?
15.   When on Earth-1 did Plastic Man happen, and how?
16.   Do we know how Green Arrow got off the island?  Was it Aquaman?
17.   Where’s the Riddler?
18.   Will Wally West be the Kid Flash of Earth-2?
19.   Speaking of which: has Barry ever met Bart?  Because I can’t help thinking that meeting a grandson he’s never had and almost certainly won’t would crop up somewhere in his book. And if he’s aware that there is a “Kid Flash” in the Teen Titans, don’t you think he’d do something about that?
20.   If Cyborg is going to be pushed as a JL-level icon, shouldn’t he have his own title?  He doesn’t even have a supporting cast.  Or is he truly the Replacement Martian Manhunter, with no life/activities outside the League?
21.   When is someone going to deal with the fact that Damian is too old to be Batman’s son?
22.   When did Deadman die?  And howcum the JLDark can see him?
23.   Shouldn’t the existence of Supergirl be a much bigger deal in the DCU?  At least in Superman’s books?
24.   Why doesn’t the Red Hood’s hood cover his head? I mean… that was his original thing, you know?
25.   Does Batman know who killed his parents?
26.   Wonder Woman is evidence of the existence of the Greek Gods.  Does that have some impact on the world religious landscape?  Or at least enrollment in Greek classes?
27.   If the new GL is from Dearborne and Vibe is still from Detroit, is the JLA the new Detroit League? 
28.   How old is Nightwing? Really, he can’t be more than 20, can he?
29.   What is the relationship and division of jurisdiction between DEO and ARGUS?
30.   Do we know whether there is red kryptonite yet?
31.   Were you as impressed by the backup story in Batman #0 as I was?
32.   So, when exactly did the whole “Aquaman rules Atlantis” thing happen, and why?  We pretty much know zero about Atlantis, right?  Maybe it’s in Graves’ book.
33.   Are the Trinity the only heroes whose identities are the same on both Earths?
34.   So, obviously, there was a previous generation of ‘adventurers’, since Zatanna, Sargon, and Dr Occult all precede the Justice Leaguers.  I guess they just weren’t particularly public about it.
35.   Does/did J’onn J’onnz ever have a secret identity?
36.   Is there an Eclipso?
37.   More frighteningly… is there a Jean Loring?!
38.   Will Green Arrow and Hawkman become fast friends in the JLA? Because that would be great irony.
39.   So, do people know about Power Girl?  And if so, what do they know?  I can imagine Huntress going under the radar….but not Power Girl.
40.   Are there more than two Earths now? How do we know?
41.   Why did they ruin the Phantom Stranger by giving him an origin?  Now he’s not a stranger any more.
42.   Is there still a Star City, Stupidest City in America?
43.   Why does “Grifter” get a series rather than other Wildstorm types?  He doesn’t seem any more interesting.
44.   If ARGUS isn’t military then why are they using military personnel as their representatives?
45.   So does Dollman pre-date the Atom as a shrinking hero?
46.   Will Wonder Woman’s rooftop discussion with Superman and the targeting of Steve Trevor because of their relationship lead her to adopt a secret identity?  And if so, will she become the owner of a 1960s/70s vintage boutique?
47.   Hugo Strange—villain from the past or one we’ve not yet seen?
48.   And the LAST five questions YOU get to contribute….




 

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

#4 - and who gives her a Brazilian? and how?
#8 - except Darkseid, of course. But in some ways Darkseid Is (inevitable). Given that Old52 Apokolips was in its own dimension, does that mean it's the same Darkseid attacking both Earths?
#19 - especially a Kid Flash that makes no attempt to hide that he's Bart Allen. You'd think someone in Central City (Iris?) would put 2 and 2 together...
#23 - eh, who knows what the deal was between Jor and Zor. I've got cousins I'd do anything to avoid seeing
#29 - ...and SHADE and CHECKMATE and CADMUS and the other 50 or so secret organizations, chartered or otherwise
#31 - Alfred rocks in all continuties
#40 - at least 2 others (Sunshine Superman Earth and Evil Media Conglomerate Earth) popped up in Action, but that's Morrion. on the other hand, Terry Sloan monologued in Earth2 #0 about locating several alternate earths

Anonymous said...

Re: #12 - Interesting. Morrison's Action Comics and Batman Inc. are the ONLY New 52 books I still read. Personally, I feel DC is actively pressuring me to leave its universe ... for good.

Re: #21 - It seems a lot of people have issues with this. However, Morrison spelled it out already - Damian was artificially aged to become a viable assassin. (But then he sought out "Daddy.")

As for my own questions for the New 52? Sheesh, where do I even begin?!?

Quite frankly, when Morrison leaves his two titles? I'm out.

And as for Marvel's NOW initiative? Well, once Brubaker leaves Cap and Winter Soldier, I'm out.

This soon-to-be 40 year-old will only be buying back issues from here on out.

Bryan L said...

I'm pretty sure Super-Brazilians involve mirrors and heat vision. More than that, I cannot say.

My questions:

48. Why did Resurrection Man writers Abnett and Lanning decide to interject angels and demons into a primarily science fiction concept?
49. How DO the JL Dark member see Deadman? This is so important it must be asked twice. Because if Deadman is now Casper, then I want to know it.
50. Can't Legion Lost just go back to Legion? 'Cause it's tough enough to keep one Legion book afloat, much less two.
51. Where's Elongated Man? More importantly, where's Sue Dibney? (Which begs the Jean Loring question, see #37).
52. Where's Plastic Man? I like him.

I could honestly keep going -- all the Quality heroes, the JSA (yes, I know your feelings on them, Scipio), etc. I wish they'd just relaunch the damn Multiverse and be done with it. They're going to have to do it eventually just to bring back the post-Crisis DC Universe in some form. Man up and give it a freaking number, DC. Preferably without a stupid Crisis precipitating it.

SallyP said...

If the present 52 Universe is only 5 years old, where are ALL the former/now dead heroes? Jean Loring SHOULD be around! And Ralph and Sue, and Ted Kord, and Dmitri and Doctor Polaris for that matter.

And yes, the Octopus Gang should definitely be on "Arrow".

And the Guardians MUST have sent out rings everytime Hal got a concussion, because it's the only explanation that makes sense.

Steve Mitchell said...

"And as for Marvel's NOW initiative? Well, once Brubaker leaves Cap and Winter Soldier, I'm out."

The only two Marvel titles I read right now are Fantastic Four and FF. And once Hickman leaves those books and Fraction takes over, I'll be down to no Marvel titles. I'm a Marvel fan as well as a DC fan, but I can't believe how bad Marvel has become in the last 2 years.

Meanwhile, back in the New 52, I have a real problem with the concept of "Four Robins in 5 Years." Really? Batman can't keep a partner longer than 1 to 2 years at a time?

And Scipio, I agree with you, based on the new continuity, Dick Grayson has to be about 20 years old at most--and I suppose that means he never did a tour as a cop in Bludhaven.

And why is the Spectre on Earth-1, when all the other JSA folks ended up on Earth-2?

Michael said...

1) The Shade comic pretty begins during an attack on the Starman museum. It began post New 52, so assuming it is considered part of the new 52 then yes there was a Starman. The characters in the story are tied directly to the Starman series.

3) I wish I was rebooted...

5) I never really connected the GL series with the New 52 in my mind... it didn't seem to get overhauled at all. But in the recent GL 0, the JLA wondering if anyone talked to Hal since he quit the GLC... I guess were going to need an explanation of what happened.

9) I'd watch that

23) Well they did fight... she seemed angry...

40) More importantly how did a Timestream event reboot a different earth.

41) It beats his previous Origin of Superman's hypertime son.

K. Starks said...

1. Does there have to be a Starman? There's no WonderMan in the DC yet we have a Wonder Woman. Giving the star staff to her skips over a lot of history that DC is clearly not interested in maintaing, anyway.

5. Don't forget the new Green Lantern Baz Luhrman. I mean "Simon Baz" also a (gun-toting) human.

7. Krypto has already shown up in DC52 but as just a regular old farm dog.

13. KGBeast died during Infinite Crisis and made a zombie appearance in Blackest Night and he is and always will be awesome.

15. Plastic Man is one of the people turned down for membership of the JLI in DC52 (JLI #1)

20. Yes. He is your token minority only there for being a minority (sadly). Also, J'onn has had his own title and many supporting characters DC just hasn't ever given a shit enough to use them viably or promote the character.

21. Not sure what your logic is here. Have you read Son of the Demon? it's from 1987. Assuming real time passage in comics (ha ha) he'd only have to be younger than 22 to still be accurately portrayed as Batman's son.

22. Deadman died in 1967. As a ghost invisibility is only a power he can opt for. I don't read JLDark so if they see him but no one else I would attribute it to their powers all being supernatural in nature.

24. I always though the Red Hood was less a reference to his headwear and more a reference to the Joker's original appearance. The actual early Red Hood was force feeding it to the masses and story device for a mystery arc, IMO.

25. Yes. At least in Old52 he was aware that it was Joe Chill. Which he discovered in Year Two.

26. It should - but I assume it's handled in all comics the same way that the God/Christianity thing was handled in the Avengers movie. But, the bigger question is not does the existence of these handful of pantheons cause problems - but the lack of muslim or christian gods existence not discredit them. I assume that bc they are 100% steeped in faith that the others are considered more like aliens than gods to "believers."

28. He's definitely mid-20s, and I think that he's probably, closer to 30 at this point. Unless you think a 20 year old was taking over the Batman mantle. And if you think that Nightwing is only in his 20s (a character that came from the 60s) I don't see how you can have an issue with Damien's age. I always saw him as 18ish when he quit being Robin - in those Wolfman/Perez Teen Titan issues he was always drawn pretty awkward in the Robin getup. I'd say he was 18 in 1985, and was at the VERY least 21 when he got his solo series in 1994. In 1996 he was pretty much recognized as one of the top heroes - respected by his peers, recognized as extremely competent and capable by everyone. I don't see those accolades ever being applied to someone younger than 25-26. I'd say as of the Morrison run he was closer to 30. Based on that, I'd say the same for Batman - that he was 25-26 in the 60s and has probably gained 15 year in the time or so. I'm sure there's a real breakdown of their speculative age - but no way is modern (pre-Nu52) only 20.

30. I don't believe any of the non-green Kyptonites have shown up in the New52. I'm not 100% regular Kryptonite has.

33. I'm not for certain what you mean by this. Their secret identities? Because, for example Robotman is Cliff Steele in both universes. Cyborg is Victor Stone, etc.

35. J'onn was, for the entirety of the Silver Age, also the detective John Jones.

43. Grifter wasn't the only one of the Wildstorm guys to get a series. Of the original launch there was also Voodoo, Stormwatch and now the Team 7 book.

45. Dollman debuted in 1939. The shrinking Atom (ray Palmer) didn't show up until 1961.

Scipio said...

Um, yes, I am quite aware of comic book history. I'm asking about current continuity under the New52, where superheroes only showed up about five years ago, their time.

Nathan Hall said...

Will Dial H for Hero lose its crazy momentum now that it's developing a plot?

Will Buddy (Animal Man)ever get his body back - at least in the next ten issues?

Why did Rob Liefeld talk over Hawkman? WHY?

Finally, could Before Watchmen try to be at least 50/50 with the hit and miss?

Scipio said...

Where's Buddy, if not in his body? Floating around The Red?

r duncan said...

48. Will the upcoming war with Atlantis be more than just a skirmish on a beach like Aquawar was?

Scipio said...

And will Austria remain neutral...?

Anonymous said...


We did get to meet Hugo Strange's son, Eli, over in one of the Batman titles, according to Wikipedia. I'm pleased, since it at least means that Hugo exists.

Xanadude28@yahoo.com said...

Yep. This NuDC Earth is looking more like Earth-BodyDismorphia. Every man a Colt model, every woman a contender to be yelled at by Tyra Banks.

Jason G. said...

Heck, even Vulko seemed to be dieting in his brief appearance in Justice League. I wonder if Atlantis has a Weight Watchers equivalent called Whale Watchers?

48. Where the heck is Tempest/Garth?
49. If he existed, did he have a ridiculous fear of fish?
50. If he will exist, will he be killed in a ridiculous manner a la Blackest Night or Flashpoint?
50. Aquababy? Already dead? Or will John give us our first fetal decapitation?
51. What did Arthur's father whisper in his ear before dying?
52. Could Aquaman's latest series hit the 100 mark?

Michael said...

@Jason

Yes, who would have thought that Aquaman would be the best thing to come out of the New52

Wayne Allen Sallee said...

Going by the old DCU, New Earh, Earth-13 and Earth-50 were combined. I guess. If they eventually go back to the old version, I hope that we just see New Earth again from somewhere between FINAL CRISIS and a now-forgotten FLASHPOINT.

On Earth 2, Solomon Grundy is a foil for Green Lantern. Past that, my thoughts are that Terry Sloane puts together a group of "wonder-villains" to balance the new heroes,I dunno. Hourman and Starman are probably next.

Dave said...

1) Mikaal Tomas has been referred to as a Starman in the pages of The Shade #1 but it also alludes to the fact that there are or were others. Geoff Johns has referred to a Starman when he is talking about Stargirl in interviews. I have a pretty good idea of who the new Starman is: http://newearth2.tumblr.com/post/30408019286/who-is-the-new-stargirl-and-starman

2) From this interview it seems that the all-new Atom will be appearing in Justice League and not the JLA. http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/meet-the-new-justice-league-artistic-team

7) You can "see" Krypto in Action Comics

8) James Robinson has stated outside of Flash, Green Lantern, and Atom you won't be seeing any more Earth 2 counterparts.

36) If you look at All-Star Western, Demon Knights, and Team 7 in November I would venture to say, "Yes."

39) I would say that Huntress is under the radar and people are just finding out about Power Girl. Karen did not take on that identity until after the Mister Terrific series was over and Worlds' Finest started.

40) Yes we have seen more than "our" Earth and Earth 2 in Action Comics.

45) Historically yes. In the new 52... maybe. I don't know. Ray Palmer can shrink in Frankenstein Agent of SHADE book but he never puts on a costume or refers to himself as the Atom. The one picture of the Atom I have seen makes me think that it is a female. Maybe that's where Jean Loring got to.


googum said...

Re: #5 If that were the case, there would be more Green Lanterns than the population of Montana...

Anonymous said...

How long will the New52-U last before the next reboot?

When will DC hire more decent writers and less '90s also-rans?

Will we ever read another DC comic with a hint of humor? (besides Dial H & Demon Knights)

Why can't DC writers tell a good Superman story anymore?

When will DC get an editorial staff that is hands-off with the plots and dialogue and hands-on with the continuity making sense?

- Mike Loughlin

brad said...

Why doesn't Batman dance anymore?

There's double digit Bat-Titles and no room for Paul Dini?

For all his strengths and flaws, why are Geoff John's best moments his "COMING IN 20--!" reveals?

Will Aquaman get his own Heroclix themed set before Wonder Woman?

Will my 8 year old daughter be allowed to read Batman Beyond now that Jokerz are straight up suicide bombers?

The Flying Dachshund said...

There are more than 2 Earths, since there is the Superman of Earth-19 as we've seen in the Superman books... So there is AT LEAST 3 Earths... Although why they would skip from 2 to 19 without any others... I don't know...

Plastic Man is on Earth-1, as we saw in the background of JLI #1 during their gathering of the superheroes... He was denied membership.. Hopefully he'll get a book soon!!

And from what I understand, Star City is no more, and has been replaced by it's real-life counterpart, Seattle. I think they only kept Gotham, Metropolis, Keystone/Central City, and Coast City for fictional cities... I could be missing a few...

Oh, and per Didio, don't be expecting to see any old superheroes as they are focusing on young heroes for now (I had asked him on FB about the chance of Obsidian and Jade being the children of Alan Scott on a different Earth, and essentially they don't want any old folks stealing the young heroes' thunder).

Dan said...

This thread is precisely why I've quit on the DCU. (Sure, I read certain favorite characters but have zero interest in how they fit outside those issues, which is a HUGE shift in thinking.)

I've literally spent decades learning the DCU and DC history. After having my early years' effort wiped out by Crisis (COIE) and the next 20 years' effort interrupted by Zero Hour then wiped out with Infinite Crisis, and then another five years' effort wiped out by the New52....I'm out of energy and interest. I just don't give a shit what DC does anymore because by the time I figure it out they'll reboot it again.

It all greatly saddens me. I so much want the DCU to be my "home universe." But I just can't build a lasting relationship with a schizophrenic...