These marketing gimmicks are nothing new, and have been going on for decades. Crisis on Infinite Earths cleaned up the DC Universe while giving it a fresh start. Marvel's Ultimate Universe gave readers cooler, and fresher, origins for the people who went and saw the Spider-Man and X-Men movies and didn't want to collect 50 years of comics. DC's response to that was the All-Star line-up with Superman and Batman with edgier, and out-of-the-box stories. Recently DC has continued that idea with their Earth One comics with an emo Superman, I mean Superman: Earth One, and the soon-to-be released Batman: Earth One. Sometimes I think those are the only two characters DC has any faith in.
Marvel NOW promises another fresh start for comic readers with more intermingling between heroes, as if Wolverine isn't in every freakin Marvel comic to begin with. But everyone knows this is Marvel's response to DC's re-boot known as the New 52. Last year the character known as The Flash changed reality in Geoff Johns Flashpoint, but when he changed it back is wasn't as we all remembered it. DC Comics took this opportunity to update characters, make them younger, break-up fan-favorite couples, and not do a damn thing with their best selling titles. Some people I know have now sworn off DC comics all together because of New 52. I think it's done more bad then good, but here's a little more about it.
BATMAN: One of two characters/worlds that seem to come out of New 52 almost unchanged Bruce Wayne still has Alfred his butler, Dick Grayson as Nightwing, Damian Wayne as Robin, and Tim Drake as Red Robin, although not a very good one. The main change is Barbara Gordon's return as Batgirl. With the Court of the Owls storyline bringing more surprises each issue like Bruce's brother (yes he has a brother) and a new Batman film just weeks away from being released I don't see these titles sliding, and shouldn't be, as each one of them is a pretty good read. Even Red Hood and the Outlaws. RULING: WINNER
GREEN LANTERN: The 2nd DC world that was virtually unaffected by Flashpoint, Geoff Johns continues writing these superb characters with the return of GL villain Sinestro back into the Corps. and the Guardians "Third Army" on the way. I haven't been following the other three GL titles too closely, in fact I stop reading New Guardians after several issues, but with an interlocking storyline on the horizon you can be sure every fan will be grabbing all four titles with their mouths dripping with fan boy saliva. RULING: WINNER
WONDER WOMAN: To be honest I've never gotten into WW, maybe that makes me sexist, or maybe it just makes me a guy who can't relate to a strong female character. At any rate, I have no idea what's going on, and could care less. RULING: DON'T CARE ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE
FLASH: Johns re-built the Scarlet Speedster into a powerhouse enough to make him the center-point of his summer blockbuster, Flashpoint. But after Flashpoint Francis Manapul has taken double duty as writer and artist. Barry Allen is no longer with Iris, which I find interesting as a late-to-the-game Flash reader, but all signs point to them getting back together at some point. But without Johns unique ability to tell a great tale Manapul's art seems lost on me. I do appreciate the character but Manapul's words aren't not enough to keep me from saving three bucks a month instead. Plus I'm still wondering where the hell is Wally West? The man was Flash for over 20 years for God sakes! RULING: LOSER
GREEN ARROW: I first got into GA after One Year Later when Oliver Queen became the mayor of Star City and have enjoyed his adventures from marrying the Black Canary to his fall right before Cry For Justice. Now Ollie is back in New 52 as younger, and now has a team around him when he goes out, and it isn't Speedy or Arsenal. Oliver Queen is not a team player. He's like Batman, except he's an asshole billionaire ALL THE TIME! He doesn't want people around him. Green Arrow #0 comes out soon with a re-telling of his origin, which could settle some of my ruffled feathers if the story is good. But if nothing else at least Arrow looks like it's worthy of taking up space on my Tivo this Fall. RULING: LOSER
AQUAMAN: Remember all the pop culture references that made fun of Aquaman throughout the years and everyone thought he was lame? Well I only have one thing to say to you all; SUUUUUCK IIIIIIT! Johns has made Aquaman a star just like he did with Green Lantern and Flash, having him take on underwater mutants, dealing with ocean soap operas, and even sprinkling in some origin tale along the way. Aquaman is my vote for thee Best Comic DC Is Publishing Right Now. My only wish is that Johns continues to write this title for almost a decade like he has Green Lantern. RULING: WINNER
JUSTICE LEAGUE: I've never really been a fan of the JLA the same way I've never really been big on the Avengers. When you put the greatest heroes together, each who have their own book, it leaves no real time for character development, or decent interaction between the characters. I enjoyed seeing Geoff Johns and Jim Lee together as much as the next fan boy, but after a while I was more excited for the Billy Batson and Shazam storyline at the end of the issue than the Justice League itself. The Teen Titans work better as a team, the JLA can save world all by themselves accept for a few team-ups every now and then. RULING: LOSER
SUPERMAN: A few years ago Marvel did their Brand New Day storyline with Spider-Man and broke up Peter Parker and Mary Jane. They turned back the clock and basically spit on 20 years of Spider-Man writers just to attract the herd of cows who had just saw Spider-Man 3. I didn't get how some Spider-Man fans felt, but now I do. I grew-up loving Superman. I was there when he proposed to Lois and told her his secret. I was there through the Death, the Reign, and the Return. I was there with the Fall of Metropolis, and the birth of New Krypton. This is not the Superman I loved! The best relationship in comic book history has been sullied to a Twilight, emo, stalker, shell of what the Man of Steel is. And I won't even go into the pussy boy that is Earth One Superman.
Clark pines for Lois in a loser fashion as they work at TV station, oh yes, a TV station. I know practically no one reads actual newspapers any more, but they do read the Internet, and people still have to write on it. Meanwhile I'm sitting here agreeing with a Nicola Cage quote, "The suit is like a Coca-Cola bottle, you don't mess with it." You now have me quoting Nicolas Cage! The whole Super family, including Supergirl and Superboy, look like hard, cold, unfeeling, aliens in those get-ups. There is nothing warm and sweet about what they're wearing! And Superboy had one of the best origins and character growth I've ever seen in comics, but hey, let's make him practically a robot instead.
RULING: TAKE A GUESS
So, overall, I'd say my feeling on New 52 are pretty disappointing, bordering on foaming-at-the-mouth mad. But I am actually excited about Batman: Earth One, mainly because the only good thing these days about DC Comics, Geoff Johns, is writing it. I'll give Marvel NOW it's fair 6 month chance like I did with New 52, but if it stinks you may want to lock up every liquor store in town because if it's bad I plan on grabbing every thing I can find and watching the Christopher Reeves Superman anthology while crying into my glass the whole time. Don't judge me.
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