Mid-century DC Comics were defined by offering outlandish circumstances for their protagonists to face on its covers; situations often conceived as a single image by an editor or artist that the scripter was challenged to write his way into and out of in the comic produced out of the crazy concept. This offset the episodic nature of the books' adamantine status quo, set from the beginning of every story and restored with each ending. Modern DC Comics aren't all that different, which is why they proposed a month long gimmick of gatefold covers that when unfolded revealed a "holy s***!" surprise development. DC has since dubbed the stunt "WTF Certified," although it seems like much of the whattafuggery is going on behind the scenes. For instance, the image above was solicited for April's issue of All Star Western, only to be reworked extensively by another artist. A theory is that the yellow hand wielding the gun was a time lost Booster Gold, but surprise, DC actually decided that this was too clearly the debut of New 52 B'rett. Seems so obvious when I point it out, right? Those sly dogs!
In less delusional news, Jim Starlin has taken over Stormwatch, and seems intent on driving me bonkers in doing so. I'm a Starlin fan from way back, and while I haven't enjoyed much of his work in recent... well, we're kind of coming up on a plural of "decade"... he's still doing interesting stuff that I wanted out of this team in the first place. Hellstrike rejoins the team, after having been a member throughout the first Wildstorm volume. The skeevy New 52 Midnighter and Apollo appear to be killed and replaced by the Ellis/Hitch originals. Debut member "Storm Control" looks an awful lot like a Weatherman, and Starlin has even shoehorned one of his own properties (the Weird) from another book (an indulgence he pioneered in the '70s, and he will presumably once again continue telling stories from years back that he didn't get to finish in the books where they started.) The cover to a successive issue indicates the roster changes (or reversals, as the case may be) are permanent, and there's another race of beetle-browed aliens to battle in some sort of cosmic odyssey. Damn it all to hell-- why isn't Martian Manhunter in this Stormwatch-- the sort I'd imagined when the title was announced two years ago? WTF indeed, DC!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
WTF DC?
Mid-century DC Comics were defined by offering outlandish circumstances for their protagonists to face on its covers; situations often conceived as a single image by an editor or artist that the scripter was challenged to write his way into and out of in the comic produced out of the crazy concept. This offset the episodic nature of the books' adamantine status quo, set from the beginning of every story and restored with each ending. Modern DC Comics aren't all that different, which is why they proposed a month long gimmick of gatefold covers that when unfolded revealed a "holy s***!" surprise development. DC has since dubbed the stunt "WTF Certified," although it seems like much of the whattafuggery is going on behind the scenes. For instance, the image above was solicited for April's issue of All Star Western, only to be reworked extensively by another artist. A theory is that the yellow hand wielding the gun was a time lost Booster Gold, but surprise, DC actually decided that this was too clearly the debut of New 52 B'rett. Seems so obvious when I point it out, right? Those sly dogs!
In less delusional news, Jim Starlin has taken over Stormwatch, and seems intent on driving me bonkers in doing so. I'm a Starlin fan from way back, and while I haven't enjoyed much of his work in recent... well, we're kind of coming up on a plural of "decade"... he's still doing interesting stuff that I wanted out of this team in the first place. Hellstrike rejoins the team, after having been a member throughout the first Wildstorm volume. The skeevy New 52 Midnighter and Apollo appear to be killed and replaced by the Ellis/Hitch originals. Debut member "Storm Control" looks an awful lot like a Weatherman, and Starlin has even shoehorned one of his own properties (the Weird) from another book (an indulgence he pioneered in the '70s, and he will presumably once again continue telling stories from years back that he didn't get to finish in the books where they started.) The cover to a successive issue indicates the roster changes (or reversals, as the case may be) are permanent, and there's another race of beetle-browed aliens to battle in some sort of cosmic odyssey. Damn it all to hell-- why isn't Martian Manhunter in this Stormwatch-- the sort I'd imagined when the title was announced two years ago? WTF indeed, DC!
Stormwatch seems to be going for some changes for the better. The old Midnighter would never have contemplated killing a team mate -- particularly one who is a child.
ReplyDeleteI hope that we will see some good things out of DC in the coming months.
Wait, what? B'rett? For real?
ReplyDeleteI liked the Silver Age conceit of artists drawing covers and writers having to come up with stories to match. I think that rivalry was good for creativity. It worked really well for Mystery in Space. I love getting to the panel that matches the cover--it's like when you go to the movies and recognize that scene from the trailer.
However, not too keen on the modern day incarnation of this. Previously it was a creative exercise for the writer and artist, not a gimmick to mess with the minds of readers. Sometimes the Internet just gets in the way of storytelling...too many opportunities for disappointment after months of fan speculation.
Liss, I'm 100% certain that it's not B'rett, in (very small) part because it's probably Booster Gold. And in other news, no one at DC knows who B'rett is, at all, f'sure.
ReplyDeleteAh, thought so. I'm not too coherent at 3 a.m.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the sleeve is green is throwing me off from thinking it's Booster Gold, though. Those colors are more Mr. Miracle to me. He's due for a comeback, right?
Wonder Woman is getting all of the New Gods, right now. I figure Booster is just covering up his gaudy costume.
ReplyDelete