Fantastic Three

Marvel Comics announced today (on the day of the release of issue #587, the finale to the story "Three") which member of the Fantastic Four gets bumped off.  Even USA Today ran an article on the story. 

SPOILER ALERT!   It's Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. 

Now, I'm all for killing off a character if it makes a good story and makes sense in the long run, but you know it's not the last we've seen of Johnny Storm.  He'll come back -- eventually -- from the Negative Zone, where he "died." 

I haven't read the final chapter in the story, but I'm a bit disappointed to learn that it was Johnny Storm that bites the dust.  I was kind of hoping it was going to be Reed Richards, as he seems to be the dullest character of the bunch.  Plus, it would give the writers an opportunity to explore additional romantic relationships for Susan Storm/Richards.  She married an older man when she was very young.  She hasn't had the opportunity to explore "what could have been." 

I used to read the Fantastic Four in the 1980s with an avid interest.  In addition to The New Teen Titans, it was the comic I most looked forward to reading every month, mostly due to John Byrne's creativity and the ability to make the characters real people.  Each one had their own distinctive personality, their own highs and lows.  I also liked that the team was pretty much confined to their own book.  Their stories were self-contained; you could read them monthly without having to get all these other crossover books in order to fully understand their adventures (unlike certain titles that begin with the letter "X" which shall remain nameless). 

Since picking up the Fantastic Four again a couple of years ago (after a 15+ year absence), all of the issues I've read have been pretty unremarkable.  I can't even recall a single storyline that stands out as memorable.  Furthermore, the characters have all been portrayed pretty two-dimensional.  Gone are the days of John Byrne's Fantastic Four.  Even the current "Three" storyline has been pretty uneventful and -- dare I say -- dull for me.  Maybe the alleged death of the Human Torch will liven up the team...but I doubt it. 

Sadly, the best representation of the Fantastic Four that I've read recently wasn't in their own series.  It was in Daken #4.  They were real people, expressing real emotions.  There was a bond/connection/friendship between Johnny Storm and Daken.  It was even bordering on a possible romance.  

Fantastic Four #588 will be the "final" issue of the series as the team supposedly goes forth in a new direction with FF #1.  In the days of both DC and Marvel renumbering its comic books (e.g., Wonder Woman and Iron Man) to establish longevity, It's ironic that Marvel has chosen to end the Fantastic Four series and begin anew with new numbering so close to what would be issue #600 and the team's 50th anniversary.

I hope the new FF series is more interesting than the Fantastic Four has been in quite some time, but with the same creative team working on it, I doubt it.  Jonathan Hickman's stories have been mediocre at best, and Steve Epting draws the characters with little attractiveness, aging them dramatically.  You question why any woman (or man) would be attracted to the "ladykiller" Johnny Storm with his wrinkles, bad haircut, and receding hairline. 

I'll continue to read FF for the time being, with the hopes that a new creative team will soon come onboard that can -- pun intended -- breathe some life back into the team.   

The W in Wonder Woman stands for WTF

It's not Wonder Woman's fault her comic has never been as popular as Batman...or even Superman.  She's the victim of low standards. 

Wonder Woman #9 (1987)

I've always tried to support the Wonder Woman comic book series so it doesn't face extinction.  I read all 44 issues of the 2006 series reboot, even though I thought all the stories were pretty lame and didn't even come close to the quality of George Perez' reboot in 1987.   Perez utilized a great balance of Diana's past and present lives.  Her innocence and naivety in "man's world" was her charm.  Her character had depth; she was more "human" in her emotions than the humans with whom she came into contact.   Her supporting cast each had distinctive, interesting

In the 2006 series, Wonder Woman was pretty two-dimensional.  She had no substance or personality.  When she wasn't acting as secret agent Diana Prince, her adventures were too steeped in boring mythology.  She had a supporting cast of hundreds, all with unpronounceable and unmemorable names.  Basically, she was/is DC Comics' Thor. 

When I heard about Wonder Woman's latest reboot, I thought, "Hooray!"  I love Gail Simone's writing in the Secret Six and Birds of Prey series, but I didn't feel she (or the writers prior to her) ever did Wonder Woman justice.  I was even looking forward to the much-despised and talked about new costume if it meant that she was finally going to become a first class act. 

Unfortunately, what we -- the readers -- instead received was a confusing tale of some unfamiliar Wonder Woman.  Her origin is different.  Her costume is different.  Her personality is different.  And the stupid white apes she was living with (seriously?) have been replaced by a talking black cat, a la Sabrina the Teenage Witch.   I'm guessing this is leading up to being a Wonder Woman in some parallel universe storyline that will lead into the new Flashpoint event (with a return of her old costume to appease fans), but it's been a lame ride so far.  And, frankly, I'm quite disappointed.  No wonder studios don't want to greenlight a movie -- or even a new TV show -- about our star-spangled heroine.  If DC can't achieve quality in her comic book, who's to say a movie or TV show would do any better?  

Wonder Woman #604 (2011)

After every issue of Wonder Woman, I'm can't help but wonder, "WTF?"  

It's about time someone stepped up to the plate and gave our Amazon Princess her due. 

We Will Be...Invincible

When Iron Man 2 came out in theaters last spring, I decided to flip through the Iron Man comic(s) currently published to see what was going on in the world of Iron Man.  I've never been a huge fan of the character, so I never read Iron Man regularly.  However, I did appreciate the fact that he was "real" and had personal problems such as alcohol abuse.  The closest I ever got to reading Iron Man regularly was when I was reading the Avengers and West Coast Avengers back in the 1980s. 

When I picked up the most current issue of Invincible Iron Man, I immediately noticed the impressive art.  It was incredibly lifelike.  I had never before heard of the artist, Salvador Larroca, but I was amazed at the realism on the pages.  Never had Tony Stark looked so three-dimensional to me.  He didn't have that creepy, mustached, middle-aged man look to him anymore.  He was younger, handsome, and sporting a goatee.  Even his blue eyes stood out against his dark hair.  

Invincible Iron Man #30

I bought issue #25 and brought it home to read.  Not only was the artwork something to behold, but the story (written by Matt Fraction) was fantastic, too.  It involved human interaction and personality clashes.  Fraction seems to be all about character development -- traits, flaws, strengths -- which is why I've stuck around for the past year now.  There's very little superheroing and a lot of character interaction.  In issue #30, Tony and Sasha Hammer play a game of cat and mouse with all kinds of sexual innuendos.  I've learned more about Tony Stark and his supporting cast in the past year than I would have if I had read Iron Man throughout the entire 1980s.  

As long as Fraction and Larroca are onboard for The Invincible Iron Man, so am I. 

Let's Get Animated

Although this blog is about comic books, I'd like to take some time to comment on some of the animated series that have spawned from comic books.   

Teen Titans animated series

The New Teen Titans was my favorite comic book series back in the 80s.  So when the Teen Titans cartoon was announced, I was so excited for its 2003 debut.  Then I watched the first episode.  These weren't the teens I knew and loved.  This show was geared toward the Teletubbies market.  It was literally one of the worst shows I've ever watched, and I was personally insulted by its lack of substance.  How could they do this to such beloved characters?  I never watched another episode.

Young Justice comic book series

Cut to: 2007.  I start reading comic books again after 15 years of being comic book-free, thanks to Geoff Johns' work on the new Teen Titans series.  I pick up all the back issues.  This also prompts me to check out the Young Justice series from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.  I buy and read a few issues.  I discover it's just as bad as the Teen Titans animated TV show. I stick to the Teen Titans comic and forget about any of their history that I missed. 

Batman: The Brave and the Bold
animated series

Batman: The Brave and the Bold debuted in 2008 on the Cartoon Network.  At first, I was disappointed in the format, hoping for something more along the lines of Batman: The Animated Series or Justice League Unlimited.  Now, though, I've really grown to appreciate the campiness of the series, reminiscent of the 1960s Batman show and 1970s Saturday morning cartoons.  I also love seeing appearances by lesser known DC Comics characters in each episode. 

Avengers animated series

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon debuted this past fall on Disney XD.  It's been okay, but nothing spectacular, story-wise.  I guess that's to be expected since the many new Avengers comic book series that were started or re-started in the fall have been mediocre themselves.  I continue to half-watch it while doing other things around the house, though. 

Young Justice animated series

So when I hear about the new Young Justice animated series on the Cartoon Network, I'm a bit hesitant.  I'm quickly reminded of the Teen Titans animated series and the Young Justice comic book, both of which were too juvenile for even teenagers.  After watching the first episode, though, I know it's going to be one of my favorite shows on TV.  It's mature enough for adults to watch, yet not too complicated for kids to understand.  And while the series doesn't resemble the current Teen Titans comic book, it doesn't resemble the Young Justice comic book either. And that's a good thing.  Young Justice is about the sidekicks of members of the Justice League of America being inducted into the JLA.  To their surprise, though, it's not as full-fledged members.  They're still viewed as just sidekicks.  This prompts them to prove their worth.  

Young Justice animated series

I'm excited about the show's prospects and the promise of additional Teen Titans Young Justice members to come.  Awww...yeah!

Gone Too Soon

Lately, Marvel Comics seems to be canceling its new ongoing series without any notice.  Kinda like showing up at work one day and being given a pink slip (does anybody really have these "pink slips" anymore?).  Case in point:  Young Allies.  Canceled abruptly after six issues.  Hawkeye & Mockingbird.  Canceled abruptly after six issues.  And now Black Widow.  Canceled abruptly after eight issues.  You can breathe normally, though, X-Men fans.  Your sixteen different series about the same X-Men team members in sixteen different simultaneously occurring situations still survive...and I'm sure there are more to come.  

There is the new four-issue limited series called Widowmaker that stars Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and Black Widow, but so far (having only read issue #1) it's as lame as the Hawkeye & Mockingbird series was.  I guess Marvel was trying to combine readers from the two series to see if they had a market and could increase their sales numbers? 

The Black Widow series was started back in the spring, around the same time that Iron Man 2 was released in the theaters.  I guess Marvel wanted to capitalize on her appearance in the film and was hoping that would translate to book sales.  Apparently, it did not.  And that's a shame.  Black Widow was one of the best character-driven series to come along in quite some time.  The stories weren't really superhero-ish; they were more James Bond-ish or Alias-ish.  The issues focused on the stories and characters, not any special powers.  The first five issues featured a storyline about someone trying to frame Black Widow for their crimes.  It also dug up parts of Black Widow's secret past (SPOILER: dead baby) that she'd rather keep hidden.  The last three issues' storyline felt like an international/political thriller.  All eight issues were great.  The finale tries to segue the reader into the new Widowmaker limited series.  

Naturally, I bought Widowmaker because I love all three main characters.  I loved Hawkeye and Mockingbird back in their West Coast Avengers days (unfortunately, their new canceled ongoing series didn't capture the magic they used to have) and I've always been a fan of Black Widow, despite her seemingly lack of good stories.  So it only seemed like a given that I'd like a series with all three.  Wrong.  Widowmaker has all the flair that Hawkeye & Mockingbird did, that is to say: not much.  Black Widow does better on her own without the superhero influence. 

RIP, Black Widow.  I hardly knew ye.  At least there's still Scarlet. 

The Catman Scratcheth

Being that this blog is named after him, it's only fitting that I plug his appearance in an upcoming comic/storyline.  Catman will be appearing in Birds of Prey #11, as he and Huntress attempt to go out on their first date.  

See?  That's what's been missing from the ongoing Secret Six series:  Catman's sexual prowess.  After all, he bedded the deadly Cheshire and she bore a son from that union. (Although she also did the same with Speedy/Red Arrow/Arsenal and they had a daughter, so maybe she's just a slut.)  And then later, he hooked up with Huntress.  Now let's hope this becomes an ongoing relationship/fling/no strings attached affair.  Comic book characters need to have personal lives, too, you know...

Happy Valentine's Day, Catman and Huntress.  I hope you survive the experience.

Truth, Justice, and the Straczynski Way

I was getting a bit tired of all the Kryptonians that were overloading the Superman comic books, so I was glad when that storyline came to an end.  Since Superman's monumental issue #700, I've enjoyed the "slow" approach that each issue has taken with the "Grounded" storyline.  Each issue has had Superman dealing with a regular, everyday human (i.e., not other worldly) situation, like domestic violence.  As promised, Superman truly is reconnecting with the everyday people he is committed to protecting, including his readers.  Superman has reconnected with me, and it's actually one of the best series/storylines out there right now, in my (and Superman's) humble opinion.  I'm kind of confused, though, as to why DC Comics would make a BIG deal about J. Michael Straczynski joining as Superman's new writer and then suddenly have a "Grounded Interlude" story written by someone else, featuring Editor Perry White and random other Daily Planet employees.  Then to find that J. Michael Straczynski is no longer the writer on the series and someone else taking over the "Grounded" storyline, but I'm sure it's all political and some behind-the-scenes problems that we, as readers, don't need to know about.  Or maybe it's because the Superman: Earth One graphic novel took off (also written by Straczynski) and they figured they'd better cash in on sequels while they still can.

So far, I think Superman's stop in Chicago has been my favorite visit in the long-running "Grounded" storyline.  In the issue, Superman defends an abused wife and child from their husband/father.  It was one of the most "real" stories I've read in comics in awhile, and it was a welcome change of pace --despite the subject matter -- from superhero battles. 

Now, speaking of Superman: Earth One, I was psyched about reading it, having read so much hype from newspaper outlets and other news sources that don't normally cover comic book news.  They referred to this new, alternate tale of Superman's origin as a modern version of the classic story.  Superman, wearing a leather jacket, was supposed to be "edgy" and hipper, like the characters from Twilight.  Unfortunately, like the characters from Twilight, this Superman was just so-so.  All of these characters come off as two-dimensional.  After finishing the Superman: Earth One graphic novel, I didn't see what the big deal was.  There are so many other great stories told in other comic books, why did media outlets choose to focus on promoting this mediocre one?

I'll continue to read Superman's monthly series and hope it continues to offer such genuine storytelling.  However, I probably won't jump on the Earth One bandwagon, just like I've ignored Marvel Comics' Ultimate comics.  It's hard enough following one Earth's superheroes and keeping track of them, let alone multiple ones.

Painting the Town Scarlet

I just read the first three issues of Brian Michael Bendis' creator-owned Scarlet back-to-back and, I have to admit, it is fantastic.  Scarlet is a vigilante formed after the killing of her boyfriend by a corrupt cop.  She's out for vengeance.  But not just anybody.  She's out for vengeance against the whole corrupt system within the police department.  For now, she's focusing on her own city, Portland, Oregon, but I can see her branching out eventually in her attempt to right the wrongs in the world.  To quote her, "If this world has to burn to the ground before all the fuckers learn to stop being fuckers, then that's what its going to do."  Love it. 

Bendis writes Scarlet like John Byrne used to write The Sensational She-Hulk: the main character talks to the reader.  She tells the reader a story...her story.  That's one of the best aspects about this comic.  When it's done right.  And Bendis does it right with Scarlet.  

I never found myself bored with any of the story.  Bendis kept it moving along.  We, the readers, feel like we're right there along with Scarlet.  We feel her pain.  We understand why she's upset and why she becomes what she's been forced to become.  

Alex Maleev is the artist on Scarlet.  He also worked with Bendis on the short-lived 2009-2010 Spider-Woman series.  His style of art is different.  It's dark with rough edges/lines, which suits Scarlet perfectly since it's a dark-themed story.  There are bright spots (or highlights), though, in all the darkness, such as Scarlet's red hair.  It stands out, much like the red that stood out in Sin City.  Or Batwoman. 

My only disappointment?  I'm paying $3.95 for $2.95 of story.  Like the new Avengers comics (that I've dropped for pricing and poor story reasons), the rest of Scarlet is just words on a page.  The "filler" contains interview questions and answers from Bendis, as well as letters from readers and the responses to them.  Not just one page, but pages and pages and pages.  I was literally surprised in issue #3 when the story stopped about halfway through the comic I was holding.   

I'm looking forward to reading Scarlet for many years to come, continuing down the same intriguing path.  I only hope they can cut down on all the "chatter." 

In Space, No One Can Hear You Poop.

I've always liked Green Lantern as a superhero and character.  Unfortunately, I've never been able to really get into reading about his adventures on a regular basis.  I think I attribute it to his storylines always being too "out of this world."  He's not grounded enough.  We never get to see him as Hal Jordan except in origin stories.  He's always just Green Lantern.  It's almost like he's not human, and that's a shame.  I really like Hal Jordan.  I do.  We just never get to see him.   


I decided to give the monthly Green Lantern series a try again when I began reading comics again and discovered (and loved) Geoff Johns' previous writing on Teen Titans and Justice Society of America.  I thought that here was someone who could do Hal Jordan justice.  Then with Green Lantern being a central focus of the Blackest Night event, picking up Green Lantern was a no-brainer.  

I started with the Secret Origin storyline that ran through issues #29-35.  I was happy to see Hal Jordan, the person.  However, as I stated before, this was an origin story; the only time we ever get to see the "real" Hal Jordan.  As the series jumped forward to present-day, it was the same old, same old.  The Hal Jordan persona is lost to all things Green Lantern.

Another disappointment I have with the monthly Green Lantern series is the title.  It's Green Lantern, not Green Lanterns. So why does it feel that this series is nothing more than an extension of the Green Lantern Corps series?  We're not just seeing a storyline involving Hal Jordan Green Lantern.  Every issue involves at least a handful of Green/Orange/Blue/Red/Indigo/Yellow Lanterns.  That's why I don't pick up Green Lantern Corps.  There are just too many characters that I don't care about.  With such a large cast, do we ever really get to know them individually?  Is it too much to ask that we get to learn about Hal Jordan as a person?  Does he have any sort of personal/private life?  When does he eat?  Shower?  Does he have friends or family that don't wear colorful rings on their fingers?  Does he date?  Does he have sex?  

Lastly, am I the only one who considers Larfleeze to be the Jar Jar Binks of the Green Lantern world?  Does anyone besides the creators really like him?  (And, just for the record, he does not resemble the Muppet Gonzo as he's consistently referred to in the comics; he resembles the Muppet Uncle Deadly.)

Sadly, after continuously reading 30 issues of the current Green Lantern series, I've been underwhelmed, for many of the same reasons I couldn't get into his series back in the 1980s.  It's time for me to move on...