Teen Titans vs. Champions

With the two Teen Titans series set in the New 52 Universe that truly sucked (not to mention the even worse Ravagers spin-off), I had hopes that the latest Teen Titans series set in DC's Rebirth would return to its New Teen Titans roots, or would at least resemble Geoff Johns' fantastic 2003 series.  I've read the Teen Titans: Rebirth #1 issue, and I'm disappointed to report that it doesn't get much better, folks.

Gone are Bunker, the new Power Girl, Wonder Girl (?), and Superboy, with additions of Starfire, the new Kid Flash, and Damian replacing Tim as the Robin on the team, but it still doesn't have that spark or character chemistry that the 1980s or 2003 series had.  Everyone just seemed bratty with shitty dialogue, just like the New 52 Teen Titans.  This was DC's big opportunity to do something great (again) with the Teen Titans...and they sadly fucked it up (again).

At the same time, I also read (and compared) the first issue of Marvel's new Champions series, which features teenage versions of Avengers characters.  Champions captured the spirit of the original 1960s, 1980s, and 2000s Teen Titans (and TV's Young Justice) that DC's "Rebirth" of the Teen Titans should have.  Fed up with the adult Avengers, the teenage Ms. Marvel, Totally Awesome Hulk, time-traveling Cyclops, Miles Morales' Spider-Man (boy?), Nova, and Vision's daughter Viv, form their own team.  The dialogue isn't cheesy or forced, and the first issue provides a great banding together of members.

Because the Teen Titans were always my favorite growing up, I hate to admit that in the contest of Teen Titans vs. Champions, Champions wins hands down.

All the Single Ladies

I just finished reading a few of Marvel's new #1 comics, specifically Fantastic Four #1, Ms. Marvel #1, and She-Hulk #1.  

Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk were both sensationally crafted stories, which is too rare from DC and Marvel NOWadays.  What made these two first issues so great was that they were both character-driven.  They didn't rely on fighting villains and battle sequences.  They gave the reader insight into the main characters as actual characters, people who just happen to be (or will become) superheroes.  Ms. Marvel tells the story of Kamala Khan, a teenage Pakistani-American.  She lives in a house where her parents have old-fashioned values.  Because she's somewhat of a nerd, a good kid, and physically and religiously different from others at school, she's not popular.  She does have her friends, though, and we're introduced to them as well.  She reminded me a lot of a female teenage Peter Parker when he was new at being Spider-Man.  The entire issue served as an introduction to Kamala the person.  Only at the end of the issue do events begin that will (we assume) lead to her becoming the new Ms. Marvel.  The artwork seemed well-suited for this particular comic, too.  It reminded me of an independent comic.    

Because of the cover, I wasn't sure if the new adjective-less She-Hulk comic was going to "break the fourth wall" like John Byrne's Sensational She-Hulk did back in the 80s.  The nostalgic part of me was hoping it would, but the sensible part of me thought it might seem redundant and not be pulled off as successfully.  Spoiler alert: it doesn't.  The first issue is about Jennifer Walters, Esq., who just happens to be big and green.  The writer, Charles Soule, focused first on Jen as a person, not as a superhero.  We see her in her everyday life as a lawyer, doing some heroic things on the side, including a visit to Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), but it's not the main focus of the book.  It was an interesting story about Jen acting as an attorney for a woman in need, as well as figuring out her own future.  I'm not as crazy about the artwork for She-Hulk as I am for Ms. Marvel, though.  It seems almost too basic and cartoon-like, and doesn't portray Jen as the beautiful (but green) woman she is.  I think I'll get used to it, though, and appreciate it for what it is.

Both Ms. Marvel #1 and She-Hulk #1 were steps in the right direction content-wise, and they've quickly jumped to the top of my must-read list on a monthly basis.  I'm already looking forward to (and can't wait to read) the second issues of each. 

Sadly, as expected, Fantastic Four #1 was pretty humdrum.  I think it's about time they lose the "World's Greatest Comic Magazine" title until they've really earned it again.  And what was up with those new red costumes?  There was no explanation given to the reader.  And why in the roster did they list "Susan Storm" instead of Susan Richards?  She hasn't used "Storm" as her singular last name since she married Reed in the 1960s.  Other than marketing purposes and sales, I'm not sure what constituted another #1 issue of the Fantastic Four after they just had one last year.  The only interesting turn of events that happened was that Ben went back to Alicia and told her he wanted to see her again.  Where's the banter between Ben and Johnny?  Where's Johnny, the ladies man?  I'm really trying to love the Fantastic Four comic again like I did in the 1980s, but every resurrection since I started reading them again in 2008 doesn't measure up.  The story and dialogue are average at best.  Should we begin looking for a new #1 in 2015?

Captain Marvel-less

When I heard last year that Ms. Marvel was being "promoted" to Captain Marvel and getting her own new series, I thought, "Well deserved!"  Back in the day, Ms. Marvel was created as Marvel Comics' answer to DC's Supergirl; she was the female version of a male powerhouse.  I've always liked her character since her days as Ms. Marvel in the 1970s and Binary in the 1980s.  I also loved the connection between she and Rogue (back when Rogue was ultra cool, a bit wicked, and not some hooded no-personality with a daddy fetish).  There was such animosity between the two that led to some great tension in the X-books.  Ms. Marvel may have started out as a "super girl," but she became so much more.

My first reaction a year ago to the released images of Ms. Marvel as the new Captain Marvel was, "Why are they making this once-sexy woman look like a bird-headed dyke?"  Yes, that was a brash and stereotypical thought and comment.  However, it wasn't far from the truth.  Her new hairstyle did look like that atop a cockatoo, and not unlesbian-like. 

Despite my initial reaction, I gave the series a try, and I recently had the chance to read the first year of the new Captain Marvel series.  Sadly, I'm underwhelmed.  The stories and characterizations are very mediocre.  The time-travel saga with the female pilots felt like I was caught in a time loop and couldn't get out.  The highlight of Captain Marvel's first year was probably the guest appearances of Monica Rambeau, the 1980s Captain Marvel, another character I really liked. She could make for a great regular supporting character. 

Fortunately, in the later issues, Carol Danvers is letting her hair grow long again and gaining back some of her feminine appearance, but the stories still feel lacking to me.  Worse, the art has gotten poorer with Filipe Andrade's distorted imagery of Captain Marvel.  For instance, what's happened to her face?   It's enough to send children screaming.  Is there a new Cubist movement?

I don't see myself continuing to read the new Captain Marvel series.  It feels like such a letdown, which is disappointing because Marvel has so many great female characters in their universe, but too few solo female comic books.  There's Captain Marvel and, um...Red She-Hulk.  Is that it?  Am I missing any?  Even Marvel Comics' new upcoming female-only X-book is simply titled X-Men.  What's that about, ladies?  Marvel would probably reply, "Female-driven comic books just don't sell."  The reality, though, is that crappy comic books don't sell.  It doesn't have to do with sex; it has to do with quality storytelling (and art).