Having fallen behind on some series, I just finished a Katana marathon, reading the last five issues of the cancelled 10-issue series.
Wow. Did that suck. I shouldn't be surprised, though. It's my own fault, really, for thinking that anything current by Ann Nocenti would be good. I like Katana, though, as a character and wanted to be supportive of her solo series. Correction: I like the pre-New 52 Katana. This new one is defunct of personality. When she was a member of the Outsiders back in the 80s, she had a distinct personality that was hard-as-nails, yet she had a mothering instinct toward the naive Halo. Now we're presented with a character devoid of personality that talks to her sword. ALL. THE. TIME.
It didn't help that the entire storyline presented in Katana's solo series was so convoluted and poorly written. Nobody ever really knew what was going on. And the New 52 Outsiders is a society formed of various weapon clans? Yawn.
I really can't say much more about how bad the series was other than to quote an article I read online about Ann Nocenti's writing: "It’s like if I was a food critic and you heard that there was a new
restaurant down the block –- it’s a dumpster with the word “poop” scrawled
across it in spray paint. Do you really need to hear my recommendation?"
With that, I bid adieu to Katana (and any future comics written by Ann Nocenti).
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?
Nightwing #27 and #28 were two of the most interesting comics I've read in quite some time. Why? Both of these comics provided a healthy balance of Richard Grayson's personal life and his nightlife as crimefighting alter ego Nightwing. That's something that's been pretty lacking in DC Comics ever since the invention of the "New 52." It seems like they're trying to be grittier and more (dare I say it?) Marvelesque, focusing on battle scenes rather than the personal interaction between characters.
I miss the insights into the lives of superheroes' "secret identities." For me, that was always the heart of comic books and the reason why I kept reading them from month to month. They were their own type of soap opera. Battling villains was just something they did on the side.
Remember when Dick Grayson left his Robin costume behind and said hello to Nightwing in New Teen Titans back in the 80s? When Wonder Woman had to deal with a teenager's suicide? When the Invisible Woman suffered a miscarriage? That was great storytelling! It made the characters feel real, making them more believably human.
Comics from DC and Marvel no longer seem to be content-driven. They're more focused on battle after battle and producing six-issue stories that feel overly drawn out just so they can collect them and re-sell them in the graphic novel format. They've lost focus (and probably readers) because of it. In fact, I've dropped a lot of comics of late because they've become so...boring. Sometimes I can't even tell any of the characters or series apart anymore. That's how bland and formulaic they've become.
I appreciate that Kyle Higgins, the writer on the current (but soon to be cancelled) Nightwing series, provided some great storytelling, weaving Dick's roommate problems with his challenges with new villainess, the Marionette.
Harley Quinn (aka Harlequin, aka Dr. Harleen Quinzel) is one of my favorite DC characters because she's so colorful and off-the-wall. She's a former psychiatrist who turns to crime and falls in love with the Joker. What a concept! A love interest for Joker? Who'd have ever thought anyone could fall in love with a pasty whackjob like him? It was a bizarre love story 50 years in the making.
I wasn't reading comics when Harley was given her first solo monthly series from 2001-2003, but I was fortunate to have been around when Gotham City Sirens was published from 2009-2011, a series starring Harley, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. It was a decent series and it humanized Harley, showing us her friendship/kinship with other women, especially her closeness to Pamela (Poison Ivy). It also portrayed her as in between a hero and a villain, much like Catwoman.
Unfortunately, there seems to have been a lot of inconsistency in developing Harley's character/personality over the years. With DC Comics' New 52 reboot, Harley has another new, more violent personality; she's a member of the Suicide Squad; and she's wearing a much different costume. She's also a lot more methodical and serious, which is kind of disappointing because her goofiness, innocence, and naivety were her biggest appealing qualities and what set her apart from other villainesses. And, although I like the idea of her new costume, I think it could be a lot less skimpy/slutty. Her former costume was head-to-toe covering, which seemed a little silly (like her), but the slutty look is a bit too extreme, too. She's not Harley anymore, and she doesn't have that personality that would make me think she'd fall in love with the Joker.
Now, in late 2013, Harley is being given a chance at a second solo monthly series. DC Comics recently released Harley Quinn #0. What should have been an origin story was kind of a throwaway issue. It featured Harley breaking the fourth wall (like John Byrne successfully did with She-Hulk back in the 1980s) and going from scene to scene, but there didn't feel like there was any flow or story whatsoever. It was basically a showcase for different artists. A multitude of artists contributed to the issue, with the supposed hunt for a permanent artist for the series. Why Amanda Conner (one of the co-writers) doesn't illustrate it, I have no idea. She did an AMAZING job with Before Watchmen's Silk Spectre, and it's evident from her cover art that she could produce a beautiful Harley Quinn comic.
Anyway, I look forward to reading Harley's misadventures in her own comic outside of Suicide Squad, but I hope the zero issue wasn't any indication of how future issues will be. Harley and her readers deserve better.
I just finished reading the hardcover compilation of Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1. It collects the first six issues of the Injustice: Gods Among Us series. The story is very well-written by Tom Taylor and beautifully illustrated by
Jheremy Raapack. The hardcover that collects the first six issues is attractive itself, too. I was very impressed by the initial presentation, and then became so thoroughly engaged with the storyline that I read all six issues within the book quickly.
The
series is based on the video game (which I've never played) and serves
as a prequel to the events in the game. The story involves the division
of members of the Justice League into two "teams" going up against one
another; one led by Superman, one led by Batman. Superman and his followers want to right the wrongs in the world by any means (Machiavelli's "the end justifies the means" philosophy). Batman, on the other hand, wants to right the wrongs within legal confines, using the established (albeit broken) justice system. I won't reveal any spoilers, but I will say that the writer does a fantastic job of not only keeping the story moving, but also with developing each character's personality.
The real injustice here is that Injustice: Gods Among Us takes place outside of the current DC Universe because this storyline is SO much better than Justice League stories currently being written in the New 52. What a shame that the talents of Taylor and Raapack are being wasted by not giving them a regular monthly series that takes place within the confines of the New 52 and delivers powerful stories with attention to characterization. Instead, we're stuck with bland writers like Ann Nocenti. Taylor also wrote the brilliant Rose and Thorn one-shot which was also a favorite of mine. So, kudos to Taylor on his awesome writing skills.
And the art in Injustice is so amazing and lifelike, too! I've rarely seen superheroes like Superman or Wonder Woman look better (although I'm not sure why Lois Lane is a redhead).
I look forward to reading the new ongoing Injustice series and (hopefully) watching the careers of Taylor and Raapack fluorish.
