That, if you can’t tell (and OMG how could you?) is supposed to be Harley Quinn!
My reaction was something like the title of this post but less articulate.
I love Harley Quinn! Love her! This isn’t her!
I don’t object to the idea of character redesigns. In fact I’ve liked quite a few of the ones I’ve seen for the new DC so far. But this is to put it mildly an abomination!

The redesigns were supposed to update the look, but stick to the essence of the character. What about this is Harley?
As a refresher this is what Harley has more or less looked like for about two decades.

Isn’t she cute? She’s spunky, kooky, violent, and yes sexy. She is dressed very much like the clown archetype that inspired her name.

She isn’t a skank! She doesn’t look like she is about to eat your liver. She might, but she wouldn’t telegraph it like that. She isn’t in danger of contracting a venerial disease anytime she sits down.
I wouldn’t have cared if DC introduced this thing as a new character. I probably wouldn’t have bought the book she appears in, but to each their own. If they want to publish this character then fine, just don’t call her Harley Quinn! Call her Lady Wetdream vonTrollop derGonerrhea and be done with it. And leave my Harley alone, you bastards!!!!!!!

Or if you would rather enter yourself (and why wouldn’t you?) you can do that here.

And she would have no problem portraying the Jess’ youthful exuberance, in flashbacks to her more innocent Jewel days. (Just noticed I cast an actress named Jewel to play a character code named Jewel, that is imaginative of me).  I have not seen her in many roles outside the “verse” , so I don’t know what kind of a range she has, but she endeared herself to me so much as Kaylee, that I want to see her carry a series, even if I’m not entirely certain she can pull off Jessica acerbic wit. (Although she did manage to make Simon to feel like a moron, more than once).

My next two choices on the other hand, would have no problem with that aspect of the character.

Caroline Dhavernas, was the lead on another series that was cancelled far too early.  If Firefly’s run was short, then Caroline’s show Wonderfalls’, was microscopic.  Only three episodes ever aired on network television.  Luckily around twelve episodes of this quirky, funny, and often touching but not cloying, show were filmed, and they were released on DVD.  (Coincidentally Jewel Staite guest starred on a few episodes).

As the main character Jaye, Caroline displayed a talent for the biting, yet deadpan delivery, which is just how Jessica sounds in my head.  While Jaye was just naturally antisocial, rather than having become so due to a trauma, I have confidence that Caroline could convey that she was covering up a deep secret.  She is about to debut in the cast of Shonda Rhymes’ new show Off the Map, which is one of the reasons I plan to watch it, but if that show doesnt take off, or even if it does, she would be perfect in the part of Jessica.

Like the my other picks, I am shocked that my final choice has not had a bigger career.  She is incredibly talented.  Alicia Witt has been working steadily since she was fourteen years-old, yet she is not a household name.  She has been in projects as varied as the family drama Friday Night Lights, the sitcom Cybill, and the scifi epic Dune.

She is probably closer to the age that Jessica is meant to be in the comic, than the other two.  (Though who knows if the network, would want a heroine as old as, [gasp!] thirty-five).  And since she  has been in the business for so long, she could probably relate to Jess’ loss of innocence, and idealism, about her chosen profession.  Despite no longer being a twenty-something ingenue, she is absolutely stunning.  Which I’m sure would help grease the wheels of casting.  Plus she too is a master of the dead pan delivery.

Here is quick side by side of each.  Got a favorite among them?  Or your own pick?

So those are my top picks.  Any ideas about who should be the supporting cast?  Anyone out there scream Luke Cage to you?  Or Miss Marvel?

“So Super Duper” is a cute story about a character named Psyche, a new-ish Super Hero who isn’t quite as super as everyone else on his team. Psyche slowly discovers that his lack of superheroness may not be the only thing that is different about him.

Listen to ReadComics.org Podcast Episode #049 (23.3 MB, 49 minutes)

The two standouts from my pull this week, both featured redheads on the covers.  In fact the covers were so similarly composed, that I kept mistaking one for the other, when flipping through my stack.  I had a brief moment of shock when I realized Fables has been running for over eight years.  I need to give it some props, because in that time it has rarely dipped in quality.  I think people have basically come to expect that it will be excellent, and therefore have stopped writing about when it is.  I am really enjoying the current arc, it is focusing on the relationship between Rose Red and Snow White, and clarifying how Snow White went from the happy young peasant girl, with a loving mother and sister, to the orphaned only child princess, with an evil stepmother.  It also shows what caused the rift between Rose and Snow, something that has been alluded to since issue one.  I’ve seen some complaints, that these issues have drawn the the focus from, (and have very little to do with) the overarching plot of the dark being that has taken over Fabletown.  That is entirely true, but I don’t mind really.  I am just as interested in the dynamics of these two sisters, that are essentially the heart of the series.  I trust that Willingham will take us back to the main plot, in his own time, and perhaps by the conclusion of the interlude, it won’t turn out to be as disconnected as it may now seem.

Scarlet is the new creator owned series by Brian Michael Bendis, and Alex Maleev, who previously teamed up for Daredevil.  I picked it up partially because I had really liked their run on Daredevil (I know I was harsh the last time I wrote about Daredevil, but that was because I felt it had gotten repetitive), but mainly because I really liked Bendis’ last series starring a female protagonist, Alias.  So far the heroine of Scarlet (who is named Scarlet) seems to have almost as much of a messed up past Jessica Jones, but it has put her on a more proactive path, than Jess.  She gets violent, where Jess just got drunk.  Scarlet’s story is told by Scarlet, and she breaks the fourth wall by talking right to the audience.  In fact it is almost unfair to say the fourth wall gets broken, because it never really seems to exist at all.  She is speaking to us nearly the entire issue.  It is an intriguing first issue, the character is instantly compelling, and the art is gorgeous.  I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

Marty and I (and baby Colleen) joined in on Jason’s other podcast this week and had a great time!

Film Confessional podcast Episode 9.1 includes a spoilery review of the new Iron Man movie. Episode 9.2 will be posted soon- stay tuned to the end for our discussion of favorite superhero movies!

Crazy Sexy Geeks 2

It just goes to show that free comic book day comics can be really good! Love and Capes has been one of my favorite comics since back in 2007, when I picked up issue #4 in a stack with all the other Free Comic Book Day comics. I’m not sure, but I think there may have been a L&C issue in every free comic book day since then. ReadComics.org interviewed Zahler for our first — and so far only — creator interview. If you haven’t read any Love and Capes, I highly recommend picking up the first couple trade paperbacks. (You probably don’t have to read them from the beginning, but it is a continuous story, so not only would you be spoiled, but you’ll definitely enjoy them more if you do.)

Anyway, after I got back home from braving the lines of comic book fanatics at The Source this morning, I devoured issue #13, laughing out loud every other page, and biting my tongue so as not to read every punchline out loud to Florence and Susie. When I finished the comic, I was excited to read in the back of this issue that Zahler is finally getting a chance to give Love and Capes the dedication and regular attention that it deserves (13 issues in how many years?) with the announcement that IDW will be picking up L&C for a monthly five-part miniseries! But that announcement also came with some bad news, as apparently Zahler is going to “take a break” from L&C for a bit after that. I hope to be reading L&C long into the future, at least until Mark and Abby become empty-nesters. Here’s to another fantastic issue of Love and Capes.

1) Grandma Ben, from Jeff Smith’s Bone

though her granddaughter Thorn is pretty special too, Grandma Ben is awesome, and unique.   When was the last time, any medium introduced, a female character with a Popeye-esque build, and gray hair, let alone one that could slay a dragon?   Grandma is tough as nails, a champion cow racer, and incredibly strong.   She is also a loving guardian for Thorn.   Grandma rules!

2) Death & Delirium, from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman

Sandman introduced some amazing female characters: Mazikeen, Nuala, and Titania among them. These two are my favorite. I don’t think I’m alone in finding the idea of death as a perky,  sensible, Mary Poppins quoting, goth chick, very comforting.  She is someone you’d want to hang out with, except you would have to die to do it.

As for Delirium, well I’m a sucker for the damaged, quirky, somewhat dangerous, yet fragile girls.   See also: River from Firefly, Drusilla from Buffy, Cassie from Skins, and Arkady from Freak Angels.   Del is the quintessential example of this kind of character, since she is the physical embodiment of insanity.  She is so vulnerable, that your heart aches for her.  She can also be charmingly innocent, and then turn on a dime and be scarily prescient. I love her, that is all.

3) All of the women of Strangers in Paradise, form Terry Moore’s Strangers In Paradise

While Katchoo and Francine are the female leads, every last character with two x chromosomes (and the ones with a y as well) is an completely fleshed out person.  From shallow bimbo Casey (who some how evolved over the course of the series into one of the most lovable characters), to Francine’s overbearing mother, to Tambi, Katchoo’s  hard-ass mafia connected half sister, had nuances and depth, that made them entirely believable.  I can’t single any of them out, they are some of the best written women I have every read.  They are also some the best  (if not just the best) drawn as well.  None of them looked the same (except Tambi, and Bambi, who are twins and even they had their differences), and that is remarkable in an industry where so often an artist just has one, totally unrealistic female boy that they draw, and just changes out the clothes, face and hair, to differentiate them.  All the women in SIP have different, and very real looking bodies, as well as faces.  Something that Terry Moore has continued into his new series Echo.  Well done Terry!

4) Buffy Summers, from Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Okay, Buffy  is not a character that originated in comics, but this is a list of my favorite female characters, and Buffy Summers has to be on this list.   Because she is Buffy freaking Summers!  In the Buffy season eight comics, Joss and his team have continued the growth of the character, that started in the tv series.  She is still struggling with her place as a hero and leader as it evolves, without it feeling like a retread of what has already been done with the character.  And she has her flaws as well as strengths, that makes her feel like a real person.  I am so glad we got more Buffy, regardless of the medium, but I think she is a great addition to comics’ pantheon of heroes.

5) Elaine Belloc, from Mike Carey’s Lucifer

I nearly put Mazikeen onto this list, and if it was a list of great bad asses she would be on it, but it’sa list of my favorite, and while Mazikeen is close, I am going with Elaine.  Elaine started as a little girl trying to get Lucifer to help her get revenge for her dead friend Mona.  She ended the run as a powerful, deity, in contril of her own universe.  In a way Elaine became as much of a main character, as Lucifer.  Probably because Lucifer, as interesting as he is, is not very relatable.  Elaine on the other hand was both relatable, and infinitely likable.  She was a plucky and clever, girl who could both stand up, to and for the devil.

6) Molly O’Reilly, from John Ney Reiber’s Books of Magic

Though the Books of Magic, was created by Neil Gaiman, the majority of it’s run was written by John Ney Rieber, and he is the one who introduced Molly.  When he left the series, he took Molly with him.  Like Elaine, she is character, that came to rival her series’ main character, in popularity.  Once she feel in love with Tim Hunter, poor Molly did not have it easy.   She got kidnapped, by an obsessed, evil, future version Tim, and stranded in the hostile realm of Faerie.  All the way I was rooting for her, she managed to stick up for herself, and survive.  While I was convinced she and Tim, were soul mates, I was never prouder of her, than when she told him off for treating her badly, and cut ties for good.  I would love to see a return of Molly at some point.

7) Harley Quinn from various Batman comics

Like Buffy, Harley originated on tv, in the animated Batman series, and she was so popular, she was added into the official Batman continuity.  When you try to describe her, she comes across as a character I just should not like.  She is obsessed with the Joker, and is happy to let him walk all over her, and treat her like crap.   She has a very shaky moral center, and will probably betray her friends, if it will get her into the Joker’s good graces (she is getting a little better about that).  Yet I love her.  There is something that is so charming about her.  She makes me laugh any time she is involved in a story.  I like her best, when she is being written by her creator Paul Dini, as she is in the current Gotham City Sirens series.  It helps that in comics, we don’t hear her grating, over the top, (Brooklyn?) accent.

Gert Yorkes, from Brian K. Vaughan’s Runaways

Runaways is another series that has a lot of good female characters to choose from.  I love Gert for many reasons, one of them being that she is a teenage female comic character, that does not have a supermodel body (and she still got a hot boyfriend).  She also is smart, sardonic, and brave.  Plus she has purple hair and a pet dinosaur!

9) Agent 355, from Brian K. Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man

This is the character that would top the list of all time bad asses (along with Mazikeen, Tambi, and Grandma Ben).  In a series that has just one male character, 355 is the standout female.  She is a tower of strength.  She does her job, no matter what.  Somehow Vaughn managed to show her more vulnerable side, without diminishing her toughness.

10) Jessica Jones, from Brian Micheal Bendis’ Alias and the Pulse

Jess started the series as a bit of a self destructive mess.  As the series progressed we got to see the very justifiable reasons for it, and also see her grow past it.  Now Jessica Jones, may not be the greatest super powered person in the Marvel universe, but she rivals Spider-man for me as the most human.

11) Babara Gordon, from Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey

Barbara has been part of the DC universe since the silver age, first as Batgirl, then as Oracle.  However it was Gail Simone’s run on Bird’s of Prey, that really sold me on the character.  After all, she is a hero for the simple reason that she is very very smart.  She is also a very capable fighter, despite not having the use of her legs, and a good mentor to younger female heroes.  Plus, she is a hot red head with glasses.

12) Kabuki, from David Mack’s Kabuki

Kabuki is an amazing comic, and Kabuk is herself is at the center of it.  She is a touch crazy, and for good reasons.  Watching her story evolve from a simple revenge tale, to an in depth examination of her damaged psyche, has been fascinating.  The art is gorgeous, as well.

13) Knives Chau, from Bryan Lee O Malley’s Scott Pilgrim

Of the three main girls in Scott Pilgrim, Ramona is still too much of an enigma, for me to relate to.  And Kim, is funny, but not given much to do.  Knives however, I get.  Probably way too well.  She is a teenager, who has fixated on an older guy, who just never actually cared about her that much.   Her flailing attempts to get him to notice her, and later to just be in his circle, seemed very authentic.  Besides, she can do kung fu, that is cool!

14) Lois, from Alison Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out For

There are countless, realisticly portrayed women, over the course of this twenty some year strip.  I chose Lois because, she seems like the one who’d be most fun to spend an afternoon with.  The rest have too many neroses, and issues, which makes them feel very real, but might make spending time with them a bit stressful.

Couldn’t find a picture of  Lois:(

15) Marlys, from Lynda Barry’s Ernie Pook’s Comeek

Marlys, is just the greatest!  She will tell you so herself.  She is also a wonderful spaz.  Totally upbeat, in the face of adversity, and creative to a fault.  She makes me happy.  And she is a hell of a dancer!

Okay, were there any glaring omissions?  Let me know.

Apparently Neil Gaiman attended for Coraline (which lost to Up in the Best Animated film category).  Despite his nominee status, he was upstaged by his date and recent fiancee, musician Amanda Palmer.  Thanks to Neil’s blog soliciting votes from avid fans, this series of photos of Amanda undressing for photographers after the ceremony has won both Best and Worst dressed on Go Fug Yourself.  He briefly explains the context in his blog.

I have been meaning to repost this Jezebel commentary and join the conversation started in this list of 10 Great Female Comic Book Characters Of The Decade.  Be warned that there are spoilers in this link (though not in my post below), particularly for the wonderfully badass selections of 355 from Y the Last Man (#3) and Michonne from Walking Dead (#2).

I really enjoyed the post, and I’m interested in reading more of Kelly Thompson’s She Has no Head posts in Comics Should be Good now. I am familiar with most of the women on the list.  I love the inclusion of Frau Totenkinder (#10), though it does seem wrong for me to root for a child-eating witch when I’m on the verge of having a baby.  I really didn’t connect with Promethea (#9), but I can reluctantly respect her inclusion on the list, and the post itself echoes many of my criticisms about the abstract turn the story took.

I love the inclusion of Jessica Jones from Alias (#5).  Despite my terrible memory, which prohibits me from saying anything about the characters listed from Powers (#7) or Planetary (#6), despite having read both, Alias definitely stands out for me as one of my favorite titles/ new characters of the last decade.

There were three characters listed that I have never seen; Tara Chace from Queen & Country (#8), Cass Cain as Batgirl (#4), and Kate Kane as Batwoman (#1).  I will probably continue to skip Queen & Country, since it seems to have a miliary focus that totally puts me off, but these incarnations of Batgirl & Batwoman sounds fascinating. I may have to check the library, since I don’t think I know anyone who collects these DC comics (speak up if I’m wrong).

I was initially indignant about the absence of Strangers in Paradise, Buffy, and Sandman, whose female characters shaped and fueled my fandom, but I can understand them being excluded as characters who appeared in comics after 2000, but who were created in the 90s.  You could still make a case for Joss Whedon’s Fray, since it debuted in 2001.

Any suggestions of other missing characters who should have been eligible?

Let’s start with the basics – what is a motion comic anyway?  Let’s say it falls somewhere in between a typical digital comic, which you read like a regular comic except it’s on your computer screen, and a cartoon.  It takes the (usually) hand-drawn art from the comics page, adds a little bit of digital magic to remove word balloons and make nifty effects, and adds a voice over so that you listen instead of read along.  Sounds neat, but is it any better or worse than the original comic?  To be honest, I’m a bit biased in this regard.  There’s a reason I have 13 long boxes filed with comics that I refuse to ever get rid of.   I have the same opinions of traditional books vs. audio books, but that’s beside the point.  To me, nothing can ever replace the ink-on-paper comic book.  But I’m not really the target of this new genre.  For years, the comics industry has been struggling with ways to bring comics into the 21st century.  They face shrinking audinces, a fan base that isn’t getting any younger (or healthier), the prevailing notion of comics being “nerdy,” and the frustration of hit movies that haven’t translated to a surge of new readers.  Are new fans going to go for this over regular comics?  I really don’t think so.  I can’t imagine that this will capture enough fans that they can make a strong enough business case to make a whole lot of these.  I imagine that at this point, the cost to produce them outweighs the potential profit that can be made from them.  I think for any new digital comic initiative, you need to get the core comics audience to adapt to it as well as try new initiatives to bring in audiences.  And since motion comics from Marvel and DC have focused on existing comic stories, I don’t see a lot of people giving up buying the comic in exchange for getting the motion comic.  Marvel has promised that there will be differences between the comic book and the motion comic.  Bendis said that there is art found in the motion comic that’s not in the printed comic, and vice versa.   Also, it’s said that the printed comic is more “literate,” that we’re inside Jessica’s head more than in the motion comic.  Will the promise of extra content bring fans of the comic to the motion comic, or vice versa?  I’m intrigued, but not enough to spend money on the entire series of motion comics.  (You think I can write off these as an expense on my taxes?)

Let’s look at some pros and cons of the motion comic genre.  On the plus side, motion comics don’t kill trees.  They’re sustainable, they won’t deteriorate when they get wet (though your iPhone might), they don’t take up most of your basement.  Also, they’re currently cheaper – Spider-Woman the comic book costs $2.99 on paper vs. $1.99 on iTunes.  And the first five issues (I mean, episodes) are currently available as opposed to having to wait one month at a time.  On the flip side, if this were to take off it would spell bad news for retailers, and I don’t see much support coming from them.  Distribution is a problem – currently iTunes are the preferred format, but does everyone want to be beholden to Apple?  Also, the publishers are using third parties to create the page-to-screen conversion, which will cut into their profits and mean less money for creators in the long run.  Finally, they’re simply not as interesting as a real comic book, or a real cartoon for that matter.  Having watched Spider-Woman #1 and Watchmen #1 on motion comics, I can say that there is definitely something lost in the translation.

To be fair, Marvel and DC are not the only ones that have gotten into the motion comic gig.  At least one motion comic based off of original material is out there, and on your TV screens no less.  Recently the SyFy channel has started airing new shows of Voltron and Street Fighter using the “motion comic” style.  I haven’t seen them at all, but early reviews haven’t been good.  They beg the question – why didn’t they make a cartoon of these shows?  Are kids going to sit through a series of still images on their TV as someone reads to them?  And I think this is the number one argument why motion comics aren’t going to be around for very long – they’re no substitute for real comics, and they won’t appeal to the audience a cartoon would.  So nice try, but I’ll stick to the paper comics.

So that’s my brief Gaylaxicon recap. Next year it’s held in Montreal over Halloween weekend…I’m really interested in going!

And I have posted twice today. Nerd!

-Matt is doing what it takes to protect the city. But he’s going too far! But what choice does he have!
-The Kingpin is gone. Now he’s back! But he’s powerless. But he’s secretly pulling all the all the strings!
-Matt needs a personal life or he’ll go crazy. But being daredevil is putting them all in danger! But if he dosen’t have a personal life he is not a person! But they’re all going to die!

I read the first issue of Andy Diggle’s run, and it looks like more of the same.

Sorry DD it’s over. Call me if you get a fresh perspective.

This link is definitely NSFW, and the site is >18yrs.

“Can’t Stop The Serenity is the annual global browncoat event featuring Serenity on the big screen with all proceeds to benefit Equality Now, Joss Whedon’s favorite charity. Equality Now is an international non profit organization working to end violence and descrimination against women and girls around the world. The now-annual event began in 2006 when over 40 locations around the globe raised over $60,000 for Equality Now! The 2007 global events topped that with gusto by raising over $100,000 for Equality Now! Minnesota’s participation provided over $2,000 in 2006, and tripled that amount in 2007 by raising $6,160! We raised over $7,200 in 2008!”

More information is available at mnfirefly.com

In related Emmy news, Dr. Horrible Star Neil Patrick Harris was nominated for his supporting role in How I Met Your Mother. He’s also hosting the show! Yay!

Susie has picked American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, and The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang, and Derek Kirk Kim. We will be discussing them on August 16 at 2 pm

So I have two questions for you. The first is, what comic themed mural assuming you had the space and property would you want?   Second, what comic or cartoon themed mural would your eight year old self want?  Now I think I would go for Fray in free fall surrounded by flying cars. At eight it would have been either Gem and the Holograms in concert, or the Thundercats in a group pose.   And you?

Justice League of America 17-21
Marvel Boy 1-6 (Morrison series)
Titans East Special #1
The Titans 1-6
Iron Man: Director of SHIELD 29-32
Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four 1-3
Hedge Knight II: Sworn Sword 1-6

Man, I’m so far behind on these. I probably can’t legitimately write too much about my thoughts on the above, since it’s been weeks now since I’ve read them, and so much has been read between then and now. Let’s see what I can remember…

Morrison’s Marvel Boy. Dig that kooky retcon, man. He’s been brought into the main Marvel continuity as part of the Dark Avengers, but when did he move from whatever earth this six-issue mini took place in to the regular Marvel Earth?

The Titans relaunch…nothing too exciting. It’s basically getting the band back together, isn’t it? Have they become the Rolling Stones of superhero teams? And it just seems wrong to have it not drawn by Perez. Trigon’s new look works for him. Did I say Rolling Stones? Trigon was definitely modelled after Ozzy.

Iron Man’s art was a little disturbing. I got kind of an uncanny valley experience looking at the people’s faces and how their bodies were positioned. How many stories can we have that are about Tony dealing with the unintended consequences of his actions regarding technology?

I like these Hedge Knight stories. Who knows, maybe I’d actually enjoy Martin’s series about pageantry and heraldry. Mike has been recommending it again and again.

This month we’ll be reading’s Mike’s selection: Thor #1-600 (it actually covers only 13 issues because of their crazy numbering logic).

Thor #1-600, J. Michael Straczynski
Saturday, March 14th 3PM
Florence & Marty’s apartment

Young X-Men 1-6
Cable 3-5
The Last Defenders 1-2
Gotham Underground 7-9

Young X-Men is a lot more of a continuation of New X-Men than I thought it would be. Including New Mutants #1 was pretty neat; it brought back memories for me. I wish I could still get the feeling I used to get when I was reading New Mutants as a young teenager, but then again, isn’t that true of everything you remember from your youth? Nostalgia includes the Greek word for pain. The bad guy is telegraphed so early on, I hope they didn’t think anyone would actually be fooled by the subterfuge. I did enjoy this a lot more than I thought I would, but then, it is Guggenheim doing the writing. Although I’m annoyed by most of the characters, and miss some of the ones from New X-Men that I liked. Anole, come back, all is forgiven!

Cable got better, but only slightly. Cannonball apparently had no trouble finding steroids in future. Honestly, Sam Guthrie, one of the lankiest characters ever created suddenly has not guns, but cannons? At least I’m not paying for it, other than the cost of getting to the library. I have a feeling the time travel chase scenes will get old. Cable should’ve brought Sophie with him. Of course, it would’ve been a little too much of Voyagers crossed with Doctor Who at that point. Oh, with huge nonsensical guns.

I don’t know much about the history of the Defenders, just knowing some of the team line-ups. I don’t think I’ve read any of the original series, and much like the Champions, it’s always seemed like a way for Marvel to cash in on the success of the Avengers and the relaunched X-Men. At what point did the X-Men become an actual hit? I know that it was on the verge of cancellation in the ’60s, with a long run being reprints. But the Defenders has always seemed like a “why bother” team. Maybe it’s a way that Marvel retains copyright on certain characters by bringing them out, dusting them off for awhile. These first two issues are an awful lot of set-up, so far. I can feel Giffen’s touch, although not as much as when he and deMatteis wrote their other Defenders story earlier in the “bwah-ha-ha” vein. A few nods to Civil War, the Initiative, and even Secret Invasion, with Blazing Skull correcting Nighthawk about his moniker. I’m interested in Nighthawk’s history, so that might be a reason to go back and read some original Defenders stories. Was he one of Marvel’s answers to Batman?

Speaking of Batman, I wonder if anyone is able to tie together into a cohesive continuity all of the stuff going on in DC right now. Where exactly does Gotham Underground fit in to Batman RIP and Final Crisis? I finished this trade off last night, and it seemed mostly to be a rehash of War Games, as well as a way to reintroduce Spoiler. I love Batman’s rogues gallery, and would like to see more Penguin and Riddler–the Joker’s so over done now. But I’d like to see them given some respect again. Maybe a little less reinvention and bit more back to basics.

I am too lazy to do the research myself, maybe you guys can help me figure out,  whatever happened to…?

1) Serenity: the Shepherd’s Tale.  When Dark Horse announced this three issue mini series  that would finally document Shepherd Book’s past, they said it would be out Fall 2008.  I have yet to see it listed in there upcoming lists.

2)Savant and Creote.  Gail Simone’s run on Bird’s of Prey produced some very cool new characters, such as Black Alice, and Misfit, both of whom are still showing up in the series pages.  However my favorite, the duo of Savant and Creote have completely disappeared.   Savant is a highly intelligent, extremely unstable, misogynist pretty boy.  Creote  is his extremely loyal bodyguard/manservant/sidekick/husband?  Despite the fact that their first appearance involved them holding Black Canary prisoner, Oracle was able to turn them into allies and ably used their skills to help her ever growing team.  Savant eventually fled since Oracle’s reforming of him had seriously disturbed his calm, Creote being completely devoted of course went with him.  I assumed they would be back at some point, but that was the last I saw of them.  I hope some writer revives them.  They might make an interesting addition to Gail’s own Wonder Woman run.

3) The next arc of Sky Doll.  Sky Doll was probably my favorite discovery  of last year.  I even bought the hardback trade when it was released even though I knew there was no material in it other than the contents of the three issues already published.  I want to collect it as books.  I am dying to know what happens next, but there has been no sign of when Marvel will bring out the second series.

Most of the comics I read come from the library, which really is an incredible resource for trades and even single issues.  I champion the library whenever I get the chance, showing people proudly that the trade paperback I’m reading came from one.  ”Libraries carry comic books?” they say, incredulously.  ”Why, yes!” I reply, telling them that I usually have fifteen or twenty checked out at any given time.  Sometimes, however, that comes back to bite me on the ass, like when I have to plow through three JLA trades in two nights because they’re coming due in the next couple of days, and I’m unable to renew them, because someone else has one of them on reserve.  I grit my teeth, though, and look at the bright side: people are looking for comics at the library, and requesting them.  So while I usually like to read several different series, usually from different companies, sometimes I get quite a long stretch of a single title all at once.

This run of JLA finished out Mark Waid’s time with the team, followed by an issues by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, and now I’m well into Joe Kelly’s run.  Grant Morrison is definitely a tough act to follow.  Waid is decent, following up on Batman’s betrayal, with a storyline developed from a single line of dialogue, with half the league split from their own alter egos, playing off of what seems to be a throwaway line of dialogue.  And another line of dialogue in this storyline becomes the basis for the next one, the return of the white martians.  Waid’s entire run is very tight, practically interwoven together.  Dixon and Beatty’s issue is part of the Joker’s Last Laugh crossover.  I picked up that trade recently from the library, expecting a standalone Joker story, not realizing that it crossed into practically every title in the DCU.  Interestingly, the asterisks had been left in letting me know where I could find some of the other stories that crossed into Last Laugh.  Something which the JLA trades, and indeed most comic trades don’t seem to do.  I’ve always thought this a little weird, as it would be a great promotional tool to get people to buy other trades.  Is it that they figure people will be frustrated at not having the referenced comics immediately at their disposal?  These are comics!  For years, the asterisk was the starting point of a treasure hunt which had us wading through longboxes at comic shops and conventions, and staring longingly at backissues protected by mylar pinned up on the shop walls.  The lack of notes is particularly annoying during Kelly’s run, which ran during DC’s Our World at War crossover.  Events are mentioned about Wonder Woman not being a princess any more, Aquaman vanishing, and for some reason, the artist draws Superman’s emblem as red on black, rather than red on yellow.  But there are no notes telling you where you could read more about what happened.  Again, I feel a little hypocritical complaining about this, especially when I have all of the internet at my disposal to do research, but would it hurt to have an asterisk or some sort of annotation going on?  If you’ve never read it, the Annotated Crisis on Infinite Earths is a joy.  Such scholarship went into that, noting just about every character in every one of George Perez’s drawings.  Kudos to that effort, as well as the online annotations for just about everything Grant Morrison has ever written.

All of that said, I’m mostly enjoying Kelly’s run.  He brings up some interesting themes, such as Wonder Woman’s dependence on her lasso as a source of truth, and what happens when she vehemently disagrees with that truth.  I’m in the middle of The Obsidian Age arc, featuring the Justice League of 3000 years ago.  Here, he’s turning the moral table on the JLA, it appears, making them face what role they have in a completely foreign morality.  It seems a lot like a prelude to Justice League Elite, which he wrote a few years later, again drawn by Doug Mahnke, the artist on these JLA issues.  I wasn’t a big fan of Mahnke in JLE, and I’m still a little disturbed by his proportions and style here.  He does a good job at making people look unhealthy, and he seems a little obsessed with bugs and veins.  From the notes section of The Obsisdian Age, I discovered that Mahnke is from Minnesota.  I wonder if I’ve seen him at any of the conventions around here.

X-Force 1-6 (new series)
Cable 1-2 (new series)
She-Hulk 26-30
X-Factor 30-32 and The Quick and the Dead
JLA 51-54

I have to start off by saying that I’ve never really liked Cable. Not now and not when he led X-Force. Not drawn by Ariel Olivetti and definitely not drawn by Rob Liefeld. I’m also not a huge fan of X-Force, coincidentally most identified with Rob Liefeld. I can’t say that what I’m currently reading has given me any great joy either. Both of the runs I’m reading now are part of the X-Men: Divided We Stand non-crossover. I’m actually being something of a hypocrite, in that I’m only reading them (in trades from the library) because X-Factor crosses into Secret Invasion and since the X-Factor trade I just finished is also part of Divided We Stand, I’ll read the rest of the related series. I say I’m a hypocrite, because when people say that they don’t want to read this series, or this crossover or comics from this company, because there’s too much background, or too much continuity, or they don’t want to have to know the past 50 years of comics, I gently scoff. And now, before diving headlong into Secret Invasion, I’m reading series I have no interest in, just to keep up with what’s going on. That’s kind of what I’m doing with She-Hulk, as well, although I’m more likely to have an interest in continuing on reading the Jade Giantess, afterwards.

Peter David is writing both She-Hulk and X-Factor (maybe he likes hyphens).The two series have a similar theme, in that they both cross into the crime genre: X-Factor is a detective agency, and She-Hulk along with her partner Jazinda (a skrull who currently doesn’t seem to be involved with the invasion) are bounty hunters. I’m definitely enjoying X-Factor more, though, than the “buddy film” adventures that She-Hulk is having.  It’s almost like David is having a better time writing these characters, than revisiting Gammaville.

Coincidentally, I also finished off a JLA trade: Divided We Fall.  As the X titles are all about what happens when Cyclops decides the X-Men are no more, this chapter of JLA is about what happens when DC’s greatest team has an irrepairable rift.  While the X-Men experience their disillusionment in the destruction of both the school and the near-fatal shooting of Professor X, the JLA’s wounds come from within, from Batman’s secret files on the rest of the heroes, specifically how to take them out.  All of that happened in the previous arc, where a villain gains knowledge of these vulnerabilities.  Now, the JLA has to decide whether they’re going to be able to function any more without their inherent trust.  Going back and reading all of this, after having read Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and everything else that’s come after it, I can see how much has really been building for the past decade in DC.  This is a good example of what I was talking about.  I didn’t have to have read the JLA to enjoy the later stories, and going back now, it show just how much more of a tapestry everything is.  The threads have been there, and my noticing them now, makes it a much richer design.