DC Comic's new "52" revamp includes a retelling of Superman's origin from Krypton in the latest Action Comics, No. 5 and I've got to admit DC payed incredible attention to a lot of gaps in the previous origin tales.
For example (spoilers ahead!):
-Why didn't Superman's parents just enter the Phantom Zone, instead of dying when Krypton exploded? They answer that the Zone's villains made that an impossible option.
-Where does Krypto the dog fit in? He entered the Phantom Zone before it shattered, trying to protect his family.
-Why did Kal-El's rocket ship crash on Earth, instead of land? It malfunctioned, hence the crash.
-Why didn't government authorities detect the rocket ship's crash? They did in the new 52 tale and the Kents scramble to cover up what they can.
-What powered the rocket ship? A Kryptronite engine. (And that is stolen and hence a new Superman tale coming up.)
ALL in ALL, this is an intriguing retelling of the Superman origin and best of all -- the Legion of Super-Heroes are shown as working with Superman to find the stolen engine.
"When Superman Learned to Fly" is the title of the next Action issue, No. 6.
Action comics is living up to its legend again. This is great stuff ... Marvel get out of the way ... the magic may be coming back to DC's flagship character.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
DC -- "The New 52" Update
OK,it has been a few months now since DC Comic's "New 52" or entire reinvention of all its characters began. How well is DC doing?
I'd give them a B grade, at least in how Superman and related characters have been handled so far.
Superman Comics themselves rate an A-
It is only how DC has mishandled Supergirl. Superboy and the villians that drags down the quality.
I like that DC has two different timelines going, in Action and Superman comics. One is present day and the other shows how he was some years ago, when his debut was relatively new.
It is great that DC would have Darkseid as the first real villain that the Justice League faces together. There's nothing like starting with the best villain of all.
Superman's new costume is OK too, but the villains in the Man of Steel's own comics so far have been simply lame and unimaginative.
I still don't care for Cyborg in the JLA either. He's the odd duck, even more so than Aquaman.
Looking back, DC really had no choice redoing everything, as the magic in all its heroes was gone. They've gotten some of the spark back, but other than concentrating so much on just the heroes, they do need to spend more time planning out craftier villains, because except for Darkseid opposing the Justice League, most of the rest have been dismal.
Great heroes shine best when they face great villains; and with the one exception, DC has yet to realize that.
--In other DC scrutiny, I do like the Legion of Super-Heroes and Star Trek crossover.
It's good stuff and who ever would have thought that Spock and Brainiac Five would ever meet, let alone work together!
I'm still hoping for a Superman and Star Wars kind of crossover someday, but I'd settle for a Superman and Star Trek tale at the least.
--Regarding DC's continuing "Elseworld" stories, I still strongly want to see "Secret Identity" made into a DC animated movie. It would be great and a few new twists of the plot could be made to keep it fresh.
I'd give them a B grade, at least in how Superman and related characters have been handled so far.
Superman Comics themselves rate an A-
It is only how DC has mishandled Supergirl. Superboy and the villians that drags down the quality.
I like that DC has two different timelines going, in Action and Superman comics. One is present day and the other shows how he was some years ago, when his debut was relatively new.
It is great that DC would have Darkseid as the first real villain that the Justice League faces together. There's nothing like starting with the best villain of all.
Superman's new costume is OK too, but the villains in the Man of Steel's own comics so far have been simply lame and unimaginative.
I still don't care for Cyborg in the JLA either. He's the odd duck, even more so than Aquaman.
Looking back, DC really had no choice redoing everything, as the magic in all its heroes was gone. They've gotten some of the spark back, but other than concentrating so much on just the heroes, they do need to spend more time planning out craftier villains, because except for Darkseid opposing the Justice League, most of the rest have been dismal.
Great heroes shine best when they face great villains; and with the one exception, DC has yet to realize that.
--In other DC scrutiny, I do like the Legion of Super-Heroes and Star Trek crossover.
It's good stuff and who ever would have thought that Spock and Brainiac Five would ever meet, let alone work together!
I'm still hoping for a Superman and Star Wars kind of crossover someday, but I'd settle for a Superman and Star Trek tale at the least.
--Regarding DC's continuing "Elseworld" stories, I still strongly want to see "Secret Identity" made into a DC animated movie. It would be great and a few new twists of the plot could be made to keep it fresh.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Super-Supergirl?
In the new Supergirl No. 2 comic, Supergirl seems to be shown as being stronger than Superman.
No explanation was given for that.
This scenario has been tried before, the last time Supergirl rebooted. Even then, no real explanation was given.
I just don't care for a slim Supergirl being stronger than a much heavier, taller and muscular Superman, so DC had better make this only a temporary situation.
IT's OK for the new Supergirl to have an attitude, but not greater powers.
UPDATE: Even at Comic Con 2012, there were references to Supergirl's superior super abilities..
No explanation was given for that.
This scenario has been tried before, the last time Supergirl rebooted. Even then, no real explanation was given.
I just don't care for a slim Supergirl being stronger than a much heavier, taller and muscular Superman, so DC had better make this only a temporary situation.
IT's OK for the new Supergirl to have an attitude, but not greater powers.
UPDATE: Even at Comic Con 2012, there were references to Supergirl's superior super abilities..
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Action Comics "No. 1" -- A Throwback to Superman's Roots
Action Comics No. 1 (the 21st Century version, not the 1938 original), is a throwback, a re-imagination of the Man of Steel today.
The cops are after him, everyone is suspicious of him; and his powers are far less.
Contrast that with the new "Superman" comic, where he's shown a few years later, and you have two different, but connecting storylines.
It's probably Superman's growing powers that are the hardest to get use to.
(Spoiler ahead ...)
He gets knocked out stopping a train at the end of Action No. 1, while he's far too powerful for that later. He leaps at first and progresses into flying.
His costume also gets fancier as time goes on.
Clark Kent is really characterized as a whimp in the new comics.
So, overall, it's a B+ for Action comics; an A for Justice League comics; and an "F" for Superboy comics so far.
The cops are after him, everyone is suspicious of him; and his powers are far less.
Contrast that with the new "Superman" comic, where he's shown a few years later, and you have two different, but connecting storylines.
It's probably Superman's growing powers that are the hardest to get use to.
(Spoiler ahead ...)
He gets knocked out stopping a train at the end of Action No. 1, while he's far too powerful for that later. He leaps at first and progresses into flying.
His costume also gets fancier as time goes on.
Clark Kent is really characterized as a whimp in the new comics.
So, overall, it's a B+ for Action comics; an A for Justice League comics; and an "F" for Superboy comics so far.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Justice League No. 1: Four Star Caliber!
I have now digested the first DC Comics reboot issue, Justice League No. 1, and it is certainly four-star material.
The only shortcoming it had was that the story seemed too short, but then there were limited pages and it is continued to the next issue ...
I loved the idea of all the League members initially being independent of each other and of most not trusting each other to begin.
Of course, the public doesn't even trust super-heroes yet either.
Superman's new uniform is the best reinvention of the outfit to date.
Green Lantern was clearly overconfident and flabbergasted that Batman has no "powers."
The next issue is "Superman vs. Batman" and that should also be great.
The mention of one word, "Darkseid," also means the League is headed for the greatest of villains soon.
I'm not sold yet on Cyborg being a member of the Justice League, but time will tell. I think the Martian Manhunter would have been a superior choice.
Anyway, as long as DC keeps most of its first string of heroes in the issue, that's perfect. DC editors have never learned in several decades that second-rate team members dominating the League doesn't work and is doomed to be mediocre.
Keep up the great work DC!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Farm Boy Superman? It has been done before ...
DC is apparently redoing Superman and his origin story his fall.
He will be more of a "Farm Boy" turned Superman.
However, that has been done before, somewhat .....
Take Superboy issue numbers 15 and 16 (1981). Superboy went to a parallel Earth and trained another Clark Kent who was simply a strong farm boy and who wanted to be a circus performer -- not a super-hero.
Superman will also have a slightly different costume in this latest reboot.
He will be more of a "Farm Boy" turned Superman.
However, that has been done before, somewhat .....
Take Superboy issue numbers 15 and 16 (1981). Superboy went to a parallel Earth and trained another Clark Kent who was simply a strong farm boy and who wanted to be a circus performer -- not a super-hero.
Superman will also have a slightly different costume in this latest reboot.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
New DC Comics World: Their Biggest Reboot Ever?
DC Comics has announced that starting in September 2011, it will reboot virtually all of its comics.
This looks like it could be DC's largest-ever start over.
Hopefully it is good news.
Superman comics in particular have been lagging in recent years. Not only in that there are less than ever out there, but their stories have been lackluster.
It would sure be great to read another Man of Steel beginnings miniseries, with imagination, like the John Byrne one of the mid-1980s.
The super needs put back in Superman.
The Justice League needs it original members.
DC needs to quit wasting time with second-rate heroes or even their occasional attempts to create new heroes -- after all, none of these things worked well for them in the past.
Also, the Legion needs a 21st Century presence. It was "Superboy and the Legion" in its early days and that worked well. Anything else is hollow and will fail, I guarantee it.
Not many things in life can have a "do over," but comics can. Hopefully DC will do better this time, than with its previous, limited attempts at doing so before.
This looks like it could be DC's largest-ever start over.
Hopefully it is good news.
Superman comics in particular have been lagging in recent years. Not only in that there are less than ever out there, but their stories have been lackluster.
It would sure be great to read another Man of Steel beginnings miniseries, with imagination, like the John Byrne one of the mid-1980s.
The super needs put back in Superman.
The Justice League needs it original members.
DC needs to quit wasting time with second-rate heroes or even their occasional attempts to create new heroes -- after all, none of these things worked well for them in the past.
Also, the Legion needs a 21st Century presence. It was "Superboy and the Legion" in its early days and that worked well. Anything else is hollow and will fail, I guarantee it.
Not many things in life can have a "do over," but comics can. Hopefully DC will do better this time, than with its previous, limited attempts at doing so before.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
