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To start, I appreciate all who have responded to this thread. It has helped me to realize that stories move generationally. We can become fond and sentimental for different eras in comics, and thus keep comparing them to the present market. I need to stop doing that, and try to become excited again. That said, in response to Mr. Six…
Thanks for naming some of the comics I've been shelling dough out for the last two years or more. I dunno what the christ got into me but I've been collecting most all the DC catalog.
Me too, that’s why I stated to think about what was really happening!
The other connecting threads are the writers. Johns and Winnick know each other and talk to each other quite a bit. So Nightwing will mention what's going on in Outsiders or something in his Batman appearance. It might seem like a little thing, but I appreciate it. The DCU is a cohesive universe for perhaps the first time(aside from the current Detective and Superman stories which take place a year ahead or behind current continuity because the writer cannot be bothered). Countdown is a payoff to that cohesion (at least so far, I could end up with my subscriptions on my face in no time).
I'm not sure what your problem with Green Arrow is as I've been reading almost the whole run and found Smith's run passable in parts but ultimatelty woeful but Winnick's run has been consistent and strong.
Really, I found that it had become a bit camp. I like drama in my comics, I won’t deny that, but the relationships that have been formed, as well as the whole “Super Friends” feel. I have no problem with the presence or amount of characters, simply how they intereact. Remember the old “Batman Family” comics. Eek. Well, maybe he’s just making it accessible.
But I'm in the dark on your problem with Winnick and Johns. They've injected lots of character (Wally West is very interesting and emotionally compelling from the fallourt of Identity Crisis, Hawkman's past lives story is terribly intense if you've not read it, please do, and Green Arrow's entourage laid out by Smith gets used to the fullest in recent issues), told compelling stories (Crossfire and Ignition in Flash, the past lives Headhunter story in Hawkman and JSA's Black Reign is one of the funnest super hero tales I've ever read, while Winnick's City walls is great fun and lots of action and his current Red Hood is chugging along nicely) and they use continuity and refer to other titles as taking place in the same universe.
With Winnick, I simply don’t know if he can write superheroes. He writes people very well, and does drama in a way that hasn’t been touched in a long time. Maybe I just need to realize that I don’t like his style and leave it at that. At the same time, I will always want to read the stories, so that I don’t miss a beat in continuity. GL has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. There have been twists and turns, some appreciated, some not, but I have always held on. Winick brought me closer to dropping the book than I though possible. AS far as Batman is concerned, I am of the school of thought that there are certain characters who were supposed to die. Jason Todd was one of them. The presence of his costume in the cave had meaning. Look back to the introduction of Tim Drake as Robin: I can still remember the panel where the young Tim is looking at the glass case with wonder and sadness. Even before that, I can remember Nightwing sitting in the bar with Batman, the two of them fighting over the latter’s numb, embittered state of mind. These events create who characters will always be. Undoing them cheapens the stories ongoing strength. (This is where I wrote the “sentimental” note above)
Hawkman was marvelous, I agree. His work on JSA made me want to pick up everything he has written. My main contention is rooted more in how he is handeling the current events. Identity Crisis was good, well executed. While I appreciate pushing things to the edge, and maybe over, I think that the characterizations of core DC heroes in IC were tilted toward what needed to happen in order for things to take place. If you are bending that much, then maybe you need to choose another character, one who fits your needs more appropriately.
I think you, like many others, really object to the Infinite Crisis and I can understand that if you've not been reading all those DC Comics, but as you have, I'm confused. I guess you really should look to other comics.
I am, really, stoked for the Infinite Crisis. Its times like these when I can, as hoped for above, become excited for stories again.
Fans of the 80's comics seem to enjoy Invincible and Astonishing X-Men, maybe try those?
Love them both, you read me well.
Cuz whether you like it or not Winnick and Johns have busted their asses working on their titles and they really are here to stay.
And I certainly appreciate the effort they are putting in. Perhaps they are just being overworked. And putting so many titles and so much creative control in the hands of just a few people is a very scary thing. Diversification is a key element to success. |
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