The Comics Professor

The DC Universe in 1986 - what an amazing place (and time) it was

In this week's Grumpy Old Fan column at CBR (one of my weely must-reads), Tom Bondurant looks back on 2010, noting that

2011 marks the silver anniversary of the creative renaissance which was DC Comics in 1986. The year began with Howard Chaykin’s Shadow and Frank Miller’s Dark Knight. In the spring, Len Wein and Paris Cullins relaunched Blue Beetle, and “Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?” revealed the final fate of the Earth-1 Superman. Watchmen and John Byrne’s Man of Steel kicked off the summer, which also featured Denny O’Neil’s return to Batman as editor of Batman and Detective Comics. (The latter featured the all-too-brief tenure of writer Mike W. Barr and artists Alan Davis and Paul Neary.) John Ostrander took over Firestorm from co-creator Gerry Conway, and helped lay the groundwork for 1987′s Suicide Squad in the big summer event, Legends. The year ended with the debuts of Denny O’Neil and Denys Cowan’s Zen-infused Question, Cary Bates and Pat Broderick’s Captain Atom, and the last “Big Three” relaunch, George Pérez’s Wonder Woman.

This was shortly before I got out of comics around 1987 (for a reason I still don't remember), but I do recall what an exciting time the DCU was back then. Fresh ideas abounded (even if one of them was Booster Gold), and every character that was revamped--including the Trinity--was actually improved by it. While the first Crisis did erase a lot of Golden Age history (and royally mucked up a lot of what Roy Thomas was doing with Infinity Inc. and All-Star Squadron, my two of my favorite titles at the time), it did give us a Justice League with Batman, Dr. Fate, Captain Marvel, and Blue Beetle, now all on the same Earth--unthinkable to a longtime DC fan at the time.

While I'm waxing nostalgic, I'll resist the urge to criticize the comics of today--the me reading them today is very different from the me who read them 25 years ago, when I had the fresh eyes of a teenager. But those were good times... if you were there, you know what I mean, and if you weren't, I hope you get the same feeling from the books you're reading now, or whenever your "glory years" were.

The Spectre, Atrocitus, and Retributivism in Green Lantern #61

Oh, boy, it doesn't get much better than this... this week's Green Lantern #61, featuring the Spectre, Atrocitus, and the Butcher, talking about vengeance, justice, rage...

SPOILERS after the jump...

David Finch's Batman: The Dark Knight - Batman done right!

Wow, now that's Batman!

Just finished David Finch's Batman: The Dark Knight #1, and I am very pleased... this is Batman done right, with all the classic elements, and nary a sign of "Batman Inc." to be found. If you're looking for a back-to-basics story featuring Bruce Wayne as Batman, along with Alfred, Jim Gordon, and several bigname villains, you've found it.

As expected, the art is incredible, but the writing is impressive as well. Finch seems to have the voices of the main characters down, including the styles of interactions between them. The plot is straightforward (for now) and the action is plentiful, and we see Bruce doing what he does best--dark and brooding, as opposed to the somewhat uncomfortable glee he's displayed in Batman Incorpoated.

Nothing about the concept of "Batman Inc.," really--I like the book of that title, and the idea is interesting as long as it doesn't take away every series. But with the impending demise of Batman Confidential, it seems we may be in danger of losing straightforward Bruce/Batman stories, though Detective is almost as good despite focusing on Dick. But if The Dark Knight continues to impress as the first issue did, Grant can do whatever he wants in the other books--I'll be happy with Finch!

(Now, just put Dini back on a Bruce book--or at least include him in Zatanna once in while--and I'll be very happy!)

A psychologist reviews Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark

My friend Robin Rosenberg, editor of The Psychology of Superheroes, wrote about her impressions of the controversial Spider-Man musical at her Psychology Today blog - worth a read!

Azrael and Batman Confidential have last issues in March

That'll teach me to read all the solicits before jumping to post...

AZRAEL #18
Written by DAVID HINE
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
Azrael has reached the end of his pilgrimage only to face the native threat of the zealous Fireball! What really separates these two men of faith? And what purpose does Ra’s al Ghul intend to serve?
FINAL ISSUE • On sale MARCH 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #54
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM
Art and cover by JERRY BINGHAM
The dramatic conclusion of the 5-part “Super-Powers” arc reveals the final outcome for Bruce Wayne’s revelatory journey from driven loner to the young Batman who would be able to work side-by-side with the other heroes of the DC Universe!
FINAL ISSUE • On sale MARCH 2 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Batman: Streets of Gotham cancelled after #21

This is sad--hopefully Dini will get to work on another Batman title (any title, either Batman!).

From the March DC solicitations:

BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #21
Written by PAUL DINI
Art by DUSTIN NGUYEN & DEREK FRIDOLFS
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
The sequel to “Heart of Hush” concludes! The life of Tommy Elliot takes a shocking new turn as “House of Hush” reaches its final soul-searing chapter. Secrets are revealed, lives are torn apart and a deadly new villain rises to threaten the existence of Batman and his allies.
FINAL ISSUE • On sale MARCH 23 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

 

Once again, Keith Giffen proves himself the coolest guy in comics

From his Newsarama interview about becoming the new regular penciller on The Outsiders and his over-the-top, Keith Giffen gives his opinion on the "seriousness" of modern comics:

I just think we really, really, really gotta, you know, pull our heads out of our asses and realize that we can have so much fun with this stuff if we just stop treating it like we’re curing cancer. I just think it’s time to get back to that free wheeling, manic feel the comics used to have that made them so attractive.

Seven kinds of awesome (it would be eight if DiDio weren't writing the book).

New blog: Law and the Multiverse

Courtesy of Brian Cronin of Comics Should Be Good, here's a new blog about superheroes and the law: Law and the Multiverse.

Some of my favorite posts: Is Batman a state actor?, Federalism and the Keene Act (from Watchmen), and Resurrection Redux: Crimes, Punishment, and Debt.