I admit it, I was studying for the Bar Exam instead! But now that it’s finally over, I can catch up on comics… and threads about comics. 
Plus, I’m going to the Orlando MegaCon this weekend, so I’ll keep my eyes open.
Everybody studies too hard for the Bar – you’re in law school mode when beating the curve is the goal, and you don’t realize that on this test you’re aiming for a C- and, if you’re single, a random hook-up afterwards
–Cliffy.
Amazon is offering pre-orders on Miss: Better Living Through Crime.
Y - The Last Man #31 – I am astounded by how Vaughan can turn things on their ear. There’s one panel here where 355 becomes suddenly untrustworthy; she explains it later, and, as it turns out, it wasn’t a bad idea, but I’m no longer sure that she’s as innocent as Yorick thinks. As usual, the dialogue is the best in comics (e.g., “Hey pajamas! Get your goddam hands off my monkey!” – trust me, in context it flows).
Legion of Super-Heroes #3 – If Mark Waid can write two issues in a row this good, why the heck couldn’t he write a first issue that didn’t suck? I like how the overarching plot continues along each issue despite the fact that the focus is on individuals. The politics and backstabbing make perfect sense for a club of teenagers.
Seven Soldiers #0 – Morrison says that every piece is modular; he’s certainly out to prove it here. Started a bit slow but brilliant by the end. I note Candid’s concern, but you can’t make an omlette…
–Cliffy
I’m sorry, I said Spider-Man/Torch 3, LSH 6. LSH 6 should be the interesting one, if I remember right.
By the time it rolls around to Sunday, I’m not sure if anyone still reads this. But here goes …
Flash #1/2 – Continuity-wise, this takes place between Flash #219 and #220. I think it was hyped when it was solicited in Wizard as an Identity Crisis crossover, but this is more of a prologue to the “Rogue Wars” storyline in Flash. Eh, not exactly a throwaway issue, this did have some actual content involving Trickster. There was an added feature as to the creative process as to how the actual comic was created.
Nightwing #104 – sighs This issue makes me pine for a mini-series depicting the Babs/Dick relationship when Babs was still Batgirl. Someone in an IM chat pointed out to me that provoking Joker in Arkham may not have been a wise move. And hey look … that’s Polka Dot Man being thrown from a bar window! His only other two appearances: Detective Comics #300 and Batman: GCPD #1. I love the old b-villains.
Flash #219 – Look, a Wonder Woman in bondage cover and it’s not even in her own title. Seriously, the Top subplot looks interesting though. I did like seeing the Giganta cameo and pity that Priscilla Rich got offed.
**Dr. Blink Superhero Shrink #1 ** – I had no familiarity with the character (website or other Dork title) before this issue. Having my own personal issues, I dislike seeing mental illness being used for humor purposes. But after I get past it and in “Okay, it’s just a comic book” mode, the book does have some funny bits and moments. The lighter side of being on a heroic team and the question of “Can you commit suicide if you’re an invulnerable superhero?” is looked at here. I’ll pick up issue #2.
If you like to see Judd Winnick telling a story of Batman and Nightwing getting along and playing nice, see Batman #637. If you like to see Judd Winnick telling a story of Batman and Nightwing not getting along and playing nice, see Outsiders #21.
Pretty much nails my thoughts. But my quibble with the writing is now telling us that Peter wasn’t THE only guy picked on at Midtown High.
Legion of Super-Heroes #3 – My favorite cover this week. Maybe my favorite read this week too. I kinda hate seeing this internal scheming going on though kinda from the get-go. But what I wanna know is, what’s Phantom Girl doing with a silver-age issue of Batman? Where did she get it? And did that panel actually appear in the comic? I gotta check my collection.
Black Widow #6 – Okay, so the revealation of “conditioning” of Natasha made for an interesting read, and there were more than one “Black Widows” running around. But a mens aftershave that makes you NOT want to kill or hurt a man wearing it? Hmmm … that’s a little too “Man From U.N.C.L.E.” for me, or at least “Get Smart.” At least the payoff was executed in plausible fashion. I liked the art in this series and there was more pros than cons overall in the series. Nice covers, and it will return.
I got Seven Soldiers too, but see there’s a seperate thread for that.
Read more this weekend:
Manhunter #7 – The entire issue took place inside a courtroom. I’m a lawyer. Ergo, I thought it SUCKED. I tried to separate the drama from all the many, many, many, many errors, but I failed. The judge would never let Hawkman and Superman testify if they wouldn’t unmask – has Kate never heard of the 6th Amendment? And what was the point of Superman’s testimony anyway? To say that the victim was a good guy? That’s relevant how? Oh, and why is Shadow Thief on trial in federal court anyway? And why in L.A. instead of wherever it was that he allegedly committed the crime? Of course, Kate shouldn’t be prosecuting this case, because if her identity ever becomes public, Shadow Thief is out the next day. Get out of the courtroom and return the focus to what it was in previous issues, Kate’s struggle with her dual identity and her ebbing humanity. That’s why the first six months of this book were good.
Radioactive Man “#197” (actually #9) – The New Gods pastiche. Very funny – I won’t complain if we see more of Obrian and the New Guards in future. (The Stan the Man parodies are a little tired though.) I’ve stayed away from Radioactive Man because I wasn’t that into Batton Lash’s Supernatural Law, but I’ve really ienjoyed the RM’s I’ve read, so I think I’ll start picking it up somewhat more regularly. (It comes out about once every six months, so it’s no skin off my nose.)
Skizz – As noted upthread, this is another of the DC reprints from 2000AD, featuring Alan Morre and Jim Baike’s mid-80’s E.T. riff about an alien translator who crash lands in Margaret Thatcher’s England. The set-up is slow but after the first third it really draws you in. While Skizz, the alien, is the catalyst, the main characters are really a blue-collar group of out-of-work laborers who regain their lust for life when they start to care about an injured alien. Great stuff.
–Cliffy
Cliffy, did you read the original early-'90s Radioactive Man series from Bongo? Each issue was taken from a different era, and intended as a homage to those different eras of comic storytelling. It was one of Bongo’s first miniseries, and some of it was quite good. I’m particularly remembering the 1980s-set issue, with tributes to The Dark Phoenix Saga, Crisis, Secret Wars, Watchmen, and Dark Knight Returns.
Superman has no secret identity, and therefore could testify in court.
I’m not sure exactly what Hawkman’s public ID status is.
Superman is the ultimate character witness, of course.
You know, I imagine the DCU’s Constitution is a shade different from our real-world Constitution, on the matter of masked testimony. I imagine they have, in many places, more relaxed laws about vigilantism too.
I really liked Legion of Super-Heroes #1 also, although some of it was a little too jokey, like the moment where the three boys ran to the bar.
Triplicate Girl’s altercation with Phaxred at the beginning was pretty funny, too.
But riddle me this: Did TG really wear what became her Legion costume on Cargg, or are we just seeing it that way because that’s how Element Lad is visualizing her story?
Clearly, it’s what she wore, as she undergoes costume changes in the story, and Element Lad probably would have, absent other information, pictured her naked anyway. Because of what Phantom Girl mentioned.
Chameleon was so very funny this issue.
Clark Kent?
But regardless, there was no reason for him to have been there. The question was did ST kill Firestorm? Firestorm’s status as a good guy or a cretin had no bearing on this issue.
–Cliffy
I believe he means that to the general public, Superman is just plain Superman - there’s no way *HE * could possibly be just some schmoe in cheap eyewear putting tights on at night.
But it’s not so, is it? (Anyway, in this issue the defense att’y asks Supes directly and he refuses to answer.)
–Cliffy
What they have is the Knight Dependents Act (Introduced by Sen. Knight, aka Black Condor, in apparant reaction to the JSA’s treatment before HUAC), an Act of Congress that says established superheroes have a legal right to maintain secret identities and no authority can compel them to reveal them. Robert Ingersoll, a lawyer and columnist for the Comics Buyer’s Guide, wrote it and Roy Thomas shoehorned it into continuity sometime around Infinity Inc.
Even if that’s still in continuity, it shouldn’t allow them to testify.
–Cliffy
Greetings, Gentlemen:
I hope I’m not hijacking your thread - if so, please feel free to ignore me, or ridicule me at will.
Recently, I went for a haircut, and the barber was delayed for about 30 minutes. Next door to his office, however, was a comic book shop, so I took the opportunity to get acquainted with some of my old favorite comic books. I know from previous missives on this board about the universe reassignments, so I wasn’t surprised by the changes in a lot of the books - Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-men, etc.
However, I was TOTALLY dismayed by the changes in Swamp Thing. Last time I read it, on the series finale, he’d become the Earth Elemental for the planet. Now, when I picked up the story this time, suddenly its back to the demon-posession, Abigal and Tefe stories. and Alec is completely mental again.
Could one of you please let me know what happened? It seems an incredible change, and one not for the better.
Thank you.
Sure thing, glad to help. They relaunched the Swamp Thing series about a year ago - of course, it’s difficult to tell stories about an essentially omnipotent character, so they depowered him. The justification was, essentially, Sargon the Sorcerer was trying to usurp the Elemental’s power - John Constantine threw a wrench into the plan by reintroducing Alec’s spirit to Swamp Thing - whereupon Alec willingly dispersed the accumulated elemental powers, foiling Sargon’s plan.
Is he a relaitive of Robert Ingersoll, [1833 - 1899] author of
Why I Am Agnostic ?