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Friday, December 16, 2005

My Hopes for OYL:

I don't really have any predictions for OYL (except for what I stated previously: I do not think this is going to bring back Earth-1/Earth-2). I do know what I would like to see in the comics I follow most religiously:
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A Green Lantern Corps comic with both Guy and Kyle in it. Mr. Marz has indicated that Kyle will not be breaking all ties with the Corps when he's Ion, so I'm hoping that means that GLC will be something like a JLA/JSA/Titans book, which has characters that also have their own solo comic. Hell if Batman can star in Detective Comics, Batman, Gotham Knights, Legends of the Dark Knight, and guest in Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, Gotham Central, JLA...I think Kyle could manage both Ion and the GLC.

Besides Guy and Kyle are a perfect partnership, seriously, you couldn't make up a better pairing when it comes to characters that can compensate for one another's weaknesses. Guy's an ass, Kyle can get along with anyone, Kyle's sensitive and occasionally takes things too seriously, Guy can get him to lighten up. Kyle's intuitiveness is probably better, Guy's had quite a bit more formal education and experience. It's perfect, really.

Honestly, I kind of imagine them as stereotypical teachers for the young Lanterns. Kyle's the sweet, sensitive, slightly fey art teacher all the students go to when they need a confidant. Guy's the gruff gym teacher that'll work 'em hard and give the tough advice, and smack 'em over the head when they need it.

I'd also like to see Hal interact with both. I'd also like to see Hal use that pick-up line again. Because it amuses me. And I'm twelve.

I would also probably like to see Kyle whack Hal with a lead pipe again. Because that scene is my favorite ever. Sadly, Hal is sane and thus Kyle wouldn't hit him with a lead pipe. Still. It was a great scene. I might snip it and use it as my picture on here. I will probably make an entry as to why the lead pipe scene is my favorite ever. (I have complicated reasons for this, as one might have guessed wading through all the babble for this blog. Not in the least of which is a strange, joyous love of lead pipes)
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Some sort of confrontation between Tim, Dick and Bruce in Batman. One in which Bruce isn't made into the immediate villain (like he was in GL: Rebirth) but is still called on the fucked-up crap he's pulled on both of them over the years.

I'd also really like to see a conversation between Dick and Tim about Blockbuster. Because seriously, reading Robin Reborn...when Tim was training to be Robin, he does almost the same thing. Except in his case, he *deliberately* leaves King Snake to Lady Shiva. When he leaves, Ducard (I think) asks him if Snake's dead, and Tim listens for a moment, *smirks* and says that it sounds like it.

Now of course, Snake did indeed live and came back. But as far as Tim knew, he'd left the guy to be killed by the world's deadliest assassin. And he *didn't* *care*.

Seriously, I can't see anyway for the conversation to go well at all. Because Dick is still the most emotional of the Bat-family, the one who *feels* things deeply. That's why he's such an ass in Outsiders after all. Because he stil feels Donna and Lilith's death. Whereas Tim, well, Tim can be a little frightening. I don't have any trouble believing that the Titans of Tomorrow scenario could actually happen. I can very easily imagine a Tim Drake, who (admittedly after some devastating world event or something) would find it both necessary and expedient to execute a criminal if there was no other way to deal with it. I think there is going to be a point where poor Dick Grayson is going to be forced to come face to face with what his "little brother" is capable of. At least, I really really hope there will be.

Hmm, now that I think about it, that's the one impediment I can imagine to Tim Drake becoming Batman. Because with Gotham the way it is: the criminals constantly escaping and killing more and more people, I'm not sure I can see a situation where Tim *wouldn't* ultimately resort to deadly force. Because the presence of Batman does sort of provoke a downward spiral, where all the criminals get worse and worse as they go. It's really inefficient and dangerous to keep locking them up in the place they keep getting out of. I think the only prayer for keeping Tim from...dealing with the problem more efficiently, would be the influence of the Titans or Dick. I wonder how long they'll be able to keep him human.
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For JSA, I'm not sure. I really do want to see more with Courtney, Sand, Pieter, hell even Michael. It seemed like most of the main emotional storylines for the past twenty-some-odd issues all centered around Dr. Fate (and Lyta) and Rex and Rick Tyler, with some Jakeem Thunder thrown in. Oh and lots of Atom Smasher. But the Hourmen are largely sorted out, Hector's...not an issue anymore, and Atom-Smasher's serving his term. So maybe this finally means more emotional storyline time for the characters I really like. Sand for example hasn't gotten any really good stories since early JSA. Except for the issue where he gets brought back (revealing the strength of his crush on Kendra), and some really nice bits with Wesley in 1951, he hasn't really gotten to do much. I'm hoping that will change, because I think there's so much potential there. And Pieter hasn't gotten to do much of anything besides Sue Dibny's autopsy and examining Power Girl unclothed (admittedly, not that bad a situation).

I'd like a brief break from Obsidian-related troubles as well. And Mordru. Unless Sand gets to smack his ass down again. Because that was cool.
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JLA is gone. I can't believe that it'll be gone for long though. Not with JLU still going strong in animated-verse. Heroes like gathering together. I'll be honest though, personally, I haven't really enjoyed a JLA adventure, (by enjoy I mean buy as TPB and read and reread many times) since Obsidian Age.

Which makes me sad, because Obsidian Age was awesome. We got to see Nightwing lead, we got to see Kyle, Arthur and Eel actually be individually and unexpectedly kickass. The plot was neat and involving. But after that it lost me.

I think part of my problem is that they lost Kyle. Not because Kyle's my favorite, though he was, but because Kyle provided a vital role in the group in my opinion as the "young guy." Like Flash said, he's the newbie. The other characters are just so grand and confident and unflappable that I really felt like I needed that one perspective that was just a little overwhelmed and under-confident. The human side of the JLA. John's fantastic but again, he's so confident and unflappable. All the other new folks were similar, Faith had her hidden talents, Ollie's Ollie, Manitou Raven's obscenely powerful, Hawkgirl's never lacked confidence. I don't know, I guess I just miss the one character type that I could look at and go "I feel you, man."

(JSA's nice because it has more than one. Jakeem, Courtney are the obvious youngsters. Atom-Smasher is very impressionable. Sand is quietly a bit uncertain of his place. It's nice to have so many different identifiable perspectives. And really, Jay and Alan's nice and stern daddy routine is much less imposing and grand than Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman I think.)

I guess, I hope that when they do reboot it, they either avoid the grand characters like the Trinity right away, (a.la JLI) or make sure that they manage to recruit a newbie too. Maybe Jason Rusch would be a good choice. I like him.
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Titans:

Anything but Brother Blood. Seriously. I'm up for anything. Especially if it has Robin acting competent and a little scary (throwing the R at Slade's good eye anyone?).

I want Kon to come back too. Maybe with a different name than "Superboy" though. He's getting old for that and should forge his new identity. Kon-El is the real gift-name from Clark, not Superboy. Maybe he should just use that.

I'd also like to see Cassie actually do something. She was so awesome in Young Justice. I didn't necessarily like that she became leader (I tend to go for the experienced one who I think has the best shot of keeping them alive), but I really liked how she could defer to Robin when she knew his expertise superceded hers, without ever undermining her own authority as team leader. Ultimately the decisions were hers, but she knew when it was best to listen to advisors and when it was best to follow her gut. I appreciate that, it's a leadership skill that's too often overlooked.

I'd like Gar and Vic to get to be a bit more active as members. I'd like to see more of Mia, a bit less of Kid Flash, and I'd like Raven to go far far away. Though I know that won't happen.
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Fables:

I don't think you're doing the OYL thing Fables. Regardless. Continue being kickass and featuring both major and minor characters in situations that highlight their individual awesomeness.

You made me think King Cole was cool. That was amazing in and of itself, keep it up.

But please bring Bigby Wolf and Snow White back soon. I miss them. And please let them get together. Because I'm a 'shipper. And they just make me giggle and squee at embarrassing fangirl levels.
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Well, I guess that's all I can think of for now. Oh except I also really want to see the scene in which Connor Hawke finds out Ollie knew about him from the beginning. Because I *seriously* do not believe that'll go over well. At all. Ollie will have to run some really quick damage control. And since he's Ollie, he'll fuck it up. And that sounds like angst I could really sink my teeth into.

5 Comments:

  • At December 16, 2005 11:04 AM, Blogger CalvinPitt said…

    I only read a few DC titles (more of a Marvel person, but Robin, Batgirl, Teen Titans), so a lot of the idea don't mean much to me, but I do like your take on Robin. I hadn't really considered him as a scary figure before, more of a jovial Spider-Man type (I think that I tend to gravitate towards characters that remind me of Spidey in some way. Tim, Kyle, The Ray, etc.), but then I remembered when Tim first moved to Bludhaven. I normally try to ignore that because the early issues of that, with Scott as the artist, made my eyes bleed, but I remember he showed up and went right to work beating up criminals, letting them know, "forget Nightwing, I'm who you have to worry about now".
    As for keeping him off that darker path, i think Stephanie would have been good for that, but noooooo, DC just had to kill her in War Games. *expletive deleted*

     
  • At December 16, 2005 11:53 AM, Blogger kalinara said…

    Tim can get pretty intense. I'd recommend Batman Family issues for Tim at some of his finest moments. The throwing the dead woman's cats at the assassin is probably my other favorite scene in comics.

    A Hero Reborn trade paperback has some good stuff too. As well as Teen Titans. Especially either A Kid's Game (1st tpb) or the Titans Tomorrow storyline (future Titans, Tim as Batman...I won't spoil how it starts, but if the first scene doesn't get a "Holy shit!" reaction, I'd be very surprised.

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    I'm kind of weird toward Stephanie. I like her a lot. Especially her relationship with Tim. But I honestly think that the only reason they made her Robin was so they could kill a Robin in War Games, but keep Tim Drake alive. And of the two of them, well, he's one of my three favorite DCU characters, so...

    Still, it's a loss that will and *should* be felt for quite a long time.

    And yeah, I feel the pain. Scott's work...I can see the appeal I guess, but not for this series, not right now, after everything that's happened. Tim shouldn't be looking like a deformed cartoon character when visiting his step-mom in the hospital. Really.

     
  • At December 16, 2005 12:17 PM, Blogger kalinara said…

    Another comment, because I can't be quiet. :-)

    Heh, I'm rather dumb. You just said you read Teen Titans so I go and recommend Teen Titans. :-) That's a bit silly. Still I do think those issues have some really nice bits.

    And a Marvel fan? Interesting. :-) I admit, I'm not much for Marvel myself, mostly for stylistic/tone reasons. I'm quite fond of Cyclops though. Which apparently makes me unique among comic fans.

    I admit, I can easily see similarities between Tim and Spiderman, but I've always been struck by similarities between Tim and Scott Summers as well. In team leadership style, for example. It's interesting to think about though.

     
  • At January 01, 2006 4:20 PM, Blogger Josh M said…

    You're dead on about Sand in JSA. He started the series as a really strong and important member that the others (even the JSA elders, Jay, Alan, and Ted) looked to for leadership. Suddenly, Carter Hall comes back, the leadership is given to Michael, and Sand vanishes from the spotlight (understandably so during the time when he was presumed dead, but certainly not since.) I want Sand brought back to the forefront of the team and his dream-ability/curse developed more. Most of all, I'd like to see Courtney come into her own as a hero. Have you ever read the STARMAN series? I can't say more about Courtney until you have.

    I disagree with you about JLA's Obsidian Age; I thought it was crappy. However, you were right about JLA ever since then -- it fell apart even more steadily than I thought it had fallen apart since Mark Waid's departure. (How great was the Waid story featuring the splitting of the hero/civilian identities, reprinted in "Terror Incognita"?)

    Most of all, I'm hoping that IC/OYL addresses what you want to see among the Bat-characters. I want Bruce and Dick and Tim to FINALLY come to an understanding. Most of all, I want to see Bruce stop being a completely unlikeable jackass who just shuts people out. They were supposed to have addressed those strained relationships by the end of the massive MURDERER/FUGITIVE story, and then the writers never followed up on maintaining the respect for each other that the characters achieved by the end of it.

     
  • At January 01, 2006 4:46 PM, Blogger kalinara said…

    Hi Josh, thanks for replying!

    I've read some of Starman and I agree that Courtney deserves much more of the spotlight, presumably she's featured heavily in the next issue though.

    Obsidian Age is one of those you like it or hate it stories I think. In my case I managed to avoid thinking of the overall plot and focus on the small fun character bits. And three characters who usually get completely underestimated (Arthur, Plastic Man, who are a bit understandable, and Kyle, who really isn't) got to completely kick ass.

    I think IC/OYL *has* to address what I'm hoping it will with regards to the Bat family. Especially with the hints in the upcoming solicits: A Nightwing who isn't Dick with Jason's knife, A Robin (who still sounds like Tim) having done something to make the entire hero community very nervous...

    Definitely something's going to happen. And from the bits in the most recent IC, as well as the solicits for Batman in March, I'm optimistic that Bruce might actually start fixing his fuck-up mistakes. :-)

     

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