What might really sink the DCnU?

I read the DCU Blog.  I avoid the comic newsites and do not really read the gossipy Blogs out there, I just don't have the time or energy.  My reading of DC's Blog has started me thinking about what might cause the new DC Comics to sink.  Many believe it will be continuity or the changing of characters in a way that deviates from the core way we have always seen them.  Favorites have been disappeared or altered in drastic ways.  That could hurt.

Those things and the things like that will annoy a fanboy or fangirl, but those are the hardcore consumers who will buy regardless.  What has crossed my mind is a trend that is being released everyday by DC.  Around issues # 7 and forward there will be changing of writers and other creative teams.  This can be a killer to anyone that might have been drawn in to try the DCnU.  Change in writers are a fact of life, but recently we see less and less of long runs that can build a loyal consumer and more of a musical chairs type writer picking.

Voodoo would be a great example to use.  I just saw that Ron Marz will be leaving sometime next year.  I picked this book up mainly on his writing of it.  It was not the stripper character or the sexy covers.  I have followed Marz as he wrote an amazing transformative run on Witchblade.  His Samurai Heaven and Earth series was outstanding.  Voodoo was no less great as it has begun.  Yet, soon an unknown quantity will take over.  He may be awesome, I hope so, but it means I will have to decide quickly whether I can afford the book.

That is what it might come down to, money.  I cannot sustain a tryout on a book I just tried out.  Having a writer stay on a book for at least one year is not too much to expect.  Family issues are understandable, but just not producing or an editorial decision because all of a sudden a large crossover needs someone new is not acceptable.  One book at $2.99 is just a part of a bunch of comics at this three dollar price compounds.  Soon you have $27 a week and take home 9 books from one company.  The wall will get hit and when it comes to constant change in writers there comes an easy way to walk away from the product.  It is not a reason to continue buying a book, it is a compelling time to cut that title and save some bucks.

I see this as the possible way the DCnU falls flat.  It would be sad if that happens as there has been people enjoying and excited about the characters of the DCnU.

BDS

A Little Behind

I have been doing much Holiday work currently, but it has kept me from the Blog.  Yes, I missed Flashback Friday.  Missed Mantra Monday.  Yet, I did get The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo read.  Received a bunch of discounted books from www.tfaw.com today.  So it is a see saw.  I am just a weird and busy elf.

BDS

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

I know, I was probably the only geekily inclined person that had not read THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.  I did know about the well done movie in Sweden, the setting for this tale.  The movie hits here one week from tomorrow.  I thought about the book and on Monday, I bought a copy at SAM's and finished it this morning about ten 'til 2.  It was a good read.

There is a warning.  This is a graphic depiction of how women are sexually abused and treated.  It does not shy from the dark corners it peers into and that gives it an intellectual aspect that allows for the language and themes.  It is not a book for children.  This is a book that does not flaunt its academic levels, but is straight-forward smart book that will not suffer those looking for an easy read.  The only negative is the massive amount of family members one must keep up with in the mystery that is being studied.  There is so many that at times you might get dizzy.

Crimes of the secondary villain will strike a chord with those fed up with greedy corporations that have destroyed economies the world over.  One might even wonder if the author who has passed away might have a similar ability as his title character.  It is eerie how the crimes in the financial world now are the ones we read about.  I hope that it comes over as strong in the film.

A strange thing was in this mornings paper, an advanced review for the movie.  A positive review in a small Southern paper that never gets the movies like this one.  I know many people fretted over the fact that the Swedish woman that had played Lisabeth Salander in the original film was not in the Hollywood one.  Apparently Rooney Mara, the American actress that has taken the role did a good job handling the role.  In fact, the entire cast, crew, and creative team was praised.  I am really looking forward to next Friday.  I hope to see the movie and have the book so fresh in my mind.

So, I proved my excellent reading skill and speed.  The fact that this book is so good helped greatly.  If you were like me and have not read the book, do so.  It will make the movie better I believe.

*** Last night Charlie Rose had the Director David Filcher and many in the cast around his table.  It was interesting and Rooney Mara is so cute.  Anyway, not sure if it was a dry joke or real, but they mentioned that they changed the ending.  This bothered me.  I thought the book ended in a perfect way to lead into another story.  So, this is troubling.  Otherwise the cast was so cool discussing things.  I did not know my high school soap opera crush Robin Wright was in the movie.  Still will see it, but with an eye to how it ends.

BDS

Mantra Mondays: Giant Size Mantra vs. Topaz #1

I figure Malibu is getting ready to introduce Topaz as part of Ultraforce with this Giant Size issue that interrupts the regular Mantra series.  This is coming off the crossover with the Strangers just an issue before.  It is also the day and age when gimmick covers and special editions were running amok all over the landscape.  Still, this is one of the better issues of Mantra in any form up to this point in the Malibu Ultraverse.

Lukasz is beginning to dream of a woman that any reader has already realized is Eden Blake.  In true form the dullard is instantly stricken by technically his own form.  It really adds a new element to the story and plot.  We also are getting more of Lukasz the mother.  He is a crap mother.  Little Evie cries her eyes out after what he does in this book.  I really get upset at him sometimes still over his callous emotions towards the children of the woman who's body he stole.  Still, it will set up an interesting development in later issues.

We find out that the armor and the Sword of Fangs were stolen from the land of Gwendor, an all female society.  They are kinda like technologically advanced Amazons.  The big difference is that the Valley that divides the area is also a divider between Gwendor and the City of Neros, a society of men.  Once a yearly cycle they all get in the valley and have this great madness where apparently children are conceived.  Otherwise they are very suspicious of each other and have a tortured peace.

Typical comicbook fare as Mantra fights first the Nerosians, then is sent to Gwendor, challenged by Topaz for the Sword of Fangs, and then helps protect the Gwendorians as a rogue group of Nerosians attack.  So all this leads to Lukasz losing the costume I prefer to a techno armor the Gwendorians make for him (next issue of Mantra).  Then the quest for Boneyard begins.  Many cool action scenes and less whining by Lukasz makes this a fun and good read.   This is a really well done book with nice artwork by Mark Heike.  I really like the way he draws the characters throughout.

So this is the Archimage Quest part Four and the next issue of Mantra resolves somethings that have been dangling since the very first issue.  Be here for the next Mantra Mondays for all the twists and turns.

BDS

Mantra Mondays: Mantra #12

I have to ponder sometimes just if the creative team was being directed by an outside hand or if they just worked in a fast paced way?  This is an Anniversary Issue.  Mantra had survived to the one year mark.  They were wrapping up a major crossover story that involved Mantra's main foe, Boneyard, yet, the story is really flat.  Where is the passion and heart of a great story?  It is missing.

The concept is a fantastic one and it just always seems to become a different thing.  Instead of this being about a warrior taking his circumstances and becoming flexible and adaptive Lukasz just whines.  He whines constantly.  It might have been OK for the first five issues or so, but after a year this book should have evolved and become about the spirit being the best part of a person and not the gender or body.  So many times that is almost there.   In the Strangers part of this tale as Spectral discusses spirit and meaning of one's life to Mantra.  Here where Electrocute kisses Mantra and the implications are too much for Lukasz.  That moment is ruined by his incessant whining.

Still, Boneyard is faced.  Grenade is a putz.  The wives and Notch are peripheral nothings.  Demons, a breach, and Atom Bob freed is what you get.  Oh, yeah, the Sword of Fangs does bite deep into one character.  So it lasted a year, but it could have been a better trip.  I have read ahead, so it gets better.

BDS

Indigo Tribe is being revealed

The DC Blog just posted today something that I have been waiting for since I figured out that the Compassion was not true compassion.  That was later confirmed and the secret will soon be out on the Indigo Tribe and their connection to Abin Sur.  Say the Oath, it sounds cool.

Monday, December 5th, 2011

By Josh Kushins

“Tor lorek san, bor nakka mur,

Natromo faan tornek wot ur.

Ter Lantern ker lo Abin Sur,

Taan lek lek nok–Formorrow Sur!”

-Oath of the Indigo Tribe

Not much is known about the mysterious Indigo Tribe; even their oath is all but impenetrable to anyone not of their numbers. But the upcoming storyline of GREEN LANTERN will explore their secrets, revealing shocking truths that will shake the foundations of the entire Lantern universe.

Wielding the light of Compassion, the reclusive Indigo Tribe will be the focus of an ongoing story which begins with GREEN LANTERN #7 – written by fan-favorite, critically acclaimed author Geoff Johns and illustrated by artists Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy.

In “The Secret of the Indigo Tribe,” the uneasy alliance of Hal Jordan and Sinestro continues, as they are taken to the Indigo homeworld to uncover the truths behind a heinous crime. But what crime could keep this unlikely duo together, driving them to investigate a corps ostensibly dedicated to the spread of goodwill throughout the galaxy? And what dark secrets will Hal and Sinestro discover out in the unknown reaches of deep space?

Flashback Friday: Micheal Turner's Fathom #0 & #1 (Three Covers)

I was digging through a box looking for something to read and pulled out Fathom.  This was suppose to be Micheal Turner's next big creation back when it debuted.  No matter what you thought of Turner, you had to admit he could draw women.  Granted, they were endowed with extremely long legs and oh so lovely curves, but in the comicbook industry that sells.  Aspen Matthews would add water and even more skin to the artwork.  Sadly, the cancer that took this talent from us also took the steam out of Fathom as a book.  Turner was not the best storyteller, but he was good at laying a foundation for his creations.  When his energy waned, so did what Fathom could have been.  There have been those that took up the creative process, but never were they able to carry on this character like Turner's other big creation, The Witchblade.

Issue#0 tells a story of Aspen and a scuba diving class that will be retold in shortened form in Issue #1.  This issue is more of a teaser than anything major to the origin.  It gave us a hint of Aspen Matthews and the outstanding visuals Turner had in store for this book.  Issue #1 gives us more of a telling of who Aspen is and what is going on in the oceans of the world.  Turner created a great conspiracy right at the start.  He had the U.S. And Japan in a tense research and military aspect.  There is a mysterious craft that can vaporize aircraft.  Then there is Aspen.  She who is an orphan and part of a group of people on a cruise ship that had been missing for ten years.

Aspen is leaving for deep waters as part of an undersea research group.  The underwater art is amazing and whether or not the science is correct, Turner portrays it with such confidence you are certain it is true.  The other side of the book, the conspiracy of a threat from the depths gets amped up with the Naval might of the U.S.A.  The aircraft and ship are wonderfully rendered.  We also get a submersible plane that plays heavily into the final pages.  It really drives to a great finish with a torpedo and lives threatened as we see the man that Aspen feels she has a connection to in a glass cylinder.  It is a good start.

This is a book where art rules, but it would be so good to see someone take this character and this world Micheal Turner created and do a new approach.  I would like to see a story of power like Ron Marz has had with his long run on Witchblade.  To see a great storyteller and a superb artist make Aspen stand tall as Micheal Turner could have done would be a great tribute to the man.

BDS

Christmas Godzilla

Just looked at my stats on Blogger's tracking stuff.  The thing is that one of this week's search phrases was comicbook bikinis.  Comicbook Bikinis?  What is that search about?  Anyway, it gave me an excuse to share Christmas Godzilla.  This is the coolest thing in lawn decoration ever.

BDS