The Weigh in 87

I’ll be stepping into the shoes (or, column) of Dana Place this week in the last of the January rotation. I figure I can talk a little bit about the big two comic book companies and their latest drawn-out super-events and where I think they’ve gone wrong.

DC had Infinite Crisis and Marvel’s currently got Civil War. Both were designed to shake up the status quo of their respective universes. The big question is, at least for DC: did it? For Marvel, it’s: will it?

Infinite Crisis did a really good job of giving DC an excuse to fix some things that needed to be fixed and to also fix some things that didn’t need fixing.

Replacing Gray and Palmiotti on Hawkman with Walt Simonson? Needless. Changing Hawkman to Hawkgirl? Also needless. The title has wallowed in mediocrity since the usually fantastic Simonson was put on it. It went from being a book I couldn’t wait to open first when I got home to not even being on my pull list. It would be completely different if the book were interesting. If you’re going to make a change, make sure it’s interesting and not yawn-inducing.

Putting Paul DeMeo and Danny Bilson on as writers of The Flash? Not that bad of an idea… at first. They were instrumental in The Flash television show of the 90’s, but that show, as much as I liked it as a kid and still like it now, was never the greatest. Also, that show? Cancelled.

They just haven’t done much on the title that’s, well, good. It’s been entirely too fractured and, strange to say it, fast-paced. Not all of the pieces fit well together. Just like Hawkman, which competed with Johns’ The Flash for my attention each week, this title has fallen to the bottom of the heap. I still buy it because The Flash is my all-time favorite character, but I honestly haven’t read the last two issues. I’m just so… uninterested.

I really liked Wally; he’s definitely my favorite Flash and I didn’t see the need to change to Bart, but I was okay with it so long as it was… keyword: interesting. I’d totally be willing to accept Bart as the Flash so long as the writers could convince me by telling good stories. So far, that’s not the case. Hopefully Marc Guggenheim, whose work I’ve really liked so far, can pull this thing out of the toilet.

As for Marvel’s Civil War, which has yet to end, it’s been hit or miss, up and down. The first few issues were strong, but it’s gotten to the point where I just want it to end. Spidey’s reveal was a fun, surprising move for Marvel; Goliath’s death… a needless move to show the “seriousness” of the war; clone Thor’s appearance… a… I have no idea what, why, or how for that one.

Now, with Civil War: The Return, Marvel has successfully slapped the poo from the mouths of long-time fans everywhere. Hey, why not take a character that had a moving, meaningful death and bring ‘em back? I’m looking at you, Jean Grey (x 6,000), Aunt May, and now, Captain Marvel.

Why bring back Mar-Vell? To tip the scales of the Civil War? If so, I get behind that. Mar-Vell, end it, please God, end it! If not… why?! To release another Captain Marvel comic that will eventually get cancelled?

Damn, I’m cynical today…

Anyway, on the positive side, Civil War looks to be a comic (err… series of tie-ins to one comic) that really will change the status quo, which is good in my opinion. Comic fans are notorious for demanding change, but hating it once it’s done, so there is enough time left for Marvel to totally pull some cosmic, Beyonder bull that will reverse it all to make whiny fans happy. If that happens, I will lose all faith in Marvel; I’ve already lost faith in comic book fans as a whole (individually, that’s different). However, if it doesn’t happen and Marvel stays on course, then I think we’re in for some really interesting stuff up ahead. But, for the love… just get this thing over with and move ahead with it!

Then again, I said that about Infinite Crisis and look how jaded I am now that that’s over.

It is, of course, only a matter of time before DC’s next super-event, as well as whatever follow-up Marvel has ready for next summer, is announced. Then we’ll be given the old fun line of, “You only have to buy the main mini-series! You don’t actually have to buy the tie-ins to get the whole story.” Then every book in each company will somehow tie in and we’ll get ten minis that will also be integral to the story and we can all be happy.

What a bunch of shit. Damn, I’m pissed… I’m going to push some old people down or something… I need to end this column now!

Got anything to add or bitch at me about? Drop me an e-mail at westofmiskatonic@gmail.com!