Justice Society of America Shines Under new Creative Team!
Writer Bill Willingham has been behind some of the biggest happenings in comics over the past few year, notable his creation of the Vertigo title Fables, which has become a hit among fans and is constantly discovered by new readers. Willingham, along with writer Matthew Sturges, of Blue Beetle, take the reigns of one of DC’s most expansive rosters, the Justice Society of America!
JSA #29 is the jumping off point for the Willingham/Sturges run, and with art from Jesus Merino, the first issue of this run is a notable and impressive start! With a few one-off issues building up to this current run, the introduction of a mystery, a villain ambush and the addition of two new members is a great way to begin this current run! Read more
April Fool’s? 10 “Are You JOKING” Moments in Comic Books
April Fool’s jokes usually consist of innocent, harmless phone calls, fake spiders and the like. Practical jokes take it a little further with maybe alibis, pretend emergencies or other staged incidents. Most people can laugh these off quickly, acknowledge that they were had, and get over their initial “are you kidding me!” exclamations.
So why doesn’t that always work with comic book events?
How many of us have found ourselves turning a page in one of our favorite books, checking the frames for some detail we missed, only to stop and express, loudly “Are you JOKING?!?!” after seeing that the shocking event we just witnessed did, in fact, happen. We feel like we’ve been had, hoodwinked, the plastic snake now a real cobra that’s just eaten our cat! In keeping with the spirit of the day, a look back at 10 moments from recent years that we all thought, at the time, surely were jokes.
Endless Love: 10 Great Comic Book Relationships
Valentine’s Day. The day when we all stop, turn to our beloved and whisper sweet nothings over a candlelit dinner while enjoying wine and chocolates. The stuffed bears may make an appearance later in the evening. Comic book heroes and villains rarely get such opportunities to pause and swoon, which makes their relationships and its ups and downs that much more meaningful. Listed below, in celebration of this Hallmark holiday, are some of the greatest, longest-lasting comic book relationships ever.
1. Clark Kent (Superman) and Lois Lane - When these two crazy, 70-year old kids finally tied the knot in 1996, it was the “I Do” heard round the world. Everyone knows these two characters, but comic fans had followed the struggle of once shy and awkward Clark Kent to get Lois to notice him for years. Through kidnappings, Lois’ initial love of only Superman, Lana Lang, explosions, Doomsday, and the recent events of both Identity and Final Crisis, Lois and Clark have weathered the storm to stand forth as not just the signature couple of the DC Comics Universe, but perhaps even for comics as a whole. Their story is timeless and knows the bounds of no universe.
What’cha Reading? Graphic Novels For Non-Comic Readers
Anytime someone spots an avid comic reader reading an issue of a well-known book such as Batman, X-Men, or Superman, a common comment or question might range from statements such as “Why are you still reading those” to “What’s it about”. All can be considered fair questions, but the most intriguing statements often follow the latter question. It thrills proud geeks when someone expresses an interest in a title we’re reading or getting excited over. When someone says, “that sounds cool”, “tell me more” or “do you have a copy I can borrow”, it’s the first step to full-blown conversion. Single issues can be tricky for those new to comics, so listed below are some ideas for graphic novels and trade paperbacks that would be a great read for any non-comic reader.
Batman: The Long Halloween - Master storytellers Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale teamed up for some memorable stabs at DC’s Caped Crusader, but none more memorable than this 13 issue/chapter tale of noir drama, mob families and mysterious murder in The Long Halloween. Set during Batman’s early years in Gotham, this tale of a mysterious killer, Holiday, known for killing on holidays and leaving symbols of the day behind, gives us not only the origins of Batman’s iron clad relationship with then Captain Gordon, but also gives us a host of villains, Solomon Grundy, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy just to name a few. Sale’s art is striking, angular and bold, a perfect compliment to the writing style of Loeb, where every word means something. Readers new to Batman’s world will appreciate getting in on the early events in his career and seeing familiar villains and locales. Of all the Batman graphic novels to start with for new readers, this one should be at the top of the list.
What ABC Should Do For Fables: The TV Series
With the recent announcement that ABC was developing a pilot episode for Fables and making it an ongoing, hour-long drama for the 2009-2010 season, devoted fans of the quirky and clever series, myself included, are left waiting with held breath for future announcements about the cast, possible plot lines, etc. With that in mind, and with development still down the line, here are some solid suggestions for the ABC network to consider with regards to making fans happy while bringing in the uninitiated.
1. Cast some unknowns as leads. With confirmed characters such as the Big Bad Wolf and Snow White, it’s incumbent upon ABC to cast actors who will step into these roles with no projection of expectation of either playing as or against type by the audience. Viewers new to the show will quickly realize that these are not the sweet, innocent fables and fairy tales of their youth, so all the more reason to let a new actor inhabit and get comfortable with introducing these new “mundies” into the complex relationships amongst the residents of Fabletown. For fans of the series, casting unknowns helps to cut down on the possible “Oh no, not HER” or “Yes, this show will ROCK because of her” comments. ABC will win in that regard, as character names alone will draw the curious and familiar into the show based on premise and title. Big names are a non-issue.
