Actually it’s closer to a year and a half since I wrote about my frustrations with DC Comics, but it’s a good time to look back at them.
In June 2008, I listed three main problems I had with the current state of DC:
- I’m tired of mega-crossovers.
- Mishandling of the Flash after Geoff Johns left.
- The wholesale slaughter of “redundant” and C-list characters to make a point.
So, what’s the current status?
Crossovers
DC is even more focused on mega-crossovers than before, with Blackest Night ballooning from a Green Lantern story into an eight-issue main miniseries, seven three-issue side miniseries, eight-issue arcs in both Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, a month of eight in-series crossovers, a month of eight one-shots…
But frankly it doesn’t bother me, because of those 61 comic books, I only plan on reading three: the three issues of Blackest Night: The Flash. Realizing that I don’t have to buy the big event has saved me a lot of grief.
Mishandling the Flash
On the plus side: Geoff Johns is back on the title. Bart Allen is back as Kid Flash. Scott Kolins is back drawing Wally West. Most importantly, DC seems to be willing to stick with a direction at this point, and has committed to the point that they’ll actually launch two series, and every month will have new solo stories starring Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen.
On the minus side: Flash: Rebirth should have wrapped up in September, is currently scheduled to end in December, and individual issues are getting rescheduled often enough that I’m checking daily to see if the release dates have changed. The repeated delays have killed a lot of the story’s momentum, and have actually soured some fans on the relaunch. Plus they’re sidelining my favorite version of the character, though at least they aren’t taking him off the playing field entirely.
Killing Characters
The big crossover is all about dead characters rising from the grave as evil undead. Need I say more?
Has it improved?
Well, one item shows some progress, but it’s mixed. The other two haven’t changed at all…but I’ve gotten less attached to the DC Universe, so it doesn’t bother me as much. I’m not sure if that’s progress or not.
I missed Johns and Kollins’ run on Flash a few years ago having originally left with Waid’s pre-Johns exit but this week began reading the Rogues TPB by the two. Is this work typical of Kollins’ work on Flash? Honestly, of all of Flash volume 2 that I have experienced (inluding Larocque, Wieringo, Jimenez, Acuna, Pacheco, Barberi, Williams II, Pelletier, Mhan, Ryan, and Larocca) Kollin’s seems easily to be the worst penciller on the book from his representation of the main character to his overall anatomy and bizarrely chunky style.
Now I realize that my all-time favorite Flash artist is also very stylized, Oscar Jimenez. The difference to me is Jimenez style seems to be intentional, with purpose while Kollins’ looks to be determined by his own limitations. Did he grow out of this? Am I just wrong?
I do enjoy the more realistic views of Flash by the likes of Infanito, Laroque, and Vac Sciver as well and would prefer any of them, at this point, for Barry in Flash Blackest Night. As for Manupal I am curious to see how is clean, fresh, and more cartoon-like style works with Barry’s usually more classical depiction. I am hopeful.
Thoughts?
To me, Blackest Night is a big improvement on the mega-cross over front. Not only does it actually excite me, and I know what the hell is going on, It’s also not as intrusive into the non-involved titles. The story is pretty much contained to a few titles (Blackest Night, and the two Green Lantern titles), and the tie-ins are pretty optional. Although I’ve enjoyed them so far.
Personally I don’t think there is anything wrong with mega-crossovers as long as they fulfill 2 criteria: They are good, not forced; and you don’t have to buy every issue, but have the choice of how much you have to follow. I think Blackest Night is doing an excellent job on both these fronts.