Justice in many forms, even miniature
Posted by dailypop on April 27, 2007
What am I reading?
I’ve been reading the ‘Justice Society Volume One’ collection nightly and while I have been enjoying it, I can’t exactly recommend it for mass consumption. Hell, they even took the credits off of the title pages for each issue so that the creators are free from incrimination. You have to wonder what the thinking was in bringing these characters back, and it was a comeback, not a relaunch. The series continues the numbering from the 40’s, acting as if it’s the same comic which boggles the mind because it’s terribly different.
With new blood introduced to the team in the forms of Power Girl, and newly-designed versions of the Star-Spangled Kid and Robin, the comic’s title changes to the very awkward the Justice Society in All Star Comics featuring the Super Squad.
This title changes throughout the comic’s run.
Taking place on ‘Earth 2′ where another group of heroes who have aged since their introduction in the late 30’s (what a novel idea!) fight a never-ending battle against very weird villains like the Fiddler, the Sportsman, and the Icicle, the book collects storylines which bleeds from one issue to the next. Plots involve a dancing fool disco alien named Zanadu, Dr Fate’s ‘death,’ and a very impressive ‘return’ of the first Superman. I’m a sucker for artwork, with parts of my comic collection broken up by artist names rather than titles, so it was a pleasure to see Wally Wood drawing Superman. Of course Wood’s drawings of Power Girl are the most eye-poppingly risque images that I’ve ever seen in a comic book.
Despite the impressive artwork and non-stop action, the comic is… awkward. Characters suddenly drop out of the comic for no clear reason (Superman leaves the team so that Power Girl can take center stage as the team’s resident powerhouse, Green Lantern leaves to take care of his ailing business and the Flash just… leaves with his wife) and plots are fanciful rather than logical (why introduce some weirdo alien in the ‘Vulcan’ storyline to just later kill him? It’s unexpected, but… odd).
I’m also a sucker for seeing certain characters, a trait of DC readership I’ve noticed. It seems that most DC fans simply want to see their characters waltz across the page. Doing something is a bonus. There’s a certain quality to the Jay Garrick Flash, the Alan Scott Green Lantern and the first Hawkman and Hourman characters that I just… like. They seem more innocent and impressive in some way. So… they’re on a lot of pages in this collection which makes me happy.
Another problem that I ran into is that it’s never very clear how this ‘Earth’ is different from the alternate Earths. In the collection there is an introduction that hilariously tries to explain the concept of alternate Earths that is so absurd that as my good friend Greg Moutafis has pointed out, you can see why DC Editorial wiped it all out in the Crisis on Infinite Earths series. Aside from having a team of super heroes that existed during WWII, it’s essentially the same as ‘Earth 1′.
There are some interesting ideas littered throughout the series, such as Africa being an independent nation and a unified and effective UN that passes laws against air pollution that I wish the writers had taken further.
It’s a little point of contention of mine that when another dimension or whatever is introduce, you really should include a reason for it to exist, a difference in some way to what we accept as reality. To create another world altogether for no real reason… like in Doctor Who last year, it just confuses me. All we really got was a British President and airships… but why?
If you’re a big DC comics fan, I heartily recommend you flip through this collection at Borders or wherever people who read comics rather than buy them go. If you still like it, go ahead and buy the book along with a Cinnamonster… or whatever the kids eat today. It’s innocent wacky fun… just don’t expect a comic that compares to the quality of the current Justice Society of America series… which is so much fun it makes me nervous that it’ll get bad all of a sudden. Still, the guest artist in number five of JSA was excellent, wasn’t he?
Comics don’t change much, I suppose.
On the ‘tube, youtube, that is
If you’re like me and I know I am, you’ve heard of the ‘Hear the Voice of Marvel’ record from the 60’s. Well, The Happy Show has posted the recording along with a slide show of the Marvel greats here. My favorite bit is where Steve Ditko ‘jumps out a window.’
Video games, exercise for your thumbs
I got an update from the good people at Spider-Man 3 the Game. It features a video detailing the work that went into designing and animating the Sandman. The footage I’ve seen so far for the game is astounding. Lots of detail and top-notch gameplay will surely make this a must-buy. Unfortunately, I’m one of perhaps ten people who do not own a next-gen console (my mom is always bragging about her PS3), my choice being the X-Box 360, but this game is really making me anxious to get a new system.
Fill up your shelves with plastic men
Against my better judgment I started buying the DC Comics Minimates. I’ve been in a DC state of mind lately for some reason leading to a game catch up with certain series and a strange desire to own miniature versions of the characters. In any case… I’ve got these 2 inch versions of DC super heroes.
So far, there have been three ‘waves’ of figures (who coined that term? It certainly makes a delivery of toys sound more corporate) featuring eight figures each. Most assortments feature a pairing of a hero and a villain which is neat… aside from the occasional situation where two heroes are paired up like Dr Fate and Power Girl… I had no idea they were that close. Huh.
Up until this line of DC characters, the line of Minimates by Art Asylum has primarily been a Marvel Comics project with amazing renditions of the Silver Surfer, the team from Giant Size X-Men #1 and others. And while DC is taking greater care for the details, their minimates are rather overly detailed and accessory-laden.
While it’s neat to get a Deathstroke figure with four different weapons including his battle staff, rifle, handgun and sword, it does make a 2 inch character a little busy for my taste. After purchasing the Green Arrow/Deathstroke two-pack, I found myself yearning for the simplicity of a Green Lantern or Flash, who have little need for so many pack-ins.
The recent announcement of the Marvel Zombie Minimates has got me very very excited… which begs the question what is wrong with me… but look at the pic below and tell me they are not awesome, go ahead, I dare you.
What I really want to know is what my mind thinks will happen when I get more. My shelves already have a modest display of the Alex Ross renditions of key characters from Kingdom Come and Justice… and while it’s neat to collect them, it almost seems like I expect some kind of magical consumerist enlightenment to occur brought about by aligning my little plastic men in just the right way.
Of course there’s only one way to find out.
