Official JLA discussion thread - Part 2

[Mystirious]

Or at least there shouldn't be

I think (I'm not sure) the point of Batman removing the cowl was that the Parademons were scooping up regular people and the out of commission heroes (Superman) and fighting the standing heroes. Batman took his cowl off so they wouldn't recognize him and take him where they took everyone else instead of trying to fight him.

That makes slightly more sense

 

[Scarecrow_King]

if that's the reason, they should have ****ing said so. It wasn't apparent hardly at all. and still seems like a stretch.

Even Lee's art was bad in this issue. his backgrounds were horribly sloppy (even more so than usual). just an awful issue.

 

[RoughNTumble]

oh please, you guys are so dramatic

you want a bad comic, read hawk and dove or something

 

[Assassin]

umm...this was probably the best issue so far story wise. Batman is awesome.

Also, no one mentions that he ripped off the Bat logo off of his chest.

 

[Assassin]

Green Lantern doesn't know who Bruce Wayne

The famous infamous billionaire playboy who's name and face is never out of the papers or the tabloids

And he doesn't know who he is

um..makes complete sense, he doesn't watch the news, and i doubt he'll even bother walking by a newstand to look at a tabloid. I bet you regular mechanics and older guys (Tim Taylor types) who are obsessed with their cars didn't know who Steve Jobs was up until he died.

 

[RoughNTumble]

I don't watch tv or listen to the radio, so I'm often clueless concerning the latest celebrity gossip.

 

[Primal Slayer]

umm...this was probably the best issue so far story wise. Batman is awesome.

Also, no one mentions that he ripped off the Bat logo off of his chest.

I found that a bit...huh? Since when can the bat logo just easily be ripped off?

 

[Spike_x1]

 

[Primal Slayer]

.....ok then...

 

[Cain]

Who says the bat emblem could come off? Jim Lee does; he designed the bat armor. It's obvious why Batman removed his cowl. The story tells you (at least Jim Lee's storytelling does and not the writing).

But yeah that emblem removal was kinda stupid & pointless. What difference would it make? his face was already exposed so the para demons would take him anyway since they were targeting non masked people. I think Geoff Johns needs a vacation. Dude seems to be burning out. Though I still enjoy the book because it's entertainingly funny to read.

It's kinda obvious that they're going with the Tim Burton Batman style "recluse who's only dedicated in training for his war on crime and not attending social functions" archetype for young Bruce.

I can't say I really mind it. This is a pop book; it's written for our friends and for the mainstream media critics; not really for those of us who are more dedicated readers. Remember it's the "flagship" title. I think that review over at AICN Comics kinda nailed it though with "This is almost the MTV reality television show version of what people who don't read comics think a comic would be like."

That's pretty much who it's written for cause these are the type of books that pull in big numbers. It's written for people who watch the marvel movies and nolan batman movies and consider themselves dedicated superhero fans cause of that. Not for people who have been dedicated to the comic book medium for years cause those people don't even bring in the numbers. Sadly now a days most of them just pirate ****.

I think it could be better written though. I don't think it embraces all it's quirks and epicness on any real scale at all. Everything feels so dialed down despite all the things seemingly happening in the book.

 

[Cain]

Oh yeah in light of new continuity and all; I also wonder if Batman's Excellent Adventure in Apokolips will tie in anyway into the whole "Batman took out Darkseid and traveled through time" thing in the long run. Maybe serve as a sort of precedent?

 

[Mystirious]

That would be kind of neat though I don't know if its still in continuity or not

 

[Drz]

Curse of Shazam teaser!

"Gary is an amazing storyteller," Johns told Newsarama in an exclusive interview earlier this week. "But he's got the emotion down pat. And with these characters — both the characters that we know and don't know, that we meet for the first time — all of them instantly have personality when he introduces them. He knows exactly every line he draws, every expression he has, is brilliant. "

Frank told Newsarama when the relaunch was announced that the new stories would feature "a very modern Shazam" with a "slight shift in emphasis."
ENLARGE

"It's a wonderful character. As pure a story of superhero wish-fulfilment as exists," Frank said.

"There's a touch of whimsical magic in this story," Johns "and it's a lot of fun, with a lot of heart and a very emotional journey for these guys. It's all about the characters. It's just a different type of book, with Billy at the center of it, and what the situation is."

Johns verified that the book will include new takes on Billy, Mary, Freddie, Sivana, the Wizard and Black Adam. While the hero that Billy becomes was formerly called Captain Marvel, Billy's heroic character will now be known as Shazam, and Frank told Newsarama he'll get a new costume that reflects his magical origin.

Johns also said there will be a "lot of mystery" to Shazam, and the story will "explore areas in depth" in the mythology that haven't been explored before.

"The whole thing is being done from the point of view of bringing in new fans as well as trying to excite the existing ones," Frank said. "Anyone will be able to pick this up even if they have never heard of Shazam, Captain Marvel or Billy Batson."

So he's being called Shazam now. @_@ I kinda hoped for Captain Thunder, but i wonder how he becomes Shazam now. Can't be from saying the word lol.

 

[Mystirious]

I hope Tawky Tawny is going to be in it

This comic book needs talking tigers in bow ties

 

[Spike_x1]

Not digging the name change, although I can kind of understand maybe wanting to get the whole Captain Marvel/Shazam name confusion out of the way by nipping it in the bud from the start.

 

[Mystirious]

Could also be so people don't get him confused with Marvel's Captain Marvel

 

[Anubis]

It's their own fault.

Also, that looks a lot like that issue of planetary with the SHAZAM analog.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Could also be so people don't get him confused with Marvel's Captain Marvel

More like they dont have the rights to the name for an offical book so they are going use Shazam and get everyone used to it so when they do release a book the name on it will be Shazam!

But I dont get why DC doesnt have the guts to just go ahead and release a full series while they have no problem beginning way lesser known characters out like that..

 

[Lord]

If changing his name to Shazam will help the character get the spotlight he deserves then i don't care, he'll probably never be as popular as he was during the golden age but i hope he in least reaches the popularyty of flash and aquaman

 

[Spike_x1]

Also, that looks a lot like that issue of planetary with the SHAZAM analog.

Now that you mention it...

 

[Primal Slayer]

I dont know why they did the first cover with all the other leaguers on the sides if none of them even join until atleast #8-10.

 

[Drz]

I dont know why they did the first cover with all the other leaguers on the sides if none of them even join until atleast #8-10.

Nah it was Con promotiona coverage, not #1 variant.

 

[Shazam]

Okay umm...how stupid was it for Batman to unmask himself out in the public?

INTER-GALACTICALLY STUPID!!!

And unneccesary I am not digging the flow of this book at all.

I'M TRYING TO GIVE IT TIME.

 

[Mystirious]

It's their own fault.

Also, that looks a lot like that issue of planetary with the SHAZAM analog.

It kind of does doesn't it

I really hope that old guy isn't the Wizard. He looks like a creepy uncle

 

[hippie_hunter]

Who says the bat emblem could come off? Jim Lee does; he designed the bat armor. It's obvious why Batman removed his cowl. The story tells you (at least Jim Lee's storytelling does and not the writing).

But yeah that emblem removal was kinda stupid & pointless. What difference would it make? his face was already exposed so the para demons would take him anyway since they were targeting non masked people. I think Geoff Johns needs a vacation. Dude seems to be burning out. Though I still enjoy the book because it's entertainingly funny to read.

It's kinda obvious that they're going with the Tim Burton Batman style "recluse who's only dedicated in training for his war on crime and not attending social functions" archetype for young Bruce.

I can't say I really mind it. This is a pop book; it's written for our friends and for the mainstream media critics; not really for those of us who are more dedicated readers. Remember it's the "flagship" title. I think that review over at AICN Comics kinda nailed it though with "This is almost the MTV reality television show version of what people who don't read comics think a comic would be like."

That's pretty much who it's written for cause these are the type of books that pull in big numbers. It's written for people who watch the marvel movies and nolan batman movies and consider themselves dedicated superhero fans cause of that. Not for people who have been dedicated to the comic book medium for years cause those people don't even bring in the numbers. Sadly now a days most of them just pirate ****.

I think it could be better written though. I don't think it embraces all it's quirks and epicness on any real scale at all. Everything feels so dialed down despite all the things seemingly happening in the book.

I think it's hard to say that he's burning out considering how awesome Aquaman and Green Lantern are.

I think the problem here is that Johns is trying to accommodate Lee's art style. What make's Johns so great IMO is that he really lets his artists shine. The artist in a Geoff Johns book is just as important as Johns himself. Johns has allowed Reis, Frank, Mahnke, Kolins, Manapul, and Van Sciver to just really let the art tell the story just as much as his writing does.

The problem though is that Lee is not that good of a storyteller. This is an instance where Johns needs to stop treating the artist as an equal and just tell him what to draw and how to draw it. Lee produces some beautiful art, but when it comes to portraying the story he is nowhere near as good as Johns' league of artists.