Saturday, April 21, 2007
Book Love
JLA # 8 delivered this nice set up the upcoming JLA/JSA crossover:
Other stuff happened, but the high point for me was the exchange between Batman and Power Girl on the splash-page:
Why did this exchange lead me to geek out?
(1) It's two superheroes discussing a book.
(2) They're discussing a seventeenth-century book!
(3) Power Girl collects early modern books on siege warfare.
She's not cramming on siege warfare, mind you, she's just improving her collection.
Other stuff happened, but the high point for me was the exchange between Batman and Power Girl on the splash-page:
Why did this exchange lead me to geek out?
(1) It's two superheroes discussing a book.
(2) They're discussing a seventeenth-century book!
(3) Power Girl collects early modern books on siege warfare.
She's not cramming on siege warfare, mind you, she's just improving her collection.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Serious Talk in She Hulk #17
During the pillow-talk following her sexual encounter with Tony Stark, the She Hulk poses a crucial question:
Those are powerful lines to read in a comic book: When I do it, they call me a skank. Isn't that a double-standard?
Unfortunately, the creative team seems to think that posing the question is enough, because the following panel kind of undermines what is an important exchange between Stark and the She Hulk.
I mean, did the artist really have to follow Jennifer's question with a crotch shot?
(What's more, although the reader gets to see her crotch, her face is obscured by her leg.)
For my money, I would have loved Tony Stark to have responded with these lines of dialogue: Jennifer, did you read Civil War? This bed has only got one skank in it, and that'd be me.
Those are powerful lines to read in a comic book: When I do it, they call me a skank. Isn't that a double-standard?
Unfortunately, the creative team seems to think that posing the question is enough, because the following panel kind of undermines what is an important exchange between Stark and the She Hulk.
I mean, did the artist really have to follow Jennifer's question with a crotch shot?
(What's more, although the reader gets to see her crotch, her face is obscured by her leg.)
For my money, I would have loved Tony Stark to have responded with these lines of dialogue: Jennifer, did you read Civil War? This bed has only got one skank in it, and that'd be me.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Since you asked
Luke Handley poses a series of questions in his review of JSA #4 at Silver Bullet Comics. Several other reviewers have echoed the same theme.
Here's what he said:
My short answer: Hell yes.
(When time allows, a longer reply will follow.)
Update (4.5.07): I suppose that Mr. Handley now plans to cut and paste a version of this paragraph into his review of JLA #7, replacing the words Power Girl with Black Canary.
Here's what he said:
All in all, I like the look of this new Society and do have hopes for the future. Except for one thing. Could someone please explain to me how the hell Power Girl is a good choice for the new Chairman? Chairwoman. Or is the PC version Chairperson nowadays? Never mind. The point is, why? As I said, I’m far from a DC historian, but is there anything in this character’s history that suggests she can coordinate and lead the largest and arguably most powerful assemblage of heroes in the world? Maybe Johns thought it was time to have a female leader, and in that context I guess there’s not much choice. Having said that, Stargirl almost seems a more logical choice for the role.To his specific question: is there anything in this character’s history that suggests she can coordinate and lead the largest and arguably most powerful assemblage of heroes in the world?
My short answer: Hell yes.
(When time allows, a longer reply will follow.)
Update (4.5.07): I suppose that Mr. Handley now plans to cut and paste a version of this paragraph into his review of JLA #7, replacing the words Power Girl with Black Canary.
