Comics are Awesome II

[Shockwave]

I would complain that it sucked, and then move on because I wouldn't have much interest in it, on account of the sucking. And I wouldn't say something like, "This book would be better with Michael LeRoi in it."

Complaining that it sucked being the point here. You're not just accepting it sucked and moving on, you still have criticism about how they handle the book moving from one character to a new one.

The difference is between complaining that is sucks because it sucks vs. claiming that it sucks because it's not the same characters as before.

[Sparky Prime]

The difference is between complaining that is sucks because it sucks vs. claiming that it sucks because it's not the same characters as before.

I don't see that it is for what we're discussing here. I mean, does the story suck for how they killed off the character, because they killed off the character, because a new character replaced them...? What makes a story suck can be anything to any given person. And the point remains, if you thought the story sucked and you complain about it for any reason, you're still a part of that fan outcry against that story. You're not just accepting it and moving on and not everyone is going to differentiate the reasons behind the criticism.

[Shockwave]

Nice try, but you know damn well what O6 was implying. This is another one of your wierd red herring arguments and I ain't falling for it. O6's example was predicated on the concept that the new Shadowman sucks for reasons other than because it's a new character. Maybe he's saddled with a clown and a monkey as sidekicks or something. Pick your poison, but that's what was implied and you know it.

[Sparky Prime]

Nice try, but you know damn well what O6 was implying. This is another one of your wierd red herring arguments and I ain't falling for it. O6's example was predicated on the concept that the new Shadowman sucks for reasons other than because it's a new character. Maybe he's saddled with a clown and a monkey as sidekicks or something. Pick your poison, but that's what was implied and you know it.

Yes, I know what O6 was implying but you're not looking at the whole discussion here and once again jumping the a hasty inaccurate conclusion about my response. What qualifies a story as sucking is a matter of opinion and that is not limited to only certain aspects of a story. I'm just turning back O6's logic in his argument to show what he's saying is not a fair or accurate comparison, and that the same could be said of any criticisms someone makes about any given storyline.

[Shockwave]

Which is really just a clever way of ignoring his point completely as a means of supporting your position. This is why we wind up with ten page misunderstandings.

[Sparky Prime]

Ugh... He's the one trying to side step the point of the conversation in the first place by making comparisons that doesn't fit and you are only exacerbating it with this nonsense.

[Shockwave]

No he wasn't, he was just trying to separate himself from obnoxious fans that will complain about stuff sucking just because it's different. And, unfortunately there are very vocal parts of various fandoms that will say that stuff legitimately suck just because it's different. I don't think anyone here thinks that way which really has me wondering why y'all are arguing about this to begin with.

[Onslaught Six]

I did some research last night, and it turns out that the new Valiant Shadowman is a reboot, using Jack Boniface again. The costume is still different than anything else we've seen before, and from the plot summary I've read, so is a lot of the backstory. But that's okay, because Shadowman has been different in almost every incarnation. What remains to be seen is if the book is actually any good. It could still be bad for the same reasons a book that wasn't about Shadowman at all could be bad--poor storytelling, characters acting stupid, plot holes, pointless crossovers, or even (as Dom would put it) "the story going nowhere."

Aside: I'm starting to get why Dom is so hell-bent on his need for characters and authors to be "doing something," as he puts it, as opposed to just "moving pieces around." It's a question of Dom needing his entertainment to be point-driven, and it explains why he loves RID so much over MTMTE. Whereas me, with my wealth of free time and devil-may-care attitude about life, prefers MTMTE because it's fun-loving and full of lots of goofy shit. I can waste a year reading a book that doesn't actually go anywhere. Dom has better things to do. I don't.

[Sparky Prime]

Sigh, well since it's clear this topic is just going to go in circles and I'm really not in the mood to explain the same thing all over again, time to talk about some actual comics.

Red Lanterns #15
Unfortunately this issue felt like it was just stalling for time until they're ready for it to tie back into the main Third Army storyline. Really, thus far it barely ties in at all, with the Red Lanterns only encountering them once and can't get their act together to battle them. Atrocitus spends this whole issue just trying to revive the Manhunters using his blood magic, which doesn't work at all like he expects. Not surprising. Rankorr and Bleez are on Earth for him to get his vengeance so he can be a 'real' Red Lantern, only they stop to see his brother first (I thought the cops beat him to death?). And then he hesitates to attack the guy that killed his grandfather when he sees the cop he accidentally burned when he got his ring so that's left open for the next issue as well. One development we do get in this issue is that the Red Central Battery is still loosing power, apparently the Inversions are buried below it and are slowly draining it. Hopefully we get more out of the next issue with the Third Army wrapping up soon...

Green Lantern #16
With B'dg around, Simon finally gets some instruction on how to use his ring, and this is where we see him decide to carry a gun because he doesn't trust the ring for running out of power when he needed it in the previous issue. He also finally sees Sinestro and Hal's messages stored in the ring and B'dg says they need to get the ring back to Hal. Before they leave however, they visit his brother-in-law in the hospital where Simon is able to use the ring to bring him out of his coma, despite B'dg telling him that's impossible. A news report also alerts them to Guy being on Earth without a ring and B'dg decides they need to go get him. Meanwhile, Hal and Sinestro finds out their guide in dead land is Tomar-Re, and he explains they need to stop Volthoom's plans to unravel everything.
Feels like we're finally making some progress here as B'dg helps Simon along with the mission from Hal and Sinestro to stop the Guardians and their Third Army. Interesting to note Sinestro says Arkillo still works for him, despite having disbanded the Sinestro Corps. How does he know Arkillo even has a functioning yellow ring?

Green Lantern Corps #16
The Guardians send the Third Army after Guy who is now in jail but is saved just in time by Simon and B'dg. Elsewhere, John and Fatality finds a ship using Mogo's pieces as a power source for a death beam. The two rip apart the ship, setting free Mogo's remains to recollect themselves. Fatality fills John in about Kyle's mission and they decide somehow sending them to find out about Mogo fits into the Guardians plans.
A lot of this issue focus is on Guy and his family who confront him while he is in jail. It's a good issue but... I'm just not a big Guy fan. Not sure what the Guardians have to gain by having John out of the way and freeing Mogo's remains. Honestly, that's the more interesting side to this story to me, but it's the lesser focused side of it.

Green Lantern New Guardians Annual #1
Kyle and Carol arrive at Zamaron to complete his Spectrum training. Meanwhile, the Zamarons have a mission for Carol to recruit Lady Styx to fight the Guardians (apparently Styx distrust of the Guardians has lead her to create technology to target and neutralize someone that uses powers from the Spectrum on her world). She's accompanied by Saint Walker and Arkillo and they meet up with Jediah Caul, a deep cover Green Lantern that was let go by the Guardians. In turn he knows a group of smugglers that get them to the planet Tolerance, but they double cross Carol and force her to be a Hunted, a game where she is hunted for a bounty which also provides entertainment for the population. Once released back on the streets, Carol manages to meet with Lady Styx, but she refuses to help. Jediah helps the three Lanterns escape the planet, but Arkillo punches him and leaves him behind. Once captured, he becomes the latest Hunted.
So basically this annual is just a big set up for "Threshold", a new title that stars Jediah. I can't say I was all that impressed by this story since so little of it really had to do with much of anything going on in the New Guardians title. The disguises for Saint Walker and Arkillo were pretty funny though.

Green Lantern New Guardians #16
It seems Kyle created an emotional block to Love when his father walked out on him and his mom when he was a child, and the Star Sapphires haven't figured out how to help him get past it. With Ganthet on the way, they tell him to wait near the Sapphire Central Battery, where Ganthet waits to battle him. Even with all his new powers, Kyle is no match but gets help from the Star Sapphire's, the Zamaron's alliance with the Guardians was just a ruse until they figured out how to defeat them but have decided Kyle is worth saving. Ganthet is not surprised the alliance was a ruse and has backup of his own as the Third Army moves in to assimilate them all. Eventually, Ganthet blasts Kyle through the chest, and Kyle realizes part of love is forgiveness. With Love unlocked, Kyle transforms into a White Lantern and easily defeats the Third Army, while Ganthet retreats...
Now this is what I was hoping to see as Kyle learned how to use the other powers of the Spectrum. This issue showed what emotional blocks he had to break through to be able to use Love rather than just admitting he was afraid to use Fear or even off panel like they did with Compassion. Can't say I'm really a fan of the artist on this book currently, but overall this was a great issue.

[Dominic]

Cobra #21:
This is the last issue of the series. I would likely be more upset about that if IDW were not launching a new "Cobra Files" series, written by Costa, in April. In practical terms, this is more a question of the book being re-numbered and slightly re-titled than the book actually being cancelled. Costa may have had to restructure the "October Guard" story to create a more natural break for this issue. But, it is a good bet that "Cobra Files" will pick up more or less where this series leaves off. Flint and co make it back from Russia. Tomax is still nominally a prisoner of the Joes, but his influence over the team continues to grow. The high concept here is the psychological cost of a long term conflict on the parties. Nobody is coming away from this without some damage.
Grade: A

Which is really just a clever way of ignoring his point completely as a means of supporting your position. This is why we wind up with ten page misunderstandings.

Quoted for truth.

I'm starting to get why Dom is so hell-bent on his need for characters and authors to be "doing something," as he puts it, as opposed to just "moving pieces around." It's a question of Dom needing his entertainment to be point-driven, and it explains why he loves RID so much over MTMTE. Whereas me, with my wealth of free time and devil-may-care attitude about life, prefers MTMTE because it's fun-loving and full of lots of goofy shit. I can waste a year reading a book that doesn't actually go anywhere. Dom has better things to do. I don't.

I was young once. In all seriousness, if you are going to waste time, waste it on something other than comics. Just sayin'.....

Granted, you are doing more than I was at your age. But, ya know, just sayin'.....


Dom