Comics are Awesome II

[Sparky Prime]

"Revenge as an empty goal" is a well used story element. Might that be what the writer is going for here?

I'm pretty sure that's what the construct of Rankorr's grandfather telling him he was a disappointment was all about. But that's not the part I meant feels empty. They make this big deal about how to be a "true" Red Lantern they need to get vengeance on whoever caused them their Rage. But they don't really explain how that's supposed to make him a "true" Red Lantern.

[Dominic]

Earth 2 #9:
Ironically, the first compilation of this series is being solicited as "The Gathering", and team is not even fully assembled this issue. I am okay with this, as it is preferable to the old saw with the team being more or less assembled in the first issue or two. But, the name of the first compilation is nonsensical given how Robinson has structured the story. Doctor Fate is introduced this issue, and there is some more back-written origin given for the team. DC is introducing a new feature this issue, "Channel 52", with characters giving "news updates" on what is happening in whatever books DC happens to be pushing.
Grade: B/C

CyberForce #1 and #2:
The first two issues are apparently being distributed free. I can appreciate the effort and confidence by Image. But, the first two issues have not really grabbed me. Neither issue is terrible, but it has a bit more of a 90s feel than I am willing to go along for.
Grade: C


Dom
-needs to get caught up on "Legends of the Dark Knight".

[BWprowl]

DC is introducing a new feature this issue, "Channel 52", with characters giving "news updates" on what is happening in whatever books DC happens to be pushing.

Back in my day, we called these 'solicits' or 'advertisements'.

[Dominic]

These ads are actually amusing enough to be worth reading.

Figure it this way. "Advertainment" is becoming a thing. (Look it up.) And, it is really nothing new in comics, which have long had gratuitous call-outs across multiple titles, sometimes as part of a declared cross-over (even a "red sky" tie-in), and sometimes not. A few pages set aside from the story are preferable to forced name-dropping in the main story.

[BWprowl]

The Superior Spider-Man #3
The last couple issues had a lot of focus on Otto passing himself off as Peter Parker, so this one is pretty much all Otto as Spider-Man, with a side-helping of Otto’s past connections coming back to haunt him. Oh yeah, Otto, like any good ‘deep’ super-villain, has the always-original Freudian excuse of having had an abusive father, and this means that even as a bad guy, he DRAWS THE LINE at harming children (never mind that I’m pretty sure that ‘melt the planet’ or whatever plan he had a while back probably would’ve harmed a kid or two). This is used to play up his interactions with the vulture, whom he initially confronts with a rather different approach: attempting to pay him off to quit supervillainy! Yeah, according to a flashback of Ock and Toomes getting chummy during the early days of the Sinister Six, the Vulture’s motivation this whole time was apparently simply wanting a decent nest egg to retire on. Yup, the guy who invented a brilliant wing harness and later a GRAVITY MANIPULATION SUIT was completely unable to make money in any way besides stealing it! This is solid, solid storytelling my friends. Sadly, the fun of jumping in and out of that plot hole is probably the most entertaining part as the rest of it is just Otto getting MAD and ANGRY with Vulture for using kids as henchmen, then brutalizing the guy in front of Carlie (they don’t make it clear if Vulture’s alive or dead at this point) who becomes the first person in this story so far to rub two brain cells together and think “Hey, Spider-Man’s acting like kind of a douche lately, maybe I should look into that later!”. Aren’t you just itching to see what happens next?!

Actually, the REALLY best part of this issue was the letters page. I normally gloss over these things, but this time, just for kicks apparently, they filled the whole thing up with indignant ‘fans’ sperging out over how horrible and monstrous Marvel was for killing off a fictitious teenager in a comic book (One guy actually claims to be ‘sick to his stomach’ about it. Jesus!). It’s pretty amusing to see all their whining and swearing to not buy another Spider-Man comic again until Marvel brings back Peter Parker! Even better when they play the relatability card, because these guys can *totally* relate to Peter Parker, quick-witted super-powered genius who get to fuck super-models, but they could NEVER relate to a misanthropic, nerdy, middle-aged asshole who shuffles around spouting about how much smarter and better he is than everyone and how these plebeians could never be on his level, oh no!

[Onslaught Six]

Even better when they play the relatability card, because these guys can *totally* relate to Peter Parker, quick-witted super-powered genius who get to fuck super-models, but they could NEVER relate to a misanthropic, nerdy, middle-aged asshole who shuffles around spouting about how much smarter and better he is than everyone and how these plebeians could never be on his level, oh no!

QOTYAY 2013.

[Sparky Prime]

Actually, the REALLY best part of this issue was the letters page. I normally gloss over these things, but this time, just for kicks apparently, they filled the whole thing up with indignant ‘fans’ sperging out over how horrible and monstrous Marvel was for killing off a fictitious teenager in a comic book (One guy actually claims to be ‘sick to his stomach’ about it. Jesus!). It’s pretty amusing to see all their whining and swearing to not buy another Spider-Man comic again until Marvel brings back Peter Parker! Even better when they play the relatability card, because these guys can *totally* relate to Peter Parker, quick-witted super-powered genius who get to fuck super-models, but they could NEVER relate to a misanthropic, nerdy, middle-aged asshole who shuffles around spouting about how much smarter and better he is than everyone and how these plebeians could never be on his level, oh no!

Fictitious teenager? Peter Parker hasn't been a teenager since the 70's. He's closer to his 30's now.

Honestly, I can see where these fans are coming from. It gets under people's skin when they decide to pull a stunt like this where their favorite character is 'killed off', but this is almost insult to injury having a villain playing the role of the character in his stead. On top of it, Peter Parker was conceptualized to be unlike other super heroes in that he's supposed to be more relateable, not because he's a super powered genius with a super model wife, but because he started out as a normal geeky kid, much like a lot of the target audience. To me that's always what the 'Parker luck' was all about. To keep the character grounded and humble. However, Marvel has really lost sight of that, especially in recent years having put the character through deals with the devil and the like.

[138 Scourge]

I dunno, I think having his life together finally and then being body jacked and having someone else take over the life he'd been working so hard at qualifies as some pretty serious "Parker luck".

Just to clarify on one thing, though, even if its nit-picking. Octavius may have had the abusive parent thing going, bit that's not what got him all villained out. That would've been the brain damage from the explosion and whatnot. Otto's still a dick, yeah, but it makes sense to me that he would be somewhat better adjusted with a younger and less severely screwed up noggin to ride around in. Somewhat, because I'm sure Pete's taken a punch or two to the dome in his life.

Oh, and Carlie's having doubts because Octopus straight- up said he was Peter in the last issue of Amazing. I mean, who would immediately jump to that conclusion if someone was acting weird? Admittedly, evil-twinning goes on a lot more often in the 616, but still. Man, it'd be kind of nice to live in that world. Show up to work hung over and fuck something up one day? You've still got a decent shot at saving your job if you can convince the boss a Skrull was impersonating you that day.

As for the Vulture, well, I'll go over my collections of early Spidey stuff, but I could see him not getting rich off inventing something awesome like that. Far as I can recall, the only dude that ever invented some world changing tech like that in the 616 and legally kept control over it was Tony Stark, and that's just because he owned the company that he was working with when he made it. Well, okay, Richards and Doom, too, but they were both already rich at the time, too. Ultimately, though, To ones is just a crazy asshole, and the fact that Ock assumed that he was more after money than sick power trips shows that Ock's grown somewhat already.

Man, am I coming off as a big Superior Spidey apologist here. I actually don't dispute a lot of the points Prowl makes, (and dude, I'm with O6, that was quote of the year, but I'm still enjoying this as a pretty legit Spidey story. Its better than the Clone thing, at any rate.

[Sparky Prime]

I dunno, I think having his life together finally and then being body jacked and having someone else take over the life he'd been working so hard at qualifies as some pretty serious "Parker luck".

Like I said, I've always seen the "Parker luck" as keeping Peter humble and grounded. Having Doc Ock take over his body and life? That isn't keeping Peter grounded, that's putting him about 6 feet below it. For it to be "Parker luck", Peter still needs to be alive, not a ghost watching someone else in his body.

[Dominic]

Actually, the REALLY best part of this issue was the letters page. I normally gloss over these things, but this time, just for kicks apparently, they filled the whole thing up with indignant ‘fans’ sperging out over how horrible and monstrous Marvel was for killing off a fictitious teenager in a comic book (One guy actually claims to be ‘sick to his stomach’ about it. Jesus!). It’s pretty amusing to see all their whining and swearing to not buy another Spider-Man comic again until Marvel brings back Peter Parker! Even better when they play the relatability card, because these guys can *totally* relate to Peter Parker, quick-witted super-powered genius who get to fuck super-models, but they could NEVER relate to a misanthropic, nerdy, middle-aged asshole who shuffles around spouting about how much smarter and better he is than everyone and how these plebeians could never be on his level, oh no!

I laughed. Oh, how I laughed.

Honestly, I can see where these fans are coming from. It gets under people's skin when they decide to pull a stunt like this where their favorite character is 'killed off', but this is almost insult to injury having a villain playing the role of the character in his stead. On top of it, Peter Parker was conceptualized to be unlike other super heroes in that he's supposed to be more relateable, not because he's a super powered genius with a super model wife, but because he started out as a normal geeky kid, much like a lot of the target audience. To me that's always what the 'Parker luck' was all about. To keep the character grounded and humble. However, Marvel has really lost sight of that, especially in recent years having put the character through deals with the devil and the like.

Wow. Peter Parker as a loser idealization character. Those are some great comics there. (Place joke about having outgrown Spidey ~20 years ago.)

Joking aside, the complaints sound like they are from the sort of fan who is identifying more with fictional characters more than real people. "I need Peter Parker to be Spider-Man because it gives my life meaning!"

Show up to work hung over and fuck something up one day? You've still got a decent shot at saving your job if you can convince the boss a Skrull was impersonating you that day.

Unfortunately, that would also mean such a thing would be a regular/likely occurence. Oh hell no.

That actually would make a good concept for a series though, maybe yielding a new character who really hates skrulls?


Dom
-gotta hit the comic shop later today.