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Comicscape - June 4, 2003

OPINION

It's so nice to get an in-box full of people writing enthusiastically about their ideas for a DC Ultimates line rather than getting one more irate letter saying, "Dude, you are sooooo whacked to be dissin' Zan and Jayna!" Originally I'd brought up the idea of whether DC should have its own Ultimates-style line in the belief that the existing Elseworlds and Vertigo lines covered the same bases, but many among you felt otherwise. Here's what you had to say:

Unity: Matthew Wilson wrote a thoughtful letter which points up the underlying differences between Marvel and DC, and why the Marvel Ultimates line had to come about in the first place. He writes, "Most of the stable of popular characters from Marvel... were for the most part based on a single idea: superhuman powers [from] radiation. As society has grown more knowledgeable about science, we've gotten a good understanding on radiation (it basically makes you sick, and/or kills you) and the connection to superhuman powers now seems kind of silly. What Brian Bendis and Mark Millar did was 1) replace radiation with something more timely and still mysterious - genetics and the possibilities of genetic engineering; [and] 2) re-shape and modify the Marvel universe so that the premise of genetics and genetic science directly affect and consequently connect all the characters to each other." The result, he points out, is a unity in the Ultimates line which mirrors that which the Marvel line originally had. "By sticking to this science as the single factor that creates this universe," he adds, "and by creating drama which follows logically from this situation, Bendis and Millar have empowered the Marvel cast to transcend their bright colored spandex roots and become popular on a new level."

SMALLVILLE preview art

© DC

The biggest problem that the DC line has always had, Wilson points out, is that it never had this sort of unity to begin with - instead of the biggest heroes all getting their powers from the same source, Superman was an alien, Wonder Woman was the descendant of Greek gods, and Batman was a superbly trained but non-superpowered vigilante. A DC Ultimates line could establish the same sort of unity for the DC Universe - perhaps, as Wilson suggests, centering around the concept of Superman as posited in SMALLVILLE, for instance. Suppose Krypton never exploded, and the Kryptonians simply sent baby Kal-El to Earth to conquer it from within, but he "went native" and decided to defend his new world from the invading Kryptonians, instead? Here's a thought: if Batman were to become a figure seeking vengeance on the Kryptonians because Bruce Wayne's parents were killed in the meteor shower that brought Kal-El to Earth (we have only to look at SMALLVILLE to see some possibilities for that), and Diana left Paradise Island to defend it from the invaders when they finally arrived, wouldn't that achieve the sort of unity that an Ultimates line could bring to the DCU?

Ongoing Elseworlds: Justin L. Peniston wrote in to say that while the Elseworlds line covers much the same ground for DC that Ultimates does for Marvel, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to expand the Elseworlds line with ongoing titles. (Given the amount of Elseworlds books I've had to pan simply because they didn't have enough time to develop their stories properly, I have to agree wholeheartedly with this one.) For example, Justin suggests, what if there were a series covering the life of the young Bruce Wayne as he seeks out the teachers and mentors that will allow him to become Batman? (While I like I SHALL BECOME A BAT! as a title, Justin, I think DC would be missing a great tie-in opportunity if they didn't call this one simply GOTHAM.) What if Jor-El were able to save not one but one hundred Kryptonians who got sent to Earth, landed in Kansas, and become an independent city-state? (HAVEN would be a terrific template for a series like this, by the way.) How about a few ongoing Elseworlds titles, then, DC?

I have a few more of your ideas I'd like to explore, but they'll unfortunately have to wait for next week. In the meantime, if you'd like to suggest some more (or if you'd like to roundly pan everything we've said here), send your cards and letters (or the electronic equivalent) to feedback@cinescape.com. Thanks for the ideas, guys! Now, onto this week's goodies:

THIS WEEK

LOBO UNBOUND #1

© 2003 DC Comics

Let's hope that if DC ever does go with an Ultimate-style line of comics, they conveniently forget they ever came up with the character of Lobo. Sadly, however, he does exist, and he's back in LOBO UNBOUND #1 this week - which, surprisingly, is not a Vertigo title. I'd still keep the kiddies away from it. Shame on you, Keith Giffen!

Speaking of Ultimates, ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #42 ships this week - which is almost enough to make up for the sad loss of SPIDER-GIRL, whose 61st and last issue ships at the same time. At least we get to see fifteen years in our girl's future to see where life after comic books takes her - but why couldn't we have had the book for that long? [Editor's note: late word has it that SPIDER-GIRL has in fact been granted a reprieve - so look for issue 62 next month!]

Luckily, some comic books do go the distance, such as THE NEW TEEN TITANS, and THE NEW TEEN TITANS: THE TERROR OF TRIGON collects the first five issues of this stellar blast from the past. It's just about worth the $17.95 price tag. Just about.

QUEST #1

© 2003 Marvel Comics

After reading the description about ten times, I still have no idea what Marvel's new series QUEST is about, but it's written by Andi Watson, so who needs to understand? The first issue ships this week.

A slightly cheaper and longer collection from DC, GREEN LANTERN: THE ROAD BACK, also ships this week, collecting the first eight issues of the current run of the series. It also stars some guy who looks a lot like Reed Richards - does anyone remember him?

Honestly, is there an X-Men book this week that doesn't feature Wolverine on the cover? (Oh, yeah, he's not on UNCANNY X-MEN #425, but I'm sure that's an oversight.) We'd expect to see him on WOLVERINE SNIKT! #2, but he's on NEW X-MEN #142 and, of all things, EXILES #28, as well, in some special story in which they meet the real X-Men! *Sigh* 'Tis the season, I guess... At least he's not on SENTINEL #3, proving that Sean McKeever's not only a good writer but that he don't need no stinking Wolverine in his X-Men-related title. Besides, it would look weird.

Finally, an Elseworlds series that goes the distance long enough to develop a firm story: BATMAN: NEVERMORE #3, the third in a five-part series in which Batman aides no less than Edgar Allen Poe in solving a mystery. If we can't have I SHALL BECOME A BAT! as a regular series, then how about this? Oh, that's right, Poe died relatively young. OK, then, how about a maxi-series?

Looks like the entire Batman universe has taken a Gothic turn this month (but then, when does it not): the second issue of the extraordinary ARKHAM ASYLUM: LIVING HELL also ships this week.

The second half of a two-part story concludes this week in ELEKTRA #24, though the real shocker is that there's no major boobage on the cover this time out. Bill Sienkiewicz, shame on you - all those fanboys (and roughly ten percent of the fangirls) are counting on you!

ALIAS #23

© 2003 Marvel Comics

And speaking of two-parters, the conclusion to the long-awaited origin story of Jessica Jones also arrives this week in ALIAS #23. I suppose I could make some tired old joke about Jessica's need to take on a partner with the last name of Smith so that they can rename the series ALIAS SMITH AND JONES, but I'm sure Brian Michael Bendis would come over and ram my laptop up my bottom. Then he'd make fun of me for using the word "bottom" instead of "a**," and quite rightly so.

Oh, and if anyone cares, THE CALL #3 ships this week, too. If you need your monthly Chuck Austen fix, though, read EXILES instead. (The book with Wolverine on the cover, remember? No, the other one. No, the other one. There you go.)

And if there's a must-read this week, it's bound to be JSA: ALL-STARS #2, which features a solo Hawkgirl story written by none other than Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. And if that's not enough Birdy-Girl action for ya, Shayera Thal, the Thanagarian formerly known as Hawkwoman, makes a guest-appearance in HAWKMAN #16 this week. Just about makes up for that lack of Elektra boobage, doesn't it?

See you next week!

Comicscape is our weekly Comics column.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at feedback@cinescape.com.