DC All-Stars

[SinisterPryde]

I'm sure this was a thread before, but I missed it, so here it is.

So far, I'm confused about the whole Batman one. I thought this was supposed to be an all-ages title that incorporated the "timeless" aspects of the characters. Not only do I recognize this jerk in the bat-suit, but I would not let my ten year old read this. This is about what I'd expect to happen if Cable put on the bat-suit and trolled around Sin City. Frank Miller has written two of the definitive Batman tales. I have a feeling that his run on this, much like The Dark Knight Strikes Again, will be little more than blips on his resume`. I dig the art though. Jim Lee still rocks.

Superman, on the other hand, is showing great promise. This is what these comics should be. Classic characters in tales that don't have to mesh with current continuity. It's a little too early to tell where the story on this one is going, but it's a fun ride so far (remember when comics used to be fun?). I've never been a fan of Quietly's work, but his Superman looks like he should: larger than life.

I'd love to see DC do more of these. Green Lantern and Wonder Woman could be awesome with the right creative teams.

[southpaw]

ALL-STAR Batman is bad. I had such high hopes for it too.:(

I'm going to stop picking it up. I agree with you about a Wonder Woman and Green Lantern ALL-STAR book. I've been picking up the new GL and I'm not feeling it either, but a ALL-STAR GL book might be just what Hal Jordan needs. If it was like Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn I would never miss an issue!

[Rael]

I like the first two issues of All Star Batman, and the first All Star superman was okay. Guess I am the minority here. Oh well. I am just going to wait until they start putting out the TPBs for these two series.

[SinisterPryde]

I just read that after Jim Lee's run on All-Star Batman they're going to have Neal Adams on the book. I just hope they get a new writer, too. Frank Miller should really go back to doing Sin City and smaller projects. I just don't think Batman is in his blood anymore. I could be wrong.

[SinisterPryde]

I heard a while ago that DC had two other All-Star series in the works. One was Wonder Woman by Adam Hughes and the other one was, um, I don't remember.

Wouldn't it be funny if Hughes run was finished before Frank Miller and Jim Lee's?

[Greyman]

Honestly, I was a little disappointed by the art in the Batman book as well. I mean, it's kind of what I'd expect from Jim Lee—exquisitely drawn overly-muscled men and overly-chesty women, but it got a little ridiculous.

The one scene from issue #1 where Alfred, his torn shirt revealing incredibly developed biceps, held a swooning Vickie Vale whose low-cut, strapless dress was barely keeping her covered was a bit much. It looked like Lee took the shot from a romance novel cover. And when did Alfred become an Olympian?

Also, I don't know if it's a question of whether Miller's heart is in it or not. I think it's a question of him wanting free reign to re-imagine all of the characters.

He's said that the All Star version of the title exists in the same universe as DK and DK2. If that's the case, he's got to figure out a start point for Dick Grayson to become a raving psychotic, and for Bruce Wayne to become a detached general.

Still, I'm a little bored with Miller making every character so...out of proportion, I guess. Everyone has had some kind of military training. No one is just an individual doing a job. Alfred can't just be a butler, he has to be a combat physician and former RAF pilot. Vickie Vale can't just be a reporter. She has to be a detective with martial arts training.

You know what I mean?

I know that comic book characters are meant to be bigger than life, but making EVERY character bigger than life sort of draws you out of the story. There's no one to ground you.