csyphrett Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 I was at Hanes Mall, at Waldenbooks. I picked up an issue of JSA tying into Days of Vengeance. The Spectre was ripping up Black Adam's country. Here comes the question. If the Spectre was having so many problems with Captain Marvel, how the heck did he deal with Black Adam in like one panel? If the JSA hadn't been there, BA would have been paste. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans I haven't read the issue(s) in question, but in general this sort of thing falls under the heading of Writer's Fiat. If a writer wants a super to have trouble dealing with one opponent in a particular issue, while another writer wants the same super to walk all over another opponent who's supposed to be equivalent to the other one, that's what happens. Trying to ascertain consistent benchmarks in comics can drive ya loopy. Still, looking over his entire history you'd expect the Spectre to be able to make paste out of just about anyone, up to and including Superman. He's pretty much God's right hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Spoilers In the issue in question the Enchantress (a sorcerous villain who is trying to stop the Specter) starts channeling most/all magic from mystics into Cap to give him the boost he needs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Thanks Jim. Why didn't Shazam do that? Wait. It's 3 a.m. here. Got another that just occurred to me. Green Arrow was one of the heroes behind Dr. Light's mindwiping in Identity Crisis. Batman opposed it. Doesn't this seem like a role reversal since GA has always been Mr. ACLU Liberal, and Batman, the more stiffnecked all for justice? CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans I haven't read the issue(s) in question, but in general this sort of thing falls under the heading of Writer's Fiat. If a writer wants a super to have trouble dealing with one opponent in a particular issue, while another writer wants the same super to walk all over another opponent who's supposed to be equivalent to the other one, that's what happens. Trying to ascertain consistent benchmarks in comics can drive ya loopy. Still, looking over his entire history you'd expect the Spectre to be able to make paste out of just about anyone, up to and including Superman. He's pretty much God's right hand. The Spectre and Eclipso are supposedly both the wrath of God with Eclipso coming first. That begs another question. They both need driving souls to operate. How is the Spectre operating without one? He should be in Limbo, not causing problems. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKJAM! Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Green Arrow was one of the heroes behind Dr. Light's mindwiping in Identity Crisis. Batman opposed it. Doesn't this seem like a role reversal since GA has always been Mr. ACLU Liberal, and Batman, the more stiffnecked all for justice? CES Actually, Green Arrow voted *against* the Dr. Light mindwipe. He was outnumbered, but once the group decision was made, he was bound to keep the secret. Note how quick he was to put the worst possible spin on the memory alteration the moment it came up. This is an important thing to remember about ID Crisis--Dr. Light's brainwashing wasn't the top of the slippery slope, it was the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Actually, Green Arrow voted *against* the Dr. Light mindwipe. He was outnumbered, but once the group decision was made, he was bound to keep the secret. Note how quick he was to put the worst possible spin on the memory alteration the moment it came up. This is an important thing to remember about ID Crisis--Dr. Light's brainwashing wasn't the top of the slippery slope, it was the bottom. Putting the worst spin on it sounds right. I remember he quit the league over something. Why didn't he do it here, why did he keep the secret when it seems counter to his personality then? I know the answer there. Writer Fiat. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Putting the worst spin on it sounds right. I remember he quit the league over something. Why didn't he do it here, why did he keep the secret when it seems counter to his personality then? I know the answer there. Writer Fiat. CES Actually, it's not long after that, in continuity, when he did quit the League. That storyline always seemed unconvinv=cing, so ID Crisis actually adds a festering reason for him to quit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans He only quit for three issues, until Aquaman disbanded the team. On the other hand I don't how much of that is still in continuity. It gives a sort of reason for Batman to start the Outsiders and A-man to disband the team I guess, but other than that, it sounds like writer failure to me. Here's another one I thought of on the way home from work. There's about 20 characters that have been killed leading into the summer Crisis. If the policy was no revivals, or revamps, would we see this many deaths. Oh wait. There's the Hal Jordan thing from Rebirth. If Marz had given him a more heroic death, would old timers have liked Kyle more rather than lobbying for his return for how many years? CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKJAM! Posted June 24, 2005 Report Share Posted June 24, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans There's the Hal Jordan thing from Rebirth. If Marz had given him a more heroic death, would old timers have liked Kyle more rather than lobbying for his return for how many years? They might still have been irked by the seemingly random pick of the kid, but yes, I think the stink of how Hal was pushed out of the job unfairly tainted the reception of Kyle for years. The way the writers tried to metatext Kyle as a great Green Lantern didn't help either. Much like the extremely dubious method of killing off Ronnie Raymond hasn't helped the new Firestorm endear himself to fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Which is better to have a brand new character with an old name, or killing the old character to have a new guy with the same powers in the old guy's position? I prefer to have a new guy not attached to the old one while the old one retires, or is busy elsewhere. I guess Jay Garrick and Barry Allen spring to mind for this. Killing Oliver Queen to have Connor Hawke take over seems to me a little extreme. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans With Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns being appointed continuity directors at DC, it raised two questions for me. Why didn't they do that in the first crisis so there wouldn't be a mish mash of things going on? Second why Morrison? If you can forget the sexual orientation of a character, what else can you forget? CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZootSoot Posted June 25, 2005 Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans Which is better to have a brand new character with an old name, or killing the old character to have a new guy with the same powers in the old guy's position? I prefer to have a new guy not attached to the old one while the old one retires, or is busy elsewhere. I guess Jay Garrick and Barry Allen spring to mind for this. Killing Oliver Queen to have Connor Hawke take over seems to me a little extreme. CES The reason why comix suck is people who start the boo hoo campaigns whenever anything changes. Far worse than killing Oliver Queen was bringing him back, especially the way they did it, but thats a ver special way for DC in particular to suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 25, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2005 Re: A question for Comics fans The reason why comix suck is people who start the boo hoo campaigns whenever anything changes. Far worse than killing Oliver Queen was bringing him back' date=' especially the way they did it, but thats a ver special way for DC in particular to suck.[/quote'] I wouldn't mind change, I wouldn't mind killing a character if it was necessary. I think that the changes that have been done have been forced changes to throw something out there. Starfire and Nightwing getting together and the marriage of Superman and Lois was a natural change and outgrowth of their relationship. Sasha and Batman's relationship doesn't have that feel, especially with the way Batman is being written now. Perhaps earlier, before miller, it would work better. Now I am not so sure. Things like Identity Crisis and others rely too much on gimmickry that appeals to some fans but not to others. It works too for the most part, except I have noticed that repeat business is down. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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