Three weeks later
So three weeks of “One Year Later” books have come out…and where are we?
Superman has no powers. Supergirl is apparently in the future (won’t understand that til next week) and yet also Clark’s Metropolis call-girl.
Everyone thinks the Outsiders are dead, but now their cover is blown. Meanwhile, Jason Todd has been posing as Nightwing, but now Dick is in town, bagging chicks and trying to clear Nightwing’s name.
Batman and a Robin not yet explicitly identified as Tim have returned to Gotham. Poison Ivy’s apparently back. Harvey Dent has played street vigilante. Jim Gordon is once again Gotham’s police commissioner.
Oliver Queen is now mayor, and the corporate bigwigs have hired Deathstroke to take him out.
Meanwhile in JSA, apparently nothing has changed.
Oh and we have a new Aquaman? And Firestorm didn’t die or something? (Is it obvious which books I’ve picked up?)
So far, I have to say that One Year Later has been a bit underwhelming, but I do think that in all fairness, it’s too early to judge. Schedules have obviously been thrown off a bit, because we just got the Teen Titans annual this week, which leads into last week’s issue of Teen Titans the series, which precedes IC #5, which came out how many weeks ago now?
I can’t really be too hard on DC; I mean, when literally every book is affected, it’s probably an amazing feat that so many books have come out in appropriate respective order. And considering that a lot of the books are being written as supplementary pieces (as opposed to direct chronological segments), it’s not too damaging. Still, I feel like we’re kind of treading water with a lot of this stuff.
Infinite Crisis: Secret Files and Origins was thick and interesting, yet its timing left me with a feeling of “Okay, enough already, I get it.” I felt a little guilty for that kind of reaction, particularly considering how the resurrections of so many characters over the past 10 years were given real storyline justifications. But I can’t help but think that page would have meant more tucked inside an issue of the Infinite Crisis series…
…two months ago…
Nevertheless, it’s been a fascinating ride (more to come on specific IC thoughts). It has successfully converted a die-hard Marvel fan. I now buy Green Arrow, for crying out loud. And when it’s all said and done, I’m going to sit down with a huge stack some Saturday afternoon a year or so from now and read it all and continue to be amazed. But there’s still a lot to be sorted, a lot of questions to be answered, and still a lot of groundwork to be laid.
With these scheduling issues, though, I just really hope that 52 doesn’t end up getting nicknamed 107 or something.
I was thinking about writing on the same subject, but I see it a little different. I think DC’s been brilliant about OYL (aside from a few poorly timed releases).
And how amazing is it that – aside from a few revelations, like Dick Grayson being alive and having a rabbit’s sex drive – no big secrets of IC or how it ends have been revealed.
I’ve maintained my interest in seeing Infinite Crisis to its end, and the few issues of OYL have made me more excited for 52.
How is Alexander Luthor beaten? Where did Superman’s powers run off to? Why did Batman disappear?
And, yeah, I’m even very curious as to how Ollie becomes mayor. (speaking of which, that series is looking like a more superhero-y version of Ex Machina)
It’s a pretty amazing blockbuster event that not only takes several years of build-up, but also doesn’t just end in a climactic explosion, instead just raising more issues and interest in the characters.
I didn’t think that particular issue of Green Arrow was done well at all. The entire issue was a build-up to the reveal that Oliver Queen is now mayor of Star City. Except the solicits told us three months ago. And it’s on the friggin’ cover. Seemed like a pointless buildup issue. Same kinda thing happened in Nightwing. It’s never explicitly said in the issue that the other Nightwing is Jason Todd…expect in the “Next Issue” blurb. GA is definitely my least favorite OYL issue I’ve read so far, and I’ve read most of them (I think I passed on Firestorm and Blood of the Demon).
However, the mystery element from Superman, Batman, Nightwing, Birds of Prey, Outsiders and even Aquaman has me very intrigued. Yes, Aquaman. For Neal, it’s Green Arrow. For me, it’s Aquaman.
I can tell you without a doubt that a big aspect of what intrigues me about Green Arrow is the “real life” element of it – the way that urban redevelopment, which is a corporate welfare cash cow in pretty much every major US city, is being factored into it. It’s giving a socially relevant purpose to Oliver Queen’s politics, and they’ve managed to involve superheroes in a way that fits nicely.
I also got a kick out of the “Nice job, stop killing them” note. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever thought Green Arrow was cool.
ditto. Now imagine how cool it would’ve been if they hadn’t revealed he was mayor.
Oh, and just to make a point, it was never said explicitly in Detective that Bruce Wayne is Batman. Yeah, it’s probably him. But it didn’t say for sure.
Well, it’s not Tim, Dick or Jason, and I can’t see them letting another guy fill in as Batman. That didn’t turn out so well last time.
Some of these books really don’t need to jump OYL though. I would hate to see stories forced, then fed back later.
Ergo: Firestorm and Birds Of Prey. Firestorm was just getting on a new track, and then poof, reboot. Bad.
Birds of Prey: there was really no need to go ahead OYL. We gots no Black Canary. So what?
JSA: Thank you for no major changes. Refreshing.
Catwoman: I don’t want a pregnant Selina Kyle. I want her beating people to hell as Catwoman. It was working, and no need to OYL.
So, I am disappointed that some of these did the reboot, albeit no changes.
Some titles I understand did need a reboot – Green Arrow has been lame, Aquaman even lamer. Blood of the Demon- they make this still why?