Blackest Night
Okay, so why can't Dick Grayson go back to being hot as Nightwing, instead of campy and really poor at training boys to fill his old boots as Robin? I don't understand why the DCU pegs Dick as being "one hell of a leader" and "the fabric that ties the DCU together" because if anything, all he's done is fail at leading, hurt himself and his friends, and give dead-Bruce migraines over his poor training of Damian.
Seriously. He's not even training Damian. He's sort of giving him orders, sort of letting him do whatever he wants, kind of asking for respect, and not living up to Bruce's role as Batman at all. He can't be Batman. Even Grant Morrison himself said in an interview that he wanted to play around with a lighter Batman and a darker Robin. However, what he's really doing is making Dick look bad and turning Damian into a bad guy.
Poor Alfred has to sit by and watch!
Please go back to being Nightwing, Dick. It's what you do best. Think of your escrima sticks! And your pretty blue bird shaped stripes! According to Morrison, we won't have to put up with this much longer. The sooner Geoff Johns gets the ball rolling on Blackest Night, the sooner we can start...fixing things. Thank GOD he's shaking up the DCU. He's got his work cut out for him to be fixing all the bullshit, half-assed writing/plot that Morrison created with Countdown and Final Crisis.
Now, staying on track with Blackest Night -- I am terrified to pick up Titans #19 when it hits shelves in November just because of this cover:
Okay, why does everything bad have to happen to Roy Harper? Seriously! Why can't they stop shitting all over him? And it harks back to when he was in the JLA --
Superman is about to get dosed with an energy blast from Icon's glove which can emit the power of 1000 red suns. So, Roy (as Red Arrow) sends an arrow into the glove and destroys it. Does Superman say thanks? Or make some cool witty comment?
NO! Of course not! The writer, Dwayne McDuffie, makes Supes act all hardcore and god-mode:
"Thanks, but I was just about to melt the circuitry with my heat vision."
I would have been miffed, but Roy says, "We're a team. You shouldn't have to do everything by yourself."
And I mean, this "holier than thou" attitude given to the Big Three by some authors is just a pain in the ass. It harks back to their little secret club house at JLA HQ. Luckily, Dinah busted that bullshit up. Writers need to get their panties untwisted and recognize the fact that Bruce, Clark, and Diana need help sometimes. What happened to the team work we used to read in stories like Crisis on Infinite Earths? Or how everybody pulled together in the 80s and 90s?
Hopefully, Blackest Night can rekindle that feeling of togetherness we lost. I have a feeling that the DCU is just gonna be "stronger better faster harder" when Johns is finished. And hopefully, Harper doesn't DIE and finally gets the recognition and acknowledgement he deserves. Because seriously-- Dick got TWO reprieves: first, in Infinite Crisis (where he was supposed to die instead of Kon. Which would've made a hell of a lot more sense) and second, in Final Crisis (where it was supposed to be HIM INSTEAD OF BRUCE. WHAT THE FUCK. Remember Nightwing: R.I.P.? YEAH.)
So, for you collectors out there who are keeping up with Blackest Night, this is a checklist of the following materials you should keep up with if you want to know what's going on right now in the DCU and how everything will come together:
Blackest Night Part One Checklist
JULY 2009
-- Green Lantern #43 (Prologue) (This is monthly. You can buy this for Aug., Sept., etc.)
-- Blackest Night #1
-- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1
-- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #2
-- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #3
I didn't buy the Tales of the Corps or the Lantern prologue, but that's because I already know the gist of what's going on. You should probably only buy these if you're a big Lantern fan. If you're still really unsure about and confused by all the Lantern talk, just read Green Lantern: Rebirth, followed by the two volume Sinestro Corps Wars. That should help you.
AUGUST 2009
-- Blackest Night #2
-- Blackest Night: Batman #1 of 3
-- Blackest Night: Superman #1 of 3
-- Blackest Night: Titans #1 of 3
I recommend buying the three-part Batman series if you want a follow up on Batman: R.I.P. and Battle for the Cowl. I would also keep up with the Red Robin series as Tim searches for Bruce. Red Robin #4 hits shelves September 9th.
I would buy the three-part Superman series if you want to keep up with the Kents and learn more about Conner and what's happened since he came back. If you missed it, the Legion healed Conner's body but it took 1,000 years for healing to complete. The Legion used him and Bart in a battle, and then sent them back to their real times. That's how they got back. Buy the three-part Titans series if you're keeping up with the Titans comic run. We're currently up to Titans #16.
SEPTEMBER 2009
-- Blackest Night #3 (Sept. 16)
-- Blackest Night: Batman #2 of 3 (Sept. 9)
-- Blackest Night: Superman #2 of 3 (Sept. 23)
-- Blackest Night: Titans #2 of 3 (Sept 30)
OCTOBER 2009
-- Blackest Night #4 (Oct 21)
-- Blackest Night: Batman #3 of 3 (Oct 14)
-- Blackest Night: Superman #3 of 3 (Oct 21)
-- Blackest Night: Titans #3 of 3 (Oct 28)
BONUS Flash: Rebirth #5 of 6 (Oct 14)
NOVEMBER 2009
-- Blackest Night #5 of 8 (Nov 25)
BONUS Flash: Rebirth #6 of 6 (Nov 25)
Also, for those of you who missed out on collecting all of the pieces of Battle for the Cowl:
-- The complete companion edition comes out November 4th.
-- The complete Battle for the Cowl mini series comes out separately in hardcover on November 18th. It runs for $19.99.
-- The comic book issues listed above are individual issues that usually run anywhere between $2.99 and $4.99 a piece.
Furthermore, anyone interested in the three-issue miniseries coming off of Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum, these are the release dates:
Oct. 18: Arkham Reborn #1 of 3
Nov. 25: Arkham Reborn #2 of 3
Dec. (date not yet released): Arkham Reborn #3 of 3
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, pm me, or send me an instant message at Clownfrogg on AIM.
Seriously. He's not even training Damian. He's sort of giving him orders, sort of letting him do whatever he wants, kind of asking for respect, and not living up to Bruce's role as Batman at all. He can't be Batman. Even Grant Morrison himself said in an interview that he wanted to play around with a lighter Batman and a darker Robin. However, what he's really doing is making Dick look bad and turning Damian into a bad guy.
Poor Alfred has to sit by and watch!
Please go back to being Nightwing, Dick. It's what you do best. Think of your escrima sticks! And your pretty blue bird shaped stripes! According to Morrison, we won't have to put up with this much longer. The sooner Geoff Johns gets the ball rolling on Blackest Night, the sooner we can start...fixing things. Thank GOD he's shaking up the DCU. He's got his work cut out for him to be fixing all the bullshit, half-assed writing/plot that Morrison created with Countdown and Final Crisis.
Now, staying on track with Blackest Night -- I am terrified to pick up Titans #19 when it hits shelves in November just because of this cover:
Okay, why does everything bad have to happen to Roy Harper? Seriously! Why can't they stop shitting all over him? And it harks back to when he was in the JLA --
Superman is about to get dosed with an energy blast from Icon's glove which can emit the power of 1000 red suns. So, Roy (as Red Arrow) sends an arrow into the glove and destroys it. Does Superman say thanks? Or make some cool witty comment?
NO! Of course not! The writer, Dwayne McDuffie, makes Supes act all hardcore and god-mode:
"Thanks, but I was just about to melt the circuitry with my heat vision."
I would have been miffed, but Roy says, "We're a team. You shouldn't have to do everything by yourself."
And I mean, this "holier than thou" attitude given to the Big Three by some authors is just a pain in the ass. It harks back to their little secret club house at JLA HQ. Luckily, Dinah busted that bullshit up. Writers need to get their panties untwisted and recognize the fact that Bruce, Clark, and Diana need help sometimes. What happened to the team work we used to read in stories like Crisis on Infinite Earths? Or how everybody pulled together in the 80s and 90s?
Hopefully, Blackest Night can rekindle that feeling of togetherness we lost. I have a feeling that the DCU is just gonna be "stronger better faster harder" when Johns is finished. And hopefully, Harper doesn't DIE and finally gets the recognition and acknowledgement he deserves. Because seriously-- Dick got TWO reprieves: first, in Infinite Crisis (where he was supposed to die instead of Kon. Which would've made a hell of a lot more sense) and second, in Final Crisis (where it was supposed to be HIM INSTEAD OF BRUCE. WHAT THE FUCK. Remember Nightwing: R.I.P.? YEAH.)
So, for you collectors out there who are keeping up with Blackest Night, this is a checklist of the following materials you should keep up with if you want to know what's going on right now in the DCU and how everything will come together:
Blackest Night Part One Checklist
JULY 2009
-- Green Lantern #43 (Prologue) (This is monthly. You can buy this for Aug., Sept., etc.)
-- Blackest Night #1
-- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1
-- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #2
-- Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #3
I didn't buy the Tales of the Corps or the Lantern prologue, but that's because I already know the gist of what's going on. You should probably only buy these if you're a big Lantern fan. If you're still really unsure about and confused by all the Lantern talk, just read Green Lantern: Rebirth, followed by the two volume Sinestro Corps Wars. That should help you.
AUGUST 2009
-- Blackest Night #2
-- Blackest Night: Batman #1 of 3
-- Blackest Night: Superman #1 of 3
-- Blackest Night: Titans #1 of 3
I recommend buying the three-part Batman series if you want a follow up on Batman: R.I.P. and Battle for the Cowl. I would also keep up with the Red Robin series as Tim searches for Bruce. Red Robin #4 hits shelves September 9th.
I would buy the three-part Superman series if you want to keep up with the Kents and learn more about Conner and what's happened since he came back. If you missed it, the Legion healed Conner's body but it took 1,000 years for healing to complete. The Legion used him and Bart in a battle, and then sent them back to their real times. That's how they got back. Buy the three-part Titans series if you're keeping up with the Titans comic run. We're currently up to Titans #16.
SEPTEMBER 2009
-- Blackest Night #3 (Sept. 16)
-- Blackest Night: Batman #2 of 3 (Sept. 9)
-- Blackest Night: Superman #2 of 3 (Sept. 23)
-- Blackest Night: Titans #2 of 3 (Sept 30)
OCTOBER 2009
-- Blackest Night #4 (Oct 21)
-- Blackest Night: Batman #3 of 3 (Oct 14)
-- Blackest Night: Superman #3 of 3 (Oct 21)
-- Blackest Night: Titans #3 of 3 (Oct 28)
BONUS Flash: Rebirth #5 of 6 (Oct 14)
NOVEMBER 2009
-- Blackest Night #5 of 8 (Nov 25)
BONUS Flash: Rebirth #6 of 6 (Nov 25)
Also, for those of you who missed out on collecting all of the pieces of Battle for the Cowl:
-- The complete companion edition comes out November 4th.
-- The complete Battle for the Cowl mini series comes out separately in hardcover on November 18th. It runs for $19.99.
-- The comic book issues listed above are individual issues that usually run anywhere between $2.99 and $4.99 a piece.
Furthermore, anyone interested in the three-issue miniseries coming off of Battle for the Cowl: Arkham Asylum, these are the release dates:
Oct. 18: Arkham Reborn #1 of 3
Nov. 25: Arkham Reborn #2 of 3
Dec. (date not yet released): Arkham Reborn #3 of 3
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment, pm me, or send me an instant message at Clownfrogg on AIM.