OT: "Green Lantern - Rebirth" and what it means
"Hal Jordan returns in October's Rebirth".
http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12318
We all knew it was coming, if we're being truly honest with ourselves.
For 10 years, the Kyle Rayner fans have known it would happen. In the back of our minds, we always knew that the Silver Age Wannabe, nostalgia crowd would win out, that the modern age of comics could not last, that 30-year-old basement-living fanboys would always win out over young, articulate, educated, artistic fans who wanted to see changes and legacies and growth.
It's why we bought t-shirts and action figures. It's why I personally bought every single piece of merchandise ever created. It's why we supported quick run-off mini-series, poorly-drawn issues, badly-written guest appearances, out-of-character moments and even a draconian "there can be only one" DC regime.
Because we always had the secret fear that it would end, that Hal Jordan would have to return, that the dream would be over at some point. We thought spending the money and showing the support would be enough and, in the end, it simply wasn't.
The old, uninteresting, dilapidated and out-of-touch have won. Which is exactly why comic books will never be considered literature. It's why the medium will never be held in high regard by anyone outside fandom. Why only the very rare, very exceptional books... Sandman, Preacher, Transmetropolitan... will be remembered. Why no super-hero titles beyond The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen will be looked upon fondly by the rest of the world.
Because the makers of super-hero comics have no guts.
They are afraid of change.
They will not allow growth and maturity to influence their wares.
Peter Parker and Mary Jane have to separate, because Peter needs to be a loser bachelor forever. Hal Jordan must always be Green Lantern, because he is honest and fearless and brave. Daredevil and Black Widow are the ultimate couple, because that's how it was done in the 1970s and don't you forget it. Superman will have to be rebooted every 10 years because no-one is prepared to revolutionise the myth, only perpetuate it. Kyle Rayner and Connor Hawke cannot stay in the spotlight, because their fans do not hold positions of power in the fan press and the industry.
New ideas and concepts will not be tolerated. And when they are... like Dreamwave's new Transformers continuity... they are written off as too complex, or constantly under threat of a buy-out by small-minded, money-hungry publishers with movie ticket sales in their eyes.
If things do change... if they are allowed to do so... it happens all at once. Witness the current revolution on the Spider-Man titles, the width of playing field JMS, Millar and Jenkins have been given to roam in. But don't get used to it - somewhere down the line, the need for "Peter the loser" will over-run any other consideration, and there will be another decade of Spidey stuff not worth sullying your collection with.
I have three hopes, as follows.
From the aforementioned Newsarama story...
------------
(Geoff) Johns is quoted in the (Wizard) article, saying that the storyline will encompass all facets of the Green Lantern mythos, including John Stewart, Guy Gardner, the Spectre, Alan Scott, and Kyle Rayner, who will, according to Johns, play a major role.
------------
Johns has a reputation of being a champion of characters. He seems to believe that, because every character is somebody's favourite, they are deserving of respectful treatment... even if something horrible has to happen to them. Johns has also been quoted recently as saying he "can't wait" to write Kyle Rayner, "a character I love".
This bodes well for the future continuation of Kyle Rayner's adventures. The issue then becomes whether I... and other Kyle Rayner fans... can stomach him potentially sharing a book with Hal Jordan, a character we detest. And whether Johns can write both characters to their full potential and allow them to be themselves in a shared book.
Again, from that same Newsarama story...
------------
(DC head honcho) Dan Didio is quoted in the (Wizard) article as saying... that in his eyes, Green Lantern should become the #3 franchise from DC, behind Superman and Batman.
------------
"Franchise". Another hopeful word. Perhaps common sense will prevail and, in the wake of Rebirth and a new issue #1 re-launch, Kyle and Hal will be given their own, separate titles and be allowed to play to each of their own strengths. This would make the greatest sense to me, and I'm sure to many others.
The final hope? That, if none of the above works, that Kyle is given a send-off befitting a character who helped define a decade of not only comic books, but of my life as a fan and collector. Some of the titles I've loved the most... Darkhawk, Legend of the Shield, Preacher... have been written to definitive, closed-off, no correspondence will be entered into endings, and I haven't minded. I like being able to read a run of my favourites and know it has a beginning, middle and end.
That appreciation for endings, for structured storytelling, for literature over serialisation and stagnation is something that comes with being young, articulate, educated, artistic fans who wants to see changes and legacies and growth. As opposed to being a card-carrying member of the 30-year-old, basement-living, nostalgia Silver Age Wannabe fanboy crowd.
No matter what the period from now until next April brings, I am sure of one thing. In ten years' time, I won't still be talking about, nor whining about, the outcome of all this.
Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF
http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12318
We all knew it was coming, if we're being truly honest with ourselves.
For 10 years, the Kyle Rayner fans have known it would happen. In the back of our minds, we always knew that the Silver Age Wannabe, nostalgia crowd would win out, that the modern age of comics could not last, that 30-year-old basement-living fanboys would always win out over young, articulate, educated, artistic fans who wanted to see changes and legacies and growth.
It's why we bought t-shirts and action figures. It's why I personally bought every single piece of merchandise ever created. It's why we supported quick run-off mini-series, poorly-drawn issues, badly-written guest appearances, out-of-character moments and even a draconian "there can be only one" DC regime.
Because we always had the secret fear that it would end, that Hal Jordan would have to return, that the dream would be over at some point. We thought spending the money and showing the support would be enough and, in the end, it simply wasn't.
The old, uninteresting, dilapidated and out-of-touch have won. Which is exactly why comic books will never be considered literature. It's why the medium will never be held in high regard by anyone outside fandom. Why only the very rare, very exceptional books... Sandman, Preacher, Transmetropolitan... will be remembered. Why no super-hero titles beyond The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen will be looked upon fondly by the rest of the world.
Because the makers of super-hero comics have no guts.
They are afraid of change.
They will not allow growth and maturity to influence their wares.
Peter Parker and Mary Jane have to separate, because Peter needs to be a loser bachelor forever. Hal Jordan must always be Green Lantern, because he is honest and fearless and brave. Daredevil and Black Widow are the ultimate couple, because that's how it was done in the 1970s and don't you forget it. Superman will have to be rebooted every 10 years because no-one is prepared to revolutionise the myth, only perpetuate it. Kyle Rayner and Connor Hawke cannot stay in the spotlight, because their fans do not hold positions of power in the fan press and the industry.
New ideas and concepts will not be tolerated. And when they are... like Dreamwave's new Transformers continuity... they are written off as too complex, or constantly under threat of a buy-out by small-minded, money-hungry publishers with movie ticket sales in their eyes.
If things do change... if they are allowed to do so... it happens all at once. Witness the current revolution on the Spider-Man titles, the width of playing field JMS, Millar and Jenkins have been given to roam in. But don't get used to it - somewhere down the line, the need for "Peter the loser" will over-run any other consideration, and there will be another decade of Spidey stuff not worth sullying your collection with.
I have three hopes, as follows.
From the aforementioned Newsarama story...
------------
(Geoff) Johns is quoted in the (Wizard) article, saying that the storyline will encompass all facets of the Green Lantern mythos, including John Stewart, Guy Gardner, the Spectre, Alan Scott, and Kyle Rayner, who will, according to Johns, play a major role.
------------
Johns has a reputation of being a champion of characters. He seems to believe that, because every character is somebody's favourite, they are deserving of respectful treatment... even if something horrible has to happen to them. Johns has also been quoted recently as saying he "can't wait" to write Kyle Rayner, "a character I love".
This bodes well for the future continuation of Kyle Rayner's adventures. The issue then becomes whether I... and other Kyle Rayner fans... can stomach him potentially sharing a book with Hal Jordan, a character we detest. And whether Johns can write both characters to their full potential and allow them to be themselves in a shared book.
Again, from that same Newsarama story...
------------
(DC head honcho) Dan Didio is quoted in the (Wizard) article as saying... that in his eyes, Green Lantern should become the #3 franchise from DC, behind Superman and Batman.
------------
"Franchise". Another hopeful word. Perhaps common sense will prevail and, in the wake of Rebirth and a new issue #1 re-launch, Kyle and Hal will be given their own, separate titles and be allowed to play to each of their own strengths. This would make the greatest sense to me, and I'm sure to many others.
The final hope? That, if none of the above works, that Kyle is given a send-off befitting a character who helped define a decade of not only comic books, but of my life as a fan and collector. Some of the titles I've loved the most... Darkhawk, Legend of the Shield, Preacher... have been written to definitive, closed-off, no correspondence will be entered into endings, and I haven't minded. I like being able to read a run of my favourites and know it has a beginning, middle and end.
That appreciation for endings, for structured storytelling, for literature over serialisation and stagnation is something that comes with being young, articulate, educated, artistic fans who wants to see changes and legacies and growth. As opposed to being a card-carrying member of the 30-year-old, basement-living, nostalgia Silver Age Wannabe fanboy crowd.
No matter what the period from now until next April brings, I am sure of one thing. In ten years' time, I won't still be talking about, nor whining about, the outcome of all this.
Greet the Fire as Your Friend,
SF