A LOT of comic book news is being announced this week, here’s a quick guide:
§ Paul Levitz will be writing not just the Legion in ADVENTURE COMICS, but a whole new Legion of Superheroes title:
Then you got to watch me do a bunch of terrible things to people! We killed characters in that time, we screwed around with their love lives… We had what might have been arguably the first extra-marital affair going on in mainstream superhero comics… All of those things provides you enormous ammunition as a writer. I lead off the new run by destroying the homeworld of one of the characters.
§ Likewise, Gail Simone and Ed Benes are relaunching BIRDS OF PREY:
It’s classic “Birds of Prey” but maybe just a little tougher and a little naughtier. I’ve been given some really surprising approvals and I think long-time readers and newbies will find it quite unlike any other comic on the stands. I’ve always said the secret of the book is that it’s a female buddy cop story, basically, and that is a surprisingly rare thing in all media.
§ Marvel is relaunching its MARVEL ADVENTURES all-ages line…but without that annoying 80’s style swoosh logo. Two titles will be written by Paul Tobin.
Marvel is proud to announce a bold new beginning for the critically acclaimed Marvel Adventures line with SPIDER-MAN #1 and SUPER HEROES #1! Perfect for readers of all ages, these two all-new series are the perfect jumping on point for readers new and old with oversized debut issues, packed with a full length all-new stories and bonus back up stories, just like the comics from when you were a kid! Subsequent issues will be regular sized and priced at $2.99, perfect for everyone’s summer reading!
§ In addition to Marvel’s fronting over unsold Blackest Night tie-ins yesterday, they also announced that they wouldn’t be reprinting Siege #1 — but you COULD reorder a special expanded edition. What the heck, is it 2002 again? Johanna has more.
§ The Human TargetTV show debuts this Sunday, and the star explains that it is a little simpler than the comics:
“To be honest with you, when I was reading the comics, I would get a little bit confused,” he confessed. “It’s a graphic novel and usually it’s pretty explanatory, but I was getting a little confused [about] which one is Chance and which one is the real person.”
“They had to go to great lengths even in the comic book to make this exposition and explain [if] this is the real Chance or not,” he added. “Even going as far as doing that on television — they tried doing that with the Rick Springfield show — and I think it’s something that would be really hard to maintain. It would be hard to show it and hard to explain it.”
Deadline reports that (500) DAYS OF SUMMER director Marc Webb may be at the top of the list for a new Spider-Man director, which sounds promising. Other wish-list names being bandied about included Wes Anderson (FANTASTIC MR. FOX, LIFE AQUATIC), and although we would DEARLY, DEARLY love to see Anderson direct a superhero movie — especially a TEAM movie — we suspect that will not be happening.
I find Black Canary’s lack of underpants…disturbing. Also, the raised seam thing is, like, seau last decade?
Also also, will someone please burn that Huntress outfit in an imaginary fire.
I’ve been playing catch-up on Gail’s last run recently, though. Top. Notch. OOOOOOH, that Spy-Smasher. OOOOHH, she’s a bad’n.
Love that Spidey cover. I’ve noticed that the Iron Man in these books is wearing a retro little clanker that’s closer to the Red ‘n’ Yeller he used to wear before the sauce took him. Ditto the chibi Super Hero Squad version. The new suit Fraction et al have been talking about is likewise more of a skin-tight costume than anything since the Sean Chen era.
I wonder if that isn’t…and forgive me for statin’ the bleedin’ obvious, here…I wonder if that isn’t because somebody, somewhere, thinks that kids will find such a thing easier to draw than, say, Bryan Hitch’s Ultimate mecha.
Or is that just silly?
//Oo/\
That Spidey cover is a lot of fun… come to think of it, the Marvel Adventures books typically have really great covers.
Matthew and Alex, I agree that the Spidey cover is nice. Good contrast between foreground and background, and excellent figure and colour. Easy to “read” the image.
Why would anybody taunt me with the idea of a Wes Anderson superhero film when it will never ever happen? Now I keep thinking about it and giggling incessently. *sigh* At least I can dream.
That Birds of Prey image seems to have a real Buffy vibe to it.
Likewise, Lightning Lad seems to be putting out an Anakin Skywalker vibe.
As for that MA Spider-Man cover, it is nice but where are all the people looking up in wide-eyed wonder? Everybody looks like it’s just another day at Midtown High… Maybe that’s the irony I’m missing. Back in my day, flying superheroes were always regarded with slack-jawed wonder by stunned pedestrians.
So glad they’ve decided to do Human Target by abandoning the core concept behind the Human Target? Just fantastic. ::rolls eyes::
In a non-sarcastic but equally frustrated tone:
Geez, Pretty much all the Milligan Vertigo stuff is highly cinematic and the first mini especially could be lifted as is and converted to a great teleplay. I don’t have high hopes for this.
BTW, we get it two days earlier in Canada. :P
Lightning Lad looks a like the long lost mascot of the San Diego Chargers. Just saying…..
I’ll give the dissenting opinion and say “Thank God Wes Anderson won’t be directing a Spidey movie.”
‘Easy to “read” the image.’
As long as you aren’t at all curious where the bottom half of his left leg is.
“I’ll give the dissenting opinion and say “Thank God Wes Anderson won’t be directing a Spidey movie.” ”
Oh, for sure it would be a terrible choice. But I still would love to see the result.
Love the blurb for the MARVEL ADVENTURES book:
…just like the comics from when you were a kid!
At last, they’re being honest about who the true target market is.
I hope the stories for LSH are better than the “new” costume designs. Yuck. They look like the worst of the 70’s to me. Lightning Lad’s costume is extra gay. And not in the nothing-wrong-with-that homosexual way. And before I get a lot of flak, I’m gay. And I want nothing to do with that costume.
And DC keeps trotting out series that maybe were fresh ideas back in…1982. Why in the world are they launching two LSH series, considering that Levitz hasn’t really been much of writing powerhouse presence in decades? It’s not like they really NEED two series, unless this is DiDio’s new gimmick for hogging more shelf space (“Two series for nearly EVERY superteam franchise that used to sell! It’s a can’t miss idea!”). Talk about watering down the concepts even further…
= Why in the world are they launching two LSH series, considering that Levitz hasn’t really been much of writing powerhouse presence in decades?
Comic industry version of the gold watch?
@LN: Damn you, now I can’t UNSEE it!
The difficulty I have with Marvel’s Siege reprint policy is that Marvel is under the misguided assumption that today’s comic books are a collectible commodity, instead of just a another disposable form of entertainment.( like magazines, novels, music, TV, and movies )
I love reading comic books, but I don’t buy them with the intent to resell them. If I really want to keep the story, I’ll invest in a trade or a hardcover. Viva la internet! Give me digital comics any day!
>>And DC keeps trotting out series that maybe were fresh ideas back in…1982. Why in the world are they launching two LSH series, considering that Levitz hasn’t really been much of writing powerhouse presence in decades?>>>
Ummm… soooo unlike Marvel trotting out yet another Wolverine title, or Spidey title, or better yet classics from the 70s like MS. MARVEL. Or DC pulling out the fresh ideas of… the Justice Society of America! How many “fresh” ideas do you actually see in the DCU or MU??
Speaking of fresh ideas, here’s one: Putting a writer on the LOSH that has respect, knowledge of, and passion for the characters. (And yes, I know someone will mention Shooter, but please… space prevents me from listing the galaxy-full of differences between these two men.) A writer that will… WAIT FOR IT…
Write THE LEGION OF SUPER HEROES!!!!! Not this faux-Legion crapola we’ve seen that has polluted the planet since… well, since Levitz left the last time. Supergirl and the LOSH?? The young hip happenin’ LOSH with the crappy cool hip characters?? PLEASEEEE!!!!
And the BEST NEWS: the REAL SUPERBOY!! None of this Conner Kent crapola… PLEASE just go away CK! Supergirl and the Legion? NO!! This will be the actual SUPERBOY and the LOSH!! AMAZING!!!!!
“Ummm… soooo unlike Marvel trotting out yet another Wolverine title, or Spidey title, or better yet classics from the 70s like MS. MARVEL. Or DC pulling out the fresh ideas of… the Justice Society of America! How many “fresh” ideas do you actually see in the DCU or MU??”
Why are you bothering to make a mindless comparison…Marvel is still selling product. When was the last time the LSH sold anything? Oh, that’s right..it was when Levitz was writing….back in 1982. Deja vu.
Here’s an idea for you…how about addressing the original question, for a change? Too hard for ya?
Levitz isn’t getting any younger, and he hasn’t been doing much writing at all lately to suggest that all of a sudden, LSH is going to sell so gangbusters that DC will need two titles to support it.
“Speaking of fresh ideas, here’s one: Putting a writer on the LOSH that has respect, knowledge of, and passion for the characters. (And yes, I know someone will mention Shooter…”
…and Waid and Abnett and Lanning and Giffen and the Bierbaums and Johns, and…am I forgetting anyone else still alive?
So dude, unclench and realize that Levitz isn’t the only one who can write this franchise effectively. And hardly enough people are going to be all that excited about Silver Age Superboy co-mingling with the team again, because he was ALWAYS BORING back then. But hey, go ahead and miss the point entirely all over again; I won’t be listening.
i like how the star of Human Target makes me feel so much smarter than he he.
is.
If I was still buying pamphlets I’d probably get excited about Paul Levitz writing the Legion again, I followed the book pretty solidly up until Abnett and Lanning took it over. Got to agree though, I can’t see it selling like hotcakes.
On a slight aside though, I wonder what DC and Marvel look for in terms of the lifespan of a new book. If a book hits 3 years and 36 issues is that considered good now? I can’t see anything new that’s being published currently ever hitting 600 issues, most I’d be suprised to see make 60 with the law of dimishing returns. Anybody any idea?
“I lead off the new run by destroying the homeworld of one of the characters.” I thought this was already a pretty tired cliche, particularly in the Legion (although the various reboots have given them more chances). If you’ve got a planet that has been developed at all, there are more story possibilities in retaining it than in blowing it up. Every planet is not Krypton. Every superhero is not Superman.
I just wish they would grow Saturn Girl’s hair back.
The way she looks, they should change her name to Saturn Boy.
“I lead off the new run by destroying the homeworld of one of the characters.”
…Gee, you think Paul has seen the last STAR TREK movie?
Oh, and getting a classic writer to revisit the LSH worked out great the last time, when it was Jim Shooter. If by great i mean undercut, overedited and pushed out to make room for the next flavor-of-the-month writer.
>>>Why are you bothering to make a mindless comparison…Marvel is still selling product. When was the last time the LSH sold anything? Oh, that’s right..it was when Levitz was writing….back in 1982. Deja vu. Here’s an idea for you…how about addressing the original question, for a change? Too hard for ya?>>
Well, for you kitty, I’ll try and go REAL SLOW to give you a chance to follow. Try and pay attention now… turn the Eminem off and concentrate. “Mindless comparison”? How is that mindless? The original post talked about the LACK OF IMAGINATION involved in bringing back the LOSH again… haven’t we tried that etcetc. THE POINT: (remember, concentrate really hard lil’ fella) is that bashing bringing back the Legion is just ridiculous when you’re dealing with companies that bring out title after title featuring, for instance (as I said) Wolverine, X-Men etc. AND… bashing bringing back the Legion, a classic by any measure, vs. the genius of bringing back MS. MARVEL (for instance) is also inane.
I guess what put the urine in your wheaties was that I picked on your precious Marvel comics. Your zombie mentality is showing. I guess you didn’t notice I faulted DC also… you just saw Marvel and started to pout and dash off a few (attempted) insults.
So… I WAS ADDRESSING THE ORIGINAL QUESTION ALL ALONG, if you were paying attention… or, is that “TOO HARD FOR YA?” (and wow, you stung with that scathing remark, you scamp!)
So what if Levitz isn’t getting younger. What does that have to do with anything? You think he can’t write anymore because he’s past 50? Fine. You stick to fine writers like Rob Liefeld or Jim Shooter.
“… and Waid and Abnett and Lanning and Giffen and the Bierbaums and Johns…” Again, YOU miss the point. Several of the writers you mention did not meet the criteria I mentioned. Sorry. Some are fine writers, but absolutely destroyed the real Legion. Giffen – Love him. Giffen on the Legion WITHOUT Levitz… not so much. Tom and Mary… again ok, but not on the same level as Levitz on the Legion.
Geoff Johns… ? I agree he meets the criteria for anything I’ve seen him touch. I guess I left him out because there’s no way in hell he’d be writing the Legion anytime soon. LOVED the miniseries. I wish he could write more, but hey, he’s only human.
I’m unclenched just fine, thanks. DUDE, I’d suggest you stick to something you know about before running off at the mouth.
As for Superboy (“silver age”… huh? He’s not just a silver age character, but I don’t guess you’d know that. You’re probably a rappin’ Conner Kent fan), he is an integral part of the Legion history. Boring? Your opinion, and like they say, everybody’s got one. Your opinion that I “missed the point” is so ignorant that I”d suggest you keep yours to yourself, but I suppose that never stops you.
And you may not comment, but I KNOW YOU’LL BE LISTENING.
Out of all the news from last week the only thing I’m truly excited about is the Birds of Prey relaunch and even that series only had 3 random good issues and this was after 100 issues were published! So I can’t wait to read the next good BoP from Gail Simone in another 10 years!
And to me, Brightest Day seems rather open ended and there are apparent hints of “darkness” especially in the upcoming Green Arrow storyline; so it is not all light and happy.