(no subject)

[skygiants]

I don't know if there's a precise word for someone who starts plying a friend with DC comics at exactly the same time that DC makes major universe-changing announcements that send basically the entire comics-reading world into an unhappy tizzy, but there really should be. (I'M TAKING SUGGESTIONS.) More specifically there really should be a word for someone (DEBI) who lends out all of their Oracle and Black Canary: Birds of Prey comics right as Oracle is being rebooted to Batgirl. Up to a few weeks ago I only had to care in a general sort of way! I could still feel smug about my wise decision to avoid all of DC comics! But my fatal weakness of feeling obliged to read anything that is personally shoved into my hands has struck again; now I have to acknowledge that I liked the Birds of Prey books and actually be personally angry about Oracle. SO THANKS, innerbrat.

Well, to be more specific, I didn't actually like the first Birds of Prey book - Dinah and Oracle are still cool, but all the plots were set in facepalminglystereotypedthirdworldcountryland and the dialogue was kind of awful - but things did improve a lot when the writer switched from Chuck Dixon to Gail Simone and the team expanded to include Huntress (whom I actually like best of the main cast, which surprised me; I was expecting to like Oracle best). Two things I don't think I will ever get over, though:

a.) superhero costumes will never fail to boggle, dismay and perplex me. Over the course of the run Huntress' costume goes from this to this and I just don't understand anything.

b.) the DC comics rule about never killing any bad guys ever also boggles and perplexes me. I mean on the one hand, yes, cool principle, I also am strongly against the death penalty! On the other hand when like sixty people are trying to kill you at once I also think that sometimes being careful not to accidentally kill any of them is something you can't necessarily worry about (especially when all forms of beating and maiming seem to be okay . . .?). Also, in a hypothetical situation like, say, an evil telepathic cult leader is telepathically forcing forty little kids to blow themselves up in the next forty seconds, and killing him will cut off the telepathic connection, I am pretty sure I would feel one hundred percent okay about killing that cult leader. (I think this is why I like Huntress best.)

Anyway, now at least I can say I've read some DC comics. Though I still don't think I'm going to be reading any, past or present, that aren't actually strongly recommended and shoved personally into my hands in a way that doesn't require me to give DC money.

Comments

[musesfool]

Because Huntress IS the best! I agree about her costume. And also about how sometimes in fiction, some bad guys just need killing. (This is also one reason I love Jason Todd so much.)

(here via the network)

[skygiants]

Hello! :D

Hah, it's a very weird feeling to me to be watching/reading something action-oriented and thinking "STOP WORRYING ABOUT KILLING PEOPLE" - usually I'm the person watching an action movie and go "all those poor extras/security guards/incompetent hirelings! That guy was probably just a 9-5 employee!" - but man, after the fiftieth time a villain has caused mass carnage and death and destruction and is charging at you across a rooftop, I think it's okay just to throw the villain off the roof without worrying too much whether there's something soft for him to land on!

[musesfool]

after the fiftieth time a villain has caused mass carnage and death and destruction and is charging at you across a rooftop, I think it's okay just to throw the villain off the roof without worrying too much whether there's something soft for him to land on!

Yeah, I think that's a key point. It's not the regular street-level criminals I have that reaction to, but the masterminds who apparently can't be kept in prison reliably for any length of time, and whose schemes cause widespread death and injury. I mean, obviously there are metatextual reasons they survive, but I do find it annoying.

[skygiants]

And the thing is, I get having a personal restriction on killing. I do! I get that! It's admirable! Killing is a big deal! But man, guys, you're vigilantes. Accept that in your line of work, at some point, death is probably going to happen.

[innerbrat]

There's "some bad guys just need killing", and there's A DUFFLE BAG FULL OF HEADS.

My issues with Jason Todd; let me show you them.

[musesfool]

Heh. Yes. He has a tendency to go overboard, it's true.

[innerbrat]

To be fair to Jason, it's less myy issues with him as a character concept as it is my issues with Winick, who applies tropes, themes and character development with a paintroller rather than a fine brush. Trouble is, he writes the definitive Jason. So.

Bah, reboot. That's why we have trades!

[cursor_mundi]

Oh my goodness, Huntress. She can be so very awesome, or entirely nuts, depending on who writes her.

What pissed me off was that DC went from that very practical costume to what I call the "hotpants hooker monstrosity" (srsly, some artists go far beyond decency with that outfit), and decided that the "reason" was because she'd been shot in the gut during one of the events (Cataclysm? No Man's Land?) and was out proving that she wasn't afraid of the shooter, specifically or in general. By baring her midriff. I just goggled at that explanation, because it was just so...offensive that they'd not only made the change to appeal to the tits and ass crowd, but because they were putting so much effort into such an idiotic explanation. It's like watching a bigot explain why, no, really, he's not a bigot because of [insert all the bigoted reasons that he doesn't see as bigoted]. Argh.

Anyway, welcome to DC readership! Public libraries are pretty good about getting Batman-related books into circulation; Babs was pretty fabulous as Oracle, and you should be able to find some arcs where she's a major player. I liked that they were playing her as Bruce Wayne's contemporary or equal (and sometimes superior) in matters intellectual and data-gathering -- gave an added depth to both the characters.

Re: Bah, reboot. That's why we have trades!

[skygiants]

UGH. WHAT. Confused and dismayed does not even sum up my reaction here, but it's going to have to do. (WHY, HOTPANTS. WHY.)

Hahahahaha I stand by what I've said: I will read things that people put into my hands and vouch for as excellent! But I refuse to get further embroiled in the whole huge mess of current/past/eternal DC comics continuity and constant reboots and character recreation and inexplicable decisions. I AM PUTTING MY FOOT DOWN.

[cursor_mundi]

I am reasonably certain you can find Hush (the first bit, anyway) in the library, and it is well worth reading. Gorgeous, lovely art by Jim Lee, adorable Bat/Cat romance, and it's a good starting point for readers who aren't all that familiar with the characters. I mean, yeah, there are problems, but the art is great. (Thouuuuugh, I think Huntress has the hotpants there; um, sorry? She does dead-lift an unconscious Bats into his car, though, that has to count for something in the sheer awesome category!) Srsly, just read the things people recommend and you will do fine. (Speaking of, Killing Joke: that's when Barbara gets shot and goes into the chair.)

[skygiants]

Hahahahaha but you see the thing is people can and will recommend things at me forever. And I don't want to be reading DC comics forever! I acknowledge the excellence and worthiness of some storylines and collections, but I do prefer overall to read single stories that will not abruptly change writers and characterization in the middle.

[cursor_mundi]

Then you will like Hush! (And be sad about the continuations of it, which is why you should not read them. They're crap, anyway.) It was a 12 issue planned run in Batman, Jeph Loeb as the writer, with Lee and Williams on art duty, and it is intended to be a unified story. It's just a 12 issue wide story rather than a 1 issue wide story, I promise.

...though as I flip through my copy, I am sad to confirm the presence of the hotpants on Huntress. However! She has boots with very practical army-style soles. Um, though the boots go up to mid thigh, are purple, and have pouches. (I am so sorrrrrry! Why did you have to like Huntress? She gets no costume love from DC, ever!)

[skygiants]

I CAN'T HELP LOVING HER. That being said, I loved her through four collections' worth of hot pants and weird belly cutout, which is an iron test of loyalty if I ever heard of one!