The Monitor Tapes for Monday, March 30th, 2009
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #31
Dwayne McDuffie (W)
Shane Davis and Sandra Hope (A)
Ed Benes (C)
Writing the Justice League in any incarnation is a massive juggling act where you’re constantly trying to keep the plates spinning and keep the audience excited. Not only that, it’s at a constant disadvantage maintaining a large cast of characters (mostly with their own titles) amongst several stories going on in the DCU, even when there’s not a major crossover in play. I’m going to warn you though, I’m going to rambling ramble on a bit with the JLA history, but it’s the only context I could put the issue into while reading and reviewing it.
McDuffie’s JLA started with a bang and has slowly moved from big action into expanding the smaller character moments into larger close ups. He started his run with a full strength League (including two Green Lanterns, Hal and John) quite capable at taking on any threat. Now through event’s like “Final Crisis”, “Batman: RIP”, and Superman: New Krypton” (and others too numerous to list), McDuffie is finding his JLA to be at less than half-strength and at a disadvantage loosing “The Big Three” to their respective stories.
Up until Grant Morison’s “Big Seven” JLA relaunch, JLA went from major players sans Batman and Superman, to a collective of second and third-tier characters largely without baggage from their own titles, some characters even created for the JLA specifically. Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire made the most successful JLA up to that point having a mix of such characters allowing them to tell stories freely and even poke fun at some of the conventions of superheroes by making the “Supermen” all to human. Many subsequent relaunches and remixes attempted to replicate but never come near the magic of the collaboration of characters and creators. Eventually, going in a completely opposite direction “Extreme Justice” was launched as a grim-and-gritty JLA spin-off with mixed reactions despite being in line with the “hardcore” and “extreme” 1990’s.
The JLA was the first time someone managed to pull off what every JLA writer/ artist/ creator/ fan had wanted for years, the “Magnificent Seven” League. The “7” of course consisted of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Wally West), Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Aquaman (in his handless/ hook-handed savage beard look), and finally the Martian Manhunter, one of DCU’s most powerful and diverse characters who had been part of JLA since the beginning and many variations in-between.
Even when Morrison and Howard Porter (artist for most of the Morrison JLA run) left the book in the capable hands of Mark Waid, the series still became a hard act to follow. JLA had become big-summer-widescreen action with brief character moments. This became a bit of a struggle with the line-up it’s self. Where the “Seven” had a mix of character personalities that gave way to brief moments of great dialogue and occasional quips amongst teammates, at the end of the day the JLA had to be more the sum of their parts by putting aside disagreements and saving the day like they were a well oiled machine.
This ended up creating not only an issue for writers, but fans as well when it came to later stories. Waid ended up brilliantly breaking that line and managing to utilize it for a time without cheating people with his first story arc, “Tower of Babel”.
ToB, showed the JLA being systematically taken out and disabled by unknown forces, whereas Batman was unavailable as he was tracking down the grave robbers who had stolen his parents bodies. As it turns out, Master Criminal/ Eco Terrorist Ra’s Al Ghul is not only behind the theft of the Dark Knight Detective’s deceased parents. He’s also responsible for destroying the JLA using stolen plans created by Batman himself to take out every known super being, should he need to.
Of course the JLA stops Ra’s supervillain plans in the end and saves the day, but the League ends up being divided on their feelings of trust regarding Batman and whether or not he should be allowed to continue as part of the JLA. This of course leads to many stories where the JLA is broken due to the trust issues and lack of Batman’s expertise and assistance (he leaves before the votes are all cast stating he knew Superman’s “swing vote” would lead to his expulsion anyway).
Back to the recent relaunch of “The Justice League of America”, Brad Meltzer headlined the relaunch with his own hand picked League. Where he kept the big three of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, and also added characters he had an affinity for (like Red Tornado), he chose to leave out Aquaman and Martian Manhunter due to not having an affinity or voice for the characters. I can understand making that choice as to not force the characters into the story and possibly voice the characters incorrectly, but on the other side as a comic writer on a major publisher’s book with established characters, I’d think it’s important to write even characters you may not be fond of and find their voice in the work.
Back to McDuffie and this issue specifically, he’s tasked with working with a concept that’s become broken. Despite his years of history working in the DCU and the Animated DCU (Justice League/ Unlimited), he’s at a disadvantage with characters moving in and out to different stories. With that, he’s moved into those small character moments and used them as a source of conflict, rather than the ol’ supervillain slugfest you’ve come to expect (and has been seen mostly in recent issues). The conflicts coming from the characters feel natural and fluid with the current state, I also feel despite the issue coming mostly from Black Canary’s perspective, there’s still a balance maintained disagreements aside. It’s wholly understandable with current events and Ollie and Hal’s history for them to form a “proactive” Justice League in a Texas Rangers sort of style. It’s also understandable that Dinah being JLA leader and wife to Green Arrow would be a “bit pissed off” at the Greens for going and doing what they think they should, form their own Justice League.
The issue is really downbeat with all the drama and endings presented as Dinah tries to keep the league together. It’s great to marvel at their suffering though and makes the issue wholly entertaining (the art by Shane Davis is pretty good too, just check out the great page four layout where Dinah “Lays out” Ollie). Despite trying to keep the JLA together, you still know what’s going to happen by then end and it comes as no surprise, especially since it’s become a bit of classic convention regarding the history of JLA. Clearly from solicits though, the series will continue in addition to spinning off into James Robinsons “Justice League” mini this summer. With this down time without the big guns and resulting divisions stemming from Final Crisis and other storylines in play, it will be interesting to see what happens in the meantime before the JLA returns to full strength, bigger, stronger, and more powerful than ever.
Open to debate? Should Barbra Gordon be Batgirl again?
One thing that’s bothered me for years is the fact that Barbra “Batgirl” Gordon has remained in a wheelchair for 21 years now. I appreciate what’s been done with the character in addition to the arguments presented as to why she’s kept in the chair, but really I think it’s time to let go of the character element and move on. It’s not really a question of returning to “The Silver Age” of DC, rather to not heal the character of her condition I personally think is kinda’ cruel in my opinion.
When “Babs” was crippled by the Joker back in 1988’s Batman: The Killing Joke (by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland), it was a brutal and shocking moment, cementing the horror of the Joker and the lengths he’d go through to not only harm Batman, but people associated with him (though it was more an extension of collateral damage, as he had no idea Babs was Batgirl). If memory serves, the square-bound one-shot (or graphic novella) wasn’t even originally planned as an absolute “in-continuity” book either, so using it as cannon and having Barbra remain crippled was the second of the one-two punch to the guts.
(On an unrelated note, if this happened today I know people would scream bloody murder about “Women in fridges” and send threats and bans on DC comics all over the internet.)
Though Babs could no longer function in her roll as the female “Caped Crusader”, many writers took advantage of her “disadvantage” making her into a wholly modern and capable character with the situation she was left in. Writer John Ostrander being one of the first to utilize her in a role as a information broker under the guise/ alias of Oracle. As Oracle, she began providing computer expertise and information to assist in crime fighting through the Suicide Squad. This of course expanded into the future even so far as headlining her own series, Birds of Prey, where she commanded an all female cast of superheroines like a “Charlie’s Angels” of the DCU.
Now, many have seen her transformation into Oracle as creating a positive role model for disabled persons and thusly have maintained her status to have such a character in the DCU. But honestly, the debate’s never held any water for me, considering the lengths people go through from trying to hold back simple aging, all the way to overcoming disabilities with mechanical eyes or limbs. You can’t realistically tell me someone would in fact chose to maintain their disability if the opportunity to correct such a thing was presented. The argument almost seems to make the claim that the disabled do not want the ability to fix their problem and would prefer to live in that way as a means of waving a middle finger at those without disadvantage. Frankly, I find it kind of bullshit.
However, let’s look at just a couple of the many crippled or disabled characters just localized to the DCU it’s self (not even counting the dead who’ve returned, of which you could consider “Living Disabled”) who’ve in fact “got better”-
John Stewart/ Green Lantern– Lost use of his legs while a member of the Darkstars in battle with Grayven (New God, son of Darksied) resulting in him being confined to a wheelchair. Later “healed” by Hal Jordan (as Parallax) before Hal sacrifices himself during “The Final Night”. Currently serving as a Green Lantern in good health in the Green Lantern Corps and kicking ass as one of my two favorite Green Lanterns (three if you count Golden Age GL Alan Scott).
And the closest to home….
Bruce Wayne/ Batman- During “Batman: Knightfall” Bruce is systematically broken down and exhausted by a barrage of enemies as part of a plot to “Break Batman” by newcomer with a Luchadore fetish by the name of Bane. After the gauntlet ran by Mr. Wayne in hopes of protecting his city, he and Bane end up having a final confrontation in his home resulting in Bane smashing his spine over his knee.
Skipping over the “Grim and Gritty Replacement Batman” story, Bruce and Alfred go on a world-hopping adventure playing “armchair detective” Holmes and Watson style. They’re searching for Tim’s father, Jack Drake and Dr. Shondra Kinsolving who’ve been both kidnapped by Benedict Asp, Kinsolving’s half brother. Asp as it turns out has psychic powers and Shondra has healing powers, Asp uses his “Psychic” powers to use Shondra to kill a village with her powers (?) somehow.* Bruce and Shondra end up battling Asp resulting in Asp’s defeat, Shondra regressing to the mentality of a child, and Bruce’s back being healed (?). Bruce returns to Gotham and puts the smack down on both Azrael and Bane, reclaiming the “Mantle of the Bat” and even letting Dick play Batman for a brief moment.
* I didn’t read the entirety of Knightfall or any resulting parts of the “Trilogy”, so I’m cobbling the info best I can with reference materials and the internet. Frankly, I’m as confused as you are if not more so.
Now, I’m not saying that it’s a shameful thing to have a disability causing difficulty or disadvantage in life, but we live in a world where we try and not only try and find a way to fix “ailments” (such as paralyzation, blindness, deafness and many others), but to also transcend human limits to make people transhuman and amp up our bodies and abilities to 11 so to speak. Science is hard at work trying to make sure we live longer and are able to have a better quality of life when it comes to disabilities, aliments, and illnesses. I can think of no greater crime to the human condition to say “Suck it up and deal with it” when it comes to any human disadvantage resulting in loss of control over ones person.
So if Babs is given use of her legs back and returned to a “Bat-Family” character in a cowl, I’d frankly applaud the decision as it’s been ridiculous the amount of time spent without correcting her disability. There’s a certain suspension of disbelief in comics, specifically with the superhumans flying about and the magic supertech in abundance. I’ve suspended my belief that Barbra Gordon would be in a wheelchair this long, in a world of Supermen and superscience, time to let it go in my opinion.
I’ve known friends an people over the years with less than glamorous disabilities (like rheumatoid arthritis and MS, to name a couple), including myself (I suffer from severe back and leg problems, preventing me from more strenuous activities like running, jumping, climbing trees…). Everyone I know would jump at the chance to have their problems corrected, so I personally find it unfathomable that someone in a comic book universe wouldn’t jump at the chance for a cure for what ails them.
And now, DC’s comics available at your local comics retailer this week via dccomics.com
DC COMICS FOR 4/1/2009 (for a 5 page preview of Flash: Rebirth, click HERE!)
DC
* BATMAN: BATTLE FOR THE COWL – MAN-BAT
* BATMAN: THE HEART OF HUSH
* DEAD ROMEO #1 (OF 6)
* THE FLASH: REBIRTH #1 (OF 5)
* JONAH HEX #42
* JONAH HEX: BULLETS DON’T LIE
* JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #25
* JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA: THY KINGDOM COME: PART ONE TPB
* THE MIGHTY #3
* STRANGE ADVENTURES #2 (OF 8)
* SUPERMAN/BATMAN #57
* TEEN TITANS #69
* TEEN TITANS ANNUAL 2009
* TRINITY #44
JOHNNY DC (all ages)
* BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM! #4
* LOONEY TUNES #173
VERTIGO
* BANG! TANGO #3 (OF 6)
* GREATEST HITS #6 (OF 6)
* HAUNTED TANK #5 (OF 5)
* SCALPED #27
* SEAGUY: THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #1 (OF 3)
* THE WITCHING HOUR NEW PRINTING TPB
WILDSTORM
* THE AUTHORITY #9
* DC/WILDSTORM: DREAMWAR TPB
* MIRROR’S EDGE #6 (OF 6)
* PROTOTYPE #1 (OF 6)
* RESIDENT EVIL: FIRE AND ICE TPB
Selections marked GREEN are books I’ll definitely be picking up and review. I may also pick up more depending on what strikes my fancy when I pick up my weekly books at Black Cat Comics in Salt Lake City, UT (blackcat-comics.com). Do you want to know what I’m picking up week to week? Anything you’d like me to review? Please feel free to give me feedback and I’ll do what I can for you readers, as I live to serve (being a Mandroid and all).
You can check dccomics.com this Wednesday for previews of books available on said day, perfect opportunity to check out stuff before your favorite shop opens and maybe find something cool and new you might not have normally picked up. And again, if you’re not reading Jeff Parker’s Mysterius the Unfathomable, go pick it up now! It’s fantastic and only a mini-series (though I hope it continues as either as ongoing series or series of minis), so there’s not a huge commitment, though once you read it, you’ll want more!
Thanks for reading! Please feel free to post below if you have any DC-centric questions or inquiries, or if there’s anything you want illuminated regarding DC history, whether it be DCU history, Vertigo, or any sub-labels therein. Hell, even real life publishing history, I know more about comics (especially DC) than probably anyone should!
Thanks again!