Catwoman #1: A Defense, a Klusterfluffle

Catwoman and Red Hood caused a good deal of hullabaloo the previous week. We've seen many readers and critics react very strongly against these two comics. The fuss lead to discussions about how women are represented not just in comics but in all media. Men and women alike are disappointed that we are still in a culture that objectifies women as a matter of course.

These conversations are great. I'm thrilled that we are reconsidering what we will accept as the representation of women in comics and further that we have expectations at all for this reboot to change things. Our expectation that comics will consciously consider how they depict women, and that this new DCnU is an effort to make changes for the better should push publishers to meet those expectations.

Really though, I'm really surprised that the disappointment and outrage happened this week in particular, and that everyone is so pissed off at Catwoman.

I'll start off by saying that I haven't read Red Hood, but I have seen the pictures of Starfire in a bikini. These pictures alone seems like the fucking definition of damning evidence. I haven't read the book myself, but from what I've heard it really isn't worth my time. I may still pick it up though, just to see the context of what appears to be a pretty disgusting case of objectification.

What I want to do in this post is discuss Catwoman and why people are upset about it, but then explain why this comic, while complicated in terms of its representation of a woman, is still a strong comic with a strong female character.

What to Buy, What to Buy (DCnU Launch Week 4)

No wires here at all. Nope.

I've been a little quiet this week. I've been busy, but I've also been preparing a post about Catwoman. I'm still trying to let some of the dust to settle in my head and I want to make sure I get this post right as I'm throwing some shit at a fan.

But, since tomorrow is Wednesday, I want to list what comics I plan to pick up tomorrow.

• All Star Western - Yes. (I didn't see Jonah Hex the movie so I'm relatively unscarred by this book. I'm a sucker for westerns)
• Aquaman - Yes (I hate Aquaman as a character. A dude from the ocean? What use is he to the rest of the super hero community? Good on beach day? But there's a lot of good buzz, and I would have picked this up anyways. Gotta see how someone would try to make this dude interesting)
• Batman: The Dark Knight - Maybe (How much Batman can one person take?)
• Blackhawks - No (I'm burned out on teams, thanks.)
• The Flash - Yes (I had a friend that was into him. Told me he could run through things and then have them blow up. Better than a water guy.)
• The Fury of Firestorm - Yes (Co-written by Gail Simone. I have to support female comic writers. Batgirl was also enjoyable.)
• Green Lantern: New Guardians - Most likely not (Ragtag team? Lanterns? Does not seem like the best choice I could make.) 
• I, Vampire - No (Unlike westerns, I have no enthusiasm for vampires.)
• Justice League Dark - Yes (Only because of John Constantine.)
• Savage Hawkman - No (Hahahahahahahaha)
• Superman - No (I've already got one Superman thanks)
• Teen Titans - No (Superboy is going to kill these guys so what's the point?)
• Voodoo - No (Who do the voodoo?)

We are getting closer to next month. I'm pretty excited about some #2s.

Everything Hits at Once

That's me.

Stopped off at the comic shop on the way home Wednesday. I wasn't too thrilled about what was being released this week, but M is how women are being represented in this new launch of DC and so wanted Catwoman and Birds of Prey. I went to pick those up and see if anything caught my eye. I ended up with:

• Birds of Prey
• Catwoman
• Wonder Woman
• Batman
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Yeah, that's right, I grabbed a non-DCnU title there. Unfortunately it's a #2, but nostalgia is a powerful force and Eastman's name is on the cover so I was willing to give it a shot.

I got home and as I approached my apartment door, I saw a box in front of my door. My mail comics had arrived.

I pulled the box into the living room and began unpacking. There was a great deal of packing material but I got down to my individually bagged comics. This added to my haul:

• Animal Man
• Frankenstein
• Suicide Squad
• Legion Lost
• Batgirl
• Batwoman
• Resurrection Man

I look at that stack now, and remember how just weeks ago I made a comment about a dude with an arm full comics worth approx $30. That's what I see now on my coffee table. Granted, there are a few previous week's releases in there, but still. That distinction that I made between myself and that guy a few weeks ago might be a little less distinct as of Wednesday.

I can feel myself changing. I'm scared guys.

Green Lantern, Superboy, & Demon Knights: The B Pull

And in no particular order (spoilers ahead):

Demon Knights

While I don't seem to hate this book as much as everyone else I know, it is not particularly good. Likely the reason I'm not so down on Demon Knights is because I like the idea of a fantasy comic book. Like the idea however...

Superboy

Wow, fantastic example of obvious writing. Subtlety, thy name is not Superboy.

I like the idea of Superboy being a clone of the combined DNA of Lex Luther and Superman, but this comic does nothing with the idea that is all that intriguing. Instead, I guess Superboy is going to fight Teen Titans. Which is dumb. Robin vs Superman < Batman vs Superman.


Superboy would kill Robin. Robin's got a stick.

Green Lantern

This is probably the best of the trio, but I fail to see how this is a reboot. I know enough about the world that I'm not confused where this book starts, and I bet everyone that would pick this up knows enough too, but I still want to complain because this is just a new run, not a reboot. Maybe the DC universe can't handle having all of its heroes rebooted, especially if they want to have all the different lantern corps stories that they have coming out, but I still call foul.

Also, what I failed to remember when I picked up this book: I don't give any sort of shits about lanterns. Especially THE Green Lantern. Hal is boring. I still think he should be black. AND NOT A DAMN BLACK LANTERN, an African American. So yeah, this book fails out the gate because green lanters are booooring, with an extra "o".

Try Try Again

On Saturday morning I found myself awake at 9:30 in the morning. Saturday morning is actually a glorious time for shopping, but I typically spend it sleeping, as I wake so early during weekdays that Saturday is the morning I look forward to, knowing on this morning, I can sleep as long as I want.

Unless I can't of course.

So I went to the local market. I purchased arm fulls of glorious fresh produce, including cilantro I found by smell, and on my way home I stopped off at the other local comic shop in town.

When I walked in the young guy behind the counter said hello to me. It wasn't too busy as it was 11.00 in the morning--a time I imagine isn't the prime comic selling time, so they were organizing trading cards.

This place had an entire wall dedicated to the DCnU, and they had so many titles still available. I started looking through with excitement. They had Animal Man still, and Frankenstein, and Batwoman, and ... okay they didn't have Batgirl, but no one has Batgirl.

Since I had already ordered everything that I wanted online, they didn't really have anything that I wanted. But, I had heard some good things about Green Lantern and Superboy, and some mixed things about Demon Knight so I figured while in Rome...

And when I went up to the counter I asked about reserving comics. There was the young guy behind the counter and an guy about in his 50s. The young guy behind the counter gave me a list to write down all the comics I wanted reserved for me. I made a long list and told them I was trying some of these titles to pick what ones I wanted to start reading regularly. They told me if I changed my mind on a comic after I tried the first issue it was no big deal. They said these comics were still returnable at this point.

We got to talking about how I had trouble picking up the titles I wanted at the other location. The older guy behind the counter, who seemed like the owner, admitted how difficult he had heard ordering had been for other comic shops.

This is the gist of his explanation.

We've all been burned in the past he said. Like in the 90s with the foil covers. We all bought big and then couldn't sell stuff, so when this new "thing" came along, people didn't want to get trapped the same way. You could say we are a bit skeptical of what the comic companies say will drive sales. But when this came a long I told the guy that orders our comics to order big. And it's turned out well for us. We've managed to have plenty of stock for the higher demand.

I was there early, so I wasn't really exposed to this comic shops community. When I was there only a kid and his dad came in looking for some Simpsons issue, and the kid seemed mostly excited about the Family Guy action figures that talked. However, neither of these guys seemed dismissive of me though. They were helpful, informative, and courteous about my ignorance. They even gave me a card with my reserve account.

So yes, I am now a card carrying comic book person.

It's actually not that exciting at all. No pizzaz to speak of.

Ironically enough though, I don't think I want anything that comes out this week. Indeed I have nothing on my reserve for this Wednesday.

The books that come in the mail (hopefully) will tide me over until the last release week. If I hear some good buzz though, I'll head downtown and have a reasonable chance to find the book available.

Do Comic Shop Communities Want New Customers?

So, of the titles I listed in my Wednesday pull list, I managed to acquire not a single one none of them. Disappointing to say the least, and a really off putting experience all around.

On Wednesday, M and I got to the comic book shop relatively early after work. I was later last week and missed getting Animal Man and Batgirl. I figured this time would prove more fruitful.

It did not.

Apparently at this particular store, DCnU is the best selling thing since Tickle Me Elmo. They arrange all the new titles alphabetically on boards. I was scanning through and saw various copies of Wolverine, Spiderman, and what have you but I couldn't find Frankenstein, or Batwoman. There were these meaningful empty spots of the boards where you would expect to find each title.

So all these DCnU titles sold out in the first hours of their release? Out of this week's titles, I could only find Demon Knights, Grifter, and Mister Terrific (of course).

And no wonder. The shop was packed. We had to awkwardly move around other customers to make sure that we weren't just missing a board. They had so few of DCnU comics that we thought we were simply not seeing them.

Not wanting to waste the trip, we bought a Fables trade for M and the second Sweet Tooth trade for me. More importantly, I wanted to ask the dude at the counter how I could order the sold-out comics and how I could actually get the comics I wanted each week. It seemed to me that there was some sort of transparent process that enabled these other customers to get what they wanted.

It was busy though, so we had to wait in line for a bit.

There was a crowd of people in the waiting-to-buy area, some in line, some just chillin and it was not immediately apparent who was who. Everyone was talking enthusiastically. They were teasing each other and talking about order sheets and then teasing each other again. One person would be a prick, and then the other would prick back. So forth. It was the sort of conversation that exists within its own community and excludes those outside of it.

I don't resent them their conversation, I'm not there for friends, but I wanted to buy my books and leave.

The gentleman in front of M and I got to the register and had a stack of comics the size of a correspondence box. Likely $30-40 worth of comics. He also had a stack of cash, not as thick but still a make-it-rain sort of a stack. He asked for a bag and board for the cash, which resulted in even more teasing and guffawing.

Once he is out of the way though it was my time to buy stuff and to solve this mystery of why I don't get the comics I want. The problem is though, that when I got up to the register, the man behind the counter began yelling around me to continue his conversation with the previous customer.

Which is for one, socially rude, but also bad customer service. And I know maybe I sound a tad posh when I expect someone I'm buying something from politely look me in the eye and listen to me if I want to speak.

I got a little angry. I decided I didn't feel like asking how I could get my comics because this guy didn't care that I was there at all. I also didn't feel like asking about ordering comics in front of everyone that already knew how to get the comics they wanted.

And I think my irritation was a little evident on my face because the owner eventually did turn to me, and made the joke "oh, comic book guys, we're all just assholes".

Which really pissed me off.

Not because I found his statement offensive, but because he dismissed M and I. We aren't comic book people, we're just foot traffic.

Nevermind we're buying comics. I guess trades don't count?

We aren't part of that community, so we don't get the comics we want, nor do we warrant assistance with getting the comics we want.

TO HEDGE MY BITCHING: I have been to this store before, and spoken to the women that also works there and she has never been anything but helpful. Last week she even tried finding if she had a stashed copy of Animal Man for herself she'd sell me. It was this guy in particular that ruined the experience for me.

And I wonder how comic people around the world feel about this DCnU. These books are selling out everywhere, so there must be more people like me. People taking this as an opportunity to get into comics again. What do the people that liked the comics before the reboot think about us newbies? Are we posers? Hopping on to the new trend that they were into first? Are they suddenly comic book hipsters?

They'd have to dress better I think.

This is an interesting problem. There is a existing and specific community that is situated in and around comic shops and I am not part of it. But I do have to enter into to it to get my comics. And I've been doing so very unsuccessfully thus far.

To me, the obvious tactic as a comic store owner is to make the workings of the process clear. Maybe say something to me when I ask to have back copies ordered, that I can order the comics I want and they'll be set aside for me. Or even put up a poster. I'm new to this community and process, and need to be initiated, not dismissed. Why wouldn't you try to keep these new customers? Make them like the other people spending $30 a week. Is it too much trouble? Do you look down on them because they are excited about this reboot? Excited about a pseudo-publicity stunt?

I don't know if these people are trying to secure their circle, but I wish I could buy some comics, at the store, on Wednesdays, and not feel like I'm intruding in on their thing.

There is a somewhat happy ending to my tale of exclusion though. I found a website, allnewcomics.com, where I was able to get all the comics I hadn't managed to get, including Batgirl. There was a $10 shipping fee, but I consider it an acceptable tradeoff for getting the comics that were sold out everywhere else.

They haven't arrived yet so we'll see in a few days how I feel about this different kind of comic book buying experience. I know they also have a subscription service, but it's sad that if I choose to get my comics this way, I've circumvented that comic book store community all together. I want to go and support local stores, not mail order my comics, but if I can't get the books I want, what am I supposed to do?

My plan, for next week, is to try a different store. It's the blessing of living in a city that is actually two cities.

Hopefully these comic book people will be careful of my delicate disposition.

Justice League International #1

I'm really curious about the brown guy with the glowing fork.

Yesterday I posted my thoughts on Stormwatch #1. I concluded that while some of the characters were interesting, the writing was a little unsophisticated and a little confusing.

JLI #1, is also unsophisticated, confusing, but none of the characters are interesting. I don't mean to be overly negative, but this book is a failure.

I picked up this series because I'm a fan of Booster Gold. Booster is a dude from the future that uses future technology and knowledge to be a superhero. What makes him engaging is that he isn't a hero at all. He craves stardom, and makes bad decisions as a result. This is often comical, but it also creates the potential for character development. That is something you don't get as much with a Batman or Wonderwoman.

Skeets! Billy West ta boot in JLU.

I'm also a sucker for obscure heroes. I love seeing a crew of people that aren't normally in the limelight, showing off the powers that explain why they aren't normally in the limelight. Writing stories for these kinds of heroes requires a little more creativity because you can't just have a big monster come out of the ground and have them go to town on it. This is what makes their stories so fun to read however. They solve a different sort of problems from the A team, and in different ways.

And JLI has a bunch of heroes that I don't know, which is great, but we don't spend any time getting to know them before the main chunk of the story starts. Each are name dropped, displayed in a panel, and we are told where they are from. Then, the whole thing rushes towards the first story without giving the team much time to interact.

And that sums up the two major problems with this book, it relies too much on previous knowledge of these characters and the DC world, and it moves at a pace the story doesn't warrant.

Some very minor spoilers to follow.

I'm really fine with not knowing who people are, or what they can do, as long as you give them an opportunity to show that off at some point, both powers and character. There is a lot to be said for the slow divulge. But that is something that doesn't necessarily fit a mainstream JL type title. If the story is going to be superhero pulp, don't go for the long character reveal. Just doesn't fit.

In the final chunk of the book, the JLI races off to investigate something and they suddenly become involved in a large physical conflict. You know, super hero action stuff, with punching and power-using. But the action is depicted in big scenes rather than in smaller individual panels.

By quickly focusing on each character and how they handle the threat we could have been given a nice glimpse/introduction to the personality and powers of each JLI member. Instead, there are these large ensemble action tableaus where everyone is doing some generic something. Powers are used, but in the busy glut action, I can only garner a small amount of information about how the various members are doing. Apparently this one can glow, this one can jetpack, and this guy just seems to stand heroically. Batman also thinks this lady isn't pulling her wait. She think Batman is a prick.

I just wished there was some time to get to know these characters before the story plunged ahead. Really, a pair of conflicts occur before and at the same time as the main conflict that are just as engaging, if not more so. I'd rather see an opening issue that deals with group dynamics, and the socio-political implication of a UN mandated JL. Then again, maybe I'm a dullard.

More specific spoilers to follow.

One of the conflicts that I am talking about above is the protests about how the UN took over the Hall of Justice so that the JLI could use it as a home base. I do like the idea that the UN is trying to form a team, and that they do it in a politically unpopular way. That's a good idea, that the public doesn't want this international Justice League. But I don't really understand why the public is so mad about the Hall of Justice though.

Which, I had to look up. The Hall of Justice is like a national museum of superheroes, and obviously, the public finds it offensive that a team, created by the UN and supposedly representing international interests, would set up shop in an American monument.

Maybe I'm thick, but maybe I shouldn't have to look this stuff up to even partially understand why these people are willing to blow a building up over. Remember, this is a DC universe reboot...

So it seems like the arc of this first run is already apparent. The JLI will prove their worthiness to the American people, Green Lantern will join the team, and Booster Gold will prove himself a hero. I'll pass.

Unless things drastically change, I do not feel the need to pick this one up next month. Sorry Booster. Maybe we can hook up at some other time. Like on Batman Brave and the Bold.

Quick Thoughts on Stormwatch #1

Who the fuck are these people?

Seriously.

Does it seem to anyone else besides that the members of Stormwatch have powers that are rather oblique? For instance, one woman seems to be able to access and influence the media. Certainly this is a power that could have great implications, narratively, ideologically, and satirically, but in this issue she uses it to check Facebook.

Hell, my iPod can do that.

Wait! Do you think that I might be a superhero?

Couldn't be.

Anyways, there is this other guy and he can "talk with cities." Again, this seems like an interesting power, but he mostly just uses it to mess with people and to make a chair. While making a chair from things around you would be handy in our normal people lives, this hardly makes for thrilling super stories.

I wonder if his origin story is watching Dark City too many times?

Maybe I am a superhero?

I did find it nice to see Martian Manhunter though--too bad he looks like a toad man. Worse, he has this lame line about how when he's with the Justice League, he is a hero, but when he's with Stormwatch, he's a warrior. This makes my warm feelings for the guy run a little stinky.

Conclusion: I find Stormwatch confusing and underwhelming. Some of these people have interesting powers, but the writing seems to lack sophistication. It's also kind of ugly. I hate to bash on a book for not being pretty (as that's rather subjective) but it just doesn't look as nice as some of the other comics I read this week.

I will try a few more issues. The team seems to have an interesting mix of characters and maybe they'll ditch the whole cock-out-to-rock-out aesthetic and give quirky characters a quirky comic. Remember Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol? Yeah, be more weird.

I probably wouldn't want to be a hero with Stormwatch. Sorry, warrior. But, they all get their asses kicked. In some cases, BY THE MOON!

Tomorrow's Shopping List: Sept. 14, 2011

There is some sort of shark man on this team. Um, can he swim through concrete, because I remember those guys.

Looking over what's set to release this week, my eyes go a little fuzzy. Who is Deathstroke, or Legion? Could Mister Terrific really be that terrific if he can't come up with a better moniker than Mister Terrific. I don't know what his powers are, but I bet they are more specific than simply being terrific.

I recognize the Green Lantern and Batbrand books, but they don't garner much interest for me. I read about the Blackest Night on Wikipedia and it put me off Lanterns pretty good, and while I do like Batman, reading the description of Batman and Robin, I get lost after Damien Wayne. And Batwoman? Is she different than Batgirl?

I thought the point of the reboot was to help people that are put off by the backlog of continuity. Maybe I'm just too lazy too look this stuff up. But whose fault is that DC? Hmm?

I do recognize Frankenstein Agent of Shade though, but only because a) Frankenstein, drr, and b) Jeff Lemire is writing this one too.

But on to what I'm planning on picking up tomorrow:

• Frankenstein Agent of Shade (I'm sure this will be sold out by the time I get there but I can always try)
• Batwoman (put my confusion where my eyes are)
• Suicide Squad (I'm hoping a the villain ops team proves to be worth reading, but really hoping Harley Quinn keeps her clothes on)
• Resurrection Man (mainly because his powers sound weird)
• maybe Legion Lost if it looks good in a flip through

There we go. God knows what I'll be coming home with.

I think I'm going to start calling myself Mister Better-than-Average. Better-than-Average Boy?

Action Comics #1: Superman is a tiny bit less Lame

So, Superman y'all.

I've never really been a big fan. Not of the comics, cartoons, movies, or video games. In terms of superheroes, he is next to Aquaman as the hero I am the least interested in. Supes can be okay, in certain instances, but that context usually involves him being slightly outside of his own mythology.

My favourite was when he hung out with Seinfeld.

To be fair though, I have the least amount of knowledge about Superman in comic form. So maybe Superman has been awesome on paper and I've just been a dismissing ass for the last how many years.

But I guess this New U thing is supposed to change those sorts of opinions right? Get in on the ground floor and understand why people were first engaged by these characters and all.

With Grant Morrison's Superman Action Comics, I kind of get all that. He is sort of likable, instead of just being a strong patriotic Jesus with a cape and red underoos.

The rest of the review, with some minor spoilers after the jump.

Shopping Lists and Dissapointment

I decided a while ago that when September rolled around and the whole DCnU thing launched officially I was going to start buying comics. While, I've never bought comics on a week-by-week basis, I'm no stranger to comics either. I've studied them in university and I have purchased/read many assorted collections or graphic novels. I have a healthy respect for the medium.

And I know enough about superheroes to get by in a crowded comic-con line too. I actually like superheroes and superhero narratives. I've seen the movies, watched the cartoons, read the wiki articles. But that is where it stops, because, seriously, that back log of overly complex and conflicting canon really makes me avoid superhero comics as a whole.

That's why I thought this reboot for DCnU was a fantastic idea. I gotta be smack dab near the middle of DC's target demographic. If I don't want to read about BATMAN every month, something is wrong.

Last Wednesday, I tried to get to the comic shop to pick up the new Justice League #1. Because of work and life I never managed to get there during open hours. And, honestly, Justice League doesn't really spark much or an interest so I wasn't too inclined to try too hard to get myself a copy.

But this Wednesday, September 7th, was a day I was excited for. First off, we had Jeff Lemire's Animal Man. I've been a fan of Lemire's since he was still publishing the Essex County stuff and I just recently started reading Sweet Tooth. I also love Grant Morrison's work with Animal Man too. So the combo of Lemire and Animal Man really held my interest in the DCnU itself.

I also wanted to get my hands on the new Batgirl. Aside from already selling out it's first two prints, I wanted to try reading a comic by a team a women. The medium has its issues with women and feminism so I wanted to see what the relaunch would do to try to solve that.

What I hoped to pick up today at the comic shop:

Animal Man
Batgirl
Swamp Thing (supposedly one of DC's darker and more horror oriented new books)
Stormwatch (I'm interested in the idea of merging canons and worlds)
and then maybe Superman and Batman titles if they looked okay in a flip through.

I had to stay late at work today though so I didn't get to the comic store very early and I could tell by the selection. Both Animal Man and Batgirl were already sold out. In the end, I picked up:

Swamp Thing
Superman Action Comics
Justice League International (BOOSTER GOLD!!!)
Stormwatch

I've already read two of them and I feel pretty positive about the experience so far. I'm looking forward to my potential new life as a month-by-month comic reader.

Discussion on each book to come in the next week.

Now, to find those two books.