Saturday, January 2, 2016
Top 5 Fr-aturdays: Top 5 Things I Want From DC Comics In 2016
Welcome to this weeks Top 5 Fr-aturday(Thats a new day deal with it!). The New Year has come in and the comics have already begun rolling out as we approach the end of current storylines and go back to some of the status quos in the case of Batman and Superman. Now I'm a dreamer so I actually have been thinking what I want to see in comics this coming year, so I thought, "Why not make that the list!" This list will be ranging on a variety of wishes, such as character development, plot points and setting. As per usual this is my list, and if you don't like something I apologize. Enough talk! Lets begin!
5: The New Shazam
We'll start things off with something small and big at the same time. When the Justice League upgraded to god status Shazam was granted a new array of powers through new gods. We were introduced to them and got hints of the powers that could come from them...I WANT TO SEE THEM MORE! Especially since we now see H'ronmeer and Zonuz, aka Yuga Khan in the mix. In the grand scheme of things, having the Source Manipulation of Yuga Khan could mean Shazam has access to at least the Anti-Life Equation as it was shown in Infinity Man(That's right I read that!). Also out of all the Justice Gods, Shazam is the one that could actually stay, all the others either deny their godhood or are dying because of it. I hope to see the adventures of the new SHAZAM!
4: Earthshaking Aftermath from Darkseid War
I have enjoyed Darkseid war so far, including the tie ins with the exception of Luthor and Superman. That being said there is one question that is stuck in the back of my head: What will be the aftermath of this event that the entire Justice League series has been building to? The first time Darkseid came to Earth was the official turn in the DC universe that made people realize Superheroes weren't menaces with the birth of the Justice League. When Atlantis attacked it made the world see them as a threat that had to be brought to the UN. Each Justice League arc leads into world changing events and with the size of Darkseid War I expect it to be larger than ever.
3: Lantern Corps Returns to Focus
I miss the crossovers with the Lantern Corps. They may have happened frequently, but that was kind of the point. Since godhead the Lantern corps have been scattered all across the universe(or past in the case of the Edge of Oblivion) and in one fell swoop it seems the only the Sinestro Corps and Hal Jordan remain in the present. What happened to the Star Sapphires? The Red Lanterns? Where are the White Lanterns Kyle created? Where is Saint Walker? We get Hal Jordan and Sinestro are important, but so are the others! The universe is a big place, but all the lanterns were intertwined and were meant to fight, team up, explore TOGETHER. Not as a emotions alone, but as a group that stands for all life.
2: Post Endgame Gotham
Endgame was an arc that can't be just swept under the rug like it was a filler arc. This arc had the balls to kill off Batman and the writers got to work creating a Gotham without Bruce Wayne as Batman. We got a cool robot Batman(yes, I enjoy him. SUE ME!), we have Bruce finally getting that happily ever after he wanted when his memory was intact, were getting newer and stranger villains like Mr.Bloom, but the most important facet of this post Endgame Gotham is We Are Robin. Jim Gordon Batman obviously doesn't agree with the Robin Movement, but Bruce's Batman? He would shut that down almost immediately when he learned. He lost 2 sons to crime and people honestly think that he would let a bunch of green(red and yellow) teenage soldiers go off to save the day? NO CHANCE! I'll take Bruce back, but lets keep the Post Endgame Gotham as the norm.
1: Earth 2 returned to normal
Lets rewind the clock three years ago to an Earth very much like Earth Prime. We watched the birth of new heroes from different walks of life to challenge an Avatar of Death. That was the first arc of Earth 2. As the series continued, and writers changed, the cast grew bigger with new versions of Batman and Superman and even Red Tornado. Just when the series hit the peak of popularity, DC decided to kick the battles up to 20, creating World's End...and what many considered the greatest thing to come from the New 52 died. Violence, poor characterization and just all out war filled the pages and no character was safe. The war hero World Army Commander Khan, the human that was stood alongside the Wonders? Died anti-climatically. The Larger than Life Atom that stood against an evil Superman to save lives? Killed off without a second thought. But of course the worst of it...Alan Scott, The Green Lantern, Protector of Earth and leader of this new team of heroes...reduced to a Dr.Manhattan clone...Dan Abnett, if your reading this...I ask you. Make Earth 2 good again. Have them fight the bad guys, not each other, not the clock towards the end of the world. Have them fight villains and save the day. I think we all just want a break from the destruction.
Thats it for this week's Top 5! What do you want to happen this year in comics? Leave a comment and I'll see you next time!
I would like to see DC put out a monthly or twice-monthly anthology book. I think they need to hire and develop some fresh, new writers and artists, and a book like this could be a good place to showcase some new talent. It could also be a book that features tales of some of DC's less-popular, obscure, or underused characters. Perhaps every other issue, for example, could have a 8 or 12 page ongoing installment of ,say, Sgt. Rock or Enemy Ace (personal favs), or a new Animal Man story or something. There are soooo many great characters that I would love to read about, and there is no lack of aspiring artists out there looking to break into the biz. They could even use the book as a platform to 'test' some NEW characters and concepts ala Showcase of the 50's and 60's. It could be the book that experiments and takes chances with stories without a lot of consequence. If DC priced it at $2.99, and the mix of characters and fresh creators and types of stories is interesting, then I see no reason why it wouldn't be sucessful (other than the fact that freshly-minted, hipstery 'Comic Geeks' only seem to be interested in Marvel, cuz there 'cool'...) But yea, I would like to see something like this in 2016 lol.
ReplyDeleteSee that's what I think they are trying with the Legends of tomorrow anthology(which has stories with sugar and spike, metal men, metamorpho, and firestorm) hoping to bank off the TV show. I do love the idea and hope DC does something like it
DeleteI want to see another Wonder Woman book. She gets far to easily swept under the rug in the comics and I wanna see her get an equivelent to Action and Detective comics where another writer can show a different facet of the character. With the movie coming out in a year and a half, this seems like common sense I would think.
ReplyDeleteI also want to see some sorta successor to Birds of Prey. Perhaps stick Cassandra, Bluebird and Spoiler together as a team?
Aside from that...Im not sure. I want to see them continue to push out these new and different books that are unlike anything else out there, but sales have proven that the books that sell well are the super generic ones that are like whats already out there.
Oh, something featuring Stargirl and Equinox would be nice. I want to see their story continue. If Cyclone could pop up in new 52, that would be nice.
And I suppose I will pull 'Marvel Family' from my last years wishlist and put it in this years list.
Finally, id like to see a Supergirl book. I don't know if its because of the current storyline, or because the editor is up to some hijinks, but with the tv show, this is a no brainer. If the head of the Superman line wont do it, replace him with someone who will.
I agree with all and second the Latern focus! But my main wish is for DC to get their heads out of sphincter!!! For example Injustice Year Four Annual came out after Year Five issues #1 & 2... come on DC you are better than that.
ReplyDeletewrong you are...they aren't better than that!
DeleteI want to see the replacement of dark universe and the meta series of constantine the hellblazer presents with new writers and artists
ReplyDeleteI would love the :Dark Universe" book to finally come out
Delete5. More WW titles in-canon.
ReplyDelete4. The return of a Supergirl seiries.
3. Animal Man to return to his own ongoing.
2. A "Young Justice" book that features all the younger heroes together (eg. Blue Beetle, Aqualad, etc.)
1. A new Nightwing ongoing- not Grayson; Nightwing. Night... Wing!
5: Agreed
Delete4: Double agreed as the show is gaining more popularity
3: Personally i want Swamp Thing before Animal Man
2: Teen Titans is prolly gonna be the closest we get
1: Grayson is friggin great! but you'll just have to wait till end of robin war
We're getting Swamp Thing. I think it came out this month.
DeleteTeen Titans hasn't been selling well, though. Considering Young Justice still has a strong fanbase, I remain hopeful.
I don't hate Grayson, per se, but it's not the same as having Nightwing. It was the first N52 book that I cut my teeth on, and I miss it like crazy.