Articles by alan-kistler
Sat Oct 25, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Review: 'I Remember The Future'
Thought provoking award-winning and award-nominated short stories.
For more than a decade, writer Michael A. Burstein has been publishing tales of speculative fiction in the anthology magazine Analog. Several of these stories have been nominated for various Hugo and Nebula awards, including Best Short Story, Best Novella and Best Novelette. In 1999, his short story "Reality Check" was nominated for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. "TeleAbsence" won the 1995 Analytical Laboratory Award for Best Short Story and "Sanctuary" won the 2005 Analytical Laboratory Award for Best Novella.
These works and more have now been collected into one large volume from Apex Publishing entitled I Remember the Future: The Award-Nominated Stories of Michael A. Burstein. The book will be published on November 1, but you can pre-order at Amazon.com if you so wish.
The stories collected here cover a wide range of topics and emotions. There's the murder mystery involving a killer who targets students while they're online. There's the deeply emotional tale concerning the dying wish of the last living holocaust survivor. There is the "Broken Symmetry" series, a trilogy of short stories concerning the consequences that occur when a breach opens between two parallel universes and the events that grow out of it.
Even if you've read these works before, this collection offers you new insight into old favorites. Every single story has an afterword by Burstein as he explains what went into it and what may evolve from it in the future. He also discusses changes made in editing, such as when he presents an alternate ending to "Kaddish for the Last Survivor."
Along with these tales are two brand new stories. There is "Empty Spaces", a continuation of the aforementioned trilogy, and the titular tale "I Remember the Future", which gives us a present tense narration from a retired writer who fears that humanity has forgotten how to truly dream.
These stories are all heartfelt and entertaining and each one appeals to a different taste and preference. If you enjoy science fiction, pick it up. If you don't normally go for sci-fi, hey, still pick this up. These stories are, at their core, about people and the world we all deal with. And who can't find something to enjoy about that?
Alan "Sizzler" Kistler has been recognized by mainstream media outlets such as the New York Daily News as a comic book historian, and can be seen in the "Special Features" sections of the Adventures of Aquaman and Justice League: New Frontier DVDs. His personal website can be found at: http://KistlerUniverse.com. One of these days he'd love to write for DC, Marvel or Doctor Who.
Sat Oct 18, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Review: "Joker" HC one-shot
An advanced look at the graphic novel by Azzarello and Bermejo.
On October 22, DC will be releasing the hardcover graphic novel Joker
Joker is a story of roughly the same note, though not narrated by the villain as Lex Luthor: Man of Steel was. In this hardcover graphic novel, the story is narrated by Jonny Frost, a two-bit hood. In an interview with Newsarama, Azzarello said that the reason for this was because the Joker's narration couldn't be trusted, given that he was insane, and so it was important to see it from the point of view of someone close to him.
As the tale begins, the Joker has been in Arkham for some time now and has only just now been released, legally and by the book (though how is never explained). This book plays the Joker as a gangster rather than a mass murdering psycho constantly trying to prove there is no point to life. As such, one of the major plot elements is that the Joker had several criminal operations going on when he went in and now he's found that they have been taken over by others. To regain his criminal power and his money, the Joker begins hunting down the Gotham mobsters who have dared to dip into his operations, telling them, "I want what's mine back."
To help him on this quest, he grabs Killer Croc and Harley Quinn (who seems to be a mute in this story), as well as new assistant Jonny Frost, our narrator, a small-timer who admires the Joker and wants to be just like him. As the story goes on, the Joker directly challenges Two-Face, who has taken control of Gotham's underworld while the Clown Prince of Killers has been away. And with each passing day, Jonny Frost realizes that the Joker is not a person to admire at all.
Not a bad idea. How was the execution?
Fri Oct 17, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Manga Reader Charged for Obscenity
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund called to defend a comic book collector.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has defended several arists and retailers in the past. But now, for the first time, they have been called to aid an actual comic book collector.
Christopher Handley of Iowa is facing obscenity charges under the PROTECT Act (18 U.S.C. section 14661) for ordering and possessing manga that is allegedly "obscene." Although no photographic material is contained within the manga in question, the charges allege that the material includes drawings depicting minors engaging in acts of a sexual nature. The material was reported by a postal inspector.
The"objectionable" manga in question is only a small part of Handley's collection, which included over 1200 volumes of various manga. Despite this, authorities have taken possession of Handley's entire comic book, magazine, manga and DVD collection, as well as his computer, in their search for further evidence.
If found guilty, Handley could face up to 20 years in jail. CBLDF legal counsel Burton Joseph commented, "I have never encountered a situation where criminal prosecution was brought against a private consumer for possession of material for personal use in his own home. This prosecution has profound implications in limiting the First Amendment for art and artists, and comics in particular, that are on the cutting edge of creativity. It misunderstands the nature of avant-garde art in its historical perspective and is a perversion of anti-obscenity laws."
As of now, Handley and the CBLDF-assisted defense team have been able to achieve partial victory. The court has ruled that sections of the PROTECT Act are infirm because they "do no require that the material be deemed obscene" by a court-appointed jury but rather by Congressional standards.
In the latest CBLDF update, it states: "Handley now faces charges under the surviving sections of 1466A, which will require a jury to determine whether the drawings at issue are legally obscene."
The following are the legal standards that would make the material "obscene." All three must be met in order for there to be a conviction.
A. Whether the average person, applying comtemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.
B. Whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law.
C. Whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
For more information and how you can help, check out the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund web-site.
Fri Oct 17, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Ultimatum Trailer
Marvel releases teaser for upcoming crossover.
Just in case you didn't get enough advertising concerning the upcoming Ultimatum crossover, Marvel.com has released a trailer for it.
"They killed his children. They called his species a disease. They thought they were the ultimate race. Now he will have his retribution."
Wed Oct 15, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
The Many Lives of Terra
The new series and its connection to the past.
Two years ago, DC Comics announced that a new Terra series would be coming out, one starring a brand new character using the familiar name. This character debuted in Supergirl #12 and has shown up a couple of times since then, but otherwise has remained largely unexplored.
The series will finally be launching in November. It will be written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and illustrated by Amanda Connor. According to DC, the two-year delay has allowed more time to plan out the series and tighten up the stories. And the art has been given the change to be of a higher quality now.
As Justin Gray explained to ComicBookResources.com, "Time always helps and we try our best to have every project working well in advance. This kind of approach allows us to go back into scripts and tighten up and tie together all of the story elements. With Terra, it was a case of trying to have as much fun with the character and allow that to show through in every panel. Having Amanda with us allows for that to happen ... the extra time gave Amanda and [colorist] Paul Mounts the most time to go in and add some extra juice to the book."
Of course, this new hero is the third person to call herself Terra. The first girl with that alias, Tara Markov, became famous when she betrayed the Teen Titans in the now-famous story "The Judas Contract." How will this past connect to our current character, who is noticeably more light-hearted and optimistic than either of her predecessors?
Gray explained, "The challenge has always been to find a way to connect this Terra to the previous and with a few twist I think we've done that. You can't stick too heavily to existing mythology when creating someone new because that lessens them as a character. [The new Terra] needs to stand out as her own girl and she does that ... We wanted her to stand in opposition of the existing anti-hero mold and especially from Tara Markov in terms of personality and drive."
Jimmy Palmiotti added, "It's easy to do dark characters all the time ... we wanted to go back to the seemingly old-fashioned values of classic super-heroes and update them at the same time. There is heavy stuff in the series but it is balanced out by the lighter stuff as well. The scenes between Power Girl and Terra, for instance, are light and yet very revealing between them."
Power Girl isn't the only one who will guest-star in Terra. The new hero has a high level of knowledge of the world of super-heroes and will be running across folks like Doctor Mid-Nite and Geo-Force AKA Brion Markov, brother of the original Terra.
Gray elaborated, "The reason [Terra] knows so much ties directly into who she is and why she exists. The previous incarnation of Terra went a little crazy because she didn't know everything about herself."
Palmiotti, Gray and Connor will also be working together on the all-new Power Girl ongoing series and have promised that the opening story-arc will serve as an introduction for readers who have not been following the character's recent adventures or don't know her whole history. The co-writers explained, "We are setting up her life as a civilian, as a super-hero, and the people and world around her that impacts her daily life."
So be on the look-out for the new Power Girl and Terra books coming soon.
And if you're curious about the previous incarnations of Terra, keep on reading and we'll give you the rundown.
Fri Oct 10, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Road to Ultimatum
Digital Comics and ComicMix bring you up to speed for Ultimate crossover.
Last week, Marvel released a free comic enitlted March on Ultimatum Saga, a basic guide to the history of the Ultimate Marvel Earth and its heroes. Although one or two of the facts reported are in question (as I discussed in my article Where Have All The Editors Gone?), it is an appropriate release when you consider that the Ultimate Marvel titles are supposed to suffer a dramatic change as a result of the crossover Ultimatum.
But in case you missed out on this issue, don't worry. Marvel has put it up as a digital comic on their website. So if you're a paid subscriber to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited, this issue is just a few clicks away.
Didn't read the story arc featuring Ultimate Carnage? Missed out on what's been revealed so far in Ultimate Origins?Curious where the heck Ultimate Nick Fury disappeared to? The answers are all there.
ComicBookResources.com has also posted preview pages of Ultimate Origins #5, which will lead into Ultimatum.
Ultimatum #1, written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by David Finch, will be on sale the first week of November. If you missed out on the free comic and don't feel like paying for the online subscription, here's a quick rundown of just a couple of the recent major events that you should be aware of.
Thu Oct 9, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
G.I. JOE Relaunches with IDW
Toy-inspired military heroes get rebooted with three new titles.
Back in the 1960s, the first doll to be called an "action figure" was created. The "G.I. Joe" line (named after a term used to describe a generic soldier) was a popular toy and depicted soldiers from different U.S. armed forces. In the 1970s, it was re-tooled as the Super Joe Action Team.
In the 1980s, the line was re-launched by Hasbro as "G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero" and now there was a story wrapped around the action figures. It was said that the different characters were all part of a group called G.I. JOE, essentially a counter-terrorist strike force involving the best agents from all branches of the military. Their primary enemy was said to be Cobra, an organization bent on world domination, led by the vicious Cobra Commander and aided by the Scottish war profiteer James McCullen Destro.
This new storyline ignited an interest among fans that has continued for years, inspiring multiple cartoon series, a new live-action movie coming out next year, and a comic published by Marvel and written by Larry Hama (Wolverine), who also wrote the "history files" of the characters for their trading cards and who was no doubt aided by his own experience in the military.
The series spanned 155 issues from 1984 to 1994, along with a few spin-off titles, all of which added deep layers of history and characterization to the JOEs and veered heavily away from the more light-hearted cartoons. Stories ranged from flashbacks to Vietnam to high-flying action in exotic locales to epic struggles between ninjas and battles with science fiction super-villains. In 2001, Devil's Due Publishing began their own G.I. Joe series, picking up years after the Larry Hama series had ended and lasting over 130 issues, not including spin-offs.
Now IDW has taken the property and has new plans for their own G.I. JOE comics. But rather than continuing the original series and dealing with years of history, they've decided to reboot the entire universe from scratch, re-imagining the world and introducing the players to a brand new audience. And this isn't just one new series. IDW is actually launching three titles under the G.I. JOE banner: G.I. JOE, G.I. JOE: Cobra and G.I. JOE: Origins. The third title will be written by Larry Hama himself.
The three titles will be edited under the direction of Andy Schmidt, who was Marvel's editor for the cosmic crossover Annihilation. Schmidt spoke to CBR about the new titles and how they will relate to each other. Although each title will reflect the same people and occasionally reference events featured in the other books, the intention is to keep them separate so that readers can follow just one line if they so wish without feeling like they're only getting part of a story. Likewise, a story that begins in one will not directly continue into one of the other titles.
Andy Schmidt remarked, “[G.I. JOE] has a large cast and will focus on characters and character beats but it's more the 'big action movie' style title. If you really want to get to know Duke, Stalker and the other JOES, then Origins is the book for you. If you're looking for more of a suspense-thriller feel then Cobra is the way to go. None of the titles is the lead book. Together they all form a strong foundation." Schmidt added, "Obviously, I'm hoping fans will want to try all three and I think those that do will be very happy, but I don't want to twist anybody's arm. Each book can be read on its own, but if you're reading all three you're going to get some extra layers."
To kick-start the relaunch, IDW is releasing G.I. JOE #0 this month to the tune of one dollar. "It's not preview pages," Schmidt assured. "There's actual story content in the issue, so you can see which one or two or three of the books you want to buy.”
Wed Oct 8, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Where Have All The Editors Gone?
A look on the state of continuity and unity in comics today.
Something is going on in comic books. Have you noticed? It's been happening for a few years now. For some reason, certain comics are not making sense with the rest of the established universe and history. For some reason, things that don't make sense have been running rampant throughout the fictional realities of DC and Marvel.
Have you noticed it? Sure you have. I'm not the only one, right?
Have you checked out DC Decisions #2? It's very interesting. Guy Gardner is on Earth rather than Oa. And Power Girl is around instead of still trapped on the new Earth-2. Does this story take place before the current JSA storyline? Or afterward? It would be nice to be told in a brief footnote.
Then there's the recent Hawkman Special where Carter Hall was told that his memories of being the Ancient Egyptian Prince Khufu were a lie and it basically was said that Khufu couldn't have existed. Okay, um, wait a second. Black Adam and the wizard Shazam were both there and lived alongside Khufu. And the JSA actually went on a time travel mission a couple of years ago and worked with Khufu against a younger Vandal Savage. How can all of that be explained by false memories? Has the entire JSA been infected with identical delusions?
Sun Oct 5, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Marvel Ready to Rock Fan Expectations
Ultimatum, Secret Invasion, Deadpool and more.
The recent Ultimate Origins mini-series has been delving into the past of the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Now at last, we've learned how many of the heroes and super-humans of this reality are related and interconnected. We've learned the startling secrets of the creation of the mutant gene and Mutant Zero, we've seen the initial transformation of the Hulk and how he was responsible for the deaths of Peter Parker's parents (although writer Brian Michael Bendis recently denied this at Batlimore Comic-Con, the recent March on Ultimatum one-shot confirms it). We've seen the secrets of Nick Fury and learned that he's been around since World War II.
But most startling about the Ultimate Origins mini is the sub-plot that takes place in the present-day. A Watcher has appeared, a strange device with a single eye that claims to be part of a hive-culture. The first Watcher appeared on Earth when Captain America, the first true post-human of the Ultimate Marvel Universe, recieved his enhanced abilities. Now hundreds of Watchers are appearing all over Earth. Which means that something catastrophic is coming.
They didn't show up during the coming of Gah Lak Tus. What could be coming now that is worse?
Possibly the end of human civilization. Magneto is back. He's angry. He has a plan. And he may have already defeated Thor.
The story is Ultimatum, a new mini-series written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by David Finch. The tagline is simple. "For what they've done, they will have to pay the ultimate price." Rumors abound how much this will change the Ultimate Universe and alredady some are whispering that characters will die and titles will be cancelled. Be on the look out.
But Ultimatum isn't the only thing Marvel is throwing at us. It has recently been revealed through a leaked cover image that the New Avengers line-up, following Secret Invasion, is likely to include Wolverine, Spider-Man, Ronin, Luke Cage and the new Captain America (Bucky Barnes). Wonder who's gonna be on Dark Avengers if they didn't pick up Wolverine.
And in his most recent Cup o' Joe on Myspace, Joe Quesada talks about Deadpool, Madelyne Pryor, Secret Invasion and how the Malibu characters are not coming back anytime soon.
Sat Oct 4, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Lady Bullseye Gets Second Shot
New villain debut gets a re-solicit.
Marvel is over-joyed to announce that Daredevil #111 has sold out at Diamond and thus will be re-solicited. The second printing will have a wrap-around cover with art by Clay Mann.
If you don't know who this lady is, that's because she's just been introduced. She makes her debut in Daredevil #111, by Ed Brubaker and Clay Mann. This issue is the beginning of a new story-arc and is also set-up to be a jumping-on point for new readers.
Daredevil's been through a lot lately. His wife is in a mental institution. He finds himself attracted to another woman. And he's never in short supply of enemies. As any Daredevil fan can tell you, one of the hero's most personal foe is the assassin Bullseye. Gifted with an innate understanding of geometry and physics, Bullseye can take any hand-held object and instantly calculate how to throw it so that it becomes a lethal weapon.
Over the years, Bullseye has destroyed Daredevil's world twice, first by killing his lover Elektra (although she was later resurrected) and then later by killing his other great love, Karen Page. When Daredevil once tried to get revenge on the killer by dropping him from a rooftop, the little psychopath just got himself an adamantium spine and got back into action. Nowadays, Daredevil couldn't go after Bullseye even if he wanted to, as the assassin serves as an agent of Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts and thus has federal protection.
The very mention of the name Bullseye causes Daredevil pain and anger. How much worse will it be when he finally meets the new Lady Bullseye, a woman who has dedicated herself to emulating the assassin, whom she considers a hero? And while Bullseye killed for the sheer enjoyment of it, moving from one body to the next without a care, our new Lady Bullseye looks on murder as an art form, to be carefully laid out and appreciated in all its glory.
This new issue is an enticing one and Lady Bullseye promises to be an interesting new rogue. So if you haven't gotten your copy of #111, be on the look-out for the second printing!
Fri Oct 3, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Review: 'Toupydoops'
The R-rated funny book fans have been longing for.
A large portion of America is all about Hollywood. Who's the new big star? What new movie is coming out? Which director will blow us away this year? Understandably, we have so many struggling artists - actors, singers, writers, directors all trying to find their big break - that it's become cliche.
Likewise, we comic fans have similar feelings towards our books. Who's the new big writer? What artist is going to knock or socks off with photo-realistic work? What new title is going to give us a new reason to love comics? How many more teams will Wolverine join before people realize there must be at least three of him?
But what if ... what if these two paradigms were merged? What if strange beings with exotic looks and super-human abilities made their way to California and waited on tables while they auditioned to star in a comic book? What if a lad who was born with blue-skin and antennae was able to be an extra in an Image comic while he dreamt of one day starring in his own on-going series?
Thu Oct 2, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Robin in Media
A look at Dick Grayson's career in film, radio and television
So if you checked our site yesterday faithful readers, you know that the CW has given the green light to a new live action series to replace Smallville (or join it if it continues for a ninth season). This series, The Graysons, woud focus on the life of young Richard John Grayson (called DJ in the show), who many of us know will grow up to become the first hero called Robin.
Whether you think such a show can work or not, it's undeniable that Robin is a household name, partly due to his contant appearances in various media. And that's not even considering the fact that he's gone through quite an evolution in comics, uniquely so compared to many other super-heroes.
In DC Comics, Richard John Grayson, known to everyone as "Dick", was a circus acrobat along with his parents. The Flying Graysons were a famous act in the traveling Haley Circus. But during a stay in Gotham City, a protection racket organized by mobster Tony Zucco tried to get money out of the circus owner. When he refused, the trapeze was sabotaged and Dick's parents fell to their deaths in front of a live audience. The audience included Bruce Wayne, secretly the Batman, who took in the adolescent boy and aided him in bringing Zucco to justice.
Dick was a natural due to his inherent talen and years of training in athletics and acrobatics. This, along with his heart and determination, allowed him to pursuade the Batman that he was worthy of staying on as a full-time apprentice and, later, a partner. Wearing a costume that emulated his old circus outfit, Dick called himself "Robin." Originally, it was said this was because he was styling himself on Robin Hood. In later years, it would be said that "Robin" had actually been his mother's nickname for him, either because he was born on the first day of spring or because as a child he never sat still and was constantly "bop-bop-boppin' around." Part of the reason he was called Robin and not given a serious super-hero name was because back in the 1940s, sidekicks were only given nicknames so that the writers would be able to save any cooler titles only for more serious super-heroes.
Over the years, Dick proved himself to be a formidable hero and a gifted detective, becoming leader of the original Teen Titans. As he entered adulthood, he was no longer satisfied being viewed as Batman's kid sidekick and believing that the Dark Knight did not give him enough credit, he left Gotham to carve out his own life. Eventually, inspired by a story Superman had told him of a Kryptonian hero, Dick returned to his super-hero role under the new name of "Nightwing", an identity he has kept for nearly twenty five years now. He is well-respected in the hero community and was even made leader of the Justice League for a short time. And whenever Batman needs him, this black-clad acrobatic avenger is willing to return to Gotham to help out.
That's the comics. What about his appearances in film and television?
Wed Oct 1, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
The Many Lives of Supergirl
A rundown of the many girls who have worn the S-shield.
There's been a lot of confusion about Supergirl recently. Since her re-introduction by Jeph Loeb in the pages of Superman/Batman, she has had a few conflicting stories concerning her nature and origins. And even then, she (and readers) had to deal with the fact that she wasn't the first to bear that name. Today, Supergirl #34 was released, featuring the new creative team of writer by Sterling Gates and artist Jamal Igle, who promised they would start a new, interesting direction with the character, clearly establishing who she is and what she's all about.
People, listen to me. The hype is true. This issue is a fantastic jumping-on point. It is written in a way that if you have never read a Supergirl comic before, you will understand what's going on and who is up to what. There is a small blurb on the title page explaining that Kara Zor-El is Superman's teenage cousin who came to Earth and tries to fight for "truth, justice and the Kryptonian way." There is an editor's foot-note by Matt Idleson telling you exactly when this issue takes place in relation to Supergirl's appearances in other comics (God bless you, Matt).
And for anyone who hasn't been reading the comic so far, there are quick conversations characters that bring you up to speed on Kara Zor-El and how, ever since she arrived on Earth not too long ago, she has been making a lot of mistakes and stumbling in her journey to become a hero worthy of the legacy of her cousin Superman. To compliment the impressive writing, Jamal Igle's art, as always, is clean, pretty and very emotive. You completely understand what's going through the character's heads even if you don't look at the dialogue.
If you have any interest in the character or are curious about a young, fun girl with powers, this issue is a must-read. You even get to learn some Kryptonian insults!
Next month, Supergirl #35 is supposed to recap the basic origin of Supergirl, just to clear up things for anyone who's still confusing her with the previous incarnations who were running around. As Gates said recently at the Baltimore Comic-Con, "Supergirl should be simple. She's Superman's cousin. Boom."
But I know you readers out there are curious about past continuity. Some of you remember a Supergirl who wore a t-shirt and mini-skirt or a Supergirl who had wings of fire and claimed to be an angel. And you're thinking, "Hey, Jack! What's the deal here?"
Well, look no further, faithful readers! At ComicMix, we enjoy indulging such questions. So, in the same vein of my Road to a Crisis article, I present to you a rundown of the various Supergirls who have graced the DC Universe. Please note, I will be dealing with the Supergirl characters who actually stayed on through multiple stories. I will not be going into detail about how one time Jimmy Olsen wished a Supergirl into existence, etc.
Tue Sep 30, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Wolverine May Lose Heart in San Francisco
Logan dodges a bounty in 'Manifest Destiny.'
The X-Men have been going through a lot of changes recently. With the X-Mansion recently destroyed (for what I think is the third time now), and with Xavier no longer trusted by the majority of the team, the mutant heroes have picked up stakes and moved to San Francisco, a community which welcomes mutants. Certain characters have had interesting experiences trying to adjust to the west coast and Marvel is putting out a few mini-series under the banner of Manifest Destiny that tackles this subject.
Wolverine: Manifest Destiny will feature the Canadian "Canuckle-head" making his way into California only to discover that a bounty has been placed on his head. Honesty, as if it weren't hard enough being a mutant who's often targeted by Mafia and Yakuza and somehow divides his time between solo missions and being both an illegal Avenger and an X-Man and leader of X-Force. It turns out that Wolverine's ex, now leader of the Triads, has summoned a quartet of mystical warriors who each are fully capable of killing the nearly-immortal hero and they're not going to stop until the contract has been fulfilled.
This story is brought to you by artist Stephen Segovia and writer Jason Aaron. Fans will recognize Segovia's excellent work from the ongoing series Wolverine: Origins. Jason Aaron has gotten a lot of praise not only as the writer of Verrtigo's Scalped, but also for his hard-edged Wolverine: Origins story arc "Get Mystique" and his accomplishment in taking the Ghost Rider series and re-energizing it with interesting drama, a high-level of humor and enjoyably insane violence. With credits like that, Wolverine: Manifest Destiny is sure to be a hard-hitting, violent ride. Just perfect for Wolverine fans.
Don't believe me? Then you obviously need to read the new Ghost RIder series and see for yourself how Aaron has made the demonic anti-hero more fun than he's been in years. And here's what some folks said following "Get Mystique."
James Hunt of ComicBookResources.com said, "Jason Aaron has himself an appropriate niche, telling a solo Wolverine action story that showcases the character's brains as much as his brawn."
And Daniel Crown of IGN.com remarked, "To put it simply, Wolverine is an extremely torn character, and it just so happens that Jason Aaron is outstanding when it comes to writing irresolute characters."
The X-Men books have really risen in quality in the past few months so this story comes with high hopes.
Mon Sep 29, 2008 — by Alan Kistler
Another 'Legion' Ends
"Threeboot" series concludes with issue #50
DC Comics told Newsarama that the current Legion of Super-Heroes title will end with the publication of issue #50.
Dan Didio, DC Senior VP and Executive Editor, explained "I thought that [writer] Jim [Shooter] and [artist] Francis [Manapul] have done a terrific job with the series, and '50' seemed like a really nice number to bring this series to a conclusion."
Jim Shooter broke into comics by writing for the Legion in Adventure Comics when he was only 15 and created many of its now famous characters and villains. When he was asked about the book's cancellation, he remarked, "It's a drag, but I get to finish most of my story. It would have finished in Issue #54, but Issue #50 is going to be a 30-page story, and I'm hoping people will be intrigued enough that they'll want to finish the story .... I understand new comics sales are not doing so well right now. Which is weird. Just look at this crowd. Everyone seems so excited about comics."
This current Legion series came about as the second attempt to completely reboot the characters from scratch (nicknamed the "threeboot" by fans). Originally tackled by Mark Waid (Kingdom Come) and Barry Kitson (JLA: Year One), the new series was meant to bring in new fans since the Legion had been doing poorly on sales for some time. In an interview I held with Mark Waid soon after the book's launch, Waid commented that DC had believed it to be necessary to "throw out the baby with the bathwater" since other attempts to bring in new audiences, such as the critically-acclaimed Legion Lost story by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, had failed to increase interest in the team. This strategy had been used before of course. In the late 1980's, the Legion stories were pushed forward five years to show the characters now as all being older and dealing with a harsher, crueler future than they had been used to. And in the early 1990's, after the crossover Zero Hour, the Legion had been re-booted from scratch, altering their names which were now considered hokey (Lightning Lad become Livewire, Element Lad became Alchemist, etc.).
In the reboot, Waid brought back the original code-names that not been used since the early 90's (changing Livewire back to Lightning Lad, Apparition back to Phantom Girl, etc.), yet altered many of the characters and re-interpreted their powers and nature. Originally, Colossal Boy had been a young man who could grow to great heights. In Waid's continuity, he was actually from a society of giants and, in his mind, his power was that he could shrink to Earth-man proportions (thus, he often argued his name should really be "Micro Lad"). Waid also changed the book to be less a group of heroes bound by a need for justice and more about the Legion representing a movement towards social change, directly challenging their society that had become obsessive about social taboos and maintaining routine, predictable behaviors at all costs. Whereas the original team had often cried out "Long live the Legion," Waid's team would grin sarcastically as they shouted "Eat it, grandpa!"
