Language of the Day

Today is a Binary Day! And we thought we’d celebrate. Trav should be back today and will hopefully regale you with stories of all he learned in Friday’s blog post.

A comment Trav made about Adventure Comics #520 that got me thinking. He said ” The “tragedy” of the first Legionnaire to die is really weakened by the fact that he’s one of the main characters in the regular Legion book, which takes place after these stories.” Now I’m a fan of continuity, but its a rule by which the comics game is played. Games are supposed to be fun.

And when you let the rules get in the way of the game being fun, you are really missing the point. I know Lightning Lad comes back, he and Saturn Girl get married and have children. But that doesn’t lessen the impact of his death in this issue in my opinion. Saturn Girl found out a Legionnaire will die and went to great lengths to make sure it was her, not Superboy. Lightning Lad made the choice to make it his death, not Saturn Girl’s.

I don’t care if he’s coming back, that’s a powerful moment, and Levitz writes it well. And that’s what this is all about. Not continuity, comics are about powerfully written stories and beautiful art. I read the Death of Superman a while back, and watching Superman slug it out with Doomsday in those final moments, only to collapse and die in Lois’ arms is a heart wrenching moment. It doesn’t matter that he came back.

A comic’s job is to tell a story. No matter what it does, it has to do that. I’ve baulked at Morrison’s run on Batman and Robin, but the man tells a hell of a story. He even said at SDCC, he wants as many great writers on Batman as possible, because he wants stories told. And that’s what I love. Tell your story, use continuity as a guideline, but most importantly, tell your story.

Kris, what’s on YOUR pull list?

• Adventure Comics #520 - Paul Levitz creates a great amount of tension in this book. These characters were all but unknown to me before he took over this book and started his run on Legion, and now I count them as some of my favorite. These characters are kids, living in the shadows of giants.
• Batman & Robin #16 - Good end to the arc. Bruce wailing on Hurt is a simply great sequence, and the conclusion with a banana peel is top notch.
• Brightest Day #13 - I didn’t care about the Hawks before this issue, now I do. It’s as simple as that.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer #38 - This book has lost it’s way, in my opinion. Whedon ran out of story and steam at the beginning of the Retreat arc.
• Doom Patrol #16 - This book is so well written. It balance silly with serious in a way I didn’t think possible.
• Freedom Fighters #3 - Less action, but we are getting to know our characters more. Also, Miss America is adorable.
• JSA All-Stars #12 - Cyclone lost her powers in between issues. That seems like a weird choice in a story focused around it.
• Red Hood Lost Days #6 - This book really makes me wish someone was using Jason Todd. I hope they give him to Judd Winick and let him do whatever he wants.
• Life With Archie: Married Life #4 - I bought this book almost as a joke. While this issue isn’t quite as good as the past ones, it’s still an amazingly mature and well written book. Archie has announced that due to the success they are launching a ‘Betty or Veronica’ book, chronicling Archie’s choice. I’ll be picking that up as well.
• Secret Six #27 - The pacing was off in this book, and Simone is getting lost in Warlord mythology. Secret Six is a character driven book, but we aren’t getting much character.
• Superboy #1 - This book captures one of the most important things about Connor. He’s a well meaning, bright, and emotional TEENAGER, who just happens to be one of the most powerful beings on Earth. If you treat him like Superman, or like a C-list hero, you’ll miss his charm, but this book is getting it.