Half an Indigo Plan is Better than None...

As you can probably ascertain from the sub header to the title of this blog itself (not this particular entry, we're talking the whole blog) I'm supposed to be fairly dedicated to the spinning of "semi-ludicrous theories" based on all of the Lantern books that DC releases. Since I came back from my hiatus due to unemployment, this blog has mostly been posting reviews, personal takes on DC announcements and a few other odds and ends. Now, while I DID state awhile back that this blog WOULD be utilized for more than just theories, you folks haven't had the chance to read a semi-ludicrous theory in a good while. Well, it's high time to rectify that.

Ever since Geoff Johns wrapped up the storyline involving Hal and Sinestro taking out the Sinestro Corps, Geoff has been cleverly crafting the next arc of his New 52 run with the character. This arc, focused on the Indigo Tribe and their secrets, has been allowing us glimpses into the back story of this group of Compassionate Corpsmen all the while providing us with new mysteries to focus on. But there is one revelation in particular that I'd like to divert your attention to now.

Yeah that one. In the eagerly anticipated "Third Army" storyline running throughout DC's Lantern titles, Geoff plans to have the Guardians replace the Green Lantern Corps with "the Third Army". This action by the Guardians seems to be the straw that broke the camels back when it came to fan boys everywhere considering the Guardians worthy of admission into some Universal scale Arkham. But, as you can tell by Natromos dialogue, the Indigo Tribe has their marching orders to fulfill by way of the actions taken long ago by Abin Sur. The plan? Pop some Indigo Tribe rings onto the little stubby blue fingers of the remaining Guardians and begin the process to have them "feel" compassion and thus "reform" the Guardians of the Universe.

There are two problems with this and, to explain both, we're going to have to jump back into the head rush that was "Blackest Night".

The first problem I'll just get out of the way right here and now. They're the GUARDIANS. They who helped hide the entity of life, they who harnessed the raw power of will and CREATED the rings the GLC uses to channel willpower into their own respective usable formats. Tossing a ring of a different color on their finger isn't going to do diddly squat. "But Chad," you say, "the Guardians created and have experience with the GREEN rings. An Indigo Ring is a different animal altogether, they can't overcome that." You're forgetting one large plot point moment in "Blackest Night"...

Yup, the rings are based on OAN tech. So fooey to you naysayers.

The second problem we have with this little plan lies in the history of the Indigo Tribes actions itself. The primary point of which being, their plans don't WORK. When Indigo One teleported into the story of "Blackest Night" she revealed a WHOLE helluva lot of information. In addition to her cosmic history info dump, she informed the rainbow lantern posse that, not only could the individual Black Lanterns be defeated but that, to stop the entirety of the Blackest Night prophecy from coming to fruition, they had to recreate the White Light of creation and give Nekrons Central Power Battery one MASSIVE blast. And then we saw what came of that little plan when they finally took aim and shot their respective emotional loads...

And it failed. Then they tried wrangling more people to try it again. That failed too. Then they tried to let the Spectre handle things. That failed as well. Then they went straight for Nekron himself in one big group. Guess what? That failed too. The point being, the Indigo Tribe had a plan BEFORE the Blackest Night actually happened. They burst onto the scene, attempted to implement the plan they fully believed (and were probably TAUGHT) would work and it failed. What then? Well, the rainbow rodeo has to fly by the seat of their energy spandex before Deadman has to save the day and say, "Yo, Hal! Listen you moron, stop wasting all this time and energy basically trying the same approach a thousand times! Fix Black Hand!" *poof*

I WILL say this for the Indigo Tribe, there is a SMALL possibility that their plan will work (even if I DON'T believe that's where things are going). Mostly for one reason and one reason alone. That being that it seems the Indigo Tribe has access to knowledge the Guardians themselves do not...

So, while it's POSSIBLE that it could work, it's my prediction that this plan the Tribe has to reform the Guardians by way of the Indigo Rings? Yeah, it's going to fail. MOST heinously. And, although I won't go INTO it, here's a hint as to why I think it will fail (and why I think they've lost their minds in the first place)...

The Secret Life of Martin Nodell...

This month marks the 72nd anniversary/birthday of the first appearance of Green Lantern in comics and as I'm going through and doing research for an upcoming episode of the Lanterncast, I found a series of youtube videos posted on August 18th, 2010. I thought it a fitting 'celebration' of sorts. This video series, taped in April of 1994 at the Dallas Fantasy Fair, is an interview with the creator of the Golden Age Green Lantern, Mr. Martin Nodell as interviewed by Lou Mougin. In the video he is also joined by his wife Carrie Nodell as he describes the history of the company that would eventually become DC Comics and the creation of Green Lantern, a character who, over the years, would evolve to become one of the most popular characters in the history of comic superheros.

This interview is a fantastic find and a must watch for any fan of Green Lantern or comics history in general. Unfortunately Martin Nodell is no longer with us but, through this video, we can get a firsthand account of a historic time within the comics industry. It is an absolute shame that, at the time of this posting, these videos have few views, no 'likes' and no comments. In my love of this industry I feel led to post these videos to get the word out just that much more. I dip my head in respect to a great man with a great creative vision who did to much to contribute to my introduction and love of this industry. As a side note, the interaction between himself and Carrie is endearing and reminds me very much of my own grandparents. It's great to see a man I respect and admire as a creator to also be a man of relational and personal quality that is also worthy of the same, if not more, admiration.

So hat's off to you Mr and Mrs. Nodell for your part in comics history. I truly thank you both because I have no doubt that Mr. Nodell himself would attribute a fair amount of his own success to the woman by his side.

(Part One)

(Part Two)

(Part Three)

(Part Four)

(Part Five)

Introducing the Green Lantern!

(CAUTION: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR ALL ISSUES OF 'EARTH 2' PUBLISHED AT THE TIME OF THIS POSTING. PLEASE PURCHASE YOUR COPY'S OF 'EARTH 2' FROM DC COMICS PRIOR TO READING THIS REVIEW.)

As many of you are no doubt aware, DC has decided to reinvent their oldest and most beloved characters in the new 'Earth 2' series. In the eyes of many fans these characters who once formed the Justice Society of America (JSA) have been a cornerstone for continuity errors in DC publishing history for years. Despite these woes, the teams that have written the JSA have managed to do what nearly every other comic title has; some write good issues, some don't. When DC announced the 'New 52' and began soliciting the titles for their new initiative to remake their Universe, many fans were unhappy to learn that no Earth 2 characters (the JSA most notably) appeared in their lineup. After their first round of cancellations, DC announced the titles taking the spots left open in their wake...two of which would focus on their alternate Universe mainstays, 'Earth 2' and 'Worlds Finest'. As 'Earth 2' makes it's attempts to reinvent the staple characters of DC's golden/atomic age, they've been the subject of controversy and no announcement caused more grumblings than the revelation that Alan Scott was now gay (click HERE for my blog entry on this announcement).

The controversy surrounding this new take on the golden age Green Lantern may still be ongoing but most of the storm has settled restlessly awaiting the release of 'Earth 2' issue three and the all new origin of Alan Scott as Green Lantern.


(The Emerald Flame reveals it's intentions to Alan Scott)



That issue is now out and let me say, I am pleasantly surprised at how good it is. In this issue we are immediately confronted with the chaotic wake left behind as a consequence of the cliffhanger from issue two. As Alan searches desperately for his love (Sam) we can see he is badly burned and otherwise injured. Suddenly a nearly twenty foot tall ball of green flame strikes up and begins speaking to him Moses-and-the-burning-bush style. After informing Alan that it is the power of the Earth itself it begins to heal him of his injuries sustained from the sky train crash. As Alan is being healed, the jade flame explains that, while it did not cause the crash, his "lover did not survive" and proceeds to tell Alan that a great evil is coming and Alan must be prepared as the new champion of Earth to confront this challenge.



(The 'New 52' Grundy stands revealed)



The story then flashes (heh) to the Flash and Hawkgirl in Poland as they meet each other and test each others mettle (or rather Hawkgirl tests Jay's mettle). After their particular brand of super heroic introductions they are confronted immediately with a problem of planet sized proportions as every living thing around them (including plant life) begins to die. We cut back to Alan agreeing to take on the mantle of power offered to him and becomes "the Earth's one true knight...The Green Lantern". The birth of a hero isn't all bathed in positive emerald energy as it comes in immediate juxtaposition to the rise of a villain. As the wave of death sweeps across the planet, a grey voice begins to narrate it's intentions to destroy all life, all hope and destroy the new jade champion. Alans continuing conversation with the diminishing emerald blaze yields a conduit through which to channel his new found power in the form of the wedding band Alan was going to offer Sam, now altered by the green flame. The rise of power stands balanced though as, once we see Alans power fully bestowed upon him, we see the reveal of the primary nemesis, the man of grey, Grundy.

There are very few problems I have with this issue, the primary of which has nothing to do with Alan himself. Jay Garrick's Flash uniform. I understand that essentially it's a modern take on the garb worn by Mercury mixed with a super heroic flavor, but it looks god awful. The focus on the character however is good enough that it allows me to appreciate his development and distracts me briefly from the horrendous new costume...but only briefly. But before I wrap up my take on Jay, let me get this out. Jay Garrick reminds me of Kyle Rayner. A kid thrust unknowingly into a power greater than himself and just running with it day by day trying to live up to his new destiny. The similarities probably end there, but I thought it was worth mentioning before moving forward.

(Alan discovers Samuel has died)

The only other problem I have with this issue is going to be HIGHLY nit picky. In fact, I only say it because I KNOW that there will be some select individuals out there livid over this one instance and the fact that I saw it right away has to mean SOMETHING. The fact that the emerald flame refers to Samuel as Alan's "lover" and not his "love" or "partner" or even "boyfriend". "Lover" sounds so impersonal and doesn't seem to hold the gravity and importance of the relationship as some other word would. Again, I'm unsure if this is even an issue and really it isn't with me, but I can see the potential fallout here, however minor it may be.

The revelation of Grundy however was fantastic. As I was in the comic store picking up the issue, an individual in the shop informed me that I would never see the villain coming. Unfortunately for him, the second he said that I suspected it would be Grundy. Not because of my amazing intellect or any such reason but simply as a result of my knowledge of the history of the character I was already thinking, "Wouldn't it be awesome if it was Grundy?" However, once the grey box narration came across the page, I just knew. My excitement was steadily building as with each page turn I was thinking more and more, "Is it? Is It?! IS IT?! YESSSS!!!!!" To see Grundy on the page was fantastic and obviously (at least in my mind) sets up the 'Blackest Night' equivalent for the Earth 2 universe as an analog for life goes up against an avatar of death but I may be reaching.

Overall the issue was a fantastic achievement and I cannot wait to see the progression of this character as he assumes a role he was meant for all along...on equal footing with Superman in both power and character. So bid a truly loving and heartfelt adieu to the classic Golden Age Alan Scott Green Lantern and brace yourself for the newest interpretation of the character as he blazes onto the scene in a truly wonderful fashion.



Movie Review: "The Amazing Spider-Man"

Last night I was treated to an advance screening of 'The Amazing Spider-Man'. Granted the 7:30 pm showing I went to was only a scant few hours ahead of the midnight release to the public, but seeing it ahead of others (if even just a few hours) was quite thrilling. Going into this movie I had no great expectations for anything other than the graphics. My history with the Spider-Man side of Marvel Universe is really quite sparse and as such I don't have much of the back story with Peter Parker's parents committed to memory. Nor do I know much about Curt Connors (the Lizard) or Peters love interest, Gwen Stacy. However I will say that in relation to the Spider-Man film interpretations we've seen thus far, this movie was far superior to the others.

Before I go much further, I suppose I should lay bare my bias'. I couldn't stand Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. In all honesty, I can't find Tobey Maguire appealing in much of anything. Not to mention I also thought Kirsten Dunst was a consistent bore. But, at the time, I identified with the outcast character Peter Parker and was rooting for him to get the girl and be the hero. Those movies definitely delivered just what I wanted at that time. Of the three, I'm of the group that believes the second movie was the best but some things were missing from the first three altogether that I just couldn't rectify in my viewing of them. Such as the appearance of Mary Jane right out of the gate as Parker's love interest, or the absence of a more traditionally smart-alec Spider-Man and the introduction of web shooters incorporated into his physiology. Much to my great joy however, this new interpretation did not repeat the mistakes made by the previous three.

[SPOILERS......SPOILERS.....SPOILERS.....SPOILERS......SPOILERS.....SPOILERS......SPOILERS]

The movie opened with a sequence of the young Peter Parker and his parents. As things escalate in the scene we see them leave Peter with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Now, although I said there were spoilers in this review, I don't necessarily want to throw out a play by play and ruin the entire experience for you. I bring this up because, right at the beginning, this movie introduces a plot point and story angle the first three neglected to play with: Peter's parents. Their history within the comics is muddled and a bit unclear from time to time (being CIA agents recruited by Nick Fury at some point, or so I'm told) but supplying that there IS a riddle to the history of Peters parents was something the original movies never once mentioned.

As you get deeper into the movie you're introduced to the rest of the cast, who I felt all played their respective roles very well. Gwen Stacy in particular was a character that was immediately endeared to me when she was introduced. She was likable, smart and stunning (but not 'sexy'). Her relationship with Peter evolved very naturally (for High Schoolers) and became an interesting dynamic within the film. Speaking of High School, that brings up another small but interesting aspect of this film: Flash Thompson. Flash had traditionally been the complete asshole jock constantly picking on Peter. A completely unlikeable and irredeemable character. Not so in this movie. Once uncle Ben dies, Flash lays off and becomes a relatable character capable of compassion and appreciating the gravity of a moment, an addition I felt added a sense of realism to the movie.

The 'villain' of the movie, Curt Connors/The Lizard was another high point. His descent into madness was a little rushed and implausible to me in a way considering the layout of his character in the beginning, but they provided enough of a mystery to the history of this character prior to meeting Peter that you're not QUITE sure where he stands for the whole movie. So maybe his rapid descent into near utter madness was expected and maybe, with possible later film revelations regarding Peters parents and Curt Connors, it's even expected. When he transforms into the Lizard though is when I became pleasantly surprised about one minute aspect of the character, his voice. The director saw fit to have the same actor use the voice of his CGI monster counterpart albeit filtered through various tonal dilutions to make his voice sound just different enough. This added to the movie and I'm not quite sure how. Perhaps I was just happy that they made the Lizard a talking villain and not merely a mindless and mute rampaging monster.

Something else this movie had that the first three movies didn't was very simple: heart. This was a far more emotional movie. I BELIEVED Peter was racked with guilt over the death of Uncle Ben. I BELIEVED that Peter cared deeply for Gwen Stacy. I BELIEVED that Peter was struggling internally with being "abandoned" by his parents. All of the characters had a very real emotional presence. It was very palpable. You felt for every character in this movie in a way that you didn't really get with the more action driven sequences behind the first three Spider-Man films. I believe it's a credit to both the acting and the directing.

The last thing I'll say about this movie that I LOVED is perhaps the biggest. Spider-Man himself. Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Peter was fantastic but it was his scenes as Spider-Man that impressed me the most. He was cocky, brash and most importantly an insufferable smart ass. Dropping one liners and snide goofy remarks with nearly every move, Garfield really brought to life one of the biggest things I felt was missing from the first movies, a sense of fun without it being cheesy and comic booky. It was a thrill to see. In addition to his personality, the way in which he used his powers themselves was much better. There were far more flips, spins and jumps than any of the previous films. The way he swung on his webbing was more free form, spinning from time to time or flipping through the air. He actually MOVED like a spider! He was much more acrobatic in this movie, which was something that really added to the entirety of the films appearance.

Overall the movie was an enjoyable and fun experience that catered to the comics in a much more comprehensive way. It unseated Spider-Man 2 in my mind and makes me forever grateful I'll never have to see another Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movie again.

P.S Stay after the credits. It's not an AMAZING scene but it is something worth seeing...even if you have no IDEA what's going on in it...

The Comic Titles that VANISHED!

DC Comics announced last week that they were taking another four currently ongoing titles to the chopping block. 'Voodoo', 'Captain Atom', 'Justice League International' and 'Resurrection Man' will all be cancelled as of September of this year. Coming out to take their place will be four all new titles to expand DC's ever growing cast in the new 52.

Since the launch of the New 52, DC has made a point of transitioning the characters featured in their cancelled titles into still ongoing books, most notably O.M.A.C. into 'Justice League International'. With JLI getting the push into oblivion, fans have to wonder not only where DC will put fan favorite O.M.A.C., but where will DC place an entire team of heroes?

Like with the first wave of cancelled books from the popular comics company, four new titles will be thrust into the void left in the publishing lineup. 'Sword of Sorcery', 'Talon', 'Team Seven' and 'The Phantom Stranger' will each bring a unique twist into the DC New Universe (DCNU).

With 'Talon' capitalizing on the blockbuster success that is Scott Snyders 'Court Of Owls' storyline running through Batman, DC will introduce a renegade Talon to readers, allowing them to follow the character as he evades the Court and seeks to build a life for himself.

As the DCNU line-up gets another anti-hero, they also add another anthology title to their ranks with 'Sword of Sorcery'. The new title will primarily follow Amethyst, a character not unfamiliar to fans of the old DCU, as she discovers her true origins. The title will also feature a tale following Beowulf and Grendel. So where 'All-Star Western' corral's DCs western stories, 'Sword of Sorcery' will enchant readers with it's more fantastical tales and beautiful art.

DCs third new title comes in the form of 'Team Seven'. Now here's where it gets dicey for me. It's one thing to capitalize on a major success like 'Court of Owls' by opening another avenue by which to make more money (in this case 'Talon'). But such approaches have been tried in the past and have both succeeded and failed. 'Team Seven', however, capitalizes on the fans of the old DCU that seek to learn the "history" of this new universe. Now filling that need by fans is not altogether wrong, but their process in this book doesn't really garner the positive reactions DC was undoubtedly looking for. Consisting of a membership roster of Amanda Waller, Dinah Lance, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson; the book makes a large portion of DC fans groan loudly...including myself.

Perhaps the title with the most potential in this new batch of books features one of my favorite characters in the entirety of comics, The Phantom Stranger. The new book, written by Dan DiDio, will showcase once and for all the mysterious origins of the Phantom Stranger. Historically the Stranger has never had an origin, in fact, it has long been held as cannon that he isn't supposed to have one in the first place. DC even went so far as to release an issue of 'Secret Origins' that provided four potential origins to the characters as an entertaining gimmick. As the book explores the origins of this longtime DCU observer, it will also setup more breadcrumbs to the history behind the estranged Pandora and lead into DC's first new major crossover of their new universe as seen in DCs Free Comic Book Day issue released this year (seen below).

(DC hints that The Phantom Stranger is actually Judas from the Bible)

So keep your eyes peeled this September for books full of potential from DC Comics!

The Strange Trial of Alan Scott...

End of hiatus. Why? Is it because I have more theories? Is it because I have a job now and can AFFORD comics? Nope. I mean, all of the above is true but there is something else prompting my comeback to semi-ludicrous theories.

DC comics decided awhile back to cancel a handful of their lower selling titles. So while titles like ‘Blackhawks’, ‘Hawk and Dove’, ‘Men of War’, ‘Mister Terrific’, ‘O.M.A.C.’ and ‘Static Shock’ got the axe, DC served up a few titles to take their place. ‘Batman Incorporated’, ‘Earth 2’, ‘World's Finest’, ‘Dial H’, ‘G.I. Combat’ and ‘The Ravagers’ stepped in to fill the gap signaling to fanboys everywhere that DC is dead set on keeping the fifty two in the ‘New 52’.

With the introduction of ‘Earth 2’, however, DC fans saw the return of the sorely missed J.S.A. Currently only one issue in, ‘Earth 2’ is already stirring up controversy with fans of the DC universe. The popular comic company hinted a few weeks ago that one of their characters releasing soon would be homosexual. Almost immediately fanboys leapt at the chance to theorize who DC’s new addition to their homosexual character ranks would be. Today the official announcement was made. Alan Scott of Earth 2 (an alternate Universe in the DCU) is gay. For those of you keeping track that means Green Lantern (the Golden Age one) is now gay.

Now this announcement, like much having to do with homosexuality these days, came with its fair share of controversy. Some fans are outraged, some think it’s about time and others think “Why change a time honored character? Just make a new one!” Now, since I over explain everything, let me say this: I’m a card carrying heterosexual male but I do not, in any way, believe that homosexuals should be treated differently nor given less rights. I fully support equal rights for all, not on the basis that we’re all American, but that we’re all HUMAN.

That being said, this announcement regarding the Golden Age Green Lantern irks me in only one regard. Change for the sake of change has never really been the herald of popular decision making. In fact a quote I just found by Edward Abbey says, “Growth for the sake of growth is the philosophy of a cancer cell”. Now I know that is extreme, but hear me out. In the 1970’s, when leftover race relation strained our country, Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams introduced a black character in their ‘Green Lantern/Green Arrow’ storyline. John Stewart went on to become so popular that he appeared as a main character in the acclaimed ‘Justice League’/ ‘Justice League Unlimited’ cartoon series. They didn’t suddenly change Hal Jordan and say, “Well, now he’s black now.” They said, “Check out this new character. Isn’t he awesome? I know right! So who cares about his race?” Now there will be those people who say, “Wait Chad. Homosexuality and the color of someone’s skin are not the same.” Isn’t it? I believe that neither is wrong nor is a factor that allows someone to be robbed of rights. I also believe that homosexuality can be just as much of a natural occurrence as someone’s skin color. So where’s the difference?

Now, will I swallow all of this natural uncertainty I get when I encounter change for the sake of change? Of course. Why? Because, I have no problem with ANY character being gay, let alone Green Lantern. I suspend my doubts because DC has done many progressive things for the homosexual community, most notably Batwoman and Kyle Rayners assistant and friend Terry Berg. There was an entire storyline, within ‘Green Lantern’ no less, that featured Terrance Berg getting beaten by a handful of individuals simply because he was gay. So homosexuality has been confronted and covered extensively in DC comics both then and now.

This leads me to my final point. Don’t fuck this up DC. If you ARE going to force feed us the idea that Alan Scott is gay, then play it cool. Don’t show Green Lantern kicking ass and taking names and then flash back every other page to a hey-don’t-forget-that-he’s-gay type of scene. I don’t need it every five seconds. Do you remind me every other panel that Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane are a couple? Nope. So why remind me that Alan Scott and Samuel are a couple just as frequently? As far as I’m concerned, if someone is a homosexual, it is a very SMALL part of who they are as a person. So treat it that way. “No big deal, let’s carry on.”

So there you have it, my long winded return to this blog. Are there any theories to speak of in there? Not really. Unless you throw in there that I believe Samuel will die VERY soon. This has nothing to do with the fact that he’s gay; this is just how DC does things. If you’re going to tell the origin of a superhero in the DCU, it’s commonplace to kill any love interests the protagonist has in their life before they become a hero or at least shortly thereafter. So, mark my words, Samuel will die by issue 10 of ‘Earth 2’ at the latest.

That's it Corps Conjecture fans! Be on the lookout for issue #3 of 'Earth 2' featuring the all new origin of Alan Scott, due out in July!

Temporary Hiatus...

Unfortunately I lost my job awhile back (before I started this blog actually) and it has affected my comic buying habits, as it rightly should. So, unless I come up with new theories based on older material, I have to postpone any other theory based blogs.

Until then, I plan on keeping the blog up in some form or another so this is as good a time as any to announce another function of my blog. I DO plan on having general comic talk type posts now and again. Be they news stories on comic publishers, comic reviews, announcements of new comics you should check out, etc. I don't wish to overload you on these types of stories so don't worry about me going nuts with it.

I hope I achieve gainful employment soon and get back to posting about the things I really enjoy within the industry. I also hope you'll bear with me as I go through this phase.