tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post116601552818472089..comments2024-01-27T11:22:19.082-06:00Comments on Blockade Boy: The Hundred Acre Would-Have-BeenJeremy Rizzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08480479249595700846noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166277660041070832006-12-16T08:01:00.000-06:002006-12-16T08:01:00.000-06:00MaGnUs, I'm not sure what to make of Geoff Johns' ...MaGnUs, I'm not sure <I>what</I> to make of Geoff Johns' writing sometimes. And I've read a ton of it, including all of his JSA issues, the first couple of years <I>and</I> the last year of his Flash run, and every issue of Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. My problem with him is that he can get too depressing for my tastes. That's one of the reasons I stopped buying the Flash for a while; everybody in the book was just <I>miserable</I> (and the hideous, grimy-looking Scott Kolins artwork didn't help). Also, a lot of his villains tend to be one-note super-sadists without much going on in their personalities beyond being evil and quite happy about it. I can recall a couple of stories where the bad guy threatened to "drag (the hero's) soul (or psyche) through the mud." (One was Gorilla Grodd, I think, and the other might have been the Top, or maybe a baddie in JSA.) I'm sorry, but I think that's going <I>way too grim</I> for a mainstream superhero story. I'll probably just stop buying Johns' books, just like I've done with some other popular writers (for different reasons).<BR/><BR/>I like the "Atom Smasher" name better than "Nuklon" (although I never really had a problem with "Nuklon" for reasons unknown even to myself) but I'm not fond of the Atom Smasher costume. I don't like the electric-blue wrestler mask, because it robs the character of expression and it's too reminiscent (for me) of vigilantes and rioters. Again, way too serious. Yes, the Golden Age Atom had one and I'm sure the reason behind the design is pure nostalgia. I don't care. Also, I don't like the cut of the costume, with the bare arms coming out of a top that looks like a tacky "muscle shirt" (I have the same problem with the original Thor costume) and I don't like the inexplicably puffy trim. In fact, I didn't like "Kingdom Come" and I don't like a lot of Alex Ross' costume designs and I absolutely <I>hate</I> most of his simple-minded character concepts. ("Arthur Curry _+ King of Atlantis = King Arthur!" "Let's give the Black Panther an <I>actual panther head!"</I> "Tony Stark = Howard Hughes!" Bah!) Which is another reason I'm considering dropping JSA. Sure, I like Maxine Hunkel but with Johns at the wheel it's only a matter of time before she witnesses a loved one getting shot in the head.<BR/><BR/>I try to avoid knee-jerk reactions and I don't know that <I>anybody</I> could be 100% sure about Ross' intentions, but to me and a lot of other people his words at least seemed like a Freudian slip. And honestly, what <I>else</I> had been done with the character in recent years (and not counting what was done to him by Ross' current collaborator, Geoff Johns)? Ross later issued a statement saying he'd never intended his words to be taken as a gay slur. He apparently preferred the character as written in "Infinity Incorporated." To which I say, "Yawn!"Jeremy Rizzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08480479249595700846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166243036464806942006-12-15T22:23:00.000-06:002006-12-15T22:23:00.000-06:00I like Geoff John's stories, looks like I'm the on...I like Geoff John's stories, looks like I'm the only one here. And I like Atom Smasher (name and costume) better than Nuklon...<BR/><BR/>What happened to Obsidian in Manhunter?<BR/><BR/>BB, are you certain Alex Ross used the word "molested" as in "revealing character is gay"?!?!?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166105997271970232006-12-14T08:19:00.000-06:002006-12-14T08:19:00.000-06:00Yeah, that was just a hat Crimson Fox wore. It wa...Yeah, that was just a hat Crimson Fox wore. It was kind of weird-looking. One of the twins went with a more traditional mask-with-fox-ears cowl later on.<BR/><BR/>Crimson Fox had typical comic book "animal" powers-super agility, super sense of smell, claws, plus she had a "pheromone" power that could entrance men. She was also a wealthy publishing and costmetics mogul, which gave her lots of other resources.<BR/><BR/>I lost track of which twin was which after a while, and which one liked Captain Atom and which one liked Metamorpho, and which one liked Amazing Man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166102409741322272006-12-14T07:20:00.000-06:002006-12-14T07:20:00.000-06:00Anonymous: I agree with you that the Crimson Fox h...Anonymous: I agree with you that the Crimson Fox had an interesting concept but I think she was hurt by an ugly costume and boring powers. (What <I>did</I> she do, anyway? Wasn't she just athletic?)<BR/><BR/>Sallyp: I never thought about it that way before. I think you're right!<BR/><BR/>Justin: Amen to that.<BR/><BR/>Fortress Keeper: The main reason I bought those comics was for the characters. The actual villains and plots were kinda stupid, though. (This was during Power Girl's Atlantean phase.) You didn't miss much.<BR/><BR/>Jon: It's not hair. It's just a <I>really convoluted</I> snood.Jeremy Rizzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08480479249595700846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166095503748580652006-12-14T05:25:00.000-06:002006-12-14T05:25:00.000-06:00How Does Fox get her (or their, I guess) hair to d...How Does Fox get her (or their, I guess) hair to do that?Jon the Intergalactic Gladiatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13758095794354686723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166084466746552352006-12-14T02:21:00.000-06:002006-12-14T02:21:00.000-06:00After seeing Geoff Johns create and destroy a hero...After seeing Geoff Johns create and destroy a hero in one issue (Mr. America in JSA), I have to say I'll be happy to never read another comic by the man again.<BR/><BR/>Those Obsidian and Nuklon scenes are pretty funny, actually. Maybe I should have given that series a chance back in the day.Marc Burkhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06949686463975572297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166032671532678162006-12-13T11:57:00.000-06:002006-12-13T11:57:00.000-06:00It's funny--I just yesterday was posting on Usenet...It's funny--I just yesterday was posting on Usenet about how Johns never writes a story that doesn't seriously damage somebody. Glad to know I'm not the only one who realizes that. That dude is depressing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166029760903057142006-12-13T11:09:00.000-06:002006-12-13T11:09:00.000-06:00It almost looks as though they were trying to make...It almost looks as though they were trying to make Obsidian and Nuklon the Booster and Beetle of the updated League. Unfortunately, that sort of lightning in a bottle can't be duplicated. <BR/><BR/>But yes, Obsidian is fun in Manhunter.SallyPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05592635194271250605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8796287.post-1166019733128105052006-12-13T08:22:00.000-06:002006-12-13T08:22:00.000-06:00I agree with a lot of what you have said, but I've...I agree with a lot of what you have said, but I've got to defend the character of the Crimson Fox. As originally conceived, as twin sisters who share a superhero identity, was a pretty neat concept, but both sisters were killed senselessly (By Gerard Jones and James Robinson) and their potential was never realized.<BR/><BR/>Alex Ross probably didn't know what had been done with Obsidian over in "Manhunter" and was speaking from hearsay. But regardless of that, I hold Ross, Johns, Didio, Winnick, and their angst-obsessed ilk responsible for the overly grim tone of DC Comics lately. It wouldn't be so bad except Quesada, Millar, and Bendis are doing the same thing over at Marvel. What's wrong with all of these guys? They grew up with the comics of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, some of the most fun comics around. Why do they feel the need to inject so much pain and anguish into their stories?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com