Pick of the Week Podcast
Show Notes
Long may we reign! We’re nearly all in agreement on the Pick of the Week just being a good old fashioned excellent comic book. We’re also in agreement about almost everything else that comes up. It is an embarrassment of riches in comics this week. Mostly. Basically, there are no major fights this episode and we’ll probably be back next week. Maybe.
Running Time: 00:58:43
Pick of the Week:
00:01:23 – Power Man and Iron Fist #1
Comics:
00:11:20 – Starve #6
00:15:48 – Uncanny Inhumans #5
00:19:17 – I Hate Fairyland #5
00:21:43 – Astro City #32
00:24:48 – Huck #4
00:29:20 – Snowfall #1
00:30:55 – American Monster #2
00:32:56 – Superman: American Alien #4
00:36:59 – Silver Surfer #2
Star Wars Corner:
00:39:18 – Star Wars #16
DC Rebirth Announcement:
00:41:49 – The team weighs in on what Geoff Johns said about the next phase for DC Comics.
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Music:
“Brothers Gonna Work It Out”
Public Enemy
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Hi Guys, Frankie Eggrolls here. Still not seeing the episode in my podcast feed (podcruncher). I’ll go take care of that thing and check back in a bit.
It should be there now.
I just dont have any faith in what DC will do. I consider myself a DC guy so I hope they can turn it around but objectively nothing in the last five years has shown me they know how to “fix” it.
It appears that the traditional comic book “fixes” of reboots, renumbering, crazy events etc might finally have run their course. The sales bump will come but we could be looking at a situation where, if DC cant manage to do something meaningful, in 2 to 3 years they could find themselves in the exact same position they are in now, but with an even lower market share.
I’m largely with you guys about DC: Rebirth but Flash: Rebirth was “great”?! Really? To my mind that is easily the worst Geoff Johns comic ever that basically screwed up Barry Allen, shunted Wally West to the side and added up to nothing more than self-indulgent continuity porn of the worst kind. I hope he leaves all of his worst tendencies that he brought to Flash: Rebirth far behind for his linewide retcon.
You know we think it is. You’ve been dogging us for years every time we bring it up as one of our favorite Flash stories. You’re in the comments section of the podcast when the first issue was the Pick of the Week:
https://ifanboy.com/podcasts/04-05-2009-episode-178-the-flash-rebirth-1/
And the fifth issue when it was the Pick of the Week:
https://ifanboy.com/potw/pick-of-the-week-11-18-2009-the-flash-rebirth-5/
Incidentally, two years ago I gave the the hardcover to two non-comics reading co-workers who love the TV show and they loved it too. Everyone’s tastes are different.
Hahaha, I totally forgot I posted those! Sorry if I’m repeating myself, but I guess I just hate it that much. But seriously, I had no idea that I got that into it with you back when it was first released, especially since my hatred for it has actually grown exponentially in the years since and I thought I was a bit less pissy about it at the time. Ludicrously good memory you have there, Conor! I, on the other hand, couldn’t even remember that you guys liked it so much.
Anyway, yeah, of course, tastes are entirely subjective but with the Wally West Flash being my all time favourite superhero, I am annoyed by Rebirth even more than you are about Alfred’s hand or the ascension of Damian as Robin (though, as a Tim Drake fan, I’m kind of with you there). Though, actually, I’m also significantly less of a Geoff Johns fan than you guys are: I loved his JSA (Justice Society of America not so much), loved what he did with the Rogues and very much enjoyed Booster Gold and the first half of his Green Lantern run. On the other hand though, I’ve hated Blackest Night and Flash: Rebirth and have been decidedly unenthusiastic about his bland take on once fun teen characters like Impulse and Superboy. And, yes, I do think that Final Crisis was a thousand times better than Infinite Crisis.
Anyway, the weird thing is that despite all this, I actually think he is the guy for DC: Rebirth. The New 52 is such a stupendous mess that I can’t actually see anyone but Geoff Johns being able to pull off the kind of line-wide retcon that is needed here. Especially if they want it to stick.
Besides, though I haven’t actually read any of his comics for years, I have heard that Aquaman and the later stories in Justice League have been some of the better New 52 boosk.
I’m not sure if I’m missing something, but didn’t Johns step off of Flash after a handful of issues? You guys are referring to his Rebirth when discussing his reboots of Green Lantern and Flash. Are you referring to Johns’ seminal run on Flash or the actual “Rebirth”? Because beyond restarting the engine and creating a new outline, I figured Manapul would be more influential, for good or ill, on re-shaping the current Flash. I’m assuming I’m wrong. I just to need to know why.
We are referring specifically to the two REBIRTH mini-series that Johns wrote. The ones Johns refers to in the video about DC REBIRTH:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN_r_-OB42M
Thank you
@Conor and Ron I’ll be honest. My sentiments mirror yours. I grew up as a Marvel fan and didn’t really get into DC until about 8-9 years ago. There were a lot of stories I read that really influenced and shaped my tastes now. I have a subtle anxiety about what’s coming and I have a feeling that they will simply shift creators around. I really care about a lot of these characters and I desire to have DC books coming in monthly again that I want to read. We’ll see.
I am eyeing March 26 with equal parts hope and fear.
Wow it’s been awhile since I’ve logged into iFanboy even though I enjoy the podcast every week. Typically I enjoy just watching the conversation play out but in this case I feel so attached to the DC universe that I thought I would post my 2 cents.
First the positives:
1. Geoff Johns the writer. His history with reboots is very good. Along with Connor, Ron and Josh I too really enjoyed Green Lantern and Flash Rebirth. But Johns has been doing spectacular reboot storylines for more than just those two characters. He brought back the JSA, Martian Manhunter and Aquaman in Blackest Night/Brightest Day, Superboy in Adventure Comics, E2 Superman in Infinite Crisis and more in his 15+ years at DC. His list of successes telling stories that get to the core of these classic characters is endless.
2. Hope. Every new “era” in either Marvel or DC always comes with creative team changes which lead to some excellent comic books. A lot of people have their problems with the New 52, but it has had some creative highpoints. Expecting all 52 comics every month to be great and appeal to everyone seems impossible to me. I’m very happy just to get 5-10 DC and Marvel comics every month that are outstanding. I can’t afford much more anyway. I do hope Rebirth reinvigorates a couple of titles that I have historically loved (like Teen Titans) that have been sorely missed from my pull list.
And now some concerns:
1. Geoff Johns the editor. The obvious purpose of “Rebirth” is to attempt to fix some of the mistakes from Flashpoint and the New 52. I would think this would require some new people and new ideas to direct the lineup and create a more cohesive continuity. But its all the same people as 2011. Geoff Johns. Jim Lee. Bob Harras. Dan DiDeo. What are they going to do differently this time? Have they learned from their mistakes? Do they know what their mistakes were? It’s an almost impossible feat to please everybody, or even the majority nowadays. Do they have a plan to match up the best creative teams to their books and allow them to tell new stories while getting back to the core of those characters in a tighter continuity (which will become more critical as they double ship more books).
2. Diversity. One of the mistakes they seemed to recognize they made with the new 52 was a very consistent (boring) tone and art style used in most of their books. In their latest shakeup “DC You” they’ve tried to diversify the art styles and feature a wider variety of characters (although their still missing their most popular Hispanic character in Blue Beetle for some weird reason). Reducing the number of books could reduce the featured characters back to just white men in tights. Which I admit is probably all a lot of hardcore fans.
Blackbolt runs a nightclub? Umm, no thank you.
If the relationship between the big two is truly cyclical then I hope the flatness of all new- all boring Marvel means the DC is poised to regain some vitality with Rebirth in the way that Marvel soared ahead with Marvel Now after the nu 52.
I’ll say it again- Blackbolt runs a night club.
What’s next, Silver Surfer, Texas Ranger?
Am already terrified for the obvious follow-up event to drop later this year: “Afterbirth”