Some Reflections on Timelines

So, despite the fact that the sun is blazing here in Los Angeles, it's technically fall which always puts me in a bit of introspective mood, giving me a chance to look at how the year has gone and see what's left ahead.

I'll spare you the laundry list of things I have been musing about (and yes, laundry is one of the items on the laundry list), and limit the selection to comics, more or less. Not all of these are specific to "just" 2010, but hey–the reflection is still as valid!

Return of the Flash

So, after many, many years, Barry Allen is The Flash again. Now, as someone who grew up with Barry as "my" guy, I was thrilled at the news and took it almost as a sign that my life in comics was fully committed–I came back to comics and, years later, so did Barry Allen. And now, after the whole The Flash: Rebirth thing, we have Flash back as an ongoing series, with two of the hottest creators in the business at the helm, Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul.  I go to bed each night with a big grin on my face, right?

Well, not really. I mean, I like the book–I really do, but it's interesting…it's  good, but it's not the book that I imagined it would be, which, of course, is impossible, right? It's not like Johns and Manapul were calling me each morning to see what I wanted from the book, and, even if they did, I certainly wouldn't know what to tell them–I just wanted a great Flash book that somehow was as exciting as the nebulous "old Flash stories" that I remember from my youth (and return to, whenever I can, with Tom Katers' excellent podcast). And yes, I think it's a bit unfair to expect the book to be hitting all on cylinders only five issues in, but, still…something's not right, and I think I figured out what it is: this arc is just too long.  I mean, we've been dealing with this time traveling Rogues-That-Are-Not-Rogues storyline for far too long, it's just dragging things down, which, you know, is ironic, for a Flash title.  I think Johns would have done us a favor by offering a series of one and dones for the first 5-6 issues of the series, so we could get more acquainted with what Flash's life is like. I mean, the storyline so far has really only taken us through a day, maybe a day and a half, right?  Too much. I would have loved to have Barry taking Iris out on the town (it's been awhile, right?) only to have their evening spoiled by some disaster, or to get an appearance by Green Lantern to revisit an old storyline…I don't know…like I said, they never called me, but this storyline is officially boring me now. Maybe I am just being impatient, sure, but having such a long series where so little is actually happening, with very little-to-almost no character development, is just a frustrating way to kick off a title.

Brightest Day

You remember One More Day? That whole thing that many of us hated but, in the end, most of us agreed that it needed to happen?  Part of me wants it to happen for Brightest Day–the event, not the single title.  No, it's not a HUGE part of me, but, like, I just…what's happening now?  I actually like the regular Brightest Day series, I think it's well done, but if you asked me to tell you what is going in Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps, I would change the subject to talking about that cool tattoo that Kyle's girlfriend has and maybe talk a bit about the tri-tip I barbecued last night, because I really have no idea, and, after the massive slogs that we've been through in Green Lantern for the past few years, I think it's high time that things just calmed the hell down a bit.  I want to see Hal being a space cop again.  

The Brightest Day tie-ins reminded me of the extended edition of the Lord of the Rings boxed set that I have–cool to have and probably very interesting, but just too long to actually get through…yet I am still reading them, if only for Doug Mahnke's art.  Problem is, the story's started, and it's gotta end, but…when will it end?  Who is going to tap Geoff on the shoulder and go, "So, like, when is this actually over? There…there is an end, right?"

I love the big books with tons of characters working with each other and everything. It's fun.  However, I think it takes away from the impact that the single character has on his or her own. That's one of the great things about Flash–Barry's on his own and kicking butt the way he likes to. (Remember that great spread when he ran on top of the helicopter blades?? That's the Flash in my head.)  Hal has been hanging out with the Corps for so long…we are not able to see why he's such a great hero. I would assume that DC is going to have to either clean up Brightest Day fairly soon or introduce a new, solo, Green Lantern book, for the movie, so people can get a chance to hang out with Hal on his own, but, like I said, no one's called me about it. Maybe I can "do lunch" with someone at DC when they move to Burbank.

Bruce Wayne's Return

We have talked about this before, but, again, wow is this taking a long time.  Let's just…let's get on with this shall we? I like the elements of his return (especially last week's Pick of the Week, Superman/Batman #76 which finally told the story I had complained about not seeing two years ago in San Diego), but I feel like the tension of making the transition is just strained now.

Whereas my previous points complained about the timing of the actual storytelling, I think here I am feeling the impact of knowing that a story point is coming because of the industry, as opposed to the storyteller. If I had zero idea that Bruce Wayne was coming back in the fall of 2010, I would hope that I would be feeling that itch of suspense and hope, as opposed to the icy burn of anticipation.  Two sides of the same coin, of course, but dramatically, one is more satisfying. I guess the ideal reader knows nothing about what's coming…I wonder if that ideal reader exists? As a writer, of course, you have to write for yourself and your ideal reader, that person who knows nothing but the story you weave.  

Regardless, we all know it is coming and while it may be good for book sales, drawing it out can lose readers if not done with a certain amount of respect for the single issue buying public.

The Avengers

Everyone's talked about the myriad of Avengers books and while I have made peace with the fact that it will do me no good to collect all of the books, I find myself enjoying what stories I am reading, but, interestingly, I think of them more in terms of the "Immomen story" and the "Romita story" than the actual book titles. With the Immomen story, I think I am pretty tired of all the magic stuff. Like, I want to like it, but it's all so nebulous and all over the place, with fight scenes that give me flashblacks to the Sinestro Corps Wars where I am just trying to survive the book rather than read it.  I am enjoying Stark vs. Stark in "RomitAvengers", and secretly wish that Spider-Man and Spider-Woman would just hook up.  And the other Avengers, "Black Turtleneck Cap'n Steve" one, is fun, but…goblins…giants…fights in taverns…rainbow bridge? Yeah, I like it but…Alan who?  Artist?  No matter–I like it when I read it…Prime Directive?

When I reflect on these…reflections, I find it interesting that I am worried as much about timing as I am about characters.  I love Barry Allen as The Flash, though, to be honest, the person in the Flash suit might as well be Wally–maybe it's just how Manapul is drawing him, but this Flash is distinctly younger to me; Barry always seemed older, but maybe that's just because I read his stories as a kid. I just don't think that we are getting much of a sense of who Barry is because of these initial issues, and I hope that Johns will give us a little more character moments once this arc is over.  

With the larger arcs, there are going to be issues that just blend into each other as time goes on, because they are all secondary towards the larger goal of telling that massive story. This can obviously be great, but given the economy, I wonder if people look at yet another Brightest Day tie-in and wonder, "Do I really need this? I have so many of these already, and just wait for the inevitable (or not?) trade." The books I discussed are all involved in these larger storylines, which are coming right after…other long storylines. I  would prefer it if I could just get a few months of single issue stories, just to reset things a bit, so when we do start these longer arcs, the stories feel a bit more special, a bit more momentous. 

So, these are a few things that have been on my mind as I watch the days grow shorter and shorter. Any trends that you've noticed over this summer?

Mike Romo is an actor in LA and can be seen shopping for kittens on a TV near you. He is beginning to accept that he might not be able to go to NYCC this year and is really depressed about it. Email/Twitter.