52

[Raph's Girl]

With the 52's series coming out soon DC comics has launched a website for it.

For those that aren't aware the 52 is a weekly series of stories about what happened between Infinite Crisis and One Year Later. Obviously there will be 52 issues all together.

http://www.52thecomic.com and if that doesn't work for ya use this addy http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/

Each week the website will have articles reflecting on certain events that occured in the issue out as well as sports scores (HAHA! The Indiana Pacers lost to the Gotham Guardsmen! )

[Raven]

if I had the money I would be all over this, guess I'll wait for the trades to come out.

[Anarky]

The first issue was pretty good. Of course, that can change, but I'm pretty optimistic about the whole thing. The best thing was The "?"-signal. I just like The Question. He's totally nuts. Not Bats-nuts, but really, really nuts. I love describing him with the phrase he muttered in JLU (although I know that it isn't official continuity) "Oh please... I go through everyone's trash."

But why did Skeets crash? I mean, wouldn't an Error 404 have done the job as well?

[Dr. Doom]

Skeets? NOOOOOOOOO!

[DrSpengler]

It was pretty good

Loved the bit with the Question. Watchmen and JLU have made me love the character (glad DCU Question is gradually acting more like Rorschach these days).

Though Booster Gold having corporate advertisements on his costume was a total rip-off of Mystery Men

[Raph's Girl]

Welp I liked the first issue of 52. Next week we find out who all survived the merging of the multiverses.

Meanwhile tho there's a new article up at 52thecomic.com. A rather harsh anti-superman, anti-Batman, anti-Wonder Woman article.

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5821

[ZariusTwo]

Heh, Supes and Diana got schooled, Batman's rep is more human and therefore open to public opinion, but some of the better Superman storylines have come from Clark being told point blank he's full of it, or Diana giving in to her Amazonian nature as displayed in Kingdom Come and CTIC

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

The one thing that really gets me-- and I'm speaking as a big Booster Gold fan-- is I have no idea what they're doing with him! In OMAC Project, his entire goal was to protect his friends (hell, in Countdown he was constantly trying to protect Ted), and all the sudden he gets back and it's like nothing matters to him anymore except selling out.

Not that it's a terrible change in his character-- it definitely was the best part of 52-- but they really did throw all those years of character development out the window.

I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes, anyway. I'd really like to see a soul on Booster eventually, though. Y'know, since I'm sure I have before.

---Josh

[Raph's Girl]

Some more info c/o wikipedia:

A back-up storyline entitled "History of the DC Universe" will run in ten parts from issues 2 to 11, just as DC Comics published a similar history in two one-shots at the conclusion of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985.

From issue 12 to issue 52, the back-up feature will change to Secret Origins, beginning with the updated origin of Wonder Woman by Mark Waid and Adam Hughes.

WTF?! A new origin for Wonder Woman?! http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/Dierna/smileys/blink.gif

[DrSpengler]

Good, Wonder Woman needed an origin revision.

One thing I hated about the Gods & Monsters reboot was that they made so Diana wasn't a founding member of the JLA and that she didn't meet Superman and the rest until the Legends arc, which was the event right after the Crisis. Making her a relative newbie.

It was an unnecessary change that needlessly screwed up continuity.

But NOW instead of retroactively removing Wonder Woman from all those old JLA stories and replacing her with Black Canary, now we have to go back to JLA: Year One and retroactively remove Black Canary and replace her with Wonder Woman. Gah!

[Raph's Girl]

New article is up at 52thecomic.com

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5827

Star City, May 15 — With smoke still hanging in the skies above Star City, and federal disaster relief bogged down by bureaucratic entanglements, local authorities are turning to the surrounding communities for aid in an ongoing rescue operations.

"Of course we're searching the rubble for clues, but at this point we're concentrating the majority of our efforts on finding people that might be hurt or trapped" said a visibly shaken Fire Chief Garman at a press conference yesterday.

The routine hustle and bustle of an otherwise normal day in downtown Star City was shattered early Wednesday when an explosion incinerated a building on the Northeast corner of Amsterdam Avenue. Initially thought to be a ruptured gas line, municipal repair crews were evacuated when a second explosion rocked Amsterdam Avenue 52 minutes later. Responding quickly to the threat, Star City Fire & Rescue and the S.C.P.D., in conjunction with super hero Black Lightning, worked tirelessly to both contain the damage and rescue trapped civilians. Star City's resident super hero, Green Arrow, was nowhere to be found and unconfirmed reports indicate that he may have been caught in the blast.

Unfortunately the biggest shock of the evening was yet to come as moments after the second blast a series timed explosions systematically leveled dozens of buildings through the heart of Star City along the Amsterdam corridor.

While officials would not speculate as to the number of casualties, a unidentified source within the Mayors administration said "It's real bad. It's like the city was sliced in half!"

It seems as if Star City's geography wasn't the only thing rocked by the detonations. As activist groups decry the federal response time and local politicians engage in a blatant partisan blame game, the political situation in Star City is volatile. Exactly how this will affect the ongoing rescue and rebuilding efforts remains to be seen.

Raph's Girl note: Anybody else notice all the #52 showing up? In the first issue there was a bar, a hot dog stand, and a fireman. And now in this article "when a second explosion rocked Amsterdam Avenue 52 minutes later" :lol:

Anybody read 52 #2??? I thought it was rather interesting...especially the start of the history of the DCU and what Superman's symbol means.

Meanwhile tho there's a new article up at 52thecomic.com. With all the networks announcing their fall schedule...it looks like it's happening somewhat even in the DCU! :lol:

Now.. Why can't we have shows like "Good Knight and Good Luck"??? :ohwell:

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5834

Last week, the series finale of "The Worst Wing" – a fictionalized version of the Luthor Administration – got its biggest ratings ever for a two-hour special where President Rex Boother pardoned himself on his way out of the Oval Office, only to be killed in an accident involving a lobbyist's limo.

This week, summer series and specials dominate. Check local listings for date and time.

SPECIAL:
CRISIS OF INFINITE MIRTH
Comedians claiming to be from different dimensions offer their humorous looks at race, relationships and superheroes in a benefit for Star City.

SERIES PREMIERE:
LEADER OF THE BAND: SCARE TACTICS
Following last summer's surprisingly popular reality show about the revived 1970s band Great Frog, this incarnation follows the cult-favorite "monster rock" phenomenon Scare Tactics as they look for a new lead singer. In the debut, singer Susie Kavanaugh has a voice unlike any the band has ever heard… but will being a soul-draining banshee keep her in the running, or make her the first contestant to be eliminated?

RETURNING SERIES:
I WANT A HOUSE! NO, A BIGGER HOUSE!
Master carpenter Roger Gail and country singer Alison Stevens travel the country, creating homes for people who need them. In the heartbreaking premiere, it's a family who fled Bludhaven. Does a townhouse in Coast City offer them a second chance, or just a sad reminder of what they've lost?

GOOD KNIGHT AND GOOD LUCK
The sitcom about King Arthur's trusted squire (Kevin McKinley) working at a Medieval-themed restaurant in 21st-century Metropolis returns for a third season. In the premiere, Sir Tristan decides to reveal his true background to his best friend, "mead wench" Traci (Alyssa Barrett) but will she believe him? Plus, comedian Frankie Sennett makes one of his popular cameos as Tristan's meddling Uncle Modred.

MOVIE:
THE NEW FRONTIER
Director Darwyn Cooke's award-winning 2004 epic about superheroics during the Kennedy era makes its network-television debut. HDTV viewers can enjoy the movie with enhanced "Absolute" features.

TV MOVIE:
INTERAMERICAN
Fact-based drama follows a suburban advertising executive (Gregg Rice) who quits his job and drives across country in search of the daughter he never knew he had… because her mother was his girlfriend on a parallel Earth.

[Anarky]

#2 was a bit of a letdown, nothing really happened. Okay, I must admit, there's still a lot more time left to resolve anything, but I never was fond of issues that only start storylines without going into them any further.

But at least Ralph Dibney isn't thinking about suicide again...

Hahaha! Awesome. Happiness ensues.

Lobo will be back to the DCU. How do I know that? The cover to 52 #17.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f6/52_Cv17_solicit.jpg

Looking good, I daresay.

[Raph's Girl]

Lobo will be back to the DCU. How do I know that? The cover to 52 #17.

Yep.. #17 will feature Lobo's origin story.

[Brodie]

Wow, that's one of the stupidest ****ing pictures of Lobo, ever.

(Not the art, or style mind you, just the rendition.)

[Anarky]

I've seen worse. A lot worse. Do you remember that issue of the ongoing, the second part of the brawl of bounty hunters? Now that's what I call crap-art.

I hope they don't change his origin too much. I liked Lobo the way he is now. And he was my first DC-comic ever.

[DrSpengler]

Yesssss.

I've missed Lobo something fierce. Gonna be hard waiting for #17.

I liked the origin Kieth Giffen wrote for him in the first Lobo mini series. That was one of the funniest comics I've ever read. Hopefully they won't screw around with it too much, though I assume they're gonna suck the comedy aspects out of his origin a bit. But ya never know.

I'm just happy to have him back.

[Raph's Girl]

New article at 52thecomic.com:

Karim Abdadam, acting as a spokesman for the ruler of the middle-eastern nation of Kahndaq announced the official opening of the Kahndaqi embassy in New York City. "The people of Kahndaq are proud to be members of the international community," said Abdadam. "It is our sincere desire that, through our dedication, Kahndaq be admired for its diplomacy and leadership".

However it is precisely this "leadership" that has the global community, NATO and other world leaders on edge. Earlier this week Khandqi leader Teth-Adam, also known as the infamous Black Adam, made headlines as he personally foiled an attempted suicide bomb attack in his capital city by disarming the would-be terrorist – literally. Denouncing terrorism in general and insulting the attacker personally, the super-powered de facto dictator tore the perpetrators arms from his body shortly after tossing the explosive device out of harms way. With the exception of the attacker, nobody was injured.

While many applaud Kahndaq's hard stance on terrorism and their ongoing, some say miraculous, economic recovery efforts following last years coup-de-tat others are less optimistic. "He's a sociopath!" said Max Reyes, resident New Yorker. "I guess if you want a world full of crazy maniacs then this embassy is a good idea."

While the powerful Black Adam may be able to shrug off controversy with a flick of his magical muscles it remains to be seen exactly how the all-too-human Khadaqi diplomats will fare on the world stage by having their national identity inexorably intertwined with a former super villain.

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5837

[Raph's Girl]

52thecomic.com has 2 new articles: A new Ask Prof. Expert and an article on Lex Luthor. Note: The article on Lex Luthor is a rather big spoiler if ya haven't read 52 #03 yet:

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5861
(Ask Prof Expert)

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5862
(Lex Luthor article)

As for 52 03 itself. I've found that as the series goes on it gets better with every issue. I like this one.

[Raph's Girl]

New rather interesting article up at 52thecomic.com:

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=5874

Sometimes we take heroes for granted. Other times we expect them to solve all our problems. Occasionally, we hold them responsible for all our woes. Still, we always wonder: why do they do what they do? Well, for one of these "super heroes", some of what motivates him is obvious, but there may be more to it.

Booster Gold, an on-and-off Justice League member, has broadly proclaimed his interest and pursuit of corporate sponsorships. In a world of very well-paid sport stars and celebrities, should we be surprised at this commercialization? Perhaps not. He has still proven his ability to handle dangers beyond the means off normal law enforcement and given us no reason to publicly doubt his intent and bravery.

We live in a world where doing good for its own end has become increasingly rare and we have to ask ourselves: would we have the same confidence in a policeman who proudly proclaimed his allegiance with Homesafe, the leading home safety and alarm system service or a fireman who acted as a huckster for a particular brand of fire extinguishers, like FoamFriendly?

We must ask ourselves, what is the harm in that kind of behavior? Why should we expect better of these normal working people, who risk life and limb for us, earning salaries not much greater than, say, transit workers who, though well-meaning individuals, risk nothing more coming to work in the morning than a surly look from a disgruntled tourist. Then, we wonder, why should we expect more from these oddly-outfitted individuals with, as they say, powers beyond normal men? They face even greater dangers than polic and firefighters. Is it irrational to think they are basically that much different from the rest of us?

Perhaps they are. Perhaps they need to be viewed through a different lens than the rest of us. If the stories are true, many of these superpeople have seen worlds, even dimensions, that the rest of us haven't even suspected exist. They have dealt with power on a level none of us have been raised to conceive of, let alone know how to deal with.

I make no secret of the complaints I have registered towards these super-powered beings in the past decade. Their actions, or those of whom they've fought, have leveled city blocks and in more than one urban landscape that I've lived in. Still, my convenience or even the immediate safety of my life or my family's isn't always the larger issue nor the greater concern.

We are a nation of people who have grown to expect life to be convenient and complacent, appropriate to our income and desires. Of late, I've come to question that. My family and I would not be here today but for the actions of a few virtually unrecognizable gaudily-outfitted individuals who fought for the safety of us, as strangers, at a cost of their own lives. Why did they do that? Not for our gratitude and no visible means of reward. They seemed truly motivated by the most noble of causes-to do the right thing.

What if, and I beg your indulgence for a few moments, what if we did not have a stable environment at all. What if the standard for life was an unending series of attacks and oppression and turmoil? Why should we think things will or should always be calm and controllable? Perhaps we've been fortunate and protected for many years from everything but the most outrageous attacks on our way of life, defended only by the beings we think of as heroic intrusions into our lives. Those caped and cowled characters that pop up when outsized danger strikes, but whom we blame for any inconvenience.

Perhaps now is the time to examine what really happens and why. Perhaps the more important issue is not why a "superhero" has corporate endorsements but rather why he's willing to sacrifice his life for the rest of us at all.

[Anarky]

So, now a while has passed and we got to see more of Montoya and The Question (who apparently has mystical disappearing and reappearing powers nowadays) and some heroes from space came back, severely mutated and two of them were even fused together, the rest is somewhere away on some planet where an eyeless Adam strange tries to fix their ship.

Now this is all pretty weird and all, but I feel DC's trying a bit too hard. It's like Sasuke from Naruto, who fails at being badass by trying. It's just too much of formulated badassery to be good. So my concerns about the whole 52 project, which is a nice idea altogether, have risen but as they say, hope dies last.

[Raph's Girl]

52 5 proved that comics are not for kids...mostly due to the nudity of Starfire. :lol:

[Anarky]

52 5 proved that comics are not for kids...mostly due to the nudity of Starfire. :lol:
You don't really care if you know what you're talking about, do you?

Seriously, they wouldn't censor the golden chick if they wouldn't try to make it available to almost everyone.

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

You don't really care if you know what you're talking about, do you?

Seriously, they wouldn't censor the golden chick if they wouldn't try to make it available to almost everyone.

Eh, I dunno... didn't issue 1 have a picture of Sue Dibny's charred corpse? How about all the times Black Adam crushed someone's head with his fist or when he ripped that hick in half? And what were Renee Montoya and that blonde doing naked in her bed when the Question popped in to say hello-- playing patty-cake? (Barely) censoring nudity doesn't necessarily make the comic available to almost everyone. If I had kids there's certainly parts of 52 and many other of these "darker DCU" comics I wouldn't want them to see.

[Dr. Doom]

Most comics seem like the writing would go over a kid's head, I'm not sure how they'd even understand what was going on half the time....but then again, we all seemed to do okay when we read comics growing up. Regardless, I don't think the fact that you can't see any of her happy bits means that it's necessarily "child friendly".

[ZariusTwo]

Not to mention one episode of Teen Titans had a demon-powered Slade tear most of Raven's clothes off...

[Dr. Doom]

-=slobbers and drools everywhere=-

[BartAllen]

52 is just now starting to get boring. I really enjoyed the first 6 issues, but now. its becoming a snooze fest.

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

I think they're still pretty good. #7 remains my personal favorite--- the last two weeks have followed it up adequately enough.

Depends on whose story you're into... the last couple weeks have been pretty Steel-centric. Me, I only really care about Booster, Ralph, and the Question, but I dunno, the Steel thing raises interesting questions, y'know?

For instance, if such a thing as superpowers were commercially available, you'd prolly need to buy them just to keep up. It's similar with baseball players and steroids in a way.

The Booster question of whether a hero should always be altruistic or whether they should be allowed to do things for the sake of personal gain is another good one-- at least when someone's saving your life for their own personal welfare, they're gonna continue to save your life, am I right?

[Anarky]

The whole thing did get kinda slow. I want to know more about the abduction of all the scientists and less about that cult about Superboy. I mean, seriously, who cares? He'll be back sooner or later. Death in comic books is not like actual death, it's more like a break from things. Also, I don't really care much for "The history of the DCU" at this point, because everyone who's followed the DCU a little should know what happened during the last couple of years.

But then again, we're not even at a fifth of 52's run so there's a lot more time to explain things.

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

Supposedly death means death now in the DCU. Any bets as to how long they'll be able to follow that rule?

[BartAllen]

Supposedly death means death now in the DCU. Any bets as to how long they'll be able to follow that rule?Um, im pretty sure sue dibney is being brought back.
issue 10 was pretty good. it picked up a little. i think what I wasnt liking was the montoya and question story.

[Raph's Girl]

New article at 52thecomic.com. A rather amusing look at the San Diego Comic Con in the DCU. :lol:

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=6181

Overcoming astonishing setbacks – a global crisis, the destruction of most area convention facilities by OMACs, and, of course, the sinking of approximately half of San Diego under the Pacific Ocean – Comic-Con, America's largest comic-book, science-fiction, and movie convention, is as popular as ever. This week, more than 10,000 eager fans donned submersible helmets to wait in line at Sub Diego's newly refurbished Norris Convention Center.

"It's hard to maintain the merchandise in these conditions," admits Denver, Colorado, comics retailer Hanley Miles, "but the enhanced Mylar bags keep the comics airtight and dry, and consumers know you can't beat the back-issue selection here at San… uh Sub Diego."

Scott Middaugh of Dallas, Texas, agrees. At age 38, this self-confessed "fanboy" didn't know how to swim (an admission requirement for Sub Diego's Department of Safety), but he signed up for a crash course at an area gym and was certified just before the show opened its airlocks on Wednesday. Says Middaugh, "There are other conventions I could go to — drier ones, certainly — but no place else offers the combination of merchandise, celebrities, and amazing programming. I'd rather swim here than walk almost anyplace else."

Indie director Tom Schaefer Jr. cancelled a scheduled appearance due to a case of the bends ("he was so eager to be there, he descended too quickly" explained spokeswoman Jeanine Palmer), but exclusive clips from his new film "Karate Monkey" will have a special screening on Saturday night. Other highlights for the weekend include appearances by former "Space Trek 2099" star Garfield Logan and actor-director Fletcher Carlin, promoting this summer's "Shaolin Hustler."

Organizers anticipate losing money this year and next, as labor costs are extremely high for a consumer-oriented show held entirely underwater. However, tax breaks from Sub Diego have defrayed many of the costs, and the show's long aboveground history makes it a beloved local institution likely to endure. Explains Sub Diego Chamber of Commerce member Elizabeth Stuart, "Comics people are some of the most devoted fans you'll ever meet and this show is important to them. We're thrilled that this show has managed to both sink and swim."

Comic-Con: Sub Diego runs through Sunday and tickets are still available a $25/day for all certified swimmers. Citizens of Bludhaven, Star City and Opal City with proper identification are admitted at half-price.

There's also a new Ask Prof. Expert article that has somebody complaining about the lack of articles the last couple weeks. :lol:
http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=6182

[Brodie]

I was just reading an article about Lobo's role in 52, and Griffen, the creator of Lobo said "I still get royalty checks from Germany, to this day." I thought that was funny because it's probably just from Anarky.

[Anarky]

Yeah, Lobo is pretty big over here. I mean, comic books aren't particularily famous and trendy and whatnot here, but Lobo managed to get himself a little cult following. And since there's still some unpublished stuff left, Paninicomics (german DC/Marvel distributor) does what it can to get our Lobo-fix for us.

Lobo's especially popular in the Metal-scene, since he used to have CD-reviews in the books of the ongoing series over here. Also, people with morbid humour are all for Lobo. And last but not least, people just like the word "frag" which is "Frägg" over here.

And I still can't wait for #17!

[Raph's Girl]

New article up at 52thecomic.com:

Metropolis, August 8 —

Across America, families are scrambling to fill the last gasps of summer - trying to use the new grill one more time, getting out to the ballpark to watch their virtually out-of-contention baseball team before the post season, soaking up some sun on the beach.

But for some Opal City schoolteachers, summer ended early this year, as fallout from the Crisis continues to wreak havoc on classrooms. The Opal is just one of dozens of U.S. cities that have brought their history teachers in more than a month ahead of schedule, trying to reconcile conflicting accounts of world history from textbooks that have been part of school curricula for decades.

"In May, we were completing a unit on World War II and how the Spear of Destiny kept most of the superhero community from acting directly against the Axis powers on foreign soil," recalls Heather Nicholas, a social-studies teacher at Ted Knight Junior High in Opal City's "Old Town" neighborhood, "and as I explained that the heroes of the Justice Society devoted most of their activities to fighting saboteurs in Gotham City, one of my students asked if Superman was a member of the JSA in the 1940s. I had one answer, our textbook had another, and once the kids realized that there was no single right answer, well, we didn't get a lot of teaching done that day."

Nicholas continues, "Honestly, when I got home, I was so confused I walked right into a wall."

While history lessons always vary depending on the age of the student - most adults recall that what they learned about American history in elementary school was very different from what they learned about the same period in high school or college - and some topics are highly subjective, the level of change experienced last year is unprecedented.

DC CHALLENGE, a Washington, D.C., textbook publisher, devoted considerable effort to rushing completion of the 520-page Brave New World History, a just-released volume that attempts to boil down contradictory material into a handful of "threads", with an emphasis on the elements common across virtually all the conflicting memories of world events before the recent Crisis. The publisher has restored material from the out-of print Armageddon 2001, a text focusing on super-heroes and their role in shaping contemporary culture, while eliminating nearly all traces of Zero Hour, a more-comprehensive volume which has been largely invalidated by recent events.

Says a spokesperson, "We expect this to be the definitive contemporary-history text for years to come... unless, of course, history gets rewritten again. But how likely is that?"

Raph's Girl note: Spot the hidden 52! The book Brave New World History has 520 pages! :roll:

[BartAllen]

New article up at 52thecomic.com:

Metropolis, August 8 —

Across America, families are scrambling to fill the last gasps of summer - trying to use the new grill one more time, getting out to the ballpark to watch their virtually out-of-contention baseball team before the post season, soaking up some sun on the beach.

But for some Opal City schoolteachers, summer ended early this year, as fallout from the Crisis continues to wreak havoc on classrooms. The Opal is just one of dozens of U.S. cities that have brought their history teachers in more than a month ahead of schedule, trying to reconcile conflicting accounts of world history from textbooks that have been part of school curricula for decades.

"In May, we were completing a unit on World War II and how the Spear of Destiny kept most of the superhero community from acting directly against the Axis powers on foreign soil," recalls Heather Nicholas, a social-studies teacher at Ted Knight Junior High in Opal City's "Old Town" neighborhood, "and as I explained that the heroes of the Justice Society devoted most of their activities to fighting saboteurs in Gotham City, one of my students asked if Superman was a member of the JSA in the 1940s. I had one answer, our textbook had another, and once the kids realized that there was no single right answer, well, we didn't get a lot of teaching done that day."

Nicholas continues, "Honestly, when I got home, I was so confused I walked right into a wall."

While history lessons always vary depending on the age of the student - most adults recall that what they learned about American history in elementary school was very different from what they learned about the same period in high school or college - and some topics are highly subjective, the level of change experienced last year is unprecedented.

DC CHALLENGE, a Washington, D.C., textbook publisher, devoted considerable effort to rushing completion of the 520-page Brave New World History, a just-released volume that attempts to boil down contradictory material into a handful of "threads", with an emphasis on the elements common across virtually all the conflicting memories of world events before the recent Crisis. The publisher has restored material from the out-of print Armageddon 2001, a text focusing on super-heroes and their role in shaping contemporary culture, while eliminating nearly all traces of Zero Hour, a more-comprehensive volume which has been largely invalidated by recent events.

Says a spokesperson, "We expect this to be the definitive contemporary-history text for years to come... unless, of course, history gets rewritten again. But how likely is that?"

Raph's Girl note: Spot the hidden 52! The book Brave New World History has 520 pages! :roll:
When i saw that at the 52 site. I seriously let out a HUGE groan. that was lame on a lot of levels.

[Raph's Girl]

Booster Gold is dead!!

[Dr. Doom]

holy ****!

Yanno when I saw the cover I figured it was just some sort of gimmick. But stilll.... Perhaps he faked his own death to retreive his favorable public image? I wouldn't put it past him.

[Raph's Girl]

Several new articles are up at 52thecomic.com:

One about Booster's approval ratings dropping and the mentioning of the plane he saved...flight 2824 (28+24=52 :roll: )
http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=6367

And another on Supernova (who I think is really Booster Gold )

The mysterious masked "Supernova" continues to win the hearts and minds of the citizens of Metropolis with his widespread activities as the city's newest superhuman protector. Possessing the power of flight, super-strength, and the ability to arrive and disappear in the blink of an eye, Supernova has appeared in nearly every section of the city since his debut last month, performing tasks that had previously been associated with the still missing Superman. From thwarting the plans of foreign terrorists bent on destroying city landmarks to saving a small dog from being struck by a speeding car, Supernova's reputation grows as a hero dedicated to guarding Metropolis no matter the size of the challenge.

[Raph's Girl]

New article up at 52thecomic.com *rotflmao*@Lobo :lol:

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=6391

The space-exploration division of Science and Technology Advanced Research (S.T.A.R.) Laboratories announced they have received an unusual transmission from outer space. The transmission, received and relayed back to Earth by an unmanned S.T.A.R. deep-space probe, has fueled speculation about the status and whereabouts of several noted heroes still missing after more than four months, including famed archaeologist Adam Strange, Starfire of the Outsiders, and former Justice League Europe member Animal Man.

The transmission, mostly garbled and filled with static, nonetheless contains some moments of clarity. Sound technicians at S.T.A.R. isolated those moments, which play as follows: "Feetal's giz... get... fraggin'... freighter... out... fraggin'... way... blow... bits... stupid... bastich ... head on spear... rush... food... water... fuel... towing... golden... knockers... strange...earth."

Top linguists from around the world expressed great surprise at how much the transmission sounds like it is in English, though they acknowledge that several words are unfamiliar.

Colin Thesiger, a Professor of Linguistics at Harvard University who is also consulting with S.T.A.R., says it is currently impossible to accurately determine the context of the transmission, or to ascertain its meaning.

"To say anything now would be wild speculation on my part," Thesiger said.

According to S.T.A.R., with the transmission's origin point still unknown, trying to use it to locate the missing heroes would be the equivalent of "trying to find a microscopic needle in a haystack the size of the Pacific Ocean."

The scientists of S.T.A.R. vowed, however, that they will continue to search for any information that might bring the missing heroes home.

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

Anybody read the interview with Dan Didio right after issue 15? Apparently Michael Jon Carter is dead now (and mainly because Mr. Bigshot Editor-in-Chief didn't like the character). I know you'll all make fun of me, but I feel like his death was disrespectful to his fans and the character's history, so I dropped 52 right after that issue. I'm totally psyched at all the money I'm gonna save!

[Anarky]

Uhm, you're missing out on something. Booster might be gone, but Skeets is definitely up to something.

Besides, not to be rude or anything, but you american comic book fans sure are a jumpy bunch? Or am I completely off? I mean, you don't like one thing, then you go "I'll never read this again." despite the fact that the actual story behind something might not be over yet. It's just something we don't have over here. I mean, I'm enduring month after month of Claremont's crap, just so I can know how the X-men's story goes on and believe me, it's bad. But I never once considered dropping the whole series. I know that one day there will be more of Joss Whedon's work in our X-Men-issues. And I know that they'll probably drop Claremont's X-Men once there's enough other stuff to publish. But when I look at american fans, all I see is "Either it's my way or the highway!". It's kind of worrying, you know. And it also explains a lot.

[Space Lieutenant Josh]

I realize the "story" as it were isn't over yet, and I might even agree with you about my being jumpy, but this onslaught of deus ex machina and building up characters only to have them fall flat has been going on for over a year now. Another thing I'm tired of is the constant, pointless slaughter of those whom some (DC Editorial) would deem "B-Listers."

As far as I can tell, even in 52's case, the only characters the editors and writers like or even care about are their oh-so-Christlike "Big 3." Which is great for those characters and their fans, but unfortunately I chose to follow characters whose only apparent purpose in storytelling is to be offed in order to give Superman or Batman something to do.

I don't wanna be blunt or mean or anything, but these are all shock value deaths, from Ted Kord's on down-- and that's nothing new in comics. In real life when someone dies, there is a backlash, and people actually care. Heck, in Marvel people still feel the repercussions of Hawkeye's death. Blue Beetle's been mentioned by, what, five characters tops? This is the one guy who had the longest consecutive stint on the JLA of any member-- practically every hero knew the guy-- and yet nobody cares?

Sorry if it seems jumpy or cranky but the only reason the company kills off a character like Ted Kord or Ice or Sue Dibny permanently instead of someone like Superman is that people like those characters-- they were once written believably enough that readers could see themselves within the comic book's pages-- and sales are flagging enough that the writers need to give readers an excuse to put an emotional investment in their comic. And of course, there's the fact that Superman is a cash cow-- which I'm sure someone as interesting as Booster Gold could have been given any effort by writers and advertisers.

What these writers seem to be ignoring is that people like these characters because of their histories, and if they really want to hit readers with an emotional punch, they should adhere to those histories. Maxwell Lord shooting Ted in the face would've been that much better without a three-panel exposition about how he'd always been evil. How insulting is this to the readers' intelligence? There is proof in other comics that this isn't so-- why not just have Max seduced to Luthor's side for profit? Would've been much more in character.

Same with Booster-- he's a one-note jerk and then he's dead? It doesn't make any sense-- and yes, I realize there's story left over to be told, but it is more than evident at this point that DC's powers-that-be do not respect these characters or their fans (Dan Didio himself has said that he does not like humorous characters or humorous comics-- and I respect his opinion, but I don't feel it should play so prominently into the entire plotline of every comic available from the publisher), so obviously I'm not going to be happy with whatever the outcome is. Honestly, from Ted's death to Max's to Rocket Red's to especially Booster's, DC comics have been really depressing for me. If I wanna read a superhero snuff-fest, I'd at least appreciate it if the snuffing were done well.

Just my opinion. I'm not trying to start any arguments. Death in comics is a really stupid thing to get worked up about-- and I just want to say that it isn't death specifically that gets me worked up-- it's bad stories punctuated by more bad stories, punctuated by the expectation that we'll just buy any old crap because it's "the next big fat cash cow event." I shouldn't have to pay money for old crap, should I?

[Raph's Girl]

Eh.. Booster will be back in one form or another....just not exactly as Booster. Skeets is up to something for sure....and using people with the Carter DNA (Run Sam Carter! Run!! ) is definatly odd...but what were the odds that he'd find one at Booster's funeral.... :roll:

[Raven]

Besides, not to be rude or anything, but you american comic book fans sure are a jumpy bunch? Or am I completely off? I mean, you don't like one thing, then you go "I'll never read this again." despite the fact that the actual story behind something might not be over yet. It's just something we don't have over here. I mean, I'm enduring month after month of Claremont's crap, just so I can know how the X-men's story goes on and believe me, it's bad. But I never once considered dropping the whole series. I know that one day there will be more of Joss Whedon's work in our X-Men-issues. And I know that they'll probably drop Claremont's X-Men once there's enough other stuff to publish. But when I look at american fans, all I see is "Either it's my way or the highway!". It's kind of worrying, you know. And it also explains a lot.

Head over to the Newsarama forums, people there pretty much hate anything that does something different. Its usually a smart move to avoid fan boy comments because most dont know ****.

Any way I finally got my hands on on 52 (all the way up to week 20) and its been one hell of a great ride. Cant really deside whoes story I'm enjoying more, there all really heading in these different directions that are so enjoyable to read.

I wonder what ralph is going to do with Dr. Fates helment?

[Dr. Doom]

Maybe he's in the market for a spitoon?

[Raph's Girl]

52thecomic.com has a review of an Infinite Crisis novel, complete with the first chapter

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/?action=headlines&i=6590

If you don't wanna read the article but wanna read the novel... as long as you have Adobe Acrobat reader...go here:

http://www.dccomics.com/sites/52/media/premiums/Infinite_Crisis_Novel_excerpt.pdf

They really go all out....wonder if this'll be in stores?

[BartAllen]

Things that I absolutely disliked at the beginning of 52 have really caught my attention recently. The Question/Montoya part of the story is -at the moment- one of the best parts of 52.

I also really like the Osiris portion of the story, I feel really bad for that kid.
Its had its up and downs, but on a whole this story is phenomenal.

I am a little tired out of all the HUGE MEGA stories that the big 2 have put out recently though.
So hopefully the hype will die down, and they can concentrate on just telling solid stories in there regular books.

(Yes, I just recently read about the next big mega event that DC is putting out in 2007.)

[Anarky]

Montoya's arc is indeed the best one. But I hate how the dramatic moments always, without exception get spoiled by the writers letting Montoya prove once more that she's a lesbian. "The Question is dying." - "I want to have sex with you, Kathy." or "Thank you so much for taking care of him." - "Yeah, but did you sleep with every nurse?" These moments spoil the whole story for me. Not that I'd be against homosexuality, why would I, but I'm against an unnatural flow of a story. Especially when it's a good one.

And during week 50, we'll get four One-Shots under the name of "World War III" where all the heroes have to stand together. More tie-ins! Joy!

[BartAllen]

Montoya's arc is indeed the best one. But I hate how the dramatic moments always, without exception get spoiled by the writers letting Montoya prove once more that she's a lesbian. "The Question is dying." - "I want to have sex with you, Kathy." or "Thank you so much for taking care of him." - "Yeah, but did you sleep with every nurse?" These moments spoil the whole story for me. Not that I'd be against homosexuality, why would I, but I'm against an unnatural flow of a story. Especially when it's a good one.

And during week 50, we'll get four One-Shots under the name of "World War III" where all the heroes have to stand together. More tie-ins! Joy!I agree about your thoughts about Montoya's preferences, they do seem to be shot at us in almost every panel shes in. It does get redundant.


I totally forgot about WW3, is that supposed to be the big event in 2007?

On a related note. I wonder if ambush bug is going to show up in 52.. To die a miserably pathetic death like the rest of the JLI/JLE guys.

[Anarky]

Ambush Bug was around about ten weeks ago, when SuperChief was offed. He was, as usual, babbling about what the editor's saying and yelling "52! 52!"

WWIII seems to consist only of those four one-shots that are coming out in that week plus of course, a run through every series in the DCU to maximize the number of tie-ins. But I doubt it's THE big event.

[BartAllen]

Ambush Bug was around about ten weeks ago, when SuperChief was offed. He was, as usual, babbling about what the editor's saying and yelling "52! 52!"

WWIII seems to consist only of those four one-shots that are coming out in that week plus of course, a run through every series in the DCU to maximize the number of tie-ins. But I doubt it's THE big event.

Thats right, I forgot. I need to sit down one of these days and read through the whole thing again.

[Anarky]

Oh, hell, don't tell me the secret message in this week's issue is true. Please, just don't.

[Ji-Day]

Oh men... in France, editors do not know how they will do to publish 52...

I think I'm not going to read it in a few time...

[Anarky]

You have Panini Comics too, right? If so, I guess they'll release it in those Monster Editions of theirs, each containing about ten issues.

[Anarky]

Okay, that was it. The series was great, all in all, but the ending was a typical DC-trainwreck. Certain plotpoints were just ignored, others were introduced. I mean, what did Booster use that Rocket for he stole from the two Steels? And what the hell happened to Starfire?

I mean, they had these great buildup stories, some of which were resolved, and they decide to end it with... this? Come on, DC can do better than this.