Let’s talk about comics. I love comics. A lot of other people (read: fanboys) love comics too. Some of them love comics so much they think that they would be better at writing them than the people who do even when the writer in question is my main man Mark Waid (right).

Over on my side of the aisle (that is the DC side), many Flash fans are angry with Marky Mark for the creative direction he has taken the Flash by giving him kids. I would remind folks that this is the Mark Waid who Grant Morrison credited with trailblazing comicdom out of its dark, unshaven ’80s/’90s Hell with his work on the Flash in the introduction to Waid’s early ’90s Flash Year One story. This man knows the current Flash, Wally West, as well as anyone, because he wrote him into the character he is today.

Fans are mad that the book isn’t exactly like it was in the ’90s and think that it’s dumb that any superhero could ever have a family or worse yet that there be a family of superheroes. Their righteous discontent broadcasted loudly through cyberspace has driven Mark Waid off the Flash title and into the position of Editor-in-Chief over at the BOOM indepedent label.

This is a shame. I genuinely enjoyed Waid’s “Wild Wests” story arc that finished up in *trumpet sound* *drum roll* Pick of the Week: Flash #236. I’ll except that Freddie Williams’ art leaves a lot to be desired, but the story makes up for it. It introduced readers to the hyperactively aging West twins Jai and Iris (named after the Golden Age Flash and the Silver Age Flash’s wife respectively) who while babies when they disappeared with Wally and his wife Linda into the extradimensional Speed Force during 2006’s Infinite Crisis are now both elementary school age and exhibiting interesting superspeed powers. As the story unfolded, the Flash resisted the public knowing that he was leading his children into battle (they seemed to be okay with it when he was 10 and the Kid Flash) and being confronted by the Justice League. After making fun of Batman for having been through no fewer than three Robins, Wally explains to his comrades in arms that he’s doing it so the kids will be able to get the most out of life. He and Linda have no idea how and when they will age next. An alien invasion ensues. It’s good times and I agree with Wonder Woman that the idea of Wally having “accomplices” does create tremendous fun possibilities. This interview with Tom Peyer, who will be picking up the book after a one shot interlude by Keith Champagne, gives me so much hope for the future of the Flash though.

As to knocking the idea of the superhero family, I’d say that it’s a pretty well tried and true concept. The Fantastic Four comes to mind immediately. I’m also a pretty staunch defender of Geoff Johns’ Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. duo of Courtney Whitmore and her stepfather Pat Dugan. The mainstream of entertainment media also agrees with me. I don’t know many people who said, “Oh, I don’t like the Incredibles that was dumb. How can superheroes have a family?”

Another book that DC fans are upset with is Countdown. Rightfully so on some accounts. The weekly maxiseries has not lived up to its forbearer 52 and Mary Marvel adopting Black Adam’s powers was such a tease because she never did anything interesting with them. That being said Brother Eye is back and bad ass, Monarch has launched his multiversal war of infinite destruction against the Monitors and is ripping up the pristine world of Earth 51, and that Forager New God bug lady that Jimmy Olsen has been making out with in the past couple of issues is really hot.

But you know my favorite recent moment in Countdown is? This week in Countdown #15, resurrected ex-Robin murdered at the hands of the Joker turned rogue vigilante turned multiversal explorer Jason Todd’s confrontation with the Batman of Earth 51 in the “Bat Bunker.” While the Batman of New Earth (this is the main Earth in DC Comics) was just really sad when his Jason Todd was killed, Earth 51’s went Punisher on that world’s supervillains and alienated the rest of the Justice League. When Jason Todd looked that Batman in eye and told him that he was dead inside and charged out of the Bat Bunker to fight against the insurmountable odds presented by Monarch’s forces, Jason showed potential to stop being the most annoying character I encounter on a regular basis. Amen.

See ya next week folks.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 19th, 2008 at 5:54 pm and is filed under Comics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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