Yep, it's bait. They knew no one was interested in this dude's character, so they force fed it down Hawkgirl fans' throats. The art is indeed stunning. Just as good as I remember it from JL:Dark.

Its funny when one realizes Hawkman was omitted from this book to facilitate Galaxy.

Hawkgirl can have a comic that doesn’t involve Hawkman, it’s just obvious that this series is an disguised comic about Galaxy with Hawkgirl put in the front so Axelrod can trick readers into thinking they’re reading a Hawkgirl book. The other supporting characters are shallow; that lesbian girl from college and Galaxy’s girlfriend.. really that’s the best we can do for Hawkgirl’s own cast? The editors must’ve been asleep during the editing process of this book.

@gorr Hawkman and Hawkwoman were supposedly omitted to not confuse newer readers

There have been multiple DC people who have said that DC will not change Kendra - Axelrod said it in an interview as well - seems to be the reason Galaxy is featured so much

Hal’s mother is jewish - he was raised in an interfaith household and there have been many times when DC recognized his Jewish heritage. Here is one - https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Green-Lantern-Hal-Jordan-has-a-Jewish-mother.png?q=50&fit=crop&dpr=1.5

This is that Tom King story right? From Darkseid War. But yeah, read the whole silver age stuff + Johns run, don't remember this being mentioned

it was hinted at since Silver Age - his mom is jewish, which technically jewish

I haven't read this issue so I don't have a horse in this race, but I'm having a grand old time reading all of these comments, and I'd just like to point out the irony in you calling other people unintelligent and misspelling a three letter word in the same sentence.

Really? Your argument is "you made a spelling error"? In 2023? Weaaaaaak.

Typical user reviewer who is more concerned with someone else's review than anything else. Over 300 reviews and you have an average score of 9 out of 10? What was so wrong with Hawkgirl #1 that you considered it so below average?

It's not an argument, merely an observation! I just found it amusing that you'd comment on other people's intelligence level and talk about them looking silly immediately after misspelling the word "but" :) And although I'm not entirely sure what it being 2023 has to do with anything, I do commend you for not making any spelling mistakes in your reply to my comment! (Assuming the five extra a's in "weak" were intentional and not another error) Perhaps there's hope for you yet!

2023 - The Year of Poor Spelling! (Or is it “The Yeer of Pour Speling”)

Weird Jim, are you talking to me good sir?

I was - laughing at the fact he excused his poor spelling because it was 2023 - the first comment was directed at Toon though

Just chiming in HEAR lol. Can you HERE me? double lol. Yes pronunciation, grammar, spelling, ect. mistakes makes you sound foolish when questioning someone else's intelligence. As for your argument of hating the comic based on right wing stances, you're just the other side of the coin. I believe Toonstrack was the initial one who was more concerned with others reviews correct? They just put it in their review instead of a comment Jim.

@ Jim, I stated in myself that I didn't find everything about the issue perfect. My score isn't because I give every book a 9, its because I usually only bother reviewing when I really like a book or a series. And no, a spelling error doesn't change the argument, now that others have chimed in clearly no one has contested my conclusion. So it seems I was on the money.

@tron, is this a confession? Because there are grammatical errors in your comment and spelling errors. When you're referring to a subject action you use "you're" not "your". Now this is your argument, not mine. But given you dont offer much else what am I to conclude from this?

No one has actually contested that they were sent here because it is true... "free thinkers" when an internet personality tells them what to think, I suppose.

@WeirdScienceJim Ah yes, I had a good laugh over that as well! Literacy was so 2022. I guess I just need to get with the times.

@Toonstrack, "No one has said I am wrong, therefore I am right." Really? That's the argument you're going with? In 2023??

Good catch. Corrected. YOU'RE still wrong.

@marvvel no, I'm right because what I'm saying is correct, and the fact no one is denying it is because it's correct and they know it is correct. You see how that works? @tron compelling argument, however I am not wrong. Have you even read the issue? Be honest. You can say if you haven't.

No, you attribute the low score to one or two bombers. Multiple dislikes for this book. Even if it's politicly driven the author is as well and it gets a bit tiring for some. A rare book for a secondary character people want to read and have to wade through modern political bs. That can be a reason. It's perfectly reasonable.

No, it's not reasonable to call a book bad because it and has a gay character. Thats as laughable as calling a book bad because it has a dwarf, or a little person. It makes no sense and has no bearing on a books quality. If you dont like this story being told thats reasonable. Not liking that this book doesn't reflect your idealized reality is juvenile. The book was attacked simple for featuring an original gay character when thats what yall have been saying they SHOULD do. Double standards.

I mean, I should rephrase that it is "acceptable" as in one is allowed to do it, but it is certainly not rational, or reasonable. I dont like smoking, but I would not call a book bad because a character in it smokes. That would be ridiculous.

No one said it's because it has a gay character in it. I'm saying if entertainment wedges in every authors personal bs in every book today and is CONSTANTLY filled with what is considered left or right politics one can become exasperated. Terry Goodkind books consistently became more "right" as his books progressed and became distracting. When the book is written around a belief or cause instead of being written to fit a narrative it sucks. The characters become afterthoughts.

This is largely prevalent in books and movies today. It takes away from the experience as a whole. Overwhelming comes to mind. The zombie craze is another example of what I'm talking about. I can hate a Superman book that is written well just because zombies show up for the millionth time. Here I'm talking about authors personal politics instead.

This wasn't just one gay character showing up. This was a litany of what is considered today as left "propaganda". It would be the same if christians showed up and began talking to Kendra about the positives of adoption over abortion or bendfits of the death penalty because Gregg Abbott wrote it. Where does that belong in a comic book about heroes and villains? The overwhelming nature of it can take away from the book and make you dislike it.

Nothing was propaganda. They never said "you should be this way" or anything. No one even makes a statement about it. If you consider the very presence of people with a different lifestyle as propaganda, that means you have an inherent bias against their presence. Because presence isn't a statement. Its presented in a passive matter of fact manner and did wasn't even advertised before release.

So your comparison is a false equivalence. Gay people exist, so at this point, its more of a statement to actively avoid showing them around. No message is being sent, simply a story is being told. It may be a little distracting because it wasn't always the norm but thats fine. I understand the world changes and people change and views change, and I don't have to gave them all agree with me in order to enjoy a work.

That's why I put propaganda in quotation marks.

It's not just about gay people. Of course they exist and they should be represented. I said there is a litany of things. Things considered overboard for liberalism. The overboard is what the issues are. It reeks of an aura of........left. This is just another in a loooooong line of it and overshadows the comic. It permeates today's culture and people are sick of both sides of it and it's diharreaed all over this book.

Thats a bit dramatic. And review bombing rhe book on this site is not even a normal or rational response especially when, it isn't actively advertising anything and it isn't even being judge as a full book. Im telling you many here didn't even end it but just followed someone who pointed them in a direction and said go. Its the exact opposite of how art critics should be.

These people live a very miserable life man, it's sad

@toon - there was no review bombing - the original thing you were talking about - the person mentioning Gabe Hernandez - was a reviewer who said they were surprised that they actually agreed with gabe (meaning they usually don’t) about the book! You need better reading comprehension. As for the issue : it’s a hawkgirl book, yet Axlrod is more interested in pushing her own character, Galaxy, who saves the day and has everyone talking about her while Hawkgirl is written very unlikeable

General ck (who has 1451 reviews) said “ Wow, I'm actually agreeing with Gabe Hernandez for once!” That’s not review bombing - gabe hernandez has an Critic Review on this site - that’s why the guy mentioned him!

@jim The book remains a hawkgirl book lol. No one in the book discusses galaxy beyond a single page of batman reviewing her origin. The rest is about hawkgirl and setting up the villain. It might not he directly from Gabe, but its very clear some of these reviews didn't even bother reading the issue just based on their vagueness and incorrect details.

To those in this thread, Toon is not an honest actor. They constantly attack people, and when people respond to defend themselves, they say that is a win for them because no one called out their own poor arguments. Even in my comment where I laid out the pages and the artistic choices that I disagreed with, they made baseless accusations. I think this should just remain an agree to disagree situation. Toon can think its an 8.5 and most other people can think it is sub 5. That is fair.

It is so much more about Galaxy - more background info for Galaxy than Hawkgirl (who is in need of a definitive background with the new open timeline), Galaxy saves Hawkgirl and stops the threat the other heroes can’t and we end up with Hawkgirl crashing unconcious into… Galaxy’s apartment !

The villain is intriguing - I just hope we get more of her and Hawgirl and less of a Galaxy push going forward. Overall though, I don’t think this book will be in the top 200 by issue #3

The heroes were beating up the guys before galaxy ever got there tho, like, they were winning pretty handily except for when hawkgirl took a shot not meant for her. I frankly don't need a book to be in the top 200... and I'm willing to wait and see how the story develops and if they wrap the villain in. I think we all want to he able to enjoy it; so hopefully the reuslt is positive.

I have to say I've enjoyed this comment thread more than this opening issue which isn't great and isn't terrible, in my humble opinion. The art is excellent but the writing left me disappointed, mainly because Kendra is written as pretty unlikeable. And yes, there is clearly a big Galaxy push by the writer/creator. Let's see how issue #2 pans out.

The funniest thing in this comment thread is seeing the weird science guy pretend weird science is legitimate when we all know it's the dregs of comic book criticism.

Saying someone was "sent here" like it's a big deep state comic site conspiracy is a bit dramatic as well. Doesn't mean he wasn't or that I'm wrong. Mout, it isn't miserable to want to like something and be disappointed because the author decides they need to use their work as a platform for their ideologies first and worry about their story second or that they MUST wedge it into everything they do. Kind of a one trick pony.

Some people are hateful obviously but just calling everyone that as a go to when your opinion differs is sad as well.

The irony of having a V avatar and saying this. Alan Moore was that one trick pony in the 80s.

Yo Toons, keep it up. Keep being positive with comics. Having a high rating isn't a bad thing. It means you are enjoying the medium unlike a lot of those who just come here to review bomb, hate read or attack creators. Its people like you that keep the comic industry afloat, not these degens that site behind screens and yell into an echo chamber about how their politics are making them pariahs when it's their words and actions that are just outdated and miserable. I'm genuinely glad you liked it

Jesus it's dick bag again. Glad you think AM was a one trick pony. I'd say your mom is a one trick pony but I know she takes multiple tricks per night. Hex, being positive about comics is great when there is a comic to be positive about. Instead of keeping the comics industry afloat by fluffing their junk some would like to see positive changes. It's like the love it or leave it argument. Why leave when you can help to improve. Sales may get better you think????

He likes the book? Great. Don't shit on those who don't cause you think it's hateful or mean.

I don't think it's hateful. It's literally hateful comments and reviews. Your ill-fitting mask seems to be falling in front of your eyes and blocking your view of the obvious bigots and hate mongers.

I meant don't shit on those who don't cause you think WE'RE hateful or mean. Hope that clears it up. I said some are hateful people but the tendency to lump everyone in to that category who thinks wokism or ANY oversaturation of ideologies in entertainment is rampant is fucked. That's what I'm saying. Browbeating people as bigots cause they get tired of ANYTHING rammed down their throats while just trying to enjoy some entertainment today is fucked man.

You are hateful and mean. Or at the very least side with those who are up front about it and don't feign to hide behind the imagery or ideals of someone they don't understand. "Woke-ism" is a fear created and perpetuated by YOU and those you side with because you hate change. Hate the idea of gender/sexual/racial equality and think that any representation is some sort of mandatory ramming. You don't have to read this. Nor do you have to continue your tired tirade on any comment section you see.

I also kept it vague. Not mentioning any particular person or group. Just that the nebulous review bombers and hateful echo chamber members were the ones that are insufferable. YOU put yourself in that camp by assuming I meant you and essentially rug pulling yourself. Good job mate. Cheerio!

You insinuate that I didn't take your message's meaning by repeating what you said as if I hadn't addressed it. I did. To you and your V persona. Seems I was right that the mask slipped in front of your eyes because you clearly had a hard time reading it. Under no uncertain terms did I dodge or misconstrue what you said. "Don't shit on those who don't cause you think it's hateful and mean." I told you that you were clearly blind to those who are blatantly mean and hateful. Reading comprehension?

Sigh....you are a big a fool as psychomoron. Everyone who doesn't share your mindset is hateful and cruel and can't possibly be anything other than what you and the modern blind righteous masses deem proper. Hate of gays is your go to I guess. Even when it's explained as simply as being tired of the same old bullshit by the same self righteous people time and again. The very thing you seem to be saying I'm doing. Enjoy your piss poor selling comics.

So self righteous to be pro-equality. If only no one gave a shit like you don't, we'd all be chill. Apathy is just bigotry with an extra step. If you are bothered by the existence of caring, then you clearly are predisposed to the position of being against it.

The brain disease of centrism is borne from a basic lack of comprehension about the very topics you throw yourself into in every comment thread. Read up, learn and come back when you can make an argument that's not just obsessing over having things shoved down your throat.

Bothered by the existence of caring? It's a comic book. Escapism. Some like to have it without the regular political bullshit of the world intruding and it just won't stop. Just like hex saying I have a V persona? It's a fucking avatar on an internet site. Makes no sense. I thought I hated you. lol. Hex is a fucktard and a half. Anyway, I'll be back for issue #2. Later.

Art is inherently political. And comic books are art. The reason we bring up your V avatar is that you constantly complain about politics in comics yet you rep the main character of The Political Comic™. It just shows that you have a bias towards left leaning politics, and it's not simply politics as a whole, and that you were too stupid to understand or haven't read V for Vendetta.

Thanks for caring @amazing Psycamorean! I love that we have almost identical overall ratings for the reviews, but that doesn't matter I guess

"Apathy is just bigotry with an extra step." Lmao. If only the anointed intellectuals within the education system were more in line with the likes of Thomas Sowell there would be far less empty platitudes and divisive rhetoric from clueless far-left millennials churned out of their propaganda machine.

Thomas Sowell is an idiot that conservatives parrot around to appear not racist. They found the one black guy with enough survivorship bias to make Bill Cosby blush, and they shove him out there in a desperate attempt to excuse their racist rhetoric. He sounds smart to people with no comprehension skills, and no one else. He's a joke.

Most roundabout way of calling someone an uncle tom I've ever heard. Fucking hater 🤣

I don't think he's an Uncle Tom, I think he's a pickme. Similar to someone like Candace Owens. Someone who dislikes their own group and therefore tries to appeal as other.

Jesus Christ you're racist. People like him because he's intelligent and studied under Milton Friedman, not because he's black. What a weasel you are.

Well, no. People don't like him because he's intelligent, because what he says is, in fact, stupid. They like him because he gives credence to their biases, which are racist. How does he do that? By saying racist things about black people while being black, and dressing those things up as intellectual thinking, which adds to their credibility among the stupid.

The real racist is the one who agrees with and believes racist things, even when black people say them. Thomas Sowell, for instance, is a giant critic of affirmative action, which I assume you agree with since you're criticizing the education system. Affirmative action is a good thing for minorities; it recognizes the socioeconomic imbalance between the different races due to a history of segregation, bigotry and violence.

It allows people who otherwise would be stuck in their station to rise beyond it, instead of continuing a cycle of poverty that would otherwise be impossible to escape. The people against affirmative action are racist people, and Thomas Sowell is one of them.

Agreeing with Gabe? 100% sus!

I don't think they are shoving Mary aside at all - I bet they are making her a different kind of Shazam to keep her, but not have her share the same power with Billy - maybe a different power set or different Pantheon to get her powers from - hopefully, an all-female group of Godesses and Heroes that will share their powers with Mary

If you like Tigra, you should check out the Moon Knight book. She has been in it for a bit now

I like Moon Knight, but I'm tapped out on the number of books I'm buying. What's the writer. I'll pick up the trade. I have heard good things about this run.

No name villain is a classic Shazam villain, btw. This 4-parter seems to be trying to sort out all the convoluted stuff that has happened to Billy over the last 2-3 years.

Yeah, I get that. He's been stuck on the rock for a while.

the big thing is finding out the Ascendent were vs the Sith and also it should lead to Aphra getting her droids back - those two things are pretty big

You mean the droids that tried to kill her numerous times. I'm not sure why she would want them back

I’m not sure if you are reading or understanding the book - the Spark Eternal wants the droids! Aphra even tells it that the droids will kill them!

Glad to see how you eliminate Tim Sheridan of Flashpoint lmao.

He's on that, too? Ugh. I just can't stand the guy's writing.

Flashpoint book is more of a prequel

You mean it's a prequel to the big stuff Williamson is planning? That may be so but I'm still pretty excited about it. I like Thomas Wayne, I like Johns as a writer, he created the character, I also like Adams on The Flash. I really hope it will be good.

I think it may be a prequel to show how the Flashpoint timeline survived before the Button story in Rebirth - might explain the Tom King stuff better than he explained it which was pretty much not really explaining it at all

It seems to be telling the story of Flashpoint timeline continuing after Barry seemed to erase it at the end of Flashpoint

Yeah, I've seen the solicits. I hope Johns will do Thomas justice since he created the character. The sooner we put all that villain stuff from King behind the character, the better.

I think it might just set that up so it makes sense retroactively

Or he could pull a "it was actually Parallax all along and not Hal's fault" but for Thomas. As in, he was brainwashed/controlled by some evil entity. Though I'm not sure I would like to see that, if I'm honest. What's done is done, Thomas needs to redeem himself/move on but not giving up on what's making him different from Bruce.

I agree Merelyn, and the Tom King writing was such a disaster, which of course, DC Comics published. But at the end of the day, Alfred Pennyworth is the elephant in the room. Everything else can be resolved.. but. And not the first time he died (Detective #328-1964). Until Alfred is resolved, Flashpoint Thomas Wayne will remain a tragic figure, which I am sure many find to be an awful situation. We have multiple realities, surely Alfred could be restored. Maybe not.

I wish there was an "edit" button on these comments. Sorry Merlyn for typo on your name.

No problem. I think Alfred will surely come back after Williamson does his big event,

I hope you are right, but honestly skeptical. I think DC views Alfred a 20th century character that does not fit into its New World Order. I am still bitter with Superman Clark Kent after Injustice Issue #23. I don't care if it is an "Elseworld" or whatever. I have always been skeptical about the Superman Übermensch transcending good or evil. Without values, our human identities are reduced to animals. Sorry for rambling.

DC does view Alfred a 20th century character that does not fit into its New World Order. You can tell that by how almost all writers sneer at the idea that Bruce has a butler, it's that marxist rhetoric in full swing, "oh you're so rich you have someone keeping your house". This reminds me of the stupid shit Peter Dinklage pulled with the dwarfs from the future Disney movie (not that I give one damn about it, Disney is slowly ruining all its movies with their progressive agenda).

In his effort to be more progressive he could take those jobs from people LIKE HIM but much, much poorer who could only dream otherwise at a job like that. That's the problem when you're guided by ideology and not reason, you end up hurting the people you're supposedly trying to help. Not that these people truly want to help other people, it's all about virtue signaling for them. The same could be said of the writers who think that it's a sin to have a butler.

Well, tell that to the people who are doing these jobs and are payed handsomely for them. There, now we both rambled. :)

As per the Injustice Superman, people hate me here for criticizing Tom Taylor but I really loved Injustice, not gonna lie. I can't remember what he did in that particular issue and you are right, without values we are turning into animals. It's just that I could get that A Superman out of, say a multiverse of them, could snap when he's killed the pregnant love of his life and could after that try to prevent that from happening to someone else.

And, as we know all too well sadly, a lot of men who were initially "saviors" or "heroes" to their people turned into dictators and genocidal maniacs believing they are doing what they're doing for the greater good, for a better tomorrow.

Seeing all the crisis shows that all the realities exist though - that may not be enough at the moment, but a timeline that includes crisis on infinite earth with the current post new 52/rebirth/infinite frontier timeline means all realities do exist now

Bengal was on art this issue

Thank @Jim, yes I detect the change or her absence, even though the palette is somewhat similar, I imagine that it was only in charge of the cover. Great just to see Putri's art reading this thing.

I know!

So like, the thing that really confuses me is Donny Cates new retcon which completely doesnt make sense for Jason Aaron's God Tempest retcon. Like what the hell is going on??? Jason Aaron's retcon cant coexist with Donny Cates retcon.

Honestly given that I totally hated what Aaron did with Thor for most of his run I don't even remember what retcon you're talking about but all the same you're taking this sort of stuff waaay more seriously that Marvel is. Just remember that in the Iron Man book after we had an entirely arc, The Ultron Agenda, about Tony and Janet's relationship, they "broke up" in Cantwell's run in just a panel.

*than. You have to remember that Marvel writers truly don't give a crap about continuity and what came before them, they just make up stuff as they go along. And while they are douchebags for doing that, you have to remember there are editors who let that stuff fly so the blame is as much on them as it is on the writers.

+dapsidaboy It might be God Tempest angered from Eons of imprisonment and going insane. Calling her God of Hammers, Mjolnir.

Odin Bashing is always good. Guy's an asshole. I like when Thor f**King bashes him and makes him remember who the shit he is.

God Tempest was dead after Jane Foster was brought back to life, but came back Iin War of the Realms, when Thor made it remake Mjolnir in the sun. Donny Cates dips into the well again, though, by making Odis’s enchantments go down (why others could pick it up recently)and now god tempest wants revenge as god of hammers

The continuity works enough, it’s more of a “been there done that” lazy storytelling problem

You not understanding, AGAIN, that just because I don't like something is already a classic. Btw, how could Luigi fly? Come on, explain that one.

*that just because I don't like something doesn't mean I don't understand it. You did the same on the Hulk book.

@Merlyn - Luigi could fly because he had a Legion Ring. Read the last conversation again about "returning the ring". It's right there... Cheers.

Merlyn - As Mr White astutely points out, Luigi had the Legion ring because Chance lifted it from Booster during their conversation. The Smallwood art even points it out by zooming in on the ring on Booster hand in one panel before showing it missing in the next. That would require paying attention and comprehending what you read and that’s so much harder than throwing up a “1” score and shitting on a writer you don’t like.

The fact that you doubled down on your misunderstanding under my review, rather than attempting to see how you could be wrong is FANTASTIC.

@Mr. White: Cheers, mate, you're right about that one. @Loafy: While that's correct, it still doesn't make any ounce of sense, Guy Gardner wouldn't give up the ring to Hal, even like that. I guess you're just okay with contrived "explanations". Just as you were okay with the Hulk thing where "oh he killed some people but he was just asleep lol". Anyway, happy new year, maybe next year you'll stop being so bitter and douchy!

That’s a really impressive goalpost move there bud. No, we both know EXACTLY what you meant the first time AND second time around. Just admit you were wrong and misread the book in a rush to slander it

Also not sure how the explanation for what happened what contrived. Chance nicked the ring from Booster, gave it to Luigi and they pulled a quick on on an embarrassed Guy Gardner. It took me one sentence to explain it again to you. Keep up buddy

Holy shit my autocorrect had a stroke lol. * Also not sure how the explanation for what happened is contrived. Chance nicked the ring from Booster, gave it to Luigi and they pulled a quick one on an embarrassed Guy Gardner.

Yeah, either you don't get Guy Gardner or just have such a hard-on for King that you don't give a crap how he writes characters as long as you're in awe of his work. He's done the same to Booster Gold, Wally West, Batman and other characters, it's not even anything new. But keep pretending he gets these characters. Anyway I'm done here.

Cool, run away with your tail between your legs again. This is a Black Label series you dip shit and you don’t seem to have a clue what that means. King can play loose with the continuity here and FWIW,l this depiction of Guy is pretty damn spot on. Especially considering the first date he took Ice on (in your precious continuity) they went to a porno theater. I’d bet good fucking money you didn’t know that and just want to fling shit around like the angry Neanderthal you are.

“kiNg DoEsNt GeT tHe ChaRActErs.” You people are so fucking tiresome

Even on New Year's Eve, so full of anger and hate, it must feel so sad to be you, you truly are pitiful. :(

Pot, meet kettle. You came here to my review, doubling down on your completely incorrect read of the book and got put in your place. And then you poorly moved the goalposts to “WeLL gUy IsNt ChArCTeRiZeD RiGhT” and you didn’t even get that right for numerous reasons, that I just explained. Just take the L already little dude and run along

Actually you were the one who commented about my review because you are obsessed with me. So yeah, sorry, the whole "you started this" doesn't work. Not that logic was ever your strong suit.

I pointed out you were factually wrong on my review because it’s funny that you’re basically the “If those kids could read” meme come to life.

Mhmm. Notice how I never once "point out" anything about your reviews? It's called "not giving a shit". As in, I don't give a shit about you or your reviews. You, on the other hand, are obviously not capable of doing the same, hence your obsession. Make up another fake acccount or something, you started the whole trend, remember? Byyyye.

Here I made one just for you https://imgflip.com/i/5zmxf9

That’s because my reviews aren’t full of obviously incorrect statements about the book. You’re making a false equivalence

Yeah, Loafy, learn to not give a shit. Merlyn clearly doesn't. Only someone who cares would argue in the comments of your review and Merlyn didn't do that.

And the squabbles continue…. And as a huge Guy Gardner fan, this is the “surface level version” that only grabs one bit of Guy and exploits it. It’s his story and Black Label, but please don’t say this is “spot on”. While some say King doesn’t get characters, I say he finds the one thing that he can over exaggerate and runs with it. My issue with all of King’s stories is he rarely will show a character has evolved past their negative aspects, but instead he, and them, dwell on the negative.

Just to point out… Guy is a pig headed jerk, but that’s what is crazy about him being a hero. That’s the sort of psychological bit I think King usually misses. This portrayal of Guy is not wrong, it’s just the 100% generic portrayal that any casual fan will go with because that’s all they hear from other casuals. He did the same thing with Phantasm - instead of expanding the character in her 1st comic appearance, she is a cog in the story like Guy is here, so he goes generic

And.. there is an argument to be had on whether Tom King writes Black Label because he has more freedom, or DC makes him write Black Label because his stories, characters and continuity is whack. Remember, Strange Adventures was announced as in-continuity and was changed to Black Label after DC read the scripts.

Strange Adventures was advertised as Black Label from the beginning. Also, I don’t know how many times it has to be said before you people get it, these books are not in continuity so they don’t have to rigidly abide by continuity. It’s a simple concept. Also congrats, you figured out that Guy isn’t the main character in a book titled “Human Target.”

I’d like to see you explain what is wrong with the characterization of Guy. You’ve said not to call it “spot on” and called it “generic” and said King’s characterizations are “whack” which are clearly statements in conflict with one another. I feel that this characterization of Guy felt natural when looking at his JLI days, which this book is influenced by, and the history of his relationship with Ice.

Guy literally took Ice to a porno theatre on their first date and the entirety of their relationship in Giffen and DeMatteis’s books was super weird and a little creepy. But god forbid King tap into that in an out-of-continuity book where Guy is 3rd billing at best.

To quote myself from another Forum: “Don't really get why people are bent out of shape with King's writing here especially knowing: (1) It's King and history has proven he writes/ approaches stories in a particular manner; and (2) it's an Elseworld tale. The major issue people have is "[x] is not written in character". While I don't think it's really to be expected, I do think they are in character (the underlying base at least) albeit, an (extremely?) exagerrated version of them…

...Also, as some others have pointed out, he's just telling a specific story (D.O.A) using popular characters where everyone is playing a (stereotypical) role. As I often say to people, if you continue reading it, TRY to enjoy it for what it is as opposed to what you think/feel it "should" be."

Look it up @loafy, they changed it to black label after it was already announced https://www.comicsbeat.com/dcs-strange-adventures-rebranded-under-black-label/

I can see why these stupid arguments keep going because I don’t think you read everything people say. I said this characterization of Guy isn’t wrong, it’s just the generic version, “Guy is a jerk” that gets rehashed all the time. He uses it with a lot of his books as a shortcut with characters. I am a Damian Wayne fan, but most writers just write him as the generic “jerk” as well and I find it lazy

Maybe you could take this argument to the discord.

I am not aware of a discord

If you want to join: https://discord.gg/xJz6buvNFZ

No, I read what you said and you’re wrong. DC originally solicited Strange Adventures as a Black Label book. It was always Black Label. Just read the damn book and try to explain how it would ever have worked in main continuity. Your extrapolating too much from one quote from an editor before the book was even at the printer.

I also don’t think the characterization was lazy, I think your argument is. Guy IS an asshole. It’s baked into his character, specifically during the JLI era.. So if King characterizes him like every other writer did for a decade, you say it’s lazy, and if he tries to do something slightly different and new, then you pull out the tried and true “he doesn’t get the characters.”

Also Guy appeared in what 10-12 pages of this comic? That’s pretty quick to pass interpretation on an interpretation of a character in a BLACK LABEL book.

You accusing me of “not reading” is pretty funny when you refuse to read the Black Label stamp on the cover of the book.

Excellent review. This is Guy if I've ever seen him. If I described this character and his actions to someone with even a passing knowledge of DC, without naming the character, they'd be able to tell you it was Guy very quickly.

I mentioned it in mother review - Ram V’s JLD run did not sell well at all! His JLD is the backup story because of that. It’s just a shame that Bendis’ Justice League story sucks as bad as it does, but just because Bendis sucks, doesn’t mean Ram V deserves better… he had better and it failed. Hopefully, the collected trade of these JLD backups sells well enough for DC to give his JLD another chance. Personally, I think these backups are way overrated because they are better than Bendis

The book was still selling above 20,000 units before the Endless Winter crossover. While not spectacular numbers, that is usually enough to keep a well received book going. To be fair though I would be fine with JLD being a backup story, if the main JL story book was better. I've only read 3 issues since Infinite Frontier so I can't really agree or disagree if the backups are overrated, but I do generally enjoy Ram V's writing.

There weren’t really actual reported numbers for any of Ram Vs issues… it was selling 22k in March, but seemed to dip below books that were selling much lower when sales were reported by the time Endless Winter started. Ram V was only on a handful of issues so the sales weren’t his fault, but that shows again that DC had faith in him. I am so-so with Ram V overall (Laila Starr is great though, if you haven’t checked it out)

I think people are looking at this Ram V backup vs Bendis Justice League book thing the wrong way. After Ram V took over the JLD book from Tynion, the sales were pretty bad, so it’s actually surprising he even got this backup. I think DC did it because Ram V is a writer they want to support and hoped more people would read these JLD backups and maybe lead to another regular JLD book. I am thinking the JLD trade sales may determine if it happens now.

Looks like a new team is taking over the book in April. Yeah I ll wait for the JLD trade to come out.

I think Liam Sharpe's art fits some things better than others and being a fill-in for Clay Mann was an odd choice

Still one more issue, but it's a Mxy issue... the Darkseid stuff is continuing in the Joshua Williamson stories it seems. If you look at last issue, it says the Annual will continue the filmverse stuff and then there is the seperate epilogue with Darkseid.

It's because there's one Red Hood fan who keeps making accounts to upvote himself.

@The Dark Knight Detective it's also a coincidence that Nightwing and Daredevil have similar fighting styles. But I agree, I like Nightwing right now, dont know why a lot of people nitpick and hate it.

If you read the actual reviews of those who are detracting they are either Red Hood fanboys or conservatives who are triggered by facts about society

@Toonstrack: If you think I dislike this juvenile book because I'm a fan of Red Hood, you're even dumber than I thought. It's not either-or for me, I like Nightwing too. And your "facts"? Yeah, those are called opinions, might want to check a dictionary.

^^^See what I mean? Merlyn you're not the only one here trying and failing miserably to rag on this book. But you all fall into one of those categories. You collectively been at it since the first issue of the run. And facts aren't opinions. Facts are either correct or they aren't. Opinions are subjective. Facts are not.

You're right. Unfortunately what you deem as "fact" is actually an opinion. I know it may be hard for you but I'm sure with some help you can wrap your head around that.

Hey man, you're the one who feels the need to bring up Taylor's politics in every review and review those instead of the book.

That's because those politics ARE in the book, you're just either too dumb to notice or purposely pretend they aren't there.

So? Having politics you disagree with doesn't automatically make something bad. Theres a ton of other factors to consider when reviewing a story which you ignore at all times.

It used to be the case that, as Daniel Patrick Moynihan said, “You’re entitled to your opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts,” but that’s not true anymore. Ever since Kellyanne Conway defended a lie about Trump’s inauguration attendance by saying there we’re “alternative facts” and Trump started calling any news he didn’t like “fake news,” Trumpubicans believe they *are* entitled to their own facts including the invented from thin air rigged election.

Against everything I believe in, I have been persuaded, in large part, not to engage in this stuff because one can’t persuade a brainwashed person to listen to reason. So I’m just going to politely say, Merlyn, you stay out of my reviews and I’ll stay out of yours. And you can continue to peddle your “alternative facts” to your heart’s desire. Your reviews are commonly about politics but mine are not, so I think that’s only fair.

@Toonstrack: No, but it doesn't mean I should be forced to like that book.

@Batman Jones: Sure, that sounds fair. After I let you complain on my reviews how you don't like the way I speak and I was more than generous to try to comply with your requests, next thing I get from you is a rant about "Trumpblicans", fake news, alternative facts and other crazy stuff. Funny how you're talking about brainwashing without realizing how brainwashed you are talking like that. Serves me right when I try to be decent with assholes. Well, not anymore. Sure, I agree with your terms.

Merlyn: Having a consistently shitty, pretentious attitude about your comic OPINIONS towards everyone who doesn't watch Fox News 24/7 isn't trying to be "decent" by any stretch of the imagination. To quote the great Raylan Givens "If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole." And you, without a doubt, run into assholes all day, night, week, and year.

July 8 2021 Joe Biden is asked if a takeover of Afghanistan is inevitable. Joe Biden: No it is not. He refuses to return the calls of the British PM for 36 hours. A reported 10K Anericans are in Afghanistan and have to get through Taliban checkpoints to get to Karzai airport. Afghan women are passing their babies to US soldiers to save them. Your better judgenent...lol.

Today British Parliament censured Joe Biden for his negligence to his responsibility to US allies in Great Britain. 2 Para units are running rescue missions in Kabul to save British citizens and Afghanis while the Biden Administration tell Amerucans there "you're on your own getting to the airport"....Trumplicans you say? LOL.

We ve run into assholes here alright...anyone that bought Bidens lies and actually voted for the dessicated husk. I ll leave you too "elevated" liberals to enjoy your humiliation together.

@Ming hey dumbfuck, do 5 seconds of research before you run off to dunk on someone. “Trump finally bypassed the Afghan government to negotiate directly with the Taliban. The deal with them that he signed on Feb. 29, 2020 promised to pull all U.S. troops out by May 1, 2021.” - NPR

“Baradar, currently the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, was freed from Pakistan in 2018 and is the most prominent of thousands of Taliban prisoners freed at the United States’s request in its efforts to promote failed peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.” Trump was president in 2018 and his administration is responsible for releasing the current Taliban leadership from prison.

The entire situation in Afghanistan is horrible and has been caused by 40+ years of American and Soviet mismanagement. I’m not really sure what the answer is but I pretty strongly believe it’s not continuing to fight a forever war alongside permanent occupation.

I loved the first issue of the run and liked this one. I didn't like the issues inbetween and not because of Red Hood or politics. It was because we were getting fan service over story. This issue gives fan service moments, but they push the story forward. I am a huge Nightwing fan so seeing Blockbuster isn't going to wow me, but seeing him go after Dick in this issue was awesome! Heartless finally gets some setup and Dick uses the money to help everyone, especially the homeless kids.

Also, for 3-4 issues Tom Taylor was just telling us that everyone loves Dick Grayson, where this one he showed why they love him through Nightwing's actions.

Nice to have you here, Weird Science Jim. I dig your reviews and I can get behind what you’re saying even if the fan service is more than enough for me after so many issues of Nightwing not being Nightwing. Still I hear you and don’t disagree. Thanks for popping in. Don’t be a stranger.

@Weird Science Jim. No one is complaining about you. They're complaining about the obvious review bombing from newly made accounts, and that one idiot who thinks everything is an attack on his precious Trump.

Not gonna get deep into the Afghanistan pullout because nuance is dead here, but "Afghani" is a currency. Calling the Afghan people "Afghanis" is basically telling everyone in the room that you don't know anything about the conflict.

Do you not like politics in your comics?

No, I don't like when comics are political propaganda. Is that wrong?

XD

I agree. I think bad policies being imposed by state and federal bureaucrats along with morons like Newsom at the helm are what I would attribute to the fire breakouts. We need to allow for controlled burns to prevent accretion of flammable vegetation. This is why fires in the state are out of control. But of course any one who pursues controlled burns are hindered by government with policies such as The Clean Air Act which treats smoke from controlled burns as a pollutant.

For all the potential this new improved superman is supposed to have hes a bit of a cretin. Brainiac has been messing with planets for years and even Apokalips us a terraformed planet-albeit a pretty nasty one. This new improved Superman could remove excess CO2 in Earths atmosphere in a bout 6 issues and stop supposed man made global warmi...I mean climate change dead. But Taylor's not interested in that aspect of the Superman mythos hes interested in propaganda.

Doorman CA supposedly has a surplus. Newsom could use it for back burning forest management and getting the electrical lines safer and retrofitted. Instead hes paying bribes to beat his recall. You won't stop forget figures with back burning but you will save property and life. Aussie aboriginals taught back burning to the whites. Maybe they can teach Newsom and Taylor?

You guys are coming here with facts and logic when it's all about "let's shame people into believing they're to blame for the fires" and not moronic politicians.

Guys, merlyn didn't even say anything about the book in this comment. Hes clearly avoiding speaking on its actual content and wants to direct our attention to the politics of its writer. I implore everyone to judge the books on its actual merits instead. Just a tip.

Thanks @Toonstrack. I will take your advice on judging a book based on its merits.

dumb

Ok Toon. Thanks for that tip. Do have anything for getting stubborn stains out in the wash too?

@daspidaboy: The politics are part of the "merits" of the book. They're in there, you know.

@Toonstrack: I remember I gave you several warnings if you come here, you should have something to actually say, not just tell people not to read my review. Do this again and I'll block you permanently.

And I did say a lot of stuff about the book, you just refuse to see them because you don't like what I have to say. That's a pretty big difference.

Dap if I may add..I have no qualms with comics using politics and social issues to tell a good story. But writing to sell an ideological adherence is not necessary. If you remember ten nights of the beast it's set in the context of conflict with USSR and has Reagan in not an entirely flattering portrayal but it doesn't bludgeon you with the writers views.

Now pick up the first issue if the current legends of the dark knight and the writer takes a swipe at Trump and the election by the Joker for no reason other than to show the writers lefty cred. It sours the reader if the reader doesn't come to the book for that stuff.

@Merlyn I never told anyone to not read your review, lest I would have posted this in the comments. I want people to read your review, acknowledge you say nothing about the book(you ignore art, story, character, setup and everything else) and judge it for themselves with that in mind. If that's too much for you than block me if you want. Although I prefer having opposing opinions visible to me, in the spirit of discussion.

I did say a lot of things about the book, you just don't like what I have to say. Those are two very, very different things. I also prefer that but you deliberately ignore all my arguments.

What does it matter what he thinks of America, he is Australian. I already got in an argument with you about “American Way”, but this is a kid who was born on another planet (even though it was retconned and even then, was born in the arctic) and spent almost half his life in an earth-3 volcano and in the future. He doesn’t have much of a connection to America.

Plus, that whole thing is 100% a marketing thing than a political one!

That would be my question exactly, why is he so interested in American politics since he is from Australia? He always feels the need to comment on the political climate there, that's when he isn't complaining about Scott Morrison that he isn't "green enough" or that he's linked to QAnon (yes he said that on his twitter, I'm not making this up). He grew up in Smallville in the Rebirth era, I'd say he's as American as you can be.

I don't know what thing you are referring to, be more specific, I've complained about a lot of stuff. :))

The story is screwed up from the get go, Bendis ruined this franchise and they just pretend it's nothing I'm baffled at some of ya'll who thinks this is a good storyline, even might be, but due to what bendis have done with the character background, it is impossible to like, even if Jerry siegel came back from the dead to write this shit!!!

There wasn't much to the character at the time Bendis showed up. An ok Super Sons book is about all. If they deaged Jon tomorrow, it doesn't mean anything would be better.

What I'm saying is this is what we have now and the writers are going to have to deal with. It's now beyond just blaming bendis.

I am more of a Barry fan as well, but this is good. Tom King is the only writer who would use Wally’s Family as a way to set up murder and death and this makes it better

It's Janus. They already showed it in previews

Janus has nothing to do with the backups?

My main issue here is we haven’t had a proper Olympus and gods in years in the Wonder Woman book so seeing it “again for the first time” isn’t that much of a wow moment

No. Janus is just an easy excuse to put Diana again on path of herself

@Abrakadabra: I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you are talking about. When I wrote "I can't wait to see who the big bad is" I was refering to the backup by Bellaire and Ganucheau. @WeirdScienceJim: That's valid. Personally I've seen enough of Olympus over the years that its destruction works for me here without having to see the gods prior to their demise.

My point wasn’t about seeing them prior, my point is that Olympus has been destroyed in the Wonder Woman book for almost 4 years now - this isn’t new

That Paralax bit was either a flashback or a dream… Ganthet is dead right now and Jon has no way of contacting anyone

I don't think it's a dream, more like a premonition of the future or something. Don't know exactly what it was but I guess that's precisely the problem with this run. It's all over the place. I have zero faith that this guy can do anything remotely interesting with the Lanterns and his views of Hal don't help either.

It's a straight up callback to 1993 and the continuation of the Mosaic storyline.

Didn't know that. Still, we're basically 6 issues in (I'm counting the Future State too) and this isn't doing anything for me at all.

Still, I'm glad to see I'm not in the minority, at least here. I don't get why DC would try so hard to kill a book that's going to have a tv series on HBO, but it is what it is.

Thorne is clueless as a GL writer.

It's been a long time, but Gorilla-Man was pointed out as a traitor way back when he was first introduced in the book. Aaron should have referenced it a bit more

The art was so dynamic! I think that it's Tynion trying to take advantage of the art because he is stalling until Fear State actually hits and not even telling much of a story, just setting up things in a haphazard way at this point.

Jimenez is the most dynamic artist that’s drawn for DC in I don’t know how long.

He has the warden, not the mayor where he wants. I think he means that now the warden will be scared of what DD can do and will make a mistake that will be his own undoing

crossover?

yes, this is technically a crossover since it will have some tie-ins and features multiple heroes.

I'm wondering what uou mean with that too. Multiple heroes don't make it a crossover and there aren't many or any tie-ins. Digital first book to set things up but right now, this is just a self-contained 6 issue mini series

I love Xermanico's art so much - he has been working for DC for almost 10 years now