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superdorkcat · 6 years

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DCEU Movies in Development: A Master Post

Last Edited: May 01, 2019

Since Shazam! is coming out soon, I thought I’d make a master post of all the various DCEU movies in development. However, since there’s a huge amount of movies in development, I might miss one or two. Be sure to let me know if I do.

Also, as a side-note, I broke Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman 1984 into three segments of story, crew, and cast, but since things are less clear in regards to The Batman, The Suicide Squad, and Aquaman 2, I wasn’t able to do the same for them.

Confirmed Release Dates:

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) - February 7, 2020

The Story: Since the events of Suicide Squad, Batman has disappeared, leaving Gotham City unprotected from crime, and Harley Quinn has left the Joker. When Cassandra Cain, a young girl, comes across a diamond belonging to crime lord Black Mask, Harley joins forces with Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya to help protect her.

The Crew: Cathy Yan (director), Margot Robbie, Sue Kroll, Bryan Unkeless (producers), Christina Hodson (screenwriter), Matthew Libatique (cinematographer)

The Cast: Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Black Canary), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Huntress), Rosie Perez (Renee Montoya), Ella Jay Basco (Cassandra Cain), Ewan McGregor (Black Mask), Chris Messina (Victor Zsasz)

Wonder Woman 1984 - June 5, 2020

The Story: Diana Prince comes into conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1980s, and finds a formidable foe in the form of the Cheetah.

The Crew: Patty Jenkins (director), Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Stephen Jones, Gal Gadot (producers), Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, David Callaham (screenwriters), Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns (writers), Hans Zimmer (composer), Matthew Jensen (cinematographer), and Richard Pearson (editor)

The Cast: Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Chris Pine (Steve Trevor), Kristen Wiig (Cheetah), Pedro Pascal (TBA), Connie Nielsen (Hippolyta), Robin Wright (Antiope)

The Batman - June 25, 2021

In October 2014, a Batman standalone film was announced by Warner Bros. By 2016, Ben Affleck was set to star in, produce, direct, and write the project. Geoff Johns and Chris Terrio were hired as co-writers. After various drafts of the script had been completed the film was moving towards beginning shooting by 2017, until Affleck stepped down as director that January. Affleck initially cited his intentions being to more specifically focus on starring as Batman, later acknowledging that after various attempts to get the script where he wanted it, it simply became "time to let someone else have a shot at it". In July 2017, Matt Reeves confirmed that the script was being rewritten: the final draft was completed by January 2019. Reeves reworked the story to focus on Batman earlier on in his career as a vigilante; he said the film will be character-driven and stylistically noir, and will explore the detective aspect of the character to a greater extent than previous films. In January 2019, Affleck confirmed he will not reprise his role as Batman, but remains involved as a producer. Principal photography is expected to begin in November 2019.

The Suicide Squad - August 6, 2021

In March 2016, a Suicide Squad sequel was announced to be in development, with David Ayer returning to direct. Adam Cozad was hired to write the script by March 2017. By July 2017, a new story treatment was written by Zak Penn. In September, Gavin O'Connor was hired as director after Ayer dropped out, as well as co-screenwriter with Anthony Tambakis, David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick. The final draft of the script was completed in October 2018, though production was delayed due to conflicts with Will Smith's production schedule, followed by O'Connor leaving the project. Production was placed on hold as Warner Bros. believed the script was too similar to Birds of Prey. Charles Roven, Michael De Luca, Peter Safran, Geoff Johns, Richard Suckle, Dan Lin and Andy Horwitz will produce the film. In January 2019, the film was retitled The Suicide Squad, with James Gunn directing, from a new script he wrote. Gunn chose the project over various other films Warner Bros. has in development, including the Man of Steel sequel. In March, Idris Elba joined the cast. He was initially going to replace Smith, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, as Deadshot, but it was later decided that Elba would play a new character so Smith could return in the future. Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, and Viola Davis will reprise their roles as Harley Quinn, Rick Flag, Captain Boomerang, and Amanda Waller, respectively. David Dastmalchian and Daniela Melchior were cast to portray Polka-Dot Man and Ratcatcher, respectively. John Cena is in talks to portray an as-of-yet unnamed role. Other members of the titular team include King Shark and Peacemaker. Production will begin in September 2019

Aquaman 2 - December 16, 2022

By December 2018, a sequel to Aquaman was in development. In October 2018, James Wan stated the first film intentionally left room for a follow up. Jason Momoa later revealed that he had an idea for the sequel, and had written the first act. The actor pitched the story to Warner Bros. through Toby Emmerich and producer Peter Safran, who were receptive. By December, high pre-release ticket sales and positive reception for the film had convinced Warner Bros. to begin developing a sequel. In January 2019, Warner Bros. confirmed development, with intentions for Wan to return as director. The following month, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, co-writer of the first film, signed on as screenwriter. In March, Safran announced the film will explore the other Seven Kingdoms of Atlantis.

Unknown Release Dates:

The Flash

By July 2013, Greg Berlanti was developing a film that centered around the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash. In October 2014, The Flash was announced with a scheduled 2018 release date. The initial script was drafted by Berlanti, Chris Brancato, Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim. In April 2015, a story treatment was written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller based on the previous draft, with the intention being that the duo would also direct the film. Over the next two years, Seth Grahame-Smith and Rick Famuyiwa, had individually dropped out as directors of the project due to creative differences with the studio. In January 2017, Joby Harold was hired to do a page-one rewrite of the script, which previously had drafts written by Grahame-Smith and Famuyiwa. In July 2017, the title for the film was changed to Flashpoint, based on the comic book story arc of the same name. In March 2018, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein were hired to co-direct. Zack Snyder, Alex Gartner, Geoff Johns, Dan Mazer, Richard Suckle, Deborah Snyder, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Jon Berg, Denise Di Novi, and Michael Disco will serve as producers on the project. Dan Mazeau was brought on as co-writer, followed by Grahame-Smith and Brancato as additional screenwriters. The directors had initially announced the release of The Flash to be sometime during 2020, though production was delayed from April 2019 to later in the year for additional script work. By February 2019, Daley and Goldstein had contributed to the script with the film's star revealing that the plot will involve the Speed Force multiverse. Principal photography is scheduled take place in Atlanta, Georgia, and follow in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, England. In March, Ezra Miller was hired to co-write a new draft in a collaboration with Grant Morrison. The tone of the film is expected to be similar to Back to the Future. The Flash is on track to release in 2021.

Lobo

In September 2009, Warner Bros. announced that Guy Ritchie would direct a live-action adaptation. Variety described the premise: "Lobo is a seven-foot tall, blue-skinned, indestructible and heavily muscled antihero who drives a pimped out motorcycle, and lands on Earth in search of four fugitives who are bent on wreaking havoc. Lobo teams with a small town teenage girl to stop the creatures." Ritchie was scheduled to begin production of Lobo in early 2010 and bring an "irreverent, gruff tone" to the film as he did with previous films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, though the studio was reportedly aiming for a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. In early 2010, it was reported that Ritchie had left the project in order to pursue working on a sequel to his hit film Sherlock Holmes instead. The future of the movie was then put on hold. In 2012, Deadline reported that Brad Peyton would write and direct the film. In July 2012, Dwayne Johnson announced via Twitter that he was in talks with Joel Silver and Brad Peyton to portray Lobo, however on in February of the following year, Johnson left the project to play another villain from the DC Comics, Black Adam, in Shazam!. In March 2016, it was reported that Jason Fuchs will be writing the film's script. As of February 2018, DC Films is eying Michael Bay to direct the film inspired by the success of Tim Miller's Deadpool film. Fuchs is currently rewriting the script at Bay’s request so that the script can be lowered to under to under $200 million.

Justice League Dark

Rumors in November 2012 suggested that Guillermo del Toro was working on a Justice League Dark film titled Heaven Sent. It would feature Deadman, the Spectre, Swamp Thing, John Constantine, Phantom Stranger, Zatanna, Zatara, Sargon the Sorcerer, and Etrigan the Demon. Del Toro later confirmed in January 2013 that he was working on such a film, with the working title, Dark Universe, and was hiring a screenwriter. Del Toro revealed Swamp Thing, Constantine, The Spectre, Deadman, Zatanna and Zatara were characters in the story.

In March 2013, del Toro gave an update on the film at WonderCon 2013, while talking about his film Pacific Rim. He revealed that the story bible was complete and he hoped to start the screenplay soon. Production would begin after his next project, Crimson Peak. The film's story would center around John Constantine recruiting Swamp Thing, Etrigan the Demon, Deadman, Spectre, and Zatanna. The film would not be an origin story, with each character already established and elements of their backstory coming into play throughout the film. Del Toro also revealed that Floronic Man would be in the film. In May 2013, del Toro revealed that his script featured Constantine, Swamp Thing, Madame Xanadu, Deadman and Zatanna as the team, with others "in the mix". He also revealed that he was still waiting for the go-ahead from Warner Bros. Pictures. Del Toro revealed in July 2013 that he hoped that the DC Extended Universe, which started with Man of Steel, would become as cohesive as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he added that if there was any correlation to that universe and this film, he would honor it.

In October 2013, del Toro stated he felt his film would be able to coexist with the television series, Constantine and reiterated that the film was still active and in the writing process. In July 2014, del Toro once again stated he was working on the film, and stated it would be independent from the universe established with Man of Steel, saying, "DC and Warners have been very clear that they are trying to keep [this film and Sandman] separate so when the time comes they can unite them, once they know they’re quantifiable." Del Toro also added that his Constantine would not adhere to the continuity established in the television series, but he would consider incorporating elements from it, and even think about casting the same actor (Matt Ryan). In November 2014, del Toro confirmed that the script was complete and handed it in to Warner Bros. to be reviewed. In December 2014, he hinted that the film would be part of the DC Extended Universe.

In April 2015, del Toro said the script revision has been handed in and if there was availability in his schedule, he would direct it; if not, "somebody else will do it... [The film] needs to fall into the plan of the shared universe." In June 2015, the film was confirmed to still be in development at Warner Bros., with some of their other Vertigo Comics film adaptations moving to New Line Cinema. The Hollywood Reporter stated that del Toro was no longer attached to the project. In July 2016, Swamp Thing test footage was released directed by Joseph Kahn. In August 2016, it was announced that Doug Liman would direct the film with del Toro and Scott Rudin producing and Michael Gilio writing, with the film being titled Dark Universe. By May 2017, Liman left the film to focus on directing Chaos Walking. At the San Diego Comic-Con in July 2017, the film's title was announced to be Justice League Dark. By August 2017, Gerard Johnstone was hired to polish the script.

Black Adam

In September 2014, after being considered to play Shazam and Lobo, Dwayne Johnson was cast to play Black Adam in the DCEU. The character was intended to be introduced in Shazam!, but by January 2017 the film's production studios had chosen to divide the narrative to focus on Black Adam's origin. Johnson, who is also attached as producer, has stated the two characters will cross paths in a future film, while other DC characters will make appearances in Black Adam. In October, Adam Sztykiel was hired to write the script. Co-producer Hiram Garcia stated the film will be gritty and violent, similar to the comics. By February 2019, the script was nearly finished with Warner Bros. and Seven Bucks Productions searching for a director. The plot will involve the Carter Hall version of Hawkman, Atom Smasher, and Stargirl. Principal photography is scheduled to begin sometime between late 2019 and early 2020.

Justice League sequel

In October 2014, Justice League Part Two was announced, with Zack Snyder returning as director. In June 2016, Deborah Snyder revealed that Justice League would not be one film split in two, leaving the sequel untitled. The film was scheduled to be released on June 14, 2019, but production was pushed back to accommodate The Batman. In October 2017, J. K. Simmons stated that work on the script was in-progress, while in December, Variety reported that there were "no immediate plans" for Snyder to direct. By 2019, Warner Bros. had prioritized standalone films over the project, although Patty Jenkins noted she would be open to directing the next Justice League film. Though Ben Affleck will not play Batman in Matt Reeves' film, he is still signed on to reprise the role for the Justice League sequel.

Green Lantern Corps

A film based on the Green Lantern Corps was announced to be in development in October 2014. In January 2017, David S. Goyer and Justin Rhodes were hired to co-write the screenplay, based on a story by Goyer and Geoff Johns, with Goyer also serving as producer. Warner Bros. described the film as "Lethal Weapon in space". In January 2018, Goyer reaffirmed that despite the franchise's leadership shakeup the film was still in active development. By June 2018, Geoff Johns was hired to do a rewrite on the script, in addition to his role as producer. Johns stated that the script draws inspiration from his work on the New 52 Green Lantern comics. Green Lantern Corps was scheduled for release on July 24, 2020, but is believed to have been delayed.

Man of Steel sequel

In August 2016, The Wrap reported that Warner Bros. put the film in active development as a top priority. The news of a stand-alone Superman film were later confirmed by Dany Garcia, Henry Cavill's manager. While promoting Arrival, Amy Adams confirmed that work had begun on the screenplay. In March 2017, it was announced that Matthew Vaughn was being eyed by Warner Bros. to direct. In April 2018, it was reported that Christopher McQuarrie is considering directing the film but later dropped it. In June 2018, Cavill revealed that he is preparing to reprise the role.

Booster Gold

In September 2015, a film centered around Booster Gold and the Ted Kord Blue Beetle was announced to be in development with producer Greg Berlanti. The film's tone was described as a buddy cop film with connections to Justice League. By May 2016, Zak Penn had begun work on a script. Berlanti stated that the project had "no connective tissue" to other films at one point, but following a consideration for television series adaptation at Syfy, the project entered a script rewrite from Zack Stentz in May 2016. Berlanti was asked about his involvement with the DCEU as a whole, and indicated that he has interest in the Booster Gold film. After years of being involved in the project's development, Berlanti was reported to be in negotiations with the studio to serve as director. By March 2018, the script, co-written by Berlanti, had been completed. Berlanti stated production would begin once Warner Bros. decides where to place it within the slate of films.

Gotham City Sirens

A film based on the Gotham City Sirens, a team consisting of Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy, was announced to be in development in December 2016. David Ayer signed on as director/co-producer from a script by Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Margot Robbie will reprise her role from Suicide Squad and take the role of an executive producer, while Geoff Johns and Jon Berg will produce. Production was originally scheduled to begin in mid-2017, but following the restructuring of DC Films leadership the film's development was placed on hold in favor of Birds of Prey. In August 2017, Jared Leto was confirmed to reprise his role as the Joker. Despite a busy production schedule on other projects, Ayer has continued to work on the film, meeting with Gotham City Sirens creator Paul Dini in August 2018.

Deadshot

In December 2016, The Hollywood Reporter noted that a film centered around Deadshot was in development. By September 2018, Will Smith confirmed he would reprise his role from Suicide Squad and that the story is in development.

Nightwing

On February 23, 2017, it was reported that Warner Bros. Pictures was developing a Nightwing live action movie centered on the character, set in the DC Extended Universe, with Bill Dubuque writing the script and The LEGO Batman Movie director Chris McKay signed on to direct the movie.

Discussing why he likes the character and signed on for the project, McKay cited the character's showman personality and background as an entertainer and expressed his excitement for depicting that in the film. He later stated that he wants to introduce a complete adaptation of the character, something that hasn't been done in previous film interpretations of him before. McKay continued to state that the director-driven approach is why he loves Warner Bros., and how the franchise is differentiating itself from other popular shared universes. In an interview with Cinemablend, McKay confirmed that the film would acknowledge the titular character's past from the source material, including his time as a part of Haly's Circus, and also reaffirmed that the film will be a straightforward action movie with minimal use of CGI special effects and grounded realism.

In February 2018, McKay stated the script was nearing its final draft.

Batgirl

In March 2017, it was announced that Joss Whedon was in talks to write, direct and produce a Batgirl film as part of the DC Extended Universe. The film will feature the Barbara Gordon incarnation of the character, with The New 52 comics by Gail Simone serving as "a starting point" for the film. In April 2017, Whedon stated that he was fascinated by a character that chooses to be a vigilante, even though she hadn't suffered any tragedies in her life like Batman, and that the damaged aspect of the character will be explored in the film. In July, Geoff Johns stated production on the film would begin in 2018. At San Diego Comic Con 2017, the title was announced to be Batgirl.

Whedon was to begin production on the film in 2018, but stepped down in February 2018. In April 2018, after impressing the studio with her work on Birds of Prey, Christina Hodson was hired as screenwriter for Batgirl as well. The studio is actively looking for a female director.

Deathstroke

In October 2017, TheWrap reported a film centered around Deathstroke was in development, with Gareth Evans attached as screenwriter and director and Joe Manganiello set to reprise his role from Justice League. Ben Affleck released test footage with Manganiello in costume in August 2016. Warner Bros. greenlit the film after Evans impressed executives with his story pitch, which he described as dark and unforgiving, similar to Korean noir films. However, in October 2018, Evans stated that he is yet to be attached to the project contractually.

New Gods

By March 2018, a film about the New Gods was confirmed to be in development, with Ava DuVernay signed on as director. Kario Salem was hired as screenwriter after working on a story treatment with DuVernay.

Supergirl

In August 2018, a film centered on Supergirl, was announced to be in development with Oren Uziel penning the script. Warner Bros. is seeking a female director, with Reed Morano—who has expressed interest in the project—being its top choice.

Blue Beetle

By November 2018, a film centered around the Jaime Reyes incarnation of Blue Beetle was in development. Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer and Zev Foreman are respectively attached as screenwriter and executive producer.

Plastic Man

By December 2018, a Plastic Man film was in development with Amanda Idoko hired to write the script. The plot is described as a comedy-action adventure.

Wonder Woman 1984 sequel

In January 2019, after principal photography on Wonder Woman 1984 was completed, director and co-writer Patty Jenkins stated the plot for a third Wonder Woman film had been mapped out. She revealed that the story arc for Wonder Woman had been planned over three films, with the third taking place in the present.

The Trench

In February 2019, Warner Bros. announced a horror spin-off from Aquaman focusing on the villainous Trench kingdom. Peter Safran and James Wan are set to produce, with Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald acting as screenwriters. The film is expected to have a lower production budget compared to other DC-based films. The following month, Safran said he expects the film to be released before Aquaman 2.

Blackhawk

In April 2018, it was announced that Steven Spielberg will produce/direct a film adaptation of Blackhawk for Warner Bros., with the screenplay being written by David Koepp. Spielberg will co-produce the film with Kristie Macosko Krieger and Sue Kroll.

Shazam! sequel

Following the success of Shazam!, in April 2019 a sequel was announced. Henry Gayden is returning as screenwriter, while David F. Sanberg and Peter Safran are expected to reprise their duties as director and producer, respectively. Mark Strong will reprise his role as Dr. Sivana. Michelle Borth confirmed she will reprise her role as Lady Shazam, as part of a five-picture Warner Bros. contract.

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eddycurrents · 5 years

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For the week of 15 April 2019

Quick Bits:

Amazing Spider-Man #19.HU is worth it for the amazing artwork from Chris Bachalo, Wayne Faucher, Livesay, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba, Tim Townsend, Al Vey, and Erick Arciniega alone. Bachalo’s Lizard is one of my favourite takes on the character and the art in this issue is fantastic.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #47 concludes “Unspoken Water” from Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles. There are some interesting beats regarding sacrifice as “Andy” and the old gods confront Namma. There are still questions remaining, but it looks like we’re going to get answers next issue.

| Published by DC Comics

Assassin Nation #2 is as exciting and action packed as the first issue, with more balls out action and violence from Kyle Starks, Erica Henderson, and Deron Bennett, even as it takes a bit of a breather as the assassins share tales of their first kills. Henderson’s art here is spectacular.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Avengers: No Road Home #10 gets very meta for the conclusion from Mark Waid, Jim Zub, Al Ewing, Sean Izaakse, Marcio Menyz, Erick Arciniega, and Joe Sabino as the Vision confronts Nyx in “The House of Ideas”. Seems like this was a stealth 80th anniversary of Marvel celebration after all, even with a nod to Vision’s roots as being constructed out of the original Human Torch. Phenomenal artwork from Izaakse, Menyz, and Arciniega. This issue is packed with characters, unique designs, and layouts, and it’s just gorgeous. Also, some interesting set ups for things to come and possibly a last drink with Rocket Raccoon. This comic is just pure joy.

| Published by Marvel

Batman #69 brings “Knightmares” to an end as Bats figures out what’s been going on in this tale from Tom King, Yanick Paquette, Nathan Fairbairn, and Clayton Cowles. It’s interesting, but you’ve kind of got to wonder about a Batman that potentially can’t love. Also, Thomas Wayne has a fight with a naked Bane. So, that’s a thing that happened.

| Published by DC Comics

Black Badge #9 starts out with a daring rescue attempt out of East Germany from an old Black Badge team, then picks up in the present with the current scouts being held at some kind of day camp by way of The Prisoner. Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Hilary Jenkins, and Jim Campbell are doing some very interesting things here.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Bloodborne #11 is an almost completely silent issue, as Eileen the Crow experiences...something. It’s trippy with astounding artwork from Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson.

| Published by Titan

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #4 continues to develop Xander’s fears and issues as the Scooby gang takes a night off from patrolling. Jordie Bellaire, Dan Mora, Raúl Angulo, and Ed Dukeshire are continuing to produce one hell of a compelling story.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Calamity Kate #2 brings the rivalry between Kate and Javelin to the fore, as the latter monster hunter looks to be stealing Kate’s limelight and monster kills. Interesting character development from Magdalene Visaggio and the art from Corin Howell and Valentina Pinto is wonderful, great action and monster designs.

| Published by Dark Horse

Daredevil #4 pits Matt against Frank in a war of philosophy as the Punisher debates the mathematics of murder. Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles continue to deliver on what is shaping up to be one of the best Daredevil stories ever.

| Published by Marvel

Electric Warriors #6 is the end to what has been an excellent series bridging the time between the current age of heroes with the Legion of Super-Heroes from Steve Orlando, Travel Foreman, Hi-Fi, and Travis Lanham. Interesting bits regarding camaraderie and sacrifice.

| Published by DC Comics

Gideon Falls #12 begins a new arc in “The Laughing Man” as we find out that the alternate realities are much broader than we thought. There isn’t just two and “Norton” appears to be cutting a swath across them. Gorgeous artwork from Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart, especially as it goes across the old American West and a steampunk Gideon Falls.

| Published by Image

Guardians of the Galaxy #4 hints at something pretty big going on with Rocket Raccoon, but the major part of this issue is getting Gamora back into the fold as they’re confronted by the Dark Guardians. Geoff Shaw and David Curiel deliver some incredible action sequences.

| Published by Marvel

Incursion #3 gives us the origin of Scyntilla and Imperatrix Virago as things are looking particularly bleak for Gilad and the Geomancer. Great character work from Alex Paknadel here, especially as the set up for the finale is looking pretty grim.

| Published by Valiant

Justice League #22 rewrites the history of the multiverse, as James Tynion IV, Francis Manapul, and Tom Napolitano reveal the origins of Perpetua and her children, the creation of the multiverse, and the conflict that created the Source Wall. Very interesting stuff with gorgeous artwork from Manapul.

| Published by DC Comics

Little Bird #2 delivers on the promise of the first issue, as Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth, and Aditya Bidikar tell one hell of a captivating story of loss, rebirth, and resistance against crushing oppression. The artwork from Bertram and Hollingsworth is incredible.

| Published by Image

Magnificent Ms. Marvel #2 investigates Kamala’s parents melting into the ground. Saladin Ahmed, Minkyu Jung, Juan Vlasco, Ian Herring, and Joe Caramagna are continuing to do a wonderful job here, making their own take different from what came before, but not drastically so, capturing the heart and interpersonal relationships that were a hallmark of the previous series.

| Published by Marvel

Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #1 begins with an interesting twist on the known tale of the genesis of Frankenstein as a secret memoir is discovered in Mary Shelley’s home detailing what “actually” happened. It’s a good start from Adam Glass, Olivia Cuartero-Briggs, Hayden Sherman, and Sal Cipriano. The art from Sherman also transcends his own usual great work with some very interesting approaches, particularly the grey washes of the opening scene.

| Published by AfterShock

Middlewest #6 gives us a look inside Abel’s memories, seeing a bit of his parents and the brief period of time that he was able to calm his father’s rages. Gorgeous artwork from Jorge Corona and Jean-Francois Beaulieu continue to make this unmissable.

| Published by Image

Naomi #4 is another amazing issue from Brian Michael Bendis, David F. Walker, Jamal Campbell, and Wes Abbott. The artwork from Campbell is incredible, densely packed with information and beauty on every page.

| Published by DC Comics / Wonder Comics

Outpost Zero #9 sees Sam and Alea uncover a secret during their exploration of an anomaly under the dome. The story from Sean McKeever, Alexandre Tefenkgi, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and Ariana Maher is still being carefully and deliberately parcelled out in a very compelling manner.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #4 takes off in a different direction as “our” Peter Cannon is knocked into a reality that looks like Eddie Campbell’s Alec. Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Mary Safro, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou are doing something very interesting with this series as they continue to play with form and structure.

| Published by Dynamite

Rumble #11 returns from the trade break with “First Knight” that looks like a single issue story that will be seeding what’s coming through this next arc. Phenomenal artwork as always from David Rubín and Dave Stewart.

| Published by Image

Spider-Man: Life Story #2 moves on to the 70s and it becomes apparent that this series isn’t just looking at Peter’s history through the lens of natural progression from the 60s, but crafting a tale that reinterprets events and how they played out in new and interesting ways. It’s really quite good. Chip Zdarsky, Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, Frank D’Armata, and Travis Lanham are all at the top of their game. Especially delivering a Clone Saga that cuts a lot deeper than original.

| Published by Marvel

Stronghold #3 again turns everything on its ear as we’re left wondering further whether or not there actually is any “good guy” in this series. Phil Hester, Ryan Kelly, Dee Cunniffe, and Simon Bowland are telling one hell of a great story here, with some interesting twists and a few “holy crap” moments, with some incredible artwork. Damn good stuff.

| Published by AfterShock

Transformers #3 has this series growing on me. I’m still not seeing anything radically different from previous incarnations to warrant “Bold New Era”, but this is entertaining as the mystery deepens and we get a hint of how Cybertron has been operating. Also, a nice bit of humour. Great art from Angel Hernandez, Cachét Whitman, and Joana Lafuente.

| Published by IDW

West Coast Avengers #10 concludes what has been one of the most fun series from Marvel in years with a story from Kelly Thompson, Moy R., Tríona Farrell, and Joe Caramagna. Upbeat and full of action and humour, this series has been a breath of fresh air in a world populated by so much darkness. It’s a shame to see it end, but it has been wonderful to have it while it’s been here.

| Published by Marvel

Witchblade #13 begins a new arc as Alex, Majil, and Johnny are tossed into a rather nasty future where demons have burst through and everything has pretty much gone to hell. Caitlin Kittredge, Roberta Ingranata, Bryan Valenza, Beyond Colorlab, and Troy Peteri continue to tell a compelling, entertaining story here with this excellent jumping on point.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Xena: Warrior Princess #1 kicks off this new volume from Vita Ayala, Olympia Sweetman, Rebecca Nalty, and Ariana Maher nicely with the set-up of a village forced to give up their kids to their patron Discord. Gabrielle telling other myths to the kids is a great bit of storytelling.

| Published by Dynamite

X-O Manowar #26 concludes the series, with a bit of housekeeping for a couple of hanging threads, but otherwise a great bit of character reflection from Matt Kindt, Tomás Giorello, Isaac Goodheart, Diego Rodriguez, Andrew Dalhouse, and Dave Sharpe. This has been a great series, building greatly on Aric’s character and delivering some amazing stories.

| Published by Valiant

Other Highlights: American Carnage #6, Animosity #20, Auntie Agatha’s Home for Wayward Rabbits #6, Blossoms 666 #3, BPRD: The Devil You Know #15, East of West #42, Evolution #16, Farmhand #7, Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary Special: Answer the Call #1, GI Joe: A Real American Hero #261, High Level #3, Infinity 8 #11, James Bond 007 #6, Kick-Ass #13, Lucifer #7, Lumberjanes #61, Meet the Skrulls #3, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5, Morning in America #2, Old Man Quill #4, Oliver #3, Pearl #8, Port of Earth #9, Relay #5, Shuri #7, Star Trek: The Q Conflict #3, Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Special #1, Star Wars: Tie Fighter #1, Star Wars Adventures #20, Teen Titans #29, Thor #12, Tony Stark: Iron Man #10, War of the Realms #2, War of the Realms: Punisher #1, War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1

Recommended Collections: Gideon Falls - Volume 2: Original Sins, Go Go Power Rangers - Volume 3, Invader Zim - Volume 7, Mage - Volume 6: The Hero Denied Book Three - Part Two, The Magic Order - Volume 1, Moth & Whisper - Volume 1, SHIELD: Human Machine, Spawn: Dark Horror, Star Wars Adventures: Tales from Vader’s Castle

d. emerson eddy does not have hoppy little legs or a twitchy little nose.

#This Week in Comics

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phanfeed-ao3 · 6 years

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Maybe It’s All a Dream

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2v9Cw4v

by philsdrill

It takes some love from Phil to get Dan up after his late night web browsing put him in a state of reality questioning existential crisis. Fluff.

Words: 1430, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Dan Howell, Phil Lester

Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester, Dan Howell & Phil Lester

Additional Tags: Phil Lester - Freeform, Dan Howell - Freeform, Phan - Freeform, phanfluff, Phan Fluff, Fluff, Existential Crisis, Phandom - Freeform, Multiverse, Alternate Reality, Dreams, Sleep, Oneshot

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2v9Cw4v

#phanfic #phanfiction #phan #danisnotonfire/amazingphil #dan howell/phil lester

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kierantc-blog · 7 years

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DC Rebirth In Review - The Superman Family

So with Doomsday Clock just around the corner, we got news from NYCC that the branding of Rebirth will be coming to an end this December and that they are bringing back the corner box with hero symbols underneath them. And with the ushering in of a new stage in DC Comics, i thought i would take time to look back at how DC actually done with the initiative with small reviews for each comic.

First of all, i’m going to talk about the Superman family of titles.

Superman - Superman is DC Rebirth’s great success story and the best series of the entire roster. Tomasi and Gleason team up again after their success on Batman & Robin and bring back the Man Of Steel to the prominence he deserves. Tomasi had previously brought the story of the New 52 Superman to an end in Final Days Of Superman and now he and Gleason bring back the pre-Flashpoint Superman to the fore, along with the much missed marriage to Lois Lane and their young son Jon. Stories range from the lovable family dynamic the Kent family has with visits to the county fair and a road trip to American historical landmarks, to a fantastical story featuring all the Supermen of the Multiverse as well as the hard hitting ones that include villains trying to murder Jon and another that wants to manipulate him into killing Clark. The artwork of the series is handled by co-writer Patrick Gleason as well as Jorge Jimenez and Doug Mahnke and while they all have differing styles, their ability to work on story arcs in the same manner as Finch and Janin on Batman means that the artwork is solid throughout each story and wonderful to boot. If you love the old Superman you will love this book, if you love the New 52 Superman you also won’t be disappointed but i won’t spoil the reason why, all i can say is: SUPERMAN REBORN BABY. This is by far the best book at DC right now and the future for the Man Of Steel has never looked brighter. - 10/10

Action Comics - The Superman book lacked somewhat in the New 52 but Action Comics was fairly strong throughout. The Rebirth book keeps up that run, with strong art work and interesting story telling from Superman veteran Dan Jurgens. Whether it’s the intrigue of Mr Oz, “Clark Kent” or Lex Luthor as a hero, the Action Comics series has found a way of putting the action into the Superman family and including Lois and Jon too. - 9/10

Supergirl - Taking some cues from the popular CW TV show, the comic takes place in National City and places a newly re-powered Kara Zor-El in the care of the D.E.O as part of an arrangement she made with them to get her powers back. She also finds herself living with two active agents Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers as well as going to school in National City, when a chance at working as an intern at Cat Grant’s media empire comes up. Pretty similar to the show i’d say but Steve Orlando does make changes based on Kara’s comic book situation. Most telling is that Kara isn’t as happy as she is on TV, she is in fact struggling massively to adapt to Earth. The story with her father the Cyborg Superman tackles it head on and it shows a level of emotion for Kara that we haven’t seen in some time. The artwork from Brian Ching for the majority of the series isn’t as good as you would find in other monthly books but with new artist Robson Rocha providing more palatable artwork, the series is on the up. If you love the TV show you will highly enjoy this comic, i know i do. - 8/10

Super Sons - Originally suppose to launch at the start of Rebirth, the highly anticipated Super Sons was delayed until the second wave earlier this year....and the wait was very worth it. On writing duties is Peter Tomasi, who holds the unique position in DC of being only one of two people who have previously written for both Damian Wayne (New 52 Batman & Robin) and Jon Kent (Superman Rebirth) and that experience shines through in this excellent series. The comic itself sees Robin drag a reluctant Superboy onto a case to try and get him ready for the life of a superhero. The boys are like chalk and cheese, a bit like their fathers in that way and the parallels are clear, but eventually they learn to work with each other in a way that doesn’t seem to compromise them as characters. As they are both kids still, Tomasi does allow for them to be childish and naive but not in a way that makes the book silly. Coupled with Jorge Jimenez’s fun style of artwork, Super Sons is one to watch and will hopefully be with us long enough to see these boys evolve. - 9/10

Superwoman - Originally written and drawn by Phil Jimenez, Superwoman follows Lana Lang as she learns to harness the powers she received from the dead New 52 Superman as the heroine Superwoman. One of the better parts of the New 52 Action Comics series was the evolution of Lana Lang as more than just Clark’s childhood sweetheart and into a bad ass in her own right. as well as her romance with John Henry Irons AKA Steel. This book expands on that with both Lana and John living together and trying to work out her role as a superhero together while also investigating the death of the New 52 Lois Lane at the hands of a Bizarro-like Superwoman clone. The story is well plotted and drawn but without the star power of a bigger hero as well as the purposeful down playing of Lana’s abilities you will often feel like Jimenez doesn’t really allow her to go full on hero. It’s a good read but for a hero with the name Superwoman i just wanted more. - 7/10

New Super-Man - This book is probably the most underrated of the entire DC line up right now, it’s simply fantastic. The writing by former Superman writer Gene Yang is simply wonderful. It’s funny, action packed and full of drama but the best part of the writing is how he connects ancient Chinese teachings of I-Ching to the New Super-Man’s power set. If he channels his energies through his body correctly he will unlock a classic Superman power, such as his fists activating super strength. The cast is wonderful too and subverts the traditional Justice League in many ways, Super-Man himself is arrogant and a bit of a bully (although he changes over the course of the book) and Bat-Man of China is a rather meek man. The artwork by Viktor Bogdanovic and Billy Tan give the series a wonderful aesthetic and brings the series to life. If you’re not reading this comic you are missing out. - 10/10

Conclusions

The entire Superman line in New 52 struggled. The main Superman book went through too many creative teams but one of the biggest complaints people had was how Superman was too “edgy” and moody. Coupled with a lacklustre relationship with Wonder Woman, it was feared that Superman would struggle to return to prominence.

But then Convergence happened, and thank fuck it did because they gave us a door into the past and brought back the old Clark and Lois. The Superman family of titles has had the most success in Rebirth because the writing and art teams have been really good but also because they’ve brought back what works for these characters while looking forward too.

Clark and Lois aren’t the only benefactors however, new characters like Kenan the New Super-Man and new ideas like the Lex Luthor Superman have changed the scope of the Superman world forever, and for the better too.

Thanks for reading!

Next up: the Bat Family!

#Superman #Action Comics #Supergirl #Super Sons #Damian Wayne #Jon Kent #Superboy #Robin #Superwoman #Steel #New Super-Man #Lex Luthor #DC Comics #DC Rebirth #Comics Books

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obsessive-fics · 7 years

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Title: Kiss Me on the Mouth (And Set Me Free)

Rating: T

Word Count: 1756

Summary: Dan finally manages to get an invitation to The Underground, an extremely exclusive club. While there, he is mesmerized by Luna, a captivating drag queen that looks a lot like the gorgeous stranger he met earlier that night

[Read on Ao3]

The Underground was the most exclusive club in the city. It was located under the busiest part of the city, only accessible by a series of hidden tunnels. Dan had only heard about it in hushed whispers, only dreamed of ever seeing it in person. Until now. You could only get into The Underground by invitation- each one came with a set of directions.

Dan had received his invitation that morning, slipped under his door. When he stepped outside to see who could have left it, there was no one. He looked down at his invitation excitedly. Finally! He was the last of his friends to be invited, and the thought for sure he never would be. He’d been listening to his friends rave about the club for months, about free love and the incredible club kids and drag queens that performed there every weekend. They’d been especially enthusiastic about a queen named Luna, who was apparently the most memorizing performer there. He’d sat, stewing in envy, wondering why no one had invited him yet. But all that had changed in a day.

After about twenty minutes of following the tunnels, Dan came to an ornate doorway. Two tall, burly men stood on either side of it, arms folded. This place was seriously guarded. He held out his invitation timidly, worried they’d take one look at him and turn him away. Instead, they nodded, handing him back his invitation and opening the doors.

The Underground was even more amazing than his friends had described it. There were flashing rainbow lights being streamed across a crowded dance floor, and a live DJ playing music. There was a bar at the far end of the room, and bean bag chairs where people were sitting, drinking, and watching the dance floor. Dan found familiar faces in his friend Jane and her girlfriend Theo and made his way over.

“You’re here!” Jane squealed, jumping up and hugging him.

“I am,” he laughed hugging back.

“Took you long enough,” Theo joked, patting the seat next to her. Dan sat down, and Jane plopped herself in Theo’s lap. Theo rolled her eyes fondly, but didn’t move her.

The trio watched people dance the way you only could in a place like this, where inhibitions seemed to cease to exist. Dan was watching a couple, wondering if they were actually allowed to be that close, when someone walked over.

“Took me a while, but I got drinks!” the stranger announced, holding up three glasses triumphantly. He was tall, at least as tall as Dan was, and had the kind of pretty blue eyes cheesy country songs got written about.

“You’re literally our savior. Thanks Phil,” Jane said, taking a glass. So that was his name.

“No problem. Who’s your friend?” he wondered, taking notice of Dan the first time. Was it normal for strangers to maintain eye contact this long? Dan had no idea, but he wished he minded it more than he did.

“Oh! This is Dan, it’s his first night here,” Theo told him.

“Welcome, then. You chose the perfect night for your first time,” Phil said, far too nonchalantly for a sentence containing that amount of innuendo.

“He’s just saying that because Luna’s performing,” Jane explained, noting the confused look on Dan’s face.

“You’re a fan of Luna too then?” he asked, turning to Pihl.

“You could say that,” he replied, then nodded towards the bar, “Wanna come get a drink?”

“Anything to get me out of third wheeling these two,” Dan agreed standing up.

“Hey!” Theo protested, but she was already turning Jane around in her lap. Dan rolled his eyes fondly and got up to follow Phil to the bar. Theo and Jane deserved time to themselves, and this was one of the few places they got to be completely themselves.

“How long have you known Jane and Theo?” Dan asked once they’d sat down and ordered their drinks.

“A few years now. Theo and I went to school together- I helped her start a petition for gender inclusive housing on campus,” Phil explained.

“I remember that! That was right when her and Jane just met, too. She was literally all Jane talked about for months,” Dan replied, laughing at the memory of how enamored his friend had been. Conversation between the two of them flowed easily after that, moving from mutual interests, to multiverse theory, to aliens.

“So you don’t believe in ghosts but you believe in aliens?” Phil asked incredulously.

“If ghosts were real, we would have proof by now. Besides, the universe is huge, there’s no way there’s nothing else out there,” Dan argued.

“I agree with you, I just can’t believe that’s the only thing you believe in.”

“I believe in lots of things. With proof.” Phil laughed and shook his head.

“No faith,” he said, looking down at his phone and jumping up, “I’ve gotta go.”

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you,” Dan apologized quickly.

“No need to apologize. This has been the highlight of my night. We’ll talk later?” Phil offered, already backing away. Dan just nodded, more confused than ever. He watched Phil for a minute longer than he probably should have before going to find his friends.

“Hey! You two looked pretty chummy over there,” Jane teased when she saw him.

“You think? I mean, we talked. A lot. About everything. But then he just ran off. I don’t know…” he trailed off unsurely.

“The show’s about to start!” Theo exclaimed.

“What does that have to do wi-?” Dan started to ask, but Jane and Theo were already scrambling up excitedly. He sighed and followed them to the stage. Apparently he just wasn’t meant to get clear answers tonight.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and otherwise, are you ready to have a good time?” A voice boomed over the loud speakers. The crowd cheered, and the energy of the club was transformed. The lights dimmed, and Dan could feel the anticipation radiating from everyone around them.

A gorgeous drag queen appeared on stage, smiling at the audience warmly. She was wearing a red sequined dress with matching stilettos and a shoulder length Marilyn Monroe style wig that had been dyed black.

“For the few of you who don’t know, I’m Luna, and it’s my job to entertain you tonight. How does that sound?” she asked. From the responding cheer, the audience must have loved the sound of that.

The music started, and Dan felt himself completely captivated. Luna embodied every song she performed, the music flowing through her effortlessly. He couldn’t look away, even if he wanted to. He really, really did not want to. During her last song, Luna walked into the audience, dancing with everyone. When she got to Dan, she winked mischievously before dancing away, and realization dawned on him. He’d only ever seen those eyes once before.

“Jane! Was that-?” he shouted over the music, but Jane just smirked and turned her attention back to the stage.

The audience was so excited, Luna ended up performing two more songs, before making a joke about not being able to stay in those heels any longer, and curtseying to deafening applause.

“Told you she was amazing,” Theo said, as the audience dispersed, to either go back to dancing to get drinks.

“You did,” Dan agreed as they made their way back to the bean bag chairs they’d been sitting in earlier. They sat and talked for a while, but it was clear their energy was starting to fade. The pleasant buzz Dan had been feeling from the few drinks he’d had had worn off, leaving him fuzzy headed and drowsy. He was going to suggest sharing a cab, when Phil walked over, looking tired but pleased.

“Did you guys enjoy the show?” he asked grinning.

“I loved it- Luna’s a very talented performer,” Dan replied, searching Phil’s face for any trace of makeup. He found it in the little bit of glitter that was still there. He reached up to wipe it off and smiled. So he was right.

“Thank you,” Phil answered

“You guys are grossing us out. Go, dance!” Theo instructed, shoving them towards the dance floor.

“I’m, um, not much of a dancer,” Dan admitted shyly.

“Me either,” Phil replied shrugging, “But that’s okay.”

“There is very strong evidence to suggest otherwise,” Dan pointed out. Phil just laughed and wrapped his arms around his waist.

“Luna is a dancer. And all of her dances are choreographed,” he explained.

“Didn’t look very choreographed when she was dancing with everyone,” Dan pointed out

“Jealous?”

“Maybe.” Silence fell between them then, the only sound being the music surrounding them. They swayed, arms around each other, and shared a smile. They were definitely off beat, and probably looked a little ridiculous, but all they really cared about was the person in front of them.

“I should go,” Dan finally said a few songs later. It was going on 3 AM, and he wanted to make sure Theo and Jane got home safe.

“Do you have to?” Phil asked, burying his face and his neck, and oh. That was not fair at all.

“You, could um… Come with me?” Dan said, not sure exactly what he was suggesting, but turning red all the same.

“Do you want me to?” Phil asked, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. Dan nodded quickly- he was completely sure about this, if a little nervous.

They shared a cab with Theo and Jane, who gave them a knowing look before getting out at their stop. The ride home is silent, anticipation thick in the air between them.

“Hey, you okay?” Phil asked once they were out of the cab.

“Yeah, of course. Nervous, I guess? But in a good way,” Dan attempted to explain.

“Good. Just so you know, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. All you have to do is tell me and we can just, I don’t know, sit on the couch and play video games. Okay?” Dan nodded, feeling instantly more at ease.

“Okay.”

And they did sit and play video games. But they also kept talking, learning more and more about each other. So by the time Dan asked Phil’s permission to kiss him, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. And so did every kiss, touch, and noise afterwards. And waking up together in the morning, not sure exactly where this would go, but both more than ready to find out.

#phanfiction #phanfic au #drag queen! Phil #strangers to lovers #first meeting #fluff #my fic

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aion-rsa · 8 years

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Black Adam’s 15 Most Brutal Kills

The DC universe is full of dark heroes and villains, but you’d be hard pressed to find those more brutal than Black Adam. It was announced quite a while ago that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was cast as Black Adam in the upcoming “Shazam” film and later on in his own spin-off film. He is one of DC’s lesser known properties so it’s understandable if you hadn’t heard of him up until this point. If you haven’t, you probably don’t know what to expect. That’s why we’re here.

RELATED: Web-Slayer: 16 Times Spider-Man Killed

Simply put, expect a lot of blood. Black Adam is the ruler (or “protector” as he puts it) of a fictional Middle East country called Kahndaq. With the powers of the Egyptian gods, he rules with an iron fist and does not tolerate crime or threats. It’s doubtful that the word mercy is even in his vocabulary. Just take a look at these brutal kills.

THE EGYPTIAN PHARAOH

We were first introduced to Black Adam in “The Marvel Family” #1 (written by Otto Binder with artwork by C.C Beck). Back then, however, he was a villain through and through, nowhere near as complex a character as he is today. He was corrupted by the power of the gods and took the throne simply by storming into the Pharaoh’s throne room and yelling, “Get off the throne Pharaoh, I want it!” You have to at least respect how he gets straight to the point.

Obviously, no Pharaoh would just give up their throne for anyone who storms into their palace. So, of course, Teth-Adam was greeted by guards, who he easily dispatched. Annoyed by the Pharaoh’s resistance, Adam grabbed him and straight broke his neck. For the 1940s, that was quite a brutal death to be shown in the pages of a comic book, and it would only escalate as the years went on.

AMAN

A few tweaks were made to his origin story in “Justice League Vol 2” #20 (written by Geoff Jones and illustrated by Gary Frank, Brad Anderson and Dezi Sienty). A captive Billy Batson sees Adam’s past, beginning with Aman and his uncle Adam having just escaped enslavement in ancient Egypt thanks to their gods-given powers. It becomes apparent, however, that he and his nephew don’t share the same values. As the boy utters the words, his uncle betrays him and takes the power for himself.

You don’t actually see the boy die, but the last panel shows Adam reaching over his oblivious nephew’s head, cloaked in the shadow. We’re left with the assumption that the poor boy went the same way as that Pharaoh in the original story. This defines Black Adam’s views. He’s willing to do anything for what he perceives to be the greater good. Rather than even attempt to change the current regime in Kahndaq, Adam sacrifices his nephew and frees the city himself, showing no mercy.

KOBRA

Life doesn’t mean all that much to Teth-Adam, but he cares for his friends and will exact vengeance for them. Kobra found that out the hard way when his plot to destroy several major cities resulted in the death of Atom Smasher’s mother in “JSA” #51 (written by Geoff Jones and David S. Goyer, with artwork by Leonard Kirk, Keith Champagne and John Kalisz). While Kobra did manage to escape the wrath of every other hero searching for him, he found himself at the mercy of Atom Smasher and Black Adam who, despite Kobra’s threats, punches straight through the villain’s chest, ripping his heart out.

He tends to do that a lot (as you’ll probably discover when you go through this list), though not always to people like Kobra, who most definitely deserved it. On this occasion, he did it for the right reasons: because his friend and brother-in-arms had been wounded by the loss of his mother. He ripped Kobra’s heart out because that’s what friends do. Right?

PSYCHO PIRATE

Working with Lex Luthor, the regally dressed Psycho-Pirate bravely pits himself against the DC Multiverse’s most powerful heroes in “Infinite Crisis” #6 (written by Geoff Jones with artwork by George Perez, Ivan Reis, Phil Jimenez, Joe Bennett, Andy Lanning, Jerry Ordway and many others). However, the one he should have feared most wasn’t one of them. Immediately after Nightwing and Superboy free Adam from his imprisonment by Alexander Luthor Jr, Black Adam comes across Psycho Man, who had manipulated Adam into using his powers. Before Psycho Pirate can finish speaking, however, Adam shoves his fingers through Psycho Pirate’s eyes and pushes his Medusa mask through his head.

This was a brutal, quick, bloody and most of all, completely unnecessary attack, though the ruthless Black Adam would most likely disagree. Again, it’s just another example of why it’s a terrible idea to cross Black Adam. He’s unforgiving at best, and worst of all, he seems to enjoy the violence, especially when it is righteous.

NOOSE

As we’ve already seen, Black Adam is a master of violent acts. Through them, he inspires in his foes a deep fear, a terror in the hearts of those who would stand against him. On rare occasions, his use of violence can also be seen as an act of compassion. In “52” #3 (written by Geoff Jones, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, illustrated by Keith Griffin, Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose and Alex Sinclair) for example, Black Adam is approached by Intergang with quite an offer in exchange for safe passage through Kahndaq for their weapon shipments. Among their offerings is a young, blindfolded woman who a thug, Noose, treats harshly when she tries to escape.

Black Adam is opposed to slavery, having lived through it himself. Seeing how the Intergang thugs treated this woman and sought to use his nation, his decision to allow them to travel through his kingdom had been made early on. He reaches out and crushes Noose’s face without hesitation. The woman turns out to be Adrianna Tomaz, who you’ll read more about in just a bit.

TERRA-MAN

In that same issue, Black Adam commits another act of horrendous violence, this time in a display of power and intolerance for crime and criminal activity. In “52” #3, Adam gathers the press in front of the Kahndaq embassy and, flying above them all, reveals his dissatisfaction with the way heroes like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman have fought against crime. It’s not enough for him. To really make that point clear, he grabs a very confused Terra-Man in mid-air and rips the poor villain in half. His reasoning? People like him don’t deserve to live.

It may not have been eloquent, but it was definitely indicative of how committed he is to his extreme views. He doesn’t care that people are afraid, he wants them to be. What’s even more frightening is how coldly he does it. His face bears no change in the unfeeling expression as he tears Terra-Man in half, as though his body (nor his life) was worth nothing at all. We know that Terra-Man acts out of care for the environment and has tried to kill Superman out of fear for Earth, so despite his claims, he is definitely a villain. Still, we have to wonder, does the punishment really fit the crime?

SOBEK

It’s heartening to see that someone so corrupted by anger and pain can change for the better. This was true for Adam after meeting Adrianna Tomaz, the woman who would become his beloved Isis. Along with Adrianna’s brother, Osiris, Adam had a family who watched over Kahndaq. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t last. In “52” #44 (written by Geoff Jones, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, illustrated by Eddy Barrows, Dan Green, Rodney Ramos and David Baron), after a period of odd turmoil for Kahndaq, Adam discovers he has been betrayed by Sobek, who had once posed as a simple friendly creature. How does he discover this? He sees Osiris’ half-devoured corpse with Sobek nearby, revealing himself to be Yurrd the Unknown, a horseman of the apocalypse. Immediately after, they start attacking and foolish Sobek is the first to die. Tears in his eyes well up and Adam splits his crocodile jaws apart.

It’s an intense fight, both physically and emotionally, so we can understand why he’d choose to deal with these creatures so brutally. He even says that they should be treated as monsters before he goes on to slaughter the Horsemen. Unfortunately, this also leads to Adrianna’s demise, which pushes Adam over the edge… as if he wasn’t already cascading down its side already.

THE ENTIRE NATION OF BIALYA

The issue that follows our previous entry, “52” #45 (written by Geoff Jones, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Wald, illustrated by Keith Giffen, Chris Batista, Jamal Igle, Rodney Ramos and Alex Sinclair) has Adam searching for the horseman, Death. It takes him to the nation of Bialya. Racked with grief and frustrated with his search, Adam unleashes his rage on the entire nation, blaming them for the deaths of his family. We’re left with one panel showing his power blazing hot white, but given that the previous panels showed him brutalizing civilians, we can guess how his rampage ended.

This occasion didn’t see justice served. For the most part, the people of Bialya obviously had nothing to do with the horsemen of the apocalypse, but Adam, ruled by his anger in that moment, didn’t care. Could you really blame him? This moment in the story arc is made all the more tragic when you remember that prior to this, Isis had been showing him the value of life and he had become a better man for it. That was all gone now in a tragic fall, indeed.

DEATH

He finally finds Death in the same issue, after the massacre at Bialya. Death, or Azraeuz, has evidently been strengthened by the deaths of every man, woman and child. Death quickly finds out that even then, his power can’t help him against Black Adam, who savagely beats and interrogates him. We last see Death bleeding from his skull as Black Adam presses his fingers into it, telling Death that he will spend the rest of the night slowly ending his life.

This is one of those moments when Black Adam really proves that he’s a force to be reckoned with. Taking on Death itself, as though it was nothing more than just another enemy, really shows us how immense the power of Shazam really is. Even when the death of an entire nation empowered the horseman of the apocalypse, Black Adam was able to overcome it. How much of that was god-power and how much was Adam’s pure strength of will was left unclear.

TERRA

So far, for the most part, we’ve shown you the villains he’s killed, but in the eyes of many, Black Adam is a villain himself. In the “World War III” story arc, following the destruction of Bialya, pretty much every super hero there was acted to stop Black Adam’s rampage across the world. That included Terra, a Teen Titan who stood in Adam’s way in “World War III” #3 (written by John Ostrander, illustrated by Tom Derenick, Norm Rapmund), threatening to bring the war Adam wanted to him. In the end, they were just words. Adam responded in kind but backed it up by punching a hole through Terra’s chest, ending her life in front of the other Titans.

It was completely unnecessary and driven by rage. Seeing as how Terra was more of a hero (with an admittedly shady past), she didn’t deserve to die, but that didn’t matter to Adam. He was still blinded by his loss and he needed to take out all his rage on the people around him, whether it was right or not.

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Why was Terra so fixated on taking down Black Adam? In the same issue, the Teen Titans attacked Adam and faced catastrophic defeat. While many survived, a few, like Young Frankenstein, who bravely took on Adam in defence of his friends, weren’t so lucky. Young Frankenstein grappled with Adam and as a result, lost both his arms, bleeding out. He lasted a while after, but in the end, he didn’t make it.

It’s a tragic blow to the Teen Titans and we know that Adam is only acting out of grief, so you might not be able to help but feel torn in this. Of course, the fact that Young Frankenstein was just trying to save his friends might earn Adam some hate. Not to worry though, despite the massive amounts of blood that spilled from his shoulders, Young Frankie shows up again, having literally pulled himself together after having his corpse blown up, as revealed in “Infinite Halloween Special.”

ADRIANNA TOMAZ

We know what you’re thinking: “But that’s his wife! Why would he do that?” What a fantastic question! He didn’t really have a choice. Following the events of the “World War III” story arc, Adam starts to lie low, essentially powerless and desperate to get his wife back. He travelled alone with the bones of his late wife until eventually, in “Black Adam: The Dark Age” #2 (written by Peter Tomasi, illustrated by Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy and Nathan Eyring), he’s able to use a Lazarus pit to restore her body, albeit temporarily.

After a tender reunion, they quickly discover that her form is decaying once more. To spare her from a slow and cruel death, Adam ends her life quickly. This death, though still bloody and brutal, was an act of mercy and one of the few times Black Adam can claim to kill out of love. It’s also one of the rare occasions when we actually want it to happen that way.

A YETI

Straight after he’s forced to kill his wife, he exits the caves in the Himalayas where he found the Lazarus pit and is set upon by a monstrous Yeti. Even though Adam was essentially rendered powerless by Zatanna and Captain Marvel, he proves himself to be a formidable foe for the Yeti. With one powerful swing of his knife, he guts the Yeti. It doesn’t end there, though. Being the resourceful mortal man he is, Adam grabs the Yeti’s intestines, which continue to stream out from the creature’s belly, and he uses it to rappel down the mountain. Eat your heart our, Bear Grylls.

It never really seems to matter that his powers have been locked away from him. Throughout “Black Adam: The Dark Age,” we see that his determination and strength of will seem to be more than enough to carry him through whatever the world can throw at him… before then leaving it bloodied and broken.

ASIM MUHANNAD

This was one of Black Adam’s first few noble kills, back when he was trying to free Kahndaq. He and the rest of the Justice Society venture through the current regime’s facilities, eradicating their military before making their way to the dictator himself, Asim Muhannad in “JSA” #56 (written by Geoff Johns with artwork by Don Kramer, Keith Champagne and John Kalisz). The dictator is dethroned after Black Adam tosses him under Atom Smasher, who angrily stomps on him like an insect.

This brutal kill is a fantastic example of how charismatic a leader Black Adam can be. He was able to persuade Atom Smasher that the bloodshed was necessary and that they were really doing good in Kahndaq. This isn’t just a great display of Adam’s brutality, it’s a great example of how willing others are to shed blood for him in horrific ways. Asim’s crushed head can attest to that.

SIVANA’S ASSISTANT

In the “New 52” universe, Doctor Sivana is a scientist who becomes frustrated with science and instead, turns to magic. He seeks out Teth-Adam, following ancient legends until, with the aid of an excavation team, he finds his tomb in “Justice League” #11 (written by Geoff Jones with artwork by Gary Frank and Brad Anderson). It’s not what he expects, however. Instantly, a burst of magic blasts Sivana’s face and he finds himself in the grasp of the ancient Black Adam, who’s holding his assistant in the other hand. Upon finding out the assistant doesn’t speak his language, Adam scorches him with lightning and lets him fall to the ground.

He’s a cold ruler, impatient and uncaring for anyone he doesn’t deem necessary. Keep in mind, Adam didn’t know anything about the people who woke him up. He just wanted to find the wizard and he didn’t have the time for anyone who couldn’t help him do it. That’s a great re-introduction to the character and pretty much sums him up, despite all of his previous acts of heroism. The life of another doesn’t mean much to him. In fact, if it hinders his own sense of justice, he is quick to extinguish it.

Which of Black Adam’s brutal kills are your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

DC’S “SHAZAM,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Black Adam, is scheduled for release in 2019.

The post Black Adam’s 15 Most Brutal Kills appeared first on CBR.com.

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ao3feedphan · 6 years

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Maybe It’s All a Dream

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2v9Cw4v

by philsdrill

It takes some love from Phil to get Dan up after his late night web browsing put him in a state of reality questioning existential crisis. Fluff.

Words: 1430, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Dan Howell, Phil Lester

Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester, Dan Howell & Phil Lester

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aion-rsa · 8 years

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Infinite Crisis Again: What Rebirth Can Learn From Its Cosmic Cousin

DC Comics’ “Rebirth” is both a publishing initiative and a (somewhat subtle) crossover event. On the publishing side, “Rebirth” relaunched almost all of DC’s main-line superhero titles. On the story side, May 2016’s “DC Universe: Rebirth” special brought back the classic version of Wally West — thought to be lost to the New 52 reboot — and explained that characters from “Watchmen” had given the DCU a case of the blahs.

However, that wasn’t the first time writer Geoff Johns and an all-star artistic roster (including Phil Jiminez and Ivan Reis) had crafted a sequel to a seminal Reagan-era miniseries. In 2005’s “Infinite Crisis,” Johns and Jiminez (with help from Reis, George Pérez and Jerry Ordway) revealed that a trio of survivors from 1985’s “Crisis On Infinite Earths” — most thought lost to “COIE’s” reboot — had a plan to bring back the infinite Multiverse. Oh, and all their behind-the-scenes manipulations and plotting were designed to cure the DC Universe’s then-current case of the blahs.

RELATED: Where to Watch the Watchmen: A Rebirth Guide

“Infinite Crisis” enjoyed a substantial buildup and left a significant footprint. It was at the heart of the “Crisis Cycle” of the 2000s — when DC’s superhero line was either preparing for, in the middle of, and/or recovering from some world-shattering calamity. Since “Rebirth” seems to be using some of “Infinite Crisis'” playbook, today we’ll compare and contrast the two to see how the current event might benefit.

OUR BRAND IS CRISIS: 1982-2004

“Identity Crisis” cover art by Michael Turner

We begin in 1982 because that’s when DC started stealth-promoting “Crisis On Infinite Earths.” The Monitor and his signature satellite first appeared in July 1982’s “The New Teen Titans” vol. 1 #21; while his assistant Lyla made her debut over a year later, in 1983’s “New Teen Titans Annual” vol. 1 #2. (Naturally, 1985’s “Crisis” came from the “Titans” team of Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.) Apparently if you want to convince readers that a pair of new characters have been watching a shared superhero universe for a long time, it helps to show them watching that universe for a decent amount of time — even if the Monitor was never fully seen until “Crisis” issue #1, when Harbinger’s powers were also revealed.

By 1986 “Crisis” was over and DC could start building on its effects; but eventually that too led to conflicts. In the summer of 1994 writer/penciller Dan Jurgens and inker Jerry Ordway produced “Zero Hour: Crisis In Time,” which attacked those problems with a different set of cosmic tools; and ten years after that, writer Brad Meltzer and artists Rags Morales and Michael Bair inserted some nasty elements into the history of the Justice League of America. Through it all, DC was careful to use the “Crisis” name sparingly.

On the surface, 2004’s “Identity Crisis” was a mystery about the murder of Sue Dibny, the Elongated Man’s wife and a fixture of the superhero community. Her death brought out a pattern of memory-altering and other Orwellian tactics used by a handful of Leaguers to protect their secret identities. Seems that years ago, Doctor Light had snuck aboard the JLA Satellite and attacked Sue when the team was away. In the wake of that incident, and another body-switching episode involving the Secret Society of Super-Villains (from 1979’s “Justice League of America” issues #166-68), Zatanna made a habit of erasing any compromising information from the bad guys’ brains. Zatanna also put the zap on a disapproving Batman when he found out.

After seven issues of anguished conversations, a few super-fights, andmore death, Sue’s murderer turned out not to be a supervillain at all. The Atom’s ex-wife Jean Loring did it to get his attention. Jean went to Arkham Asylum, the League started to look at itself a little more carefully, and that was it, right?

THE CRISIS CYCLE: 2005-2011

Detail from the cover of “52” issue #24, by J.G. Jones

Not quite. Here’s the “Crisis cycle” in bullet points:

The murder mystery in “Identity Crisis” (2004) had repercussions for the Justice League, the supervillain community, and Batman specifically.

The “Countdown to Infinite Crisis” oversized one-shot (2005) continued the Batman subplot. Turns out he’d built a killer spy satellite and thought he’d put it away safely. Sadly, no — ex-good guy Max Lord repurposed “Brother Eye” and killed off Blue Beetle because Beetle had learned too much about Max’s anti-superhero plans.

Four six-issue 2005 miniseries then got the readership ready for “Infinite Crisis.” First, “The OMAC Project” had Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman investigate Max, who was so powerful he could only be stopped by Wonder Woman snapping his neck. (“OMAC” also included “Sacrifice,” its own 4-issue sub-crossover about the neck-snapping) Next, “Rann-Thanagar War” and “Day of Vengeance” depicted a couple of time-sucking widescreen-style events to keep DC’s space-based and magic-based superheroes busy. Meanwhile, “Villains United” and the “JLA” arc “Crisis Of Conscience” (issues #115-19) dealt with fallout from “Identity Crisis” in the supervillain community and within the Justice League.

“Infinite Crisis” (2005-06) addressed all the miniseries’ business, revealing the comprehensive plan orchestrated by Alex Luthor (of the old Earth-Three) and Superboy (of the old Earth-Prime) to restore the old Multiverse and make DC-Earth a happier place. In the end, the Joker killed Alex, the Green Lanterns imprisoned Superboy-Prime, and things were back to normal, except just a little different in some areas. For example, now DC had a fun-sized Multiverse.

The regular superhero books jumped ahead one year in March 2006, taking advantage of “Infinite Crisis'” shakeups to make tweaks and other adjustments. However, “One Year Later” wasn’t received as fondly as “52” (2006-07), the year-long weekly miniseries which actually chronicled the missing year.

Even after all that, DC still wasn’t done with big events. It followed “52” with another year-long weekly miniseries, 2007-08’s “Countdown to Final Crisis,” which was supposed to gin up excitement for the next event by tying into a) just about every superhero title and b) several affiliated miniseries (like “Countdown Presents: The Search For Ray Palmer” and “Death of the New Gods”).

Thus, despite the title, 2008-09’s “Final Crisis” wasn’t the last blockbuster miniseries, because 2009-10’s “Blackest Night” dealt with (among other things) all the deaths from the various events and the biweekly year-long “Brightest Day” (2010-11) tried to set the superhero books back on a more congenial path.

Accordingly, the “Crisis Cycle” lasted upwards of seven years before the carnage from its events was resolved. DC then went and rendered all that effort moot with 2011’s line-wide New 52 reboot.

THE ROAD TO REBIRTH

Telos presents “Convergence’s” multiversal spread

Just as “Infinite Crisis” was preceded by an apparently-standalone event miniseries, a one-shot and a handful of lead-in miniseries, “Rebirth” has built on an apparently-standalone event miniseries (“Convergence”), the miniseries which followed it (“Titans Hunt” and “Lois & Clark”) and a one-shot (“DC Universe: Rebirth”).

2015’s “Convergence” was billed as the product of DC’s real-world cross-country move, which forced the publisher to create two months’ worth of (for lack of a better term) fill-in comics for the spring of 2015. The 9-issue weekly “Convergence” miniseries explained that the mother of all Brainiacs had been collecting Multiversal remnants and was pitting them against one another; and the several affiliated two-issue miniseries showed the effects of those battles. “Convergence” had some confusing consequences for DC’s cosmic mechanics, but for the most part it was a nostalgia-fest which marked time until the summer’s “DC You” initiative.

Nevertheless, three miniseries came out of “Convergence.” Nobody read the 6-issue “Telos,” about Brainiac’s Silver Surfer-esque assistant; but the 8-issue “Titans Hunt” established the secret history of the original Teen Titans (Dick Grayson, Roy Harper, et al.) and “Lois & Clark’s” 8 issues revealed that the pre-“Flashpoint” Superman and Lois Lane had been living on the New 52’s DC-Earth since the start of its superhero era.

The rest of the superhero line got a “DC You” makeover, with quirky new series like “Black Canary,” “Prez” and “Omega Men” joining radically-changed versions of Batman, Superman and Green Lantern. When “DC You” didn’t bring in the sales, the publisher responded with the “DC Universe: Rebirth” special; and with a series of one-shots which served effectively as “zero issues” for the newest round of relaunches. Among those relaunches were “Titans” and the Superman titles, which continued what “Titans Hunt” and “Lois & Clark” had begun.

Because the Titans, Superman and the Wally West Flash have been most heavily involved in connecting the pre-“Flashpoint” DC Universe with its current version, a good bit of “Rebirth” clues have appeared in their respective series. This is true for other ongoing series like “Detective Comics” and the upcoming “Button” crossover in “Batman” and “Flash.” In this respect the current “Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad” miniseries — which also promises hints about “Rebirth’s” macro-plot — is an outlier. The strategy looks like an inversion of “Infinite Crisis,” because the “Rebirth”-fueled changes precede their explanation (or at least the detailed explanation) and the buildup isn’t allocated largely among tie-in miniseries.

One important “Rebirth” factor still needs discussing, namely Mr. Oz from Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr.’s run on “Superman” (issues #32-39, August 2014-May 2015). Thought currently to be a disguised “Watchmen” character, the fact that Mr. Oz predates “Convergence” suggests that he may have been intended to fulfill some other purpose, like an alternate route to restoring the New 52 Supeman’s powers. (He also reminds us of the Tangent Comics Green Lantern, but that’s probably just coincidental.) In any event, we’re not prepared to speculate that “Rebirth” might have been in the works for some two years — despite precedents going back to those Monitor and Lyla teases — and certainly not before the one-two efforts of “Convergence” and “DC You.” Nevertheless, Mr. Oz has certainly worked out well as the mysterious personification of “Rebirth.”

LESSONS LEARNED?

Detail from the cover of the “DC Universe: Rebirth” special, by Gary Frank

Again, “Rebirth” is using many of the same tools as the Crisis cycle, but in a slightly different order. Where “Identity Crisis” led to “Countdown to Infinite Crisis” and then into the four feeder miniseries, “Convergence” facilitated “Titans Hunt” and “Lois & Clark,” which then led into the “DCU: Rebirth” special. As noted above, the changes to “Rebirth’s” ongoing series are happening now, as opposed to the “One Year Later” books happening after “Infinite Crisis.” (Actually, “1YL” started just as “Infinite Crisis” was ending, but close enough.)

To be sure, it’s a different strategy for a different set of market conditions, but it has paid off. “One Year Later” didn’t do much for ongoing series’ sales, but “Rebirth’s” ongoing series are performing very well. The question now is whether DC can keep it up for the two years Dan DiDio has said “Rebirth” will take. Right now DC is maintaining a good balance between business-as-usual stories and “Rebirth” teases. While more “Rebirth”-specific arcs are on the way, many of DC’s superhero books have little (if anything) to disclose about the event. For example, “Wonder Woman” is explaining changes to Diana’s origins, but that’s not expressly part of “Rebirth”; and the cosmic adventures in the Green Lantern books likewise are mum on “Rebirth.” However, if the rebirthing won’t be over until the summer of 2018, that will probably change; and more of the superhero line will be connected directly to “Rebirth’s” macro-plot.

It’s also possible that DC will go back to the “Crisis cycle” well by stepping up its reliance on “Rebirth”-related miniseries. “Titans Hunt” and “Lois & Clark” arrived with little fanfare — certainly not as much as the four “Infinite Crisis” lead-ins — but they weren’t expected to play much of a role after “Convergence.” With the two-year clock ticking (a countdown, as it were) and “Justice League vs. Suicide Squad” an apparent hit, DC might feel confident enough to launch a couple more event miniseries before the main throwdown begins.

DC needs to tread carefully with those event miniseries, though. Where “52’s” source material made it necessarily self-contained, “Countdown to Final Crisis” went entirely the other way and paid the price. “Countdown” itself was uneven at best, bouncing haphazardly across subplots as its characters bounced around the new Multiverse. That left its tie-ins without much goodwill, which miniseries like “Countdown: Arena” and “Lord Havok and the Extremists” wouldn’t have enjoyed anyway. So far “Rebirth’s” focus on the ongoing series has been successful. It may not stay that way, but for now there’s no reason to change.

By using event miniseries sparingly, DC can also avoid the dreaded “event fatigue.” While there is the notion that event fatigue is really just another name for poor execution, the reception given “One Year Later” argues that enthusiasm for “Infinite Crisis” peaked with that miniseries and didn’t extend to “One Year Later.” Remember, DC spent the better part of a year hyping “Infinite Crisis” with the goal of getting its readers to stay with DC’s ongoing series. Instead, many of them chose to stay with “52,” the only series which described “Infinite Crisis'” immediate aftermath. By contrast, “Rebirth” is building a readership for the ongoing series first, presumably so that the inevitable event miniseries will be more meaningful to that readership.

If we can map “Rebirth’s” mileposts to those of “Infinite Crisis,” we’re past the point where the main miniseries should have occurred. We’ve already had the standalone miniseries, the prelude miniseries and the oversized one-shot. It might be another year before the main event starts. If that’s supposed to be the peak of activity, when the curtains are finally drawn back and all the questions are answered, then DC can’t get comfortable until then.

As much as we lump in “Identity Crisis” with the rest of DC’s big crossovers, we risk forgetting that it wasn’t billed as such. Instead, it was the publisher’s effort to reach out to the non-comics reader by using a well-known mystery novelist who would write to his strengths. “Identity Crisis” only crossed over with a handful of ongoing series, perhaps because DC hadn’t done a proper line-wide crossover for a few years. Therefore, the hype for “Infinite Crisis” hit a comics marketplace which hadn’t been oversaturated with such a thing.

Phil Jiminez’ clue-filled “Countdown” teaser

The problem was, the successes of “Infinite Crisis” and “52” convinced DC that it could keep going in that vein; so over the next few years it did, to diminishing returns. Ironically, the corporate-driven excesses of “Countdown” were in support of writer Grant Morrison’s idiosyncratic “Final Crisis”; and the success of “Blackest Night” was more a reflection of writer Geoff Johns’ crowd-pleasing work on “Green Lantern.” The ecumenical, almost grass-roots appeal of “Rebirth” may be due similarly to the popularity of the individual series, and not so much the mysteries informing them. If that’s true, DC’s real task over the next year or so will be steering that collective appeal into anticipation for “Rebirth’s” endgame.

The Crisis cycle had a few big accomplishments. It revived DC’s Big Events, which had been dormant for a few years. It rebooted the Multiverse, albeit with just 52 parallel universes. It gave the entire superhero line a soft relaunch, led by the likes of writers Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek on the Superman titles and Grant Morrison and Paul Dini on the Bat-books. Through “52,” it showed that readers would embrace a quirky, detail-driven weekly miniseries (although “Countdown” would show that such a thing didn’t always work).

On the minus side, it fostered a climate of perpetual change — for example, Bart Allen’s brief Flash career and Wally West (and Mark Waid)’s similarly-brief return — coupled with the near-certainty of character death during each new event. “52” turned Ralph and Sue Dibny into ghost detectives; “Countdown” featured Earth-51’s apocalyptic end and the corruption of Mary Marvel; “Final Crisis” both “killed” Batman and planted the seeds of his return; and “Blackest Night” was all about death (although it featured a number of revivals, including Max Lord but not Blue Beetle). Even “Brightest Day,” which was supposed to focus on restoring happiness and cheer, started with the death of a cute baby bird. While the Crisis cycle wasn’t all bad, there was so much grimness and grit that it took a while to clean up.

We hope that proves to be the main difference between the Crisis cycle and “Rebirth’s” two years. It’s not just setting up a big event and watching the payoff, it’s also how much of the event’s negative effects are allowed to linger. “Rebirth” may be over by 2018, but DC must then get back to business as usual; because the Crisis cycle showed how too much of an event atmosphere can snowball out of control. Fortunately, unlike its en-fuego predecessor, “Rebirth” is doing a slow burn. That low-key approach has worked well so far, and DC should remember its effectiveness before getting too bombastic. It can’t afford to lose the readers it has gained.

How do you think “Rebirth” is doing? Let us know in the comments!

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