#xanadoth

[aboutzatanna]

can we get a summary of Zatanna’s interactions with Swamp Thing? And/or Madame Xanadu?

(Sorry it took a while to answer to this. Not being able to answer this has been bugging me for a while)

Outside of JLD, the most notable interactions I can think are:

-For Swamp Thing:

Although her Dad died as a guest star in a Swamp Thing, Zatanna and Swamp Thing never really interacted in that specific arc.

There was a Swamp Thing mini series in 2011 by Len Wein (Swamp Thing's other Dad) and artist Kelly Jones (perfect fit for the title) which revolved around Swamp Thing/Alec Holland looking for a cure for his condition with his friend, Matt Cable which leads the two of them to Zatanna's place.

Continuity wise, it a bit of a mess. What with Matthew Cable being...well....alive...human and...not one one of Morpheus's crows. Plus references to Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run but ST is a human turned to swamp creature instead of a swamp creature who thought it was human. That said, Alec Holland was brought back to life thanks to the events of Brightest Day so that's not as egregious as Matthew Cable.

Zatanna is the magician who gets the biggest focus. Her characterization is the same as her preNu52, same goes for Phantom Stranger and Etrigan. But this mini fits neither the Pre Nu52 continuity nor the Post Nu52 continuity. I think it can be enjoyed and read on it's own. It's just stuck in a weird middle ground continuity wise because it was published in a time when nobody at DC was sure if the Nu52 was a full, clean slate reboot or partial reboot and no one could decided what should remain in continuity and what shouldn't.

-For Madame Xanadu:

The first major story to have Zatanna and Xanadu interact with each other was Spectre Vol 2 #7-8 titled 'Pieces of Zatanna'. It's a rare body horror story involving Zatanna where she finds her limbs and other parts of her body disappearing and returning but she knows they are not her original limbs.

So Zatanna quickly runs to Madame Xanadu for help. Although this is the first time readers see Zatanna and Xanadu interact, the two are already aware of each other.

The story is meant to resolve loose ends from Zatanna's final appearance in Justice League of America Vol 1 #257 as well as give Zatanna some closure for her fathers death in Swamp Thing #50.

Zatanna later appeared in Spectre Vol 2 #11, this time, of all things, the limo driver who chaueffer's Xanadu, Bronze Tiger and June Moon to a meeting arranged by the Spectre involving all the magical beings so they can discuss their roles in the human world. Not sure why Zee couldn't have just teleported them there, but then again, maybe they just wanted to enjoy a nice drive and limo is implied to be Zatanna's.

Years later, in Madame Xanadu's own series Madame Xanadu #9 we learn that Xanadu and John Zatara had dated in the past which goes a long way towards explaining how Zatanna knows her.

In Spectre Vol 3, around #16, there was a story arc where an Eclipso possessed Spectre went on a rampage. Zatanna appeared in the story arc but didn't get to interact with Xanadu as she was recruited to by Phantom Stranger to be on his team alongside Etrigan and the Inza Nelson Doctor Fate. Xanadu made her own team with Father Creamer and Ramban. Notably it's Xanadu's team that ends up succeeding at stopping the Spectre's rampage but cutting to the heart of the issue and confronting Corrigan's spiritual crisis directly.

Aside from that, Xanadu and Zatanna often appear together in ensembles during events like Obsidian Age and Day of Vengeance but they are not always notable.

I always thought that Xanadu could be a cool step mom figure for Zee since the latter operates in a male dominated world.

I haven't read Bendis Justice League in full yet but around the time the JLD back up feature was getting cancelled we did get to see Zatanna and Xanadu team up to fight a possessed Black Adam in Justice League Vol 4 #73:

[dcs-fkin-mystics]

A while back, Bendis’s magic OC Xanadoth once accused Black Adam of being a disciple of a Lord of Chaos. I remember reading thinking Bendis just having no clue what he’s doing (he still didn’t) but they showed a character in the same storyline in a flashback with the Champion lightning emblem.

The thing is: Mamaragan is the only character who bears that emblem consistently & his younger appearances gives him a built frame & straight hair at times. Xanadoth also claims Black Adam is also a DISCIPLE, which he’s only been for Mamaragan

If this is true, Mamaragan was apparently a Lord of Chaos LONG ago. The flashback that says this happened during the time of Mesopotamia, which is long before Egypt and thus long before Black Adam and prolly when he was not even on the Council.

This is certainly a deviation where he was a Lord of Order before if even true.

[fyeahdoctorfate]

Is there any like. Concrete personality for Nabu? Because most I have seen is that he is an Asshole, but I know that in some comics he isn't that bad

Nabu’s character typically does lean in on him being a asshole one way or another; there’s no way of tip-toeing around the fact that at the core of the character, there is the fact he is detached enough to use Kent Nelson & Sven, the former being 12 or so at the time, the way Kent described it in the first image.

At one point, Jared’s Fate series made it a point that he is so extreme in his methods & actions that he ends up benefiting chaos and he acts against the combined will of his fellow Lords of Order.

(This would later be retconned out due to the Book of Fate relaunch but there, being Doctor Fate is so taxing and sacrificial Kent was willing to trick Jared into the role)

Nabu’s personality & impact is touched upon in some recent comics when comparing him to Hauhet & it’s his past actions that makes Khalid’s teammates wonder what Hauhet’s (the current spirit within the helm) intentions are, which is much more of a mystery.

The comics do feature sometimes him reflecting on it & being more favorable & helpful. In the past, he has shown regret and then regressed back to his ways (as he did with Hector) overtime. In current continuity , he apparently distanced himself from the mantle & was recalled by Khalid & the JLD to help with Xanadoth and seems to be doing a self-imposes exile in response to his actions in earlier stories helping Upside-Down Man’s goons and then attempting to destroy magic after being defeated & rightfully called out. Hence he’s ceded control to Khalid to right part of those wrongs by ensuring the beater has full agency.

In essence, Nabu is always characterized to be an asshole & hard to be around but he has had growth both progressive & regressive depending on how you look at it..

[darthvashtique93]

A Willing Sacrifice

"Ahh!"

Red Robin and one of Tannarak's clones, who had his hands around Red Robin's neck, froze at the sound of the scream. The grip loosened as Tannarak summoned his multiples back to himself as he and Red Robin turned to see the source of the scream. Raven was hovering mid-air, black energy erupting around her. Miss Martian scrambled away, clutching her head. "Raven?" Red Robin whispered, voice filled with alarm.

"You think you're so tough," Klarion sneered as Raven rose higher, her power intensifying. "But it's time for round two!" Klarion screamed as he charged the agitated empath.

"Klarion, wait!" Red Robin lifted a hand, a warning in his voice.

Klarion unleashed a bolt of energy at Raven, but she deflected it with a mere wave of her hand before retaliating with a blast of her own. "You witch!" Klarion screamed, thrown backward by the impact. Red Robin staggered to his feet but felt a firm grip on his shoulder. Batman, who was crouched low, gripped Red Robin's shoulder and shook his head at Red Robin.

Red Robin looked around, spotting the three other Chaos Lords advancing on Raven. "This isn't good," Robin said, worry edging into his tone. "Should we stop them?"

"No," Batman replied, his gaze unwavering.

Raven watched as the Chaos Lords approached, the air thickening with a dark, foreboding energy. These are the ones who hurt you, a voice in her mind whispered. She descended to the ground, fists clenched, her aura crackling with lethal intent. These are the ones who will pay.

Klarion rejoined his companions, with Teekl cradled in his arms and a smirk on his face. "You really think you can take on all four of us?" His voice oozed mockery.

"You hurt me," Raven replied, her tone low, melodic, and chilling. "Now I'm going to hurt you."

"Fine. Have it your way." Xanadoth and Mordru moved as one, weaving a dark net of energy meant to ensnare her mind. But Raven's magic surged, shadows spiraling around her in a violent tempest. With a scream that tore through the air, she unleashed a wave of darkness, shattering the ground beneath her and sending debris hurtling toward her enemies.

Tannarak shot his hands up, summoning a barrier of shimmering green light. But Raven's attack crashed into it, rippling the shield violently until cracks began to spread under the weight of her rage.

"So much rage!" Klarion laughed, dodging a shadow tendril that lashed out, barely missing him. "I like it!"

Mordru countered, summoning black tendrils that snaked through the air, aiming to bind her. Raven's eyes blazed as she retaliated, hurling shadowy projectiles that detonated with bone-crushing force, each explosion sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.

"Hey! Watch it!" Klarion yelped, his taunts laced with nervous energy as he narrowly dodged another blast. "You're ruining my fun!"

"Shut up, Klarion!" Xanadoth snapped, cutting her eyes at him.

Raven could feel her power swelling, intensifying with each attack they launched. It was intoxicating, primal. A second pair of eyes appeared as she let out a raw, feral roar, channeling her magic into a massive, raven-shaped wave of darkness that surged forward like a tsunami. Behind her, her teammates and other heroes scrambled for cover, their eyes wide with shock as they frantically tried to form a plan to stop her.

The Chaos Lords raised shields of their own, but one by one, they shattered under the crushing weight of Raven's darkness, erupting in showers of energy and sparks. Xanadoth's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face. "That… that is dark magic," she sneered, thinking for the first time that she may have underestimated Trigon's daughter. Glancing at the others furiously, Xanadoth hurtled herself toward Raven, dark energy blazing at her fingertips and confronted Trigon's spawn, hand-to-hand. Raven parried every kick and punch while sidestepping the magic attacks of the other three Chaos Lords.

"Meow."

"Shut up, Teekl!" Klarion yelled. "We're doing fine!"

Finally gaining the upper hand, they surrounded her-their combined beams of energy slamming into Raven's shield from every direction. Cracks began to spiderweb across its surface, and Raven felt herself weakening. Before her shield could disintegrate, she heard her voice whisper again; They wanted to use you. They wanted you to open a portal.

"See, Teekl," Klarion laughed, but his voice trembled as he watched Raven. "She's not that impres—ah!"

Without warning, a force threw the Chaos Lords backward, sending them crashing to the ground like broken marionettes. Their bodies slammed into the earth with a sickening crunch that echoed across the battlefield.

"Meow," Teekl purred, unbothered by the chaos.

"Shut up," Klarion hissed, scrambling to his feet. Blood trickled down his forehead, and he wiped it away with a wild grin. "Lucky shot. That's all."

But Raven was past hearing them. Her power bubbled to the surface, an unstoppable storm ready to consume everything. She took a step forward, shadows thrashing violently around her. "You want access to my mind?" she roared, the energy swirling around her like a vortex. "You want me to make a portal?" A cold smile crossed her lips, and as a pair of red eyes flared above her own, Raven chanted, her voice a haunting, ancient murmur that sent shivers through the air. Red symbols flashed on her skin, and the Chaos Lords could only watch, dread filling their eyes, as the ground trembled beneath her, a portal of unimaginable darkness beginning to form. "You want a portal? I'll give you a portal."

"What is she doing?" Zatanna shouted as a massive portal swirled open beneath Raven, dark and foreboding.

Doctor Fate cast a spell, instantly anchoring the heroes where they stood as a fierce wind whipped around them, pulling everything toward the portal. "It's a gateway to Trigon's dimension," he answered, his voice strained.

"Oh, hell!" Constantine cursed, eyes wide.

"It still exists‽" Zatanna gasped, glancing frantically at Fate. "But how—?"

"Not the time!" he snapped, his focus unbroken.

"She's lost in her mind," Miss Martian reported, her voice tinged with fear as she tried yet again to reach Raven telepathically. "Whatever they did to her—she's disoriented. They put her in a dreamscape, and now she's trying to distinguish reality from fiction."

"And this is the only way she knows how‽" Kid Flash yelled, clutching his injured leg as Beast Boy helped him brace against the pull of the wind.

"Then maybe Red Robin can talk her down!" Beast Boy shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by the roaring winds.

"What do you mean?" Red Robin looked at Beast Boy, startled.

"Dude," Beast Boy gave him a bland look.

"Seriously?" Robin added, shooting him a hard look, and a clear 'Duh' stare.

"Right," Red Robin said, his gaze sharpening. "Doctor Fate—can you get me behind her? Or above her?"

Doctor Fate gave a firm nod, already preparing the spell. Red Robin turned to Batman, who met his gaze with a brief but solid nod of approval.

"Have a calm or intimate memory ready," Miss Martian said. "Something…deep…a conversation…or something."

Red Robin nodded.

"All right," Doctor Fate said, "are you ready?"

Teekl's terrified cries echoed as the Chaos Lords struggled to keep their footing against the force pulling them toward the portal. "The Enchantress has vanished," Mordru announced, his tone edged with frustration.

"This is no longer our concern," Xanadoth replied coldly. "Let Trigon's spawns tear this world apart. We're done here." Without another word, Xanadoth, Mordru, and Tannarak each vanished in turn, their figures dissolving into the air.

"Oh, come on!" Klarion sputtered, "You're joking! We can take her!"

"Meow!" Teekl yowled.

"What do you mean, I lost again?" Klarion snapped, glaring at his companion. "Stupid cat."

"Meow."

"You shut up!" he muttered, eyes flashing with irritation before he, too, disappeared.

What am I doing? Protecting yourself. They're gone. Are they? No, they're still in my mind. They're not in your mind. You're fine. You're alone. No. I am not. I am.

Raven's chest heaved with each ragged breath she took. They ran! How dare they run from the daughter of—"Ugh!" She exclaimed, a weight crashing down on her. She screamed as her body flipped mid-air, landing hard against something—or someone—as her portal flickered out of existence. Dazed, she rolled to her feet, magic at the ready.

"Wait!" the person beneath her—clad in dark red and black—called out, holding up a hand. "Just wait."

Raven paused with her four eyes narrowed at the creature before her, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

"You're safe," the figure said gently as he slowly stood. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Her rage smoldered, dark and unyielding. Safe? The word echoed bitterly in her mind. The agony they inflicted, the false sense of peace they'd made her feel—it all roared back. Shadows gathered around her, writhing and pulsing, as her fury swelled.

"I don't know what happened to you. I can't even imagine," he continued, his voice calm, his gaze unwavering. "But you're safe now."

Raven's glare hardened, her rage fueling her powers as she raised her hand, darkness coiling around her fingertips, ready to unleash her wrath.

Red Robin stared into Raven's red, angry eyes, now narrowed and trained on him. The four eyes should have freaked him out—but oddly, they didn't. "Raven…" he breathed her name, voice low and careful. She looked exhausted. Her uniform was torn and singed in some places, and her body was trembling with barely contained energy. He'd heard her scream earlier—a sound that still echoed painfully in his mind, one he never wanted to hear again.

"Raven, you know me," he said, taking a cautious step forward. Her hands still glowed with dark energy, sparking dangerously. With slow, deliberate movements, Red Robin pulled off one of his gloves with his teeth, revealing his bare hand. "We're friends," he murmured, offering her a faint smile. "Maybe…more than friends? We've kissed a couple of times." Behind him, he heard gasps of surprise and exclamations from his teammates. He groaned at their responses. So dramatic. He ignored them. With measured slowness, he reached for her hand, but she flinched, her magic sparking in warning. "I know they hurt you, but I'm not going to hurt you," he promised softly, pulling his mask off in one fluid motion, revealing his face. He held her gaze, willing her to see him, to recognize him—but her expression remained hard, and more shadows curled around her.

Realizing words weren't enough, Tim gingerly took Raven's hand, grounding himself with a calming breath. He focused on a memory, a simple one, but filled with warmth—a memory just for her.

It was their fifth study session. Raven was finally more relaxed around him, letting her sarcasm and dry humor emerge, and for once, she wasn't hiding under her hood. For Tim, seeing her face fully—though often impassive—was mesmerizing. Earlier, she had even laughed quietly at one of his jokes, nearly flooring him. He watched her brows knit as she concentrated on a problem, her lips twisting in thought. Cute, he thought, then caught himself staring and averted his eyes, embarrassed. His eyes fell on one of her notebooks, peeking out from under a textbook. "List of… what?" he read aloud, grabbing it impulsively, breaking her concentration. "List of Earth's Differences," he continued, ignoring her horrified expression.

"Hey!" Raven exclaimed, reaching for it, but Tim held it just out of her reach.

"Difference #1: The water. Difference #2: Pizza. Difference—" he laughed as he saw her cheeks flush slightly. "You made a list of ways this Earth differs from yours?"

"It… started off as an exercise with Dinah," she mumbled, her blush deepening. "Then I just… kept going."

Tim flipped to the last entry, eyes widening. "Almost 600 differences? That's impressive."

She reached for it again, but he playfully blocked her hands. "Metahumans?" he asked.

"We didn't have those on my Earth," she said, relaxing.

"What did you call humans with abilities?" he asked.

"We just called them 'humans with abilities.'"

Tim chuckled as he read another entry. "Boom tubes?"

"Teleportation pads," she replied. "And they only existed in Justice League headquarters."

"Difference #50: The stars," he read, looking up at her curiously. "The stars?"

"They're backward here," she said. "The Big Dipper faces the other way."

"Really?" he said, captivated. "You wrote sunset and sunrise? Don't tell me they set north and south?"

"On my Earth, the sun sets in the east and rises in the west."

He shook his head in amazement. "Things must have been so confusing when you arrived."

"You have no idea," she sighed.

"My treating you like a pariah didn't help, I'm sure."

"It's fine, Tim." She waved it off, but he frowned.

"I don't think it is," he insisted, guilt flashing in his eyes.

She met his gaze, her lips curving into a small smile. "I forgive you. You were scared… I understand. What we do…it's good to be wary," she relented with a slightly melancholy expression.

"It doesn't make my treatment of you okay," he said. Raven looked up at him, her eyes shining with an emotion he couldn't name. They held each other's gaze, a warmth building between them. "Ahem." Tim cleared his throat, trying to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. He raised a brow at a particular entry. "Waffles? How could waffles be different?"

"They just are," Raven said, starting to argue.

Tim grinned as he finished the memory aloud. "You said our Earth makes the outsides crispier and the insides fluffier. You said our Earth has the perfect waffle." He intertwined their fingers. When he felt her fingers twitch, his eyes widened. "Raven…" he whispered, feeling her finally register his presence. Her eyes returned to their usual violet color as the second pair faded. "Raven," he whispered, his relief palpable. Her hand went slack as she slumped forward, and he caught her as they sank to the ground together. "I have you," he repeated, stroking her face gently.

She blinked, staring at him. "Tim," she whispered, then threw her arms around his neck. "You're safe," she breathed.

"I'm safe? You were worried about me?"

"You kept coming back and-and-and he kept taking your memories. I was worried you'd-you'd-" Tim held her even tighter. "Thank you for saving me," her voice cracked.

"You never have to thank me for saving you," he assured her, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes.

"How long was I…?" she asked softly.

"About twenty-one hours." He stroked her cheek as they locked eyes, and Raven leaned into his hand, chuckling in exhaustion. "What's so funny?" he asked, his thumb brushing along her cheek.

"In my head, there was this version of you but… your skin was ice cold," she muttered.

"Ice cold?" He smirked. "Were you… feeling me up in there?"

Raven's cheeks blazed red as her eyes widened in embarrassment. "That's not it…"

With a soft laugh, he leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Not to interrupt this riveting reunion," Kid Flash interrupted the two with a grin, "but can we go home now? I'm pretty sure my fibula is poking out, I'm in so much pain, and I need some sleep."

"Yeah," Tim looked at Raven once more, tenderly brushing hair out of her face. "Let's go home."

Enchantress clawed at her temples, desperate to quench the fire blazing in her skull. "You failed!" The voice thundered, reverberating through her skull.

A strangled whimper escaped her lips as she lay curled in her bed, each nerve ending seared in agony. "I'm… sorry," she gasped, barely able to speak as tears, snot, and drool poured down her face. "She's… too powerful."

"You have one more chance!" the voice hissed, each word a spike of fresh pain.

"How am I supposed to make her open a portal?" she cried, her voice edged with fury—furious at herself, at her own weakness, and at the power he held over her.

"No! I'll find my own way out!" he barked, a sinister calm that cut through her agony. The pressure in her head intensified to the point of excruciation. "I want you to kill her!"

"How?" She could barely form the word, choking on a mix of terror and exhaustion.

"My servants have reported that the heroes are occupied with the cleanup efforts following the Chaos Lords' disaster," he sneered loudly in her head. "Raven should be easily accessible, and this last encounter should have left her severely weakened." I'll provide you with a tool that will bring her down." The pressure in her head lessened, the pain ebbing just enough for her to draw a ragged breath. But his final words chilled her to her core as they echoed in her head. "Fail me, and I will erase you from existence. That's a promise."

[lettieriletti]

Justice League 30

Il saluto di Brian M. Bendis alla Justice League! La Signora del Caos è tornata e solo Black Adam può fermarla… peccato che Xanadoth si sia impossessato di lui! In appendice: una storia della Justice League Dark scritta da Robbie Thompson

[fyeahdoctorfate]

When Kent broke the helmet sacrificing himself to deal damage to Upside Down Man, it depleted the helm.

Continuity is murky bc Khalid in other book had his helm okay but Nabu apparently does a self-imposed exile (he’s called back to help stop Xanadoth) Overall, it gets mended by Kirk Langstrom (his partner in JLD redeeming himself) doing science and Hauhet, a egyptisn goddess & acquaintance of Nabu (based on Future Stste’s implication) becomes his new spirit within the helm which apparently permanently fixes it?

It’s unclear because the story involving fixing the helm is done in backups & the Ram V took a haitus before he wrote the complete conclusion iirc so the story didn’t advance far enough to clarify the details.

Khalid rambling

Khalid is finally getting stuff where he's included with the JSA, and while I'm excited about it in general I really wish he wasn't sooooo mischaracterized.

writing the guy whos going to college for a doctorates (is that what its called?)

Knows magic without the helmet

has had his heart pulled out

has one of my personal favorite relationships with Nabu out of the fates

like he's new too this stuff and while sure he kinda is in retrospective he's already saved the world once :p

in my dream JSA he's in the middle ground between the og JSA members and the younger gen (even though he's a newer character then them, he's written in a way that it would work best IMO). Khalid unfortunately since his original comic hasnt been the most consistent but the current JSA run as much as I overall enjoy the story is the worst take on him specifically. I think theres good ideas in this, the attempts to establish a mentor mentee relationship with him and wildcat is one I'm interested in if it was done better. I also would've appreciated more interaction with him and Alan, knowing his track record with the fates after kent I wanted to see more of what Alan thinks of khalid as the new fate

I want to think he's some inbetween of it all, he's not as skilled as Kent yet, so he's under the pressure and expectations of the Senior members while just falling short because I don't think he should know everything about being fate yet. but he's also more skilled then the new gen of JSA members. I think him and Jakeem should be in that same spot together considering Jakeem is also treated like he hasnt been apart of the team since the 2007 run.

also random side note, What happened to nabu anyways? Ive read the majority of khalid's appearances but I feel like ive missed something from when the helmet was broken in that one arc I cant be assed to remember the name of. I mightive fallen behind on recent khalid appearances since I've been re reading a lot of alan scott stuff rn

ugh

okay dont yapping, Ive got some Khalid stuff to catch up on but just throwing my thoughts out here since I dont really have any DC friends who are into the JSA so the tumblr followers ive gotten from my old Khalid doodles is all i got 💔

[dailydccomics]

more fight scenes should look this spectacular 

art by Szymon Kudranski, Emanuela Lupacchino + Wade Von Grawbadger Justice League vol 4 #74

[gotham-at-nightfall]

Justice League #72

[why-i-love-comics]

Superman #24 - "Chaos II" (2020)

written by Brian Michael Bendis art by Kevin Maguire, John Timms, & Alex Sinclair

[cosmicmordecai]

Tell me you don’t read Doctor Fate without telling me you don’t read Doctor Fate.

Im really not surprised Bendis has absolutely no idea about how to write characters such as this when he practically butchers them no matter what. The way he does butcher them is mild compared to most other titles he kills admittingly but still, he misses the bare minimum.

First off, his OC Xanadoth is literally basically a female Mordru. Both of those characters literally require a physical host, are intimidating to both Lords of Order & Chaos, actually attacks both, and have the “IM THE ORIGINAL” shtick going on. Ironically, this OC /can/ be tolerable because Xanadoth’s character is still a Bendis character and unintentionally, Xanadoth’s writing can be somewhat amusing due to her dialogue as a smarmy woman despite being ancient as shit.

His characterization of Khalid is pretty bare bones too and I wanna take the time to say this: not every young character has to be so inherently insecure about their mantle because it’s getting old & silly when Khalid has been Doctor Fate since DCYou (seven years in real time) & Batman’s timeline established about 4 or 5 years has passed since that timeframe give or take. Khalid was minimally 22 based on the fact he was EMT (an adult before the series) & just graduated undergrad school (assuming he started minimally 18, he graduated at 22).

He’s been mentored by Kent Nelson since his own solo. How much more mentoring does he need? Kent Nelson hardly is characterized as that despite BEING literally magically aged up & everything he learned from Nabu was sufficient enough. Khalid has been guided and chosen LITERALLY by EGYPTIAN GODS AND NABU & taught by Kent Nelson. That’s some solid ass training & guidance into his role. He was more concerned IF he was a good choice versus what is he really supposed to do. He’s not a NEW Doctor Fate considering he’s been at it for 5+ years so let’s drop that. Funny how the Doctor Fate that actually fits the Egyptian aesthetic is treated as the “new guy”. Also the “What would Kent Nelson so” line….unnecessary. Khalid’s character doesn’t need to be needlessly compared to Kent Nelson & i’m glad for the most part of his history, he has RARELY had a storyline that depicts that. That’s why I have an issue with Bendis pulling it up.

Compared to Nelson, Khalid was seen as having good potential by the Gods affiliated with HIS lineage & was chosen due to his pharaoh bloodline. That was made pretty clear so why would Khalid’s character question IF he’s meant for being Doctor Fate when his origin story comes to terms with WHY he was chosen. This type of characterization would make more sense at the very start….except 5 years has passed & he’s been Doctor Fate concurrently with Kent Nelson & mentored. This reads as an assumption on Khalod due to the character occupying a mantle usually held by Nelson but it’s past time that. The character himself didn’t need to fucking die but it was a good move for him to support a new Doctor Fate & they have done very nice moments & I wished they had more!

Also, the Wizard Shazam is a Lord of Order, not Chaos, and i’m not keen on throwing that character down the chute over morality issues, in & out of universe, when you have Batman and ALL the Robins running around and SUDDENLY, Billy Batson being a kid with magical powers & huge responsibilities is an issue. Not that the Robins don’t get bull from it but don’t talk about child endangerment in fiction when practically every DC hero endorses it actively or silently and cherry-pick when it’s right & wrong. Good job for jabbing Shazam/Captain Marvel lore.

Tldr; Bendis obviously doesn’t read Doctor Fate & falls prey to assumptions on the one of the two Doctor Fates to actually fit the Egyptian aesthetic.

P.S: He likely got his information of Doctor Fate on WIKIPEDIA. How do I know? Im the one editing those pages myself. Osiris & Amon-Ra were RARELY mentioned as Lords of Order in universe to the point DC wiki just has them as Egyptian Gods & their designation is mentioned in PASSING. I doubt Bendis read the original DF.

[dccomicsnews]

Review: Justice League #74

Review: Justice League #74

Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #74 [Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers] Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artists: Szymon Kudranski, Emanela Lupacchino, Wade Von Grawbadger Colours: Szymon Kudranski, Hi-Fi Letters: Josh Reed   Reviewed By: Derek McNeil   Summary Justice League #74: Justice League Dark crossover conclusion! Another full double-size issue crossover spectacular as Xanadoth, the…

[davidmann95]

now that it's over, thoughts on Bendis' Superman as a whole?

pretenderoftheeast said: So, thoughts on Bendis' Superman and Action Comics' tenure altogether and separately now that it's over?

Anonymous said: Best and Worst things about Bendis' Superman run

Anonymous said: Now that it is over, what are your thoughts on Bendis' runs on Superman and Action Comics as a whole?

Anonymous said: Retrospective thoughts on Bendis' Superman as a whole now that it's, I guess, done?

Anonymous said: Hey so since Bendis’ Superman stuff seems to be done, what did you think of the run as a whole?

I decided to hold off a bit on writing on this one, if only so that I could reread the Action Comics side of it since Superman stood out in my memory a lot more. But now I have, and as we’re heading into a bold new era of Superman (and it’s coming in fast - just since I made my Superman in 2021 predictions we’ve gotten Ed Pinsent finally reprinting his legendary bootleg Silver Age Superman, Steve Orlando announcing his Superman analogue book Project Patron, an official shonen Superman redesign for RWBY/Justice League, PKJ’s Super-debut turning out far better than I ever expected, Superman & Lois’s first proper trailer largely taking people pleasantly by surprise, and my learning that there’s a Sylvester Stallone Old Man Superman analogue movie titled Samaritan coming out this summer) we’re ready to take a look back with at least a touch of perspective. I’ll lead with complaints, so everybody who’s been waiting for me to say that Bendis on Superman was Bad, Actually, savor this because it’s as close as you’ll get.

The Bad

* I hate to say it, but rereading that side of the run there’s no two ways about it: the structure of Action Comics as a whole is a mess. It baffled me from day one that it was the more acclaimed of the two books for so long - I guess people are hardwired at this point to think of ‘street’ stuff as where Bendis is supposed to be - because it was immediately clear that Superman had a well-defined story he wanted to tell, while Action was the usual Bendis off-the-cuff improvisation. It’s barely even a story in the same way, and it’s certainly not the ‘Metropolis crime book’ people took it as: it’s 28 issues of Superman and his supporting cast stuffed a pinball machine with the Red Cloud pinging off of each other as we wait to see who falls in the hole at the bottom, and partway through Leviathan and the Legion of Doom and 90s Superboy are tossed into the mix to keep it going a little longer. On an issue-to-issue basis it’s frequently really good, but the core plot of the book is *maybe* six issues stretched out over two and a half years.

* I’ve gone into this some before, but structure-wise Unity Saga also has problems: Phantom Planet rules but either it needed to be cut or the back half needed to be a year all its own in order to accommodate the scale of what it’s attempting. It’s got an interstellar civil war leading into the formation of the United Planets, family drama, Rogol Zaar’s whole deal, and Jon’s coming of age, and I’d say only that last one is really properly served. Even Jon forming the United Planets, while contextually somewhat justified in terms of 1. The situation being so far gone he’s the only one who’d even think in those terms, 2. Things being bad enough that these assorted galactic powers would be willing to try it, and 3. Him having the S on his chest to sell it, isn’t at all built up to within the run itself.

* Rogol Zaar sucks. He’s made up of nothing but interesting ideas - he’s an ersatz warrior ‘superman’ of a bygone age of empires up against the new model, he’s the sins of Krypton as a conservative superpower come home to roost, he’s while not outright said to be definitely Superman’s tragic half-brother and the culmination of everything this run does with Jor-El - but none of them manifest on the page, he’s just a big punchy dude with a dumb design who screams about how you should take him seriously because he’s totally the one who blew up Krypton. Even a killer redesign by Ryan Sook for Legion of Superheroes can’t fix that. There are lots of bad villains with good ideas who are redeemed with time and further effort, but I can’t imagine Zaar getting that TLC to become a fraction of whatever Bendis envisioned him as.

* The second year of Action Comics, after establishing itself in its first as one of the most consistently gorgeous books on the stands, leads with Szymon Kudranski’s weak output and then concludes with John Romita Jr. turning in some career-worst work. The latter is particularly egregious because for that first year Bendis writes a really collected, gentle Superman so him getting pushed into being more aggressive should have an impact, but Romita draws such a craggy rough-looking Superman in the first place that it mutes any sort of shock value.

 * WE NEVER LEARN WHAT’S UP WITH LEONE’S CAR, WHAT THE HELL. You don’t just DROP THAT IN THERE and then NEVER FOLLOW UP.

The Good

* Superman got his real clothes back after 7 truly ridiculous years.

* Bendis fundamentally gets Clark’s voice in a way unlike almost any other writer - even all-around better writers of the character almost never approach how spot-on he is with having Superman speak and act exactly how Superman should.

* Supporting cast front and center! He writes a dynamite Lois, Perry, and Jimmy (even if many of Lois’s more out-there decisions in the run don’t end up retroactively justified the way you’d hope), Ma and Pa are more fun than they’ve been in decades in their brief appearances, he manages to turn having Jor-El in the mix into a positive, and the Daily Planet as a whole has an incredibly distinctive vibe to it like never before that I hope is taken as a baseline going forward.

* The non-Rogol Zaar baddies? All ruled. Invisible Mafia and Red Cloud are both brilliant ideas executed solidly if overextended. Zod as Kryptonian Vegeta, Mongul as a generational perpetual bastard engine primed to be incapable of self-reflection, and Ultraman as “what if Irredeemable but he’d never been a good guy and also he was a Jersey mobster” are the best versions of those characters by numberless light-eons. Lex is on-point in his sparse appearances. Xanadoth as a mystical cosmic monster older than time who still talks like a Bendis character is however unintentionally a hoot. The alt-universe Parasite is a more intimidating Doomsday than Doomsday ever was. And Synmar as an alien culture’s attempt at creating their own Superman and messing up the formula when they make him a soldier can and should be a legitimate major ongoing villain coming out of this run.

* Pretty much all the art other than what I mentioned already. Fabok does a good job bookending The Man of Steel and Ivan Reis does the work of his career anchoring Superman (special props to Reis as well for drawing the first ever non-Steve Rude interesting-looking take on Metropolis), and meanwhile you’ve got Jim Lee, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, Doc Shaner, Steve Rude, Kevin Maguire, Adam Hughes, Patrick Gleason, Yanick Paquette, Ryan Sook, Brandon Peterson, and David Lafuente doing their own parts.

* Closely related to the art, all the little flourishes with the powers. Super-speed having a consistent visual with the background coloring changing, Clark internally putting numbers to the degrees of force behind his punches and what situations which numbers are appropriate for, ‘skidding to a halt’ mid-flight before crashing through a window, the shonen-ass major throwdowns as portrayed by Reis, how his super-hearing is handled as a prevalent element. Lots of clever bits that added flavor to what he does.

* While Unity Saga has problems, the whole of what Bendis does in Superman as a means of forward momentum for Clark and his world is excellent. The sort of three-act structure of: 

** Clark is led to question his place in things over the course of a few adventures

** Involvement in the larger cosmos and the impact it has had through and on his family makes him realize the answer to his questions is that he needs to step up in a bigger way because there’s no benevolent larger universe to welcome Earth with open arms, nor a cosmic precedent for everything turning out for the best without some help

** As a consequence of the lessons learned by this change in the status quo Clark is inspired to make his own personal change in revealing his identity (with Mythological basically being an epilogue showcasing a ‘standard’ standalone Superman adventure while simultaneously highlighting his new status quo and how it fits in as a summing-up of Bendis’s take)

…does a great job of shepherding through ideas that lend a lot of forward momentum to Superman of the kind he hasn’t seen in a long time. Not perfect, but far lesser stories with far lesser ambitions have made huge impacts, so I’d certainly hope at least some of this sticks around even if, say, regardless of any retcons to the main line there are always going to be stories with Clark as a disguise and Jon as a kid. Oh, speaking of whom,

* KISS MY ASS, EVERYTHING WITH JON KENT RULED

Ahem. Probably a less confrontational way of putting that.

Do I think there was more gas in the tank for Jon as a kid? Totally, making him likeable and viable was the one really good thing the Rebirth era accomplished for Superman and I expect we’ll continue seeing more of it in the future one way or another. But whether or not him being aged up was Bendis’s decision, or working with marching orders to set up the eventually-(kinda-)discarded 5G, the coming of age narrative here is fire. He keeps the essential Clark Kent kindness and bit of Lois Lane cheekiness that reminds you he’s still their kid, which is a combination Bendis is basically precision-crafted to write, but his trials by fire give him a background entirely unlike the by-the-numbers “and here’s how Superman’s great kid grew up to be a great superhero too” narrative you’d expect while still arriving at that endpoint. If superheroes live and die by metaphors then Jon in here is what it means to grow up written as large as possible: leaving home for the first time (and seeming to shoot up overnight!), getting into the muck of how the real world works, being beaten down by authority wearing faces you’ve been taught to trust, scrambling to get through with the whole world against you, and in the end getting through by learning to rely on your own strength while keeping your soul intact and your head held high, and even managing to speak some truth to power. It gives him a well-defined life story with room to go back to and explore the intricacies of each leg of for decades to come in a way Superman hasn’t had since the original Crisis - someone someday is going to write a The Life & Times Of The Son Of Superman miniseries and it’s going to be one of the greats - and negates any question that he’s earned his stature as the heir apparent.

* Coming out of this, Superman’s world is fascinating. He’s out but rather than giving up his day-to-day life he’s openly spending part of his life as CLARK KENT: SUPER-REPORTER and part of his job on the cape-and-tights side of things is now KAL-EL: SUPER-SPACE-DIPLOMAT, Lois Lane coruns a foundation helping people whose personal continuities have been fucked over by Crisis shenanigans, Jimmy Olsen owns the Daily Planet but is still doing Jimmy Olsen stuff because that’s how he gets his kicks, and Jon Kent is going to college in the future. I’m not anywhere near naïve enough to think that’s how things are going to be forever, or shortsighted enough to think there’s no value left in the traditional setups, but god I hope these developments stick around for a long, long time to come and potentially become the new ‘normal’ as far as the ongoing shared universe stuff goes, because it all feels like the right and promising next steps to take for the lives of these characters. However it got here, for all the pluses and minuses along the way even if I maintain the former very much outweighed the latter as a reading experience, Bendis has a lot to be proud of if that’s the legacy he leaves on these titles.

* The recap pages at the desks!

[nonecosiimportante]

Superman Vs. Xanadoth.

[esonetwork]

The Earth Station DCU Episode 283 – Keep Your Friends Close

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/the-earth-station-dcu-episode-283-keep-your-friends-close/

The Earth Station DCU Episode 283 – Keep Your Friends Close

This Week on Earth Station DCU! Drew Leiter and Cletus Jacobs learn to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Batman and Robin come to Metropolis to catpure Poison Ivy but must help Superman stop Metallo in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1. Henri Ducard is hired by Alfred to track down Bruce Wayin in Batman: The Knight #3. When Nulliflex attacks the city, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle respond in Blue & Gold #7. The Titans respond when Earth is attacked by the Citadel in Titans United #7. Diana wakes up a prisoner of Themyscira in Wonder Woman: Evolution #5. Catwoman teams up with Onyx Adams and Dario Tamasso to get back at his father in Catwoman #41. The Justice League and The Justice League Dark work together to stop Xanadoth in Justice League #74. Oracle calls in the fastest man alive when assassins are sent after Dick Grayson and burn his building down in Nightwing #90. After returning from Gem World, Wally gets an alert and discovers Johnny Quick from Earth-3 is trying to steal the cosmic treadmill from the Flash Museum in The Flash #780. Diana goes to the Temple of Athena for guidance and meets a ghost that tells her to enter the trials in Wonder Woman #785. Batman returns to Gotham City to discover Arkham Tower in Chaos in Detective Comics #1057. All this plus, DC News, DC TV, Shout Outs, and much, much more!

————————

Table of Contents

0:00:00 Show Open

0:01:24 DC News

0:11:27 Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1

0:15:18 Batman: The Knight #3

0:19:31 Blue & Gold #7

0:25:38 Titans United #7

0:27:36 Wonder Woman: Evolution #5

0:31:42 Catwoman #41

0:36:38 Justice League #74

0:47:02 Nightwing #90

0:51:32 The Flash #780

0:56:48 Wonder Woman #785

1:03:36 Detective Comics #1057

1:18:58 The Flash S8 Ep8 – The Fire Next Time

1:29:16 Naomi S1 Ep9 – Keep Your Friends Close

1:38:48 Superman & Lois S2 Ep9 – 30 Days and 30 Nights

1:48:22 Show Close

Links

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1

Batman: The Knight #3

Blue & Gold #7

Titans United #7

Wonder Woman: Evolution #5

Catwoman #41

Justice League #74

Nightwing #90

The Flash #780

Wonder Woman #785

Detective Comics #1057

Booster Gold (2007-2011): Day of Death (Cletus’s Read More Comics Pick)

Earth Station One Tales of the Station

Earth Station One Tales of the Station Vol. 2

The Chameleon Chronicles: Colors of Fate

The Chameleon Chronicles: Sisters of the Thorn

If you would like to leave feedback, comment on the show, or would like us to give you a shout out, please call the ESDCU feedback line at (317) 564-9133 (remember long distance charges may apply) or feel free to email us @ earthstationdcu@gmail.com

[kitzatara]

Respectfully i have to disagree, Zatanna is far more powerful than Evil-Lyn. Lyn is great, but every abilities you listed Zatanna can also do, he powers are practically limitless. She has fought reality warpers, broke the fourth wall, could block and partially depower the spectre, she could awaken the universe, content with Circe, and regrew all of creation including the multiverse. She could summon Nabu and bound him as a lord of chaos, and together they were able to defeat Xanadoth, the original and most powerful lord of Chaos.

I love Evil-Lyn but she is leagues behind Zatanna in power. And Zee is just as skilled, knowledgeable, and resourceful. It could even be argued that she is more durable considering she has resisted existence erasure three times.

Here’s a matchup of a couple of powerful sorcerers. Even though Zatanna started as an illusionist who didn’t even know she had powers, she ended up being one of the most powerful entities in the DC universe. Zatanna often speaks her spells backwards to cast her magic. She’s used to dealing with demons, creating energy blasts, and can go old school, fighting with her fists and feet. Over on Eternia, Evil-lyn is right up there with the Sorceress and Skeletor in terms of her magic. She’s portrayed more inconsistently in the 1980s show, sometimes being defeated by simply putting a cape over her head or tying her up with vines. However, in each of the following series, Evil-lyn’s powers are no laughing matter. She can use her magic staff to concentrate her power or disseminate magic blasts from her fingers, hand, or eyes. She can turn people into animals or objects, she can generate energy blasts, she can create storms, she can teleport, or she can disguise herself. In terms of combat, she’s not bad. She’s not some world-class martial artist, but she can tussle when required. She usually prefers using her magic, though. Comparing these two is a bit tough because of the various versions the two characters have existed as. I’m tempted to go with Zatanna, but I’ll throw my money behind a win for Eternia’s wicked witch in this case. Winner: Evil-lyn

[dispatchdcu]

Justice League #74 Preview

Justice League #74 Preview #DCEU #dccomics #comics #comicbooks #news #dcu #jonstewart #dcuuniverse #art #info #NCBD #amazon #comicbooknews #previews #reviews #JLA #justiceleague #JL #batman #hallofjustice #superman #flash #greenlantern #naomi #bendis

  Justice League #74 Preview:    Justice League Dark crossover conclusion! Another full double-size issue crossover spectacular as Xanadoth, the original Lord of Chaos, has returned. With unlimited power and revenge against all on its mind, the Lord of chaos has taken the form of Black Adam and no. One. Is. Safe. The final chapter of the Eisner-winning Bendis Justice League run wraps up with…