I'm a big girl. Just tell me.

Inara ,'Objects In Space'


Other Media 2: It's Astounishing!

Discussion of comics, graphic novels, and more. Except for capes. No capes!

Please use spoiler font for new releases until after the weekend following release.


DavidS - Mar 05, 2012 1:58:08 pm PST #4018 of 5059
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

What are the best two or three stories or arcs to convince people that Superman's not just a big extra strong Boy Scout, and that he's a character worth caring about, and worth writing about?

The Alan Moore Superman stories were revelatory:

"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow"

"For The Man Who Has Everything"


Tom Scola - Mar 05, 2012 2:32:14 pm PST #4019 of 5059
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

My current line of thinking is that Superman might be a boring character, except that from the point of view of the people around him, he's not. From Lois' point of view he's interesting, from Lex's point of view he's interesting, and from Jimmy's point of view he's interesting.

I think maybe Morrison gets this, to a certain degree, but I'm not sure who else does.


Matt the Bruins fan - Mar 05, 2012 3:57:45 pm PST #4020 of 5059
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand

I'd recommend the 1986 mini-series The Man of Steel over All-Star Superman.


Polter-Cow - Mar 07, 2012 7:42:11 am PST #4021 of 5059
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!

Paging Strega!! I just read Grant Morrison's run on Batman/Batman and Robin (along with Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?, Arkham Asylum, and Azzarello and Bermejo's Joker). I agree with you on Damian Wayne; I recognized some of the panels that you had posted with glee. Let's talk!


Strega - Mar 07, 2012 6:50:25 pm PST #4022 of 5059

Oooooooo. We should! When I am not so burned out? And maybe when I have gotten the Morrison run back from the friend I loaned them to? But I am totally in theoretically. Sorry, Let me nag my friend (who has own commitments so its not like I'm blaming him except I totally am, obviously?).

I guess: I'll try to find coherent thoughts soon. Right now I'm all, "Yeah I read that! I... don't remember the details. Ugh." So I'll try to be less useless ASAP. It's good to have goals.


§ ita § - Mar 09, 2012 6:50:48 am PST #4023 of 5059
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I like this marketing decision by Marvel: [link] Despite it not really being "the most critically acclaimed stories", it is the most consistently expensive ones, and that's perhaps more important.


§ ita § - Mar 09, 2012 6:30:46 pm PST #4024 of 5059
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Why Spider-Man Is The Best Character Ever.

And maybe that's why I don't dig him as much as many others do? Because I liked high school? Can it really be that simple?

However, I'm not entirely sure there's still a through line of that metaphor in a more adult Spider-Man. I mean, I don't think there really should be--but what they posit for Batman and Superman would really always be true.


Tom Scola - Mar 09, 2012 6:42:49 pm PST #4025 of 5059
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

high school?

Well, there's high school, and then there's J J Jameson, and then there's Aunt May, who he loves, but can be kind of an emotional leech. And his best friend. And his girlfriends, who are awesome, but tend to get thrown off of bridges and shit.


Steph L. - Mar 09, 2012 6:45:13 pm PST #4026 of 5059
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe

And symbiotes, yo. And goddamn KRAVEN.


Tom Scola - Mar 09, 2012 6:52:53 pm PST #4027 of 5059
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

Oy, the fucking symbiotes. Everybody wants a piece of Peter Parker. Why can't they just leave him alone?