Outsiders #12

Rassenfrassa. I knew I was forgetting some reason I was supposed to stop by the comic shop yesterday.

It was a SIX COMIC day. (Four of my regulars, two minis)

Robin 126 was... hmm. Not as horrible as I'd expected? BoP 67, I'll need to re-read when less exhausted, GK 54 was, well, GK 54. The art was nifty. Outsiders rocked, and in fact, rolled. Rose and Thorn concluded, Another Nail started.

Shrift, I'm pretty certain you and I probably started with the hysterical giggles at about the same place.

I think you're right. I mean, yes, I giggled over the Dick/Roy/Helena stuff like hell, but I also giggled over the root beer Shift. Actually, I think the 'you are what you eat' bit with the Twinkie killed me more. Plus I had the cognitive dissonance of reading it wrong like you did. Also? The Indigo/Shift flirty stuff was cute as hell.

I also kept thinking that the way Roy needs to get Dick to care about the team? Have an orgy! That'll take care of it!

Oh! And Superman/Batman #10? Their love is still pure.

Oh, the twinkie bit had me lauging so hard I had to make Paul look at it. I think I said something like "this! this is why I love my comic!" Shift and Indigo are really, really cute.

and BWAH to the second notion. Also? Dude, Dick, way to call the kettle black when you're the pot there, honey.

Plei, I like to think that Dick calling the kettle black is simply his way of saying, "Dude, you're sleeping with everyone on the team but me? I'm hurt." Possibly because it's more fun than "Dude, Dick, hypocritical much?"

Purchased yesterday:

• new Grant Morrison comic, SeaGuy
• That DC collection of Alan Moore-scripted comics
• Powers, book 1
• the last Grant Morrison New X-men collection

Well, I can see how in Dick's world view, it's not hypocrisy, but that would involve hand gestures or something. Also, sorting out my extended thoughts on the matter.

So, thanks to my local pusher Plei, I re-read Killing Joke (and had managed to somehow forget just HOW fucked-up that particular story is). I also read A Death in the Family, and realized that I had never actually read that arc before. I knew the broad outlines, sure, but apparently never sat down and read the thing. Upon reading it, I realized that I wasn't that enthralled with the writing. It felt ... clunky. And exposition-laden, in that explain what happened in the previous issue way that annoys me to no end. (Can someone reassure me that more recent Batverse stuff doesn't do that anymore?)

Plus, the Joker becoming the UN delegate for Iran felt too gimmicky for me. That, and the panel of Bruce ripping open his jacket & shirt to show the bat symbol while things are merrily going to hell? Waaaaaay out of character, in my head. Supes does that sort of thing, not Bruce. Bruce is far too mindful of keeping his secret identity a secret, not to mention where the heck would he hide the bat-cowl in a regular suit?

I recognize the importance of the arc to the Batverse canon, but wow, the writing REALLY set my teeth on edge. Did not like it at all.

Tonight, I read Tim Drake, Boy Stalker A Lonely Place of Dying, which I'm pretty sure will NOT set my teeth on edge. Then Plei will loan me the next chunk of Essential Batverse Reading, and I'll slowly-but-surely get sucked into the fandom.

(Can someone reassure me that more recent Batverse stuff doesn't do that anymore?)

They don't do that anymore. Exposition is MUCH smoother and less clunky. Also, they are slightly less prone to heavy-handed takes on Current Events. ADitF is sort of a "I will read it because it is key to understanding many things, but I will not ENJOY it."