And, just because it made me laugh, Warren Ellis on what he'd do if he ran Marvel:

You can't publish things just because, you know, you've always published them. You don't keep a tumour in your head because, well, you've had it for years. THOR. No-one cares about THOR. No-one's ever cared about THOR. I wrote THOR. I wrote Thor in bed with a blonde woman wearing nothing but thighboots and opera gloves drawn by Mike Deodato. And still no-one cared about THOR. No-one's cared about THOR since Walt Simonson did the book. And what was the first thing Walt did? Got rid of Thor and replaced him with a horse from space. And the sales quadrupled.

That was weird.

I agree, ita. If I was in a position to get Nightwing drunk and a ring on my finger -- nah, I still go for the booty call. Honor, schmonor -- cannot compete with Batman, yo.

Warren Ellis on what he'd do if he ran Marvel

Dude, Warren Ellis playing himself in Powers had me snorting loudly in public. Note to self: do not read Powers in public again.

Me either, but I'd place good money

Victor, in regards to your white font, me too, especially given the previews for the coming Flash IC fallout.

Oh, yeah. NW thoughts I think this would have worked better as a three-parter, because the transition from the first part to the second felt rushed. That said, I enjoyed the issue a fair amount, to the extent of feeling reluctant sympathy for Cat. This does not, however, keep me from wanting to thump Dick upside the head and tell him "BAD! BAD IDEA! I don't care HOW much the tequila affected your reasoning."

I don't think IC#2 could have worked with a sidekick as the victim. Maybe a child, on the outside a parent, but I think the person needed to be complicit in the superhero game, just not playing. Part of the lifestyle by choice, but without power. That would then guarantee the response of everyone around. But as discussed a bit back, that's rarely a guy -- the superpowered chicks don't seem to be marrying mundanes.

ita, I'm with you.

It also in terms of initial reasoning behind the big secret, had to be something brutal and horrific enough to drive them to abuse their power like they did. I've tried to figure out what other route Meltzer could have used to get the characters where he needed them, and can't seem to think of an effective one.

I'm a little put off by the way Meltzer seems to be characterizing all the women except Black Canary as goody-two-shoes types that must be kept on a high moral pedestal. I mean, Superman and Batman have qualms about killing, but the only reason Diana even has recurring villains is because half of them are mythological figures that are immortal or can spring from the dead after she's lopped their heads off. And while Zatanna may be benevolent in comparison to magicians like John Constantine or Mr. E, she's not exactly one to use kid gloves in dealing with the opposition .

Who are the women in consideration, Matt? Black Canary, Zatanna -- who else has been shown to have a pure moral stance? Or are you including his work outside IC? What else does he do?

Agreed, Matt -- and it ties in to the increasing whole woman in a refrigerator, woman as property to be protected, discomfort that I have with the series. I dunno. I'm really impressed with the the way the plot is being structured and laid out, but there's little in the world that's as sure to piss me off as the whole "the womenfolk are under attack, so the menfolk have to go get vengeancey" trope. As for Canary, I'd like to see her do anything at all in the series other than be the token not-on-a-pedestal bad girl.

Mmm. I'm a little less sensitive to the trope in general than amych and Michele T. I don't see how Black Canary has done less than most of the others in the core group. I mean, no one's done anything yet, other than Ralph and his reaction -- or am I missing action?