Comments on: What I bought – 2 May 2007

By: Apodaca

Apodaca — Wed, 09 May 2007 20:48:13 +0000

Thatâ€™s true, sir, but at least it ties into something I like, and if it does suck, I wonâ€™t keep buying it. Just because Iâ€™m getting something for three issues (I think thatâ€™s how long the crossover lasts) doesnâ€™t mean Iâ€™m in it for the long haul.

But you will keep buying it. For as long as the crossover lasts. And if you do that, then their plan has succeeded on the minimum level, at least.

I guess we have different ideas of “the long haul”. Three months is way too long for me to commit to something I don’t enjoy.

By: Paperghost

Paperghost — Sun, 06 May 2007 07:02:20 +0000

(the last part of my comment went missing, doh)

Making things even more complicated is the fact that the other name given to him by his mother was “Li Yuen Kam”, which was eventually ditched because of something to do with an older relative (I think) and he had an additional name which was supposed to “ward off evil spirits”.

So, in conclusion, let’s never speak of Bruce Lee’s name again because its too early for this sort of thing

By: Paperghost

Paperghost — Sun, 06 May 2007 06:55:53 +0000

â€œI donâ€™t know any in comics of the top of my head either but Asian people did it too. Bruce Lee for example.â€

Ummâ€¦ Bruce Lee WAS the name given to him at his birth. He was born in San Francisco.”

He was indeed born there, though technically he his name at birth was Jun Fan – he was given the name Bruce at birth as an “addition” by the doctor, and his family never actually used the name Bruce until he was twelve.

By: Frank S. Kim

Frank S. Kim — Sun, 06 May 2007 06:23:49 +0000

“I donâ€™t know any in comics of the top of my head either but Asian people did it too. Bruce Lee for example.”

Umm… Bruce Lee WAS the name given to him at his birth. He was born in San Francisco.

By: FunkyGreenJerusalem

FunkyGreenJerusalem — Sat, 05 May 2007 05:03:38 +0000

I might actually like it, after all (although Iâ€™ve never been a big Winick fan).

Probably not.

The only Outsiders I’ve read was when Winnick had them appear in Green Arrow, and if the appearance there was Winnick trying to show them off and hook a larger audience for the book, then it’s a very, very dire read.

By: Dan (other Dan)

Dan (other Dan) — Sat, 05 May 2007 04:38:39 +0000

Greg–yeah, you’re right; I kind of conflated ‘crossover’ with ‘event’. Having comics cross over for story purposes is a lot different from the sales drives Civil War and IC were. Crossovers make for a cohesive universe and can be done to good effect. Last week I bought X-Factor 76, which was a crossover to the first Hulk storyline I ever read, back in 3rd grade. Both books were written by Peter David and the interplay between the two made for good comics. The X-Factor story didn’t even have the Hulk in it; it was the team acting and reacting in the context the Hulk story necessitated–great storytelling facilitated by a crossover. It was also really interesting to read a story I had built up in my head for 14 years. It was a great fulfillment and was entertaining, but didn’t take me back to my third-grade self that I suppose I was (unknowingly) expecting. I’d be interested in reading a post on some subject like that–reevaluating childhood comics, first experiences with comics you grew up with but never read, or comics you’ve read and forgotten, something like that. I remember being in a comic shop in 1993, being recommended Bone, and passing on it. I’ve since been interested in how my comics experience would have changed had I made the opposite decision.

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Sat, 05 May 2007 00:57:06 +0000

I’m sure that’s what the Powers-That-Be think, Dan, which is kind of sad.

I don’t LOVE crossovers, but I’m much more inclined to buy them if they do what this one does – two writers decide to have their two books interact. Rucka has set up Checkmate so they WOULD go after the Outsiders for this stuff, so if I have to buy the other book for three months or so, that’s fine. I might actually like it, after all (although I’ve never been a big Winick fan).

What I don’t like is a central “event” comic that has tendrils in every single comic that the company publishes, like Infinite Crisis and Civil War. That’s one of the reasons why I avoided those books. Those are the annoying kinds of crossovers. This kind, I can live with.

By: Matt D

Matt D — Fri, 04 May 2007 23:53:11 +0000

You don’t have to buy every book. Just hop onto the forums and ask someone what happens.

Now paying attention to every book is another story.

By: Dan (other Dan)

Dan (other Dan) — Fri, 04 May 2007 23:25:49 +0000

“Just because Iâ€™m getting something for three issues (I think thatâ€™s how long the crossover lasts) doesnâ€™t mean Iâ€™m in it for the long haul.”–Greg B.

‘So let’s have everything tie-in to the super-mega-crossover, then the aftermath, then next month’s superer-megarer-crossoverer!! It’s a plan that can’t fail!–Editorial

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Fri, 04 May 2007 21:43:07 +0000

That’s true, sir, but at least it ties into something I like, and if it does suck, I won’t keep buying it. Just because I’m getting something for three issues (I think that’s how long the crossover lasts) doesn’t mean I’m in it for the long haul.

By: Apodaca

Apodaca — Fri, 04 May 2007 21:24:24 +0000

Why do DC and Marvel assume you read every single one of their books?

I think you answer your own question, here:

(which means Iâ€™ll be buying that book for a while, even though I have no desire to)

By: John Seavey

John Seavey — Fri, 04 May 2007 19:41:38 +0000

52 #52 was flat and incoherent, I thought, and every time I think about the vast Gordian Knot of DC continuity it raises my blood pressure another few notches. So I won’t.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about the Sensational Spider-Man Annual while disagreeing some of your reasons for liking it. I think that Spider-Man actually should be a comic for adolescents–that’s what it’s about, it’s Boy Becomes Man, it’s the story of someone growing up and learning about the importance of being a stand-up guy the hard way. If you outgrow that, why are you still reading Spider-Man?

That said, that ship has more or less sailed, forty-five years of continuity is already in place to make Spidey grow up a bit and you can’t just start ignoring it now, and there’s no way to “undo” Peter and MJ’s marriage that isn’t going to be bleak, unpleasant, and depressing, so you might as well keep them together and make it work–and Fraction did that very well this issue. I don’t know if it works as well for someone who hasn’t just read 185 straight issues of Amazing Spider-Man, but for me, it was very sweet and nostalgic in all the right ways.

By: Matt Brady

Matt Brady — Fri, 04 May 2007 16:04:16 +0000

Don’t forget Sam Clay!

By: Paul C

Paul C — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:15:36 +0000

I’m glad you decided to pick up the Sensational Annual and glad also you enjoyed it. Personally I found it to be an enjoyable issue with great writing and stunning art.

I also hope they don’t kill off MJ or the marriage as so much storytelling potential will be lost.

By: J To The AAP

J To The AAP — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:28:30 +0000

I might be wrong but I canâ€™t think of any non-Jewish creators who did the same during that period.

I don’t know any in comics of the top of my head either but Asian people did it too. Bruce Lee for example.

By: Linkara

Linkara — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:13:05 +0000

Well, I don’t read Outsiders or Checkmate, but I will say that as someone who followed on through 52 through all its issues, it was actually a pretty damn good payoff, I’d say. ^_^

By: Billy F

Billy F — Fri, 04 May 2007 01:18:29 +0000

that whole nuke/Sivana/dictator stuff didnt happen in 52, it was a few issues ago in Outsiders. I guess they figure that if youre buying the crossover you’ve read the book it’s crossing over with.

I love Checkmate, but I refused to buy this crossover. I’ll pick it up again afterwards.

By: Dan K

Dan K — Fri, 04 May 2007 00:47:58 +0000

Stan aside, there were a number of Jewish creators at the time who changed their names.

Jacob Kurtberg=Jack Kirby
Eli Katz=Gil Kane
Bob Kahn=Bob Kane

I might be wrong but I can’t think of any non-Jewish creators who did the same during that period.

By: Filipe

Filipe — Fri, 04 May 2007 00:13:42 +0000

Pretty much every brazilian penciller (with the exceptions of Ivan Reis and Gabriel BÃ¡) have anglicized names. I don’t know how it started, but I always suspected that the early brazilian pencillers to get mainstream jobs like Deodato all got work through the same agent and that guy thought it was a good idea to change their names – which is not surprising knowing brazilian culture – and than it sort of become tradtional from guys thatwant to breakout out on superhero comics to do the same. It should be pointed out that while guys like Ed Benes, Luke Ross and Roger Cruz pretty much always worked toward doing DC/Marvel suff, BÃ¡ alwais souned pretty happy by doing less mainstream stuff.

By: Greg Burgas

Greg Burgas — Fri, 04 May 2007 00:13:39 +0000

That’s interesting, Rohan. It would be nice if it was true, and why would Stan lie? Of course, that doesn’t change my argument, because a lot of people DID change their names to sound less “ethnic.” Stan Lee just leapt to mind because I know his last name was Lieber.