What's a must-read in 'The New 52'?

[Captain Comics]

As some of you know, I fell off the DC comp list with The New 52, and decided that was a sign from Zeus to start trade-waiting. And with the April solicits, I see decision time has arrived.

That is to say: Which trades or HCs will I buy? I'm certainly not going to pop for all 52, so I have to pick and choose. So let me ask you, Legionnaires:

• Which titles are so intrinsic to New 52 continuity that they are musts?
• Which titles are just so flaming good that they are musts?
• Which titles lend themselves to collections the best?
• Which titles can be "safely" skipped?
• Which titles are YOU buying?

And so forth. Sound off, folks! Which New 52 titles would you choose for the Captain Comics bookshelf?

[Philip Portelli]

I'm still not enthralled by the "I'm such a LOSER" Hal Jordan while they try to portray him as heroic and brave, he always ends up looking like a shmuck. And I prefer my Green Lantern shmuck-free! Unless Guy Gardner is involved.

I have been reading Green Lantern AKA Sinestro II: Back In The Saddle and it is a compelling read if you're a Sinestro fan. If you want Hal to be the star, not till the second trade, if you're lucky!

[ClarkKent_DC]

ClarkKent_DC said:

Next up: Deathstroke#1.

 

JeffCarter said:

One man's vomiting Satan is another man's dancing banana!

Well, that's what makes horse races.

Or, your mileage may vary.

Or something.

Maybe I'll be more specific, but for now, I can't muster the energy ... 

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Y'know, watching a horse race between Vomiting Satan and Dancing Banana just doesn't grab me unless I have a little money on it.

[Mr. Silver Age]

5 bucks on Vomiting Satan. I just don't think Dancing Banana has appeal.

-- MSA

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Ha! You're on!

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

Whoever wins, the dancing banana is still having fun. It's a win-win!

[ClarkKent_DC]

I suppose, in fairness, I should say a bit more about Deathstroke # 1 ... 

The theme of the book is that Deathstroke -- it goes without saying that this issue isn't an origin story -- is perceived in the underworld that knows of him and would contract for his services as a washed-up has-been. This despite his going into battle at the start of the story and, on page 3, lopping someone's head off with a broadsword so big the artist can't fit it into the panel. Who walks around with a phallic symbol weapon that size?

N.E. Way, he gets a new assignment from his agent, to retrieve a McGuffin from some arms dealer and we don't mind if you kill him, too. For some reason, this mission has to take place aboard an airplane in flight. (What is it with all these battles aboard airplanes?) Also, the client insists that Deathstroke work with a team of teenyboppers who are outfitted with all the newest, latest, highest of high-tech toys and gizmos. Deathstroke is disdainful and disgruntled at this indignity -- so much so that he blows them all away with a machine gun after it's all over.

I'm with Cap; what's the point of this book? The lead is a murderous mercenary, a Captain America gone wrong -- and there's no doubt in my mind Captain America could wax this chump like a candle, after his daily tune-up on Batman.

Count me out.

[Mr. Silver Age]

Whoever wins, the dancing banana is still having fun. It's a win-win!

In all fairness, I think Satan enjoys vomiting, too. And frankly, in a face-off, it'd be no contest. But I'll spare you the visual.

-- MSA

[ClarkKent_DC]

Next up: Red Lanterns #1.

Page 1, Panel 1: The caption "SPACE SECTOR 666" is over an establishing exterior shot of a space vessel, and a blood-curdling scream issues from within.

Page 1, Panel 2: Some poor jamoke is trussed up on a wheel, and a big bruiser says: "No good. I'm hardly feeling anything. Pull its eyeball out. That sometimes gives me a frisson."

*sigh*

What follows is 20 pages of mind-numbing death, destruction and gore. For some reason, pages 2 and 3 show an extreme closeup of a cat in a red costume who is in a fury. Said cat enters the ship, and the bruiser says, "I want the fur. Hold it down while I skin it." Bad move; the cat attacks the bruiser and yanks his scalp off his head, in bloody detail.

Then the cat's owner, Atrocitus, who is dressed as the cat is, enters and claws, slashes, and impales the bruiser's cohorts.

As noted above, I haven't read "Blackest Night." Nor "Brightest Day." Nor "Flashpoint." And I haven't been reading Green Lantern, The Green Lantern Corps, or any other spinoff in the Green Lantern franchise. So I'm coming into this cold; I know nothing about any Red Lantern Corps (wha -- ?). And nothing here makes me want to start. 

[Philip Portelli]

They are the menace of the new Green Lantern animated series with their red fire and energy constructs. I watched it with my eight-year old niece who knows who GL is but asked me who the Red Guys were and I honestly could not answer her except that they're the baddies!

[Mr. Silver Age]

I watched it too, and I thought it was pretty good. The 3-D animation is new for me mostly, and I thought it worked pretty well and gave it a new look. Who the Red Lanterns are doesn't much matter. I hope they don't spend episodes explaining how they are, how they got their powers, why they hate the GLs, etc. They have red light, they're evil, nuff said. At the same time, I hope that fighting them with Kilowog isn't all he does.

I tend to like GL when he's a little anchored to Earth/reality, and the first episode had a little of that. But I fear they're going to spend all their time floating around in outer space zapping bad guys. It works well with the animation not to have too much gravity to deal with, but at some point it loses its appeal for me.

I'm just amazed that they don't even bother to put a recap/info page into the new #1s for GL. With everything else supposed to be so bright and shiny new, you'd think they might want to warn new/lapsed readers that here there be dragons. I'm just not impressed with the "accessibility" of the New 52 that was touted so proudly.

-- MSA

[Figserello]

Not having Red Lanterns vomiting blood on their enemies in a children's cartoon is an insult to the creative vision of whoever created them.

 

:-P