Tag: Batgirl
November 30 / / Comics

A Discussion on Canon: Batman

Out of all the properties in the comic book space, I have always gravitated towards Batman; maybe it was seeing Michael Keaton don the cowl when I was growing up or how that Seal song, “Kiss From a Rose,” always got stuck in my head whenever I heard it. Either way, Batman was a part of my life at an early age, from the dark and brooding Tim Burton flicks to even reruns of Adam West’s campy but enjoyable Batman tv show.

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It wasn’t until Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy started that I chose to pick up comic titles apart from the current Batman run. There were a lot of non-canon books written and drawn by brilliant writers and artists that ended up becoming part of the Batman legacy; and it’s in these standalone books that I want discuss the impact they’ve had not only on the character but his world as well.

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April 27 / / Industry

Recommended Discussion: Retcon

Retroactive Continuity, or Retcon, for short is a term that is all together too common in the comic book world. It basically means that there’s an alteration to an established fact within continuity, and comic book writers use this strategy to add, remove, and of course, alter stories.

With all the stories being written and new creative teams taking the reins for various properties, there always a chance things will get retconned. As a reader, it’s something that I don’t personally enjoy but I understand where publishers and writers are coming from. It sort of reminiscent of the music industry where nothing is original anymore. But with so many talented creatives entering the comic book industry, new stories are being thought up with fresh perspectives such as Scott Snyder’s addition to the Batman canon with his Court of Owls story arc or Francis Manapul’s work on The Flash.

But retcon examples litter the stories we read.  A prime example when a writer added something that wasn’t already established within continuity is what Brian Wood began on IDW’s Star Wars before Kieron Gillan picked up the mantle when it moved over to Marvel. Wood started to write stories that involved all our favorite Star Wars characters from the point after the Battle of Yavin, right after Episode 1: A New Hope.

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March 17 / / Industry

Fan Reactions: Wonder Woman’s New Costume

Recently, DC Comics released a teaser image of David Finch’s new Wonder Woman costume which will debut in Wonder Woman #41 in June. The new costume will be another attempt at updating Wonder Woman’s look from the iconic “Linda Carter” costume that fans are familiar with and love. Ever since DC Comics went down the The New 52 journey in 2011, several characters have gotten a new look like Supergirl, Superman, Harley Quinn, and Batman. Personally, I supported the costume refresh because Jim Lee helmed a bunch of them, more specifically the Justice League, adding his hard lines and artistic style in droves.

Iconic Linda Carter
Iconic Linda Carter
Jim Lee's Redesign
Jim Lee’s Redesign
Justice League #3 Cover, art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
Justice League #3 Cover, art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

He posted,

I rarely comment about comic book industry matters on my personal FB page, but I gotta say, shoulder pads, especially big bulky metal ones NEVER look good on women. Everything about them is unfeminine and lacks style. No grace to this approach at all.
And on a side note, I find the continued knee-jerk reaction to internet message board critics demands to keep female heroines covered from head to toe in fabric an overreaction. She’s an Amazon Warrior, she’s NOT in the *Taliban! unsure emoticon

Now, I’m a huge fan of J. Scott, like a little overly infatuated with him and his art. I do believe he does make some good points but at the end of the day, as long as Wonder Woman is still her badass self oozing Amazonian flair and the God of War tendencies, then I’ll be a happy comic reader.

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January 21 / / Industry

Creative Team Hot Potato – Following Your Favorite Creators