Ray's 40th DCU Megathread - Mid-OOMPH Crisis!!!

[Mylazycat]

What's with you today?


And I read Scarlet!

I'm just giving it an honest assessment.

I know you read Scarlet and that's my point. You read Scarlet, you didn't read this book. Your enthusiasm for Scarlet showed, even within that character you were ding the review in. I LOVED the Scarlet review. I'm just saying this one doesn't quite work as well. You're trying to duplicate the Scarlet review too soon.

[Ray G.]

It was one of the best books of the week, Sasha. And had some cute nods to Twin Peaks that I think you would have enjoyed.

I think we both put it as #2 for the week.

I hope he's on for more than one arc.

[I AM GROOT!]

The unfortunate fact is that Barbara has become a "symbol". Moreso than Professor X, who is healed and has his spine broken on a weekly basis, disabled readers have embraced her as a representative. Any attempts to heal her would make a lot of people very angry. The annoying part is that those same people complain about her being in a wheelchair while Batman was healed, calling it sexism.

Plus, there's the problem of no one really wanting a 27-year-old Batgirl. If they ever do restore her, I predict it'll be via a dip in a lazarus pit that also takes ten years off her life. But right now, with Stephanie being popular and the book being well-received, I don't expect it.

Barbara rejected having her spine fixed toward the very end of the first volume of BoP, didn't she? If anything, this makes her even more representative to the disabled.

[NickT]

Exactly. The CCA was relaxed quite a bit in the 1970s with the return of many of the Big Two horror comics. Honestly, before Marvel ditched the code, there really wasn't any story you couldn't do as long as it didn't have nudity or language (to the extreme), and those two things aren't necessary for a good story.

So then they dumped it when it was pretty much pointless.

[Matthew Brown]

But how do I reconcile three different types of vampires, and avoid stepping on the toes of continuity?

Maybe I set it in the 1980's, and do a vampire version of those teen comedies. Three vampire dudes meet, and get into wacky hijinks trying to get a bite!

[Ray G.]

All that is is an excuse.

No one forces you to write comic books for corporations. If you want to write someone else's property there are going to be restrictions. It took almost two years for us to get from concept to development on Death Troopers because it wasn't our property. If we wanted to we could have used the concept and eliminated the SW stuff and told whatever we wanted to tell. But it wouldn't have been as cool or popular because it wasn't tied into SW. Same goes for the comics. These creators can do their own thing with no restrictions but they know it won't sell so instead it's all about changing what worked for 60 years.

But the corporations are the ones tired of these restrictions.

I don't really see the benefit in some outside group, one that likely doesn't read too many comics, deciding what's acceptable for comics. I just wish that the companies were a little bit more self-aware of who should be able to read these books for their long-term health.

[Marcdachamp]

I think a lot of people still associate the comics code as it was today with the comics code of the 1950's, which was pretty ridiculous. That's the big problem in the conversation.

I could see more of a need for it then as opposed to now.

[Mylazycat]

Then again, Sasha, I may be wrong.

[Ray G.]

Barbara rejected having her spine fixed toward the very end of the first volume of BoP, didn't she? If anything, this makes her even more representative to the disabled.

Can't say I really agree with this. With the exception of deaf people (due to the whole "deaf culture" thing), the vast, vast majority of disabled people would likely take a cure if it was offered.

I believe she rejected the various offers because they came from villains or other shady sources. She also rejected the idea of becoming "part machine", and I'm not really sure why. Probably because editorial decided to keep her in the wheelchair.

[Cth]

The unfortunate fact is that Barbara has become a "symbol". Moreso than Professor X, who is healed and has his spine broken on a weekly basis, disabled readers have embraced her as a representative. Any attempts to heal her would make a lot of people very angry. The annoying part is that those same people complain about her being in a wheelchair while Batman was healed, calling it sexism.

Plus, there's the problem of no one really wanting a 27-year-old Batgirl. If they ever do restore her, I predict it'll be via a dip in a lazarus pit that also takes ten years off her life. But right now, with Stephanie being popular and the book being well-received, I don't expect it.

Someone should make a list of "Recurring Plot Points" for each character and compile how often they're used..

Prof X - Crippled/Healed
Phoenix - Died/Reborn
Thing - Cured/Not Cured
Iron Man - Drunk/Loses Company
etc