June 16, 2009
Tanned, Rested, and Ready
So for a variety of reasons, I sort of fell off the blogging wagon for a while. For the sake of my fragile ego, let's assume you all noticed and missed me terribly. Anyway, partly I was busy, and partly I didn't have much to say about comics, and partly blogging seemed to much like work and not enough like fun.
A couple of thoughts on recent comics goings-on after the jump, and then let's make this an open thread.
Thought one: When I read the other week that Rich Johnston would no longer be doing Lying in the Gutters, I was said. I know some people view him as a scurilous gossip-monger (and sometimes he was), but he's probably done more real comics reportage than anyone else in the comics press. Happily, and unbeknownst to me until a few days ago, the reason he was leaving Lying in the Gutters was to start his own website, Bleeding Cool. I look forward to reading it.
Thought two: Dwayne McDuffie is out as the writer on JLA. In one sense, this is a shame, because Dwayne is a great writer whose work deserves to be seen by a wider audience. In another sense, it's just as well -- DC editorial was taking such a heavy hand in the book that it wasn't really Dwayne's. Dwayne was very upfront about what was going on behind the scenes, detailing constantly changing demands from higher up to write this character in and that character out, derailing his plotlines, and so on. He was very sanguine about the interference, but apparently not enough for DiDio because they have quietly kicked him off the book. Dwayne's replacement -- at least in the near-term -- is Len Wein, of all people. With Gerry Conway also writing for DC, I don't blame you if you have to double-check your calendar, but yes -- it is still the 21st century. Here's hoping we see more from old-guard guys like Len and Gerry (and from Dwayne, too).
So what's on everyone else's mind?
Posted by Jason Fliegel at June 16, 2009 2:53 PM
Don't forget Marv Wolfman is writing a monthly as well.
From what I gather, Dwayne was removed from JLA after Rich published a collected edition of his comments. A comment here and there wasn't on DC's radar, but an extended series of them apparently was.
However, my understanding is that he's still involved with DC, but only on the Milestone stuff at this point. Overall, it sounded like both he and DC got rid of a headache and in a way that, while feelings might have been hurt, bridges weren't burned.
I guess I hadn'r really thought about Marv, since it seems like he never left the industry (though I recognize his output in the last 15 years hasn't been what it was in the 70s and 80s). Chris Claremont is another guy with longevity. Speaking of which, has anyone checked out his new X-Men book? It picks up right where he left the title back in 1991 or whenever it was, ignoring the 20-or-so years of continuity since then. I picked up the first issue. It definitely reads like a late-period Claremont X-Men book. Great art by the always capable Tom Grummet.
Also, Roger Stern still knocks around the industry from time to time (most recently in this week's Captain America anniversary issue).
This from Dan Didio on Newsarama today: DC has Cary Bates working on a series.
Yes, we have gone back in time.