04-02-2005, 06:43 AM
Hmmm.....where to start? I know!
While I disagree with the "much-maligned" part, I completely agree with everything else you said there. Countdown showed Blue and Gold in a light that made me believe. It made me believe that in these trying months to come that they, along with Capt Atom, Elongated Man, and possibly Mary Marvel were going to step up and become the heroes that they always could have been. Countdown portrayed Beetle the way I always pictured him in my head when he wasn't with Booster Gold.
But then you have the actual Blue Beetle. The aforementioned artifact that gave the original his powers afer his retcon relaunch. Within the pages of countdown we not only see it left in the hands of Shazaam, but we see it activated and held in the hands of Ted Kord. Perhaps instead being the catalyst that spawns BB the third, it instead acts as some sort of ressurection device for Kord? One can always hope.
As for the Villains United arch, I can see where you are coming from for as the Mandarin once said "To many masters, not enough minions." However I don't think any of them think of it that way. If I recall correctly, the newly "ressurected" Dr. Light was present for the preceedings, and the Society is something stemming from the events of Identity Crisis. I don't think, or at least I can only hope that this will not be a group that sets about trying to confront the Justice League in your most typical of manners. In a big fight sequence. But rather a true counterpart to the League in which Villains...well...unite. Typically when ad guys get together it's to attempt to take down a hero or two. With a little luck we'll be treated to a group of villains who's main goal is not to destroy the League itself, but rather to simply support each other in their endeavors however they can.
Back to the issue of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, I know that it upsets you deeply that a great, serious character, was made the comic partner of the likes of Gold, and probably upsets you moreso that there were/are people like me out there that actually enjoyed it, but at least within his inner thoughts Ted tried to reconcile this fact. Saying that if they didn't take themselves seriously, and no one else did, that no one would expect much out of them. And they wouldn't need to expect much out of themselves. Not the best of reasons, I know...but at least they tried.
Now please don't think I'm trying to defend this book, as I was left feeling slightly sick to the stomach after reading it, coming from the same place you are (In essence at least). Even given my love of Blue and Gold as the second string, comedic characters they were portrayed to be for so long, to give us readers a tale like this only to end it the way they did is shameful. Like I said, I always pictured Beetle being a hero when he was away from Booster, but to actually have the book in my hands that shows it.... And then to have it end like that. With a bullet....
This was the best Blue Beetle and Booster Gold we've seen in years. This was Blue Beetle and Booster Gold as heroes. As Damn Good Heroes. I honestly could care less about Batman and Superman and Dr. Fate and Hal and all the others who cameoed in this issue. This was about Blue and Gold. But instead of using this issue and the upcoming Crisis to wipe their slates clean and rededicate them, DC manages to hospitalize one and kill the other. Must everyone and everything be dark and full of angst over at DC? Is no one allowed a happy ending any more?
I would have been satisfied with a sad ending so long as it allowed for continued character development on behalf of the previously mentioned pair. But it is not to be. Ted Kord died this week, and much like Ralph Dibny the Elongated Man, Booster Gold is now primed and ready to be stripped of any and all humor. Everything that made him the character we knew, regardless of how we felt about him. He won't develop. He won't go thru some sort of inner growth. He'll become another token dark hero for a month or two and then fade away. If he gets that much attention at all.
Crisis isn't the right word for this. Travesty is.
Oh! And I wouldn't worry about the Sue as Spectre rumors. After all, we all know it's going to be Stephanie Brown. Spoiler. Spectre. She won't even have to change the lil' "Spr" she has engraved on her washroom towels. Besides...shes been rocking the hood look for a good while now. I'm retty sure she has the job sealed.
Quote:....the opening and most of the eighty-page story had the stench of that first issue of Identity Crisis about it. Here we have spectacular writing and exciting art reviving and recreating a much-maligned, largely forgotten second-string hero - only to snuff him out.
While I disagree with the "much-maligned" part, I completely agree with everything else you said there. Countdown showed Blue and Gold in a light that made me believe. It made me believe that in these trying months to come that they, along with Capt Atom, Elongated Man, and possibly Mary Marvel were going to step up and become the heroes that they always could have been. Countdown portrayed Beetle the way I always pictured him in my head when he wasn't with Booster Gold.
But then you have the actual Blue Beetle. The aforementioned artifact that gave the original his powers afer his retcon relaunch. Within the pages of countdown we not only see it left in the hands of Shazaam, but we see it activated and held in the hands of Ted Kord. Perhaps instead being the catalyst that spawns BB the third, it instead acts as some sort of ressurection device for Kord? One can always hope.
As for the Villains United arch, I can see where you are coming from for as the Mandarin once said "To many masters, not enough minions." However I don't think any of them think of it that way. If I recall correctly, the newly "ressurected" Dr. Light was present for the preceedings, and the Society is something stemming from the events of Identity Crisis. I don't think, or at least I can only hope that this will not be a group that sets about trying to confront the Justice League in your most typical of manners. In a big fight sequence. But rather a true counterpart to the League in which Villains...well...unite. Typically when ad guys get together it's to attempt to take down a hero or two. With a little luck we'll be treated to a group of villains who's main goal is not to destroy the League itself, but rather to simply support each other in their endeavors however they can.
Back to the issue of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, I know that it upsets you deeply that a great, serious character, was made the comic partner of the likes of Gold, and probably upsets you moreso that there were/are people like me out there that actually enjoyed it, but at least within his inner thoughts Ted tried to reconcile this fact. Saying that if they didn't take themselves seriously, and no one else did, that no one would expect much out of them. And they wouldn't need to expect much out of themselves. Not the best of reasons, I know...but at least they tried.
Now please don't think I'm trying to defend this book, as I was left feeling slightly sick to the stomach after reading it, coming from the same place you are (In essence at least). Even given my love of Blue and Gold as the second string, comedic characters they were portrayed to be for so long, to give us readers a tale like this only to end it the way they did is shameful. Like I said, I always pictured Beetle being a hero when he was away from Booster, but to actually have the book in my hands that shows it.... And then to have it end like that. With a bullet....
This was the best Blue Beetle and Booster Gold we've seen in years. This was Blue Beetle and Booster Gold as heroes. As Damn Good Heroes. I honestly could care less about Batman and Superman and Dr. Fate and Hal and all the others who cameoed in this issue. This was about Blue and Gold. But instead of using this issue and the upcoming Crisis to wipe their slates clean and rededicate them, DC manages to hospitalize one and kill the other. Must everyone and everything be dark and full of angst over at DC? Is no one allowed a happy ending any more?
I would have been satisfied with a sad ending so long as it allowed for continued character development on behalf of the previously mentioned pair. But it is not to be. Ted Kord died this week, and much like Ralph Dibny the Elongated Man, Booster Gold is now primed and ready to be stripped of any and all humor. Everything that made him the character we knew, regardless of how we felt about him. He won't develop. He won't go thru some sort of inner growth. He'll become another token dark hero for a month or two and then fade away. If he gets that much attention at all.
Crisis isn't the right word for this. Travesty is.
Oh! And I wouldn't worry about the Sue as Spectre rumors. After all, we all know it's going to be Stephanie Brown. Spoiler. Spectre. She won't even have to change the lil' "Spr" she has engraved on her washroom towels. Besides...shes been rocking the hood look for a good while now. I'm retty sure she has the job sealed.