Brief Thoughts On A Few Comics I Read Yesterday

In the order I read them yesterday:

1. Trinity #14: So, Ultraman & Co. are Saddam Hussein, and the Justice League are the Americans invading Iraq? They easily dispose of the bad guys, but then are stuck trying to fix it when it falls into chaos and rebellion afterwards. In this scenario, the Trinity = Bush/ Cheney, the rest of the Justice League = Congress, and I guess Enigma is cast as the pro-war Democrats. Except there's no dimensional transfer thingie in Iraq.

2. Detective #848 -- So, does everyone know that Selina Kyle is Catwoman? Why else would they call Batman? Obviously a non-death event -- Catwoman is certainly on someone's "unkillable" list -- but likely to drag out for a while a la Connor Hawke. You can tell her chances of survival based on the heat level -- Operating Rooms are very cold, but somewhat warmer than Refrigerators.

3. Manhunter #34 -- Maybe its the long wait, but I've been disappointed by the first, new Manhunter arc. A little too trite for my tastes, especially the "You are blowing an undercover investigation!" bit.

Focusing On The Good (Birds of Prey #103, Cover Date April 2007)

Characters

Major Heroes: Oracle, Manhunter
Minor Heroes: Gypsy, Huntress, Big Barda, Misfit, Judomaster, Zinda

Major Villains: Spy Smasher
Minor Villains: Miguel

P'Shat

Oracle begins with a flashback to her days at Gotham University, when she and Katarina Armstrong were both friends and rivals. In the present, Spy Smasher threatens to shut Oracle down if she does not call off her mission.

Meanwhile, Manhunter, with Gypsy's help, is shutting down a metahuman prison on order from Bones in the DEO, and the rest of the BoP gang is trying to rescue Tabitha Brennan -- the ganglord's daughter -- from various and sundry bad guys.

As the situation resolves, Manhunter frees all of the kidnapped metahumans and threatens to warden to turn himself in, the gang completes the rescue of Tabby, only to realize that she was the one who had killed her father in hopes of taking over his father's mob, and Oracle has given in to Katarina's threat to arrest her in order to embarrass her father, and agrees to start working for Spy Smasher.

Drash

When Birds of Prey #100 came out, I was initially critical of the All-New, All White lineup, but I wasn't really comfortable writing about it, so instead I wrote about Checkmate, and what they do right in terms of promoting diversity in DC Comics. I said I'd get back to Birds of Prey eventually, after I had time to think about it and now -- at the end of the first post-Dinah arc -- this is it.

And my conclusion is essentially that I was wrong before to criticize Birds. It's a great lineup, and a great story with lots of intrigue, plot twists, interesting characterizations, and everything else you'd want in a good story. Checkmate is still my favorite current title, but just because Checkmate is doing everything right doesn't really mean that Birds of Prey is doing anything wrong.

I realized that my problem was looking to narrowly -- characterizing Birds of Prey as a "diversity comic" and then criticizing it for not being diverse enough. The crux of the specific criticism here was that the new lineup was all white with no Hispanic members, despite the fact that they were putting together a new team specifically for a mission to Mexico.

But that was looking at the issue too narrowly. Birds of Prey has no more obligation to have Hispanic team members than Batman does to have a Hispanic Robin for their next sojourn from Gotham to Guatemala -- none. The issue is, and has to be, broader. It is the responsibility of DC to ensure that there is wide representation throughout the DCU titles. But it was never to ensure a specific mix in each book. What I was doing in criticizing BoP was essentially a form of minority cannibalization. "Here's a team with minority slots, but look! They are all filled up with white women. We should trade some of those white women for Hispanic or black women." But there never were really minority slots. The problem of insufficient Hispanic women superheroes exists, but it was never Gail Simone's problem. In a world with a dozen Hispanic superheroes with their own monthly books, we'd probably never have noticed.

When I was reading back over my review of Checkmate, I realized that -- while praising them for their racial and gender diversity, including inclusions of all types of women, an Israeli Arab, Mister Terrific, etc., I never criticized them for not having any gay characters. The irony, of course, is that the next month Tommy Jagger came out, which just goes to show how awesome Checkmate is.

But the point was that it wasn't needed to make Checkmate a great book. In a DCU that will promise regular appearances by Obsidian, Batwoman, Catwoman, Grace and Anissa in the Outsiders, etc., Tommy Jagger wouldn't be absolutely necessary. In a DCU without them, he is needed, but not necessarily as White King's Knight. The "Book" stands on its own merits -- the "Universe" is where the praise of blame must lay.

So, for today, we are focusing on the good. In Birds of Prey #103, we learn that Manhunter, Spy Smasher, and Oracle are working on three different teams, and we are not sure who, exactly, are the "good guys". Lots of room for future intrigue here. Motives are unclear, and a future of Barbara "working for" Katarina can go so many different ways that picking up #104 is a sure thing. Misfit, meanwhile, remains an enigma.

The best part about a book with half a dozen female leads, of course, is that it removes the possibility of "the female" as a type. No one is confusing Barda with Kate, or Judomaster with Misfit. Multiple characters require multiple characterizations, and while I can see Huntress and Manhunter as being of a "type" (the Hunting type, I guess), there is still enough variety to see them either becoming best friends or rivals.

So, while I would not complain if we learn next month that Obsidian is joining the BoP, this month I have nothing but praise for what has been fairly consistently the second best DC Comic I read every month.

Manhunter Sales, Part II

#24 (July): 14,600 (#134)
#25 (August): 15,100 (#128)
. . .

#26 (December): 23,767 (#96)
#27 (January): 17,842 (#126)

Not even Ted on the cover saves a decline back to sub-Aquaman levels.

Bearing Witness (Manhunter #28, Cover Date April, 2007)

(Not the cover of an Aquaman story)

"C'est magnifique, mats ce n'est pas la Manhunter" -- General Bosquet

Characters

Major Heroes: Kate Spencer, Wonder Woman, Cameron Chase
Minor Heroes: Blue Beetle, Batman, Dylan Battles, Mark Shaw, Sasha Bourdeaux, the Madmen

Major Villains: The Madmen, Dr. Trapp

P'Shat

The sudden appearance of Ted Kord hurts Wonder Woman's defense that she had to kill Max Lord because he was a known killer. As our heroes fly away in the Bug, Ted says that he has no memory of the last 18 months. The Bug is attacked by the "Madmen", and after they parachute to safety, Ted says that he believes Max Lord is his friend, and that his first memory is awaking in the Alps, where he had been captured by Checkmate. The Lasso of Truth confirms that Blue Beetle truly believes he is Ted. A blood sample taken by Batman will, we assume, prove the same.

Meanwhile, in Gotham, Cameron rescues her sister from capture in a wax museum, but is promptly assaulted by Dr. Trapp, posing as a wax figure. Dylan tries to run in to the rescue, but the gates clank down, preventing his entrance.

In the other meanwhile, Mark Shaw gets some flashback/extrapolation on the history of the Knights of St. Dumas and Azrael, and is informed that he is to be their new hero.

We end with Kate receiving a copy of the unadulterated Wonder Woman/ Max Lord tape from Sasha Bourdeaux.

Drash

So, the real problem with Manhunter #28 is that it is not, as far as I can tell, about Manhunter. Or Kate. Now, it's been three issues into the story arc, and the only time Kate has been in "uniform" has been when she was sparring with Wonder Woman in #26. Now, some might complain about that, but I was fine with it, because Kate Spencer, Attorney at Law, was a crucial part of the story for #26 and #27.

But read through Issue #28 again and tell me exactly what it is that Kate and/ or Manhunter DOES for 22 pages. She watches Ted Kord talk to Wonder Woman, and fails to respond to reporters. She watches Ted and Diana rescue her from inexplicable bad guys in the Beetle-mobile. She watches Wonder Woman and Batman do the science v. magic testing of Ted. She watches Sasha give her evidence. She isn't present when Cameron fights Dr. Trapp, or when Mark Shaw becomes the new Azrael, or whatever.

It's like in those old 1960s covers where Aquaman or whoever talks to the audience while the rest of the Justice League has the actual adventure. We like Aquaman, of course, but we're not quite sure why he's there. Same here. It's a great story. Highly recommended. Five stars. I just have no idea why its happening in a book entitled "Manhunter".

Scheherazade and the 1,001 Comics (Manhunter #27, Cover Date Mar. 2007)

Characters

Main Heroes: Kate Spencer, Wonder Woman, Cameron Chase, Dylan, Mark Shaw
Minor Heroes: Sasha Bordeaux

Major Villain: Dr. Trapp

P'Shat

Wonder Woman and Kate Spencer are sitting in at Wonder Woman's grand jury testimony (which is, despite the explanation in the book, completely not going to happen). The two rattle the prosecutors and the judge, and otherwise show that the writer has been been a part of a grand jury. It is also unclear why the grand jury is meeting in Los Angeles, as no part of the alleged crime happened there other than its the location of the defendant's lawyer.

Sasha Bourdeax is watching TV footage of the hearings, and notes that the video of the killing of Max Lord has been doctored. She orders a Checkmate company jet and flies off to Los Angeles.

Chase almost kills Dylan, and then goes into a lengthy flashback about the time she was kidnapped by Dr. Trapp, and helped in her own rescue while her father the Acro-Bat and the rest of the Justice Experience tried to save her.

Mark Shaw has been captured in the Himalayas. He escapes momentarily, but as he runs away, comes face to face with a knight who welcomes him to the Order of Saint Dumas.

Finally, Wonder Woman and Kate face the press after a day of grand jury testimony, when the proceeding is interrupted when what appears to be Ted Kord dressed as the Blue Beetle emerges from his Beetle-Plane.

Drash

In the story of Scheherazade, a woman, under threat of execution by her evil husband, is forced to a story every night -- ending each story with a cliffhanger so that the evil King Shahryar would let her stay alive for another night. By analogy, a comic book writer, under threat of cancellation, is here forced to layer plot point over plot point in a vain attempt that his comic book will not be executed if everyone is waiting on the edge of their seat for the next issue. . .

Or something like that.

Here's what we've got so far:

1. In issue #25 Iron Monroe -- now believed to be Kate Spencer's grandfather -- barges into Director Bones's office, demanding to talk to him about Kate. There has been no discussion of the Kate's-ancestry plotline in issues #26 or #27. Also dropping off is any discussion of Kate's personal life -- ex-husband, son, etc.

2. Mark Shaw -- the former Manhunter -- is trekking through the Himalayas based on a vision. (He was en route on a boat in #25). This might be starting to go somewhere by the end of #27, but we're getting minimal clues so far. Those clues, however, raise almost an entirely new plotline, since the Knights of Saint Dumas (creator of Azrael from the Batman comics) were supposed to have been destroyed. Left unaddressed is what, exactly, Shaw had a picture of in #26 that made the native woman scream and flee.

3. Cameron Chase 's sister is being held hostage by the evil Dr. Trapp. She has fled to Gotham to save her. There was minimal development on this issue in #27, except for some back-story and the fact that now Dylan is helping her.

4. Sasha Bordeaux notes that the video of Wonder Woman being aired is a fake. Why is no one noticing this until now?

5. A shadowy figure in Washington at the end of #26 punches out a window, and asks why he does kill Wonder Woman like she killed Max Lord. Who is this shadowy figure, and who is he with?

6. Wonder Woman's actual grand jury issues. Will the grand jury hand down an indictment? What are the prosecutor's motives here?

7. Ted Kord???

So, that's seven distinct plotlines weaving around here (some of which have subplots). I was excited at the end of #26 that there were all these intriguing possibilities to work through over the next 4 issues. Now, I feel, we've got far too many plot points to ever be dealt with in just 3 issues, especially since most of them haven't even gotten past the point of background and foundation-laying.

This is now TWO issues in which nobody has gotten into costume and fought a bad guy. How long will evil King DC allow Queen Willingham to keep leaving cliffhangers to be picked up with the following issue? I'm guessin they won't be as gullible as to King Shahryar.

Mega-rod! Mega-rod! Mega-rod! (Birds of Prey #101, Cover Date Feb. 07)

Characters:

Main Heroes: Oracle, Barda, Huntress, Zinda, Judomaster, Manhunter

Main Villain: Spy Smasher

P'Shat

Having freed to mob boss's daughter from the Mexican prison, Zinda flies the group North, where they are intercepted by U.S. fighter planes while still in Mexican airspace. After a fight scene between Barda and various aircraft, Zinda's helicopter is blown out of the sky. Saved at the last minute by Barda's boom tube, they take a limo to turn over the mob boss, but are instead arrested by the agents. Meanwhile, Manhunter is off on her own trying to free another group of prisoners -- the "real" targets -- and Oracle is meeting with Lois Lane with Misfit in charge.

Drash

Repeated usage of the word "Mega-Rod" cures a lot of ills, but this story isn't really keeping it's plot twists in line. If the secret plan was to make it look like the Birds of Prey had been killed so they wouldn't be followed, why are they risking Barda going off to fight to planes? Did she not know the "secret plan" that she was a part of? Isn't is only supposed to be secret from the bad guys? But Spy Smasher tells Oracle that all of her agents will be dead or in jail within 48 hours, and promptly has the "dead" Birds arrested, so she apparently wasn't fooled either. What the heck kind of secret plan fools Zinda, but not Spy Smasher?

Meanwhile, while the cover shows Manhunter being arrested by armed agents, the issue actually ends with everyone BUT Manhunter being arrested. Kate is just off fighting Miguel, a large shirtless Mexican who apparently is always on call for the prison's shirtless- fighting-Mexican needs.

But, hey, at the Mexicans actually have some Hispanics on staff. The All-Caucasian Birds remain in all-White mode.

Manhunter #1 (Cover Date October 2004)

Cast of Characters

Main Hero: Kate Spencer (Manhunter)
Minor Heroes: Damon, L.A.P.D.

Main Villain: Copperhead

P'Shat


Kate Spencer is a hard-nosed district attorney in Los Angeles, trying to earn a conviction and death sentence against Copperhead, who was captured after killing many people during a bank robbery. His defense attorney tries to convince the jury that he is not guilty due to his metagenes, that control him to the extent that he is not responsible for his actions.

The jury finds him "Not Guilty by Reason of Genetic Anomoly" and he is ordered transferred to the Death Valley Metahuman Research Facility, instead of death row. On the way, Copperhead escapes and kills the transport drivers. Kate, frustrated with her defeat, is arguing with her ex-husband over custody issues when she hears on the news that Copperhead has escaped.

Kate goes into the room where the D.A.s store the confiscated criminal parephernalia, takes a costume and weapon, and becomes Manhunter.

Out on the streets of Los Angeles, Manhunter tracks Copperhead into the sewers where they fight. When the police arrive, Copperhead is found dead, with a wound from Manhunter's staff through his head, and the name "Manhunter" carved above his body.


Drash

Manhunter gets a lot of credit for living up to many feminist ideals. Kate Spencer is a well developed character, isn't anorexic, doesn't have a skimpy costume, and is a good fighter. I largely agree, but:

Is Kate a good lawyer? In "Underworld Unleashed", Copperhead (who had, until then, just been a contortionist in a snake suit), sold his soul to the Demon Neron, and became a human/snake hybrid thingie. Is Copperhead entitled to a Genetic Anomoly defense when he freely chose his genetic anomoly? Not likely.

What's the politics here? Kate seems to believe that giving Copperhead the death penalty would save lives. But Copperhead could have escaped just as easily on his way to prison as to the Death Valley Metahuman Research Facility. It's not clear how things would have gone differently if Kate had won her case.

It's a general pet peeve of mine that the fact that prisoners often escape (so they can be criminals again in future issues!) makes comic books inherently pro-death penalty. I have absolutely no problem with Kate being pro-death penalty (I'm not, but I can still love characters I disagree with). My problem is that the book ITSELF is pro-death penalty, with the underlying message of "See, killing criminals is the only way to prevent stuff like this from happening."

Still, there is much to love about Manhunter, and I currently own all 25 of them (and am looking forward to #26 in December!)