Final Crisis Headache
For those of you keeping track of the most recent DC solicitations, it has been revealed that series artist JG Jones is officially off the title. As opposed to the help from Carlos Pacheco he received for issues 4, 5 and 6, issue 7 will be drawn entirely by Doug Mahnke. This, as usual, got my juices boiling a bit. When Civil War was delayed due to art problems by Steve McNiven, the comic world was torn between loving the idea of waiting for great art and wanting the story right away. Marvel chose art over inconsistency and the issues following the delay sold as well as previous ones. In Infinite Crisis, DC chose a different route when art delays came around; they decided to get artists to help finish the book and keep it on schedule, no matter what. Then, come hardcover time, they REDREW this art to make it consistent with the quality of earlier issues. Now here comes Final Crisis, the…well, final crisis. We do know thanks to this CBR article that no art will be redrawn and that what we see will be what we get, which makes me at least a little happy. A little. Still, I am left with doubts and questions that I will get into right here and now.
What do we know about Final Crisis? We know that Morrison’s scripts had to be changed to have the story better correspond with what happened in Countdown and Death of the New Gods. We know that DC tried to salvage this by giving Jones help in the artwork and that the skip month did what it was designed to do, but in a different way than originally intended. The skip month was originally to keep us antsy, let the story synch in and to let the art get finished for issue 7. Instead, it let Jones redraw issues 4, 5 and 6 with Pacheco’s help and delays have made Final Cris somewhat inconsequential in the current DCU. Flash is off doing his own thing, the JLA are uninvolved in their own book, so is Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, the Green Lanterns and Ambush Bug.
Final Crisis was said to be the be all, end all of the DCU that will change everything. So are we to only see change until it is over in the miniseries itself and subsequent one shots? The reason I am so involved in Secret Invasion over at Marvel is because I read about it in every book I pick up in one way or another. Even if the story itself does not revolve around Skrulls, there are still mentions of what is going on. It is acknowledged. We’ve seen RIP referenced, but no Final Crisis in DC. Is it because the scripts were not finished due to re-writes? I believe so. Morrison was given free reign to make a story. So here he is, making a story, but no one else is privy to it! We know the dropped the ball on Countdown, but now DC suffers all the more for it by trying to “fix things.”
I understand that JG Jones might have more to say than he is saying. Whether it is personal reasons or if he is simply not talking inside baseball with the press, there is more story than just what is on the page.
There is a reason why Marvel is the #1 company right now. It’s not just the movies, video games, TV commercials and cartoons. Hell, it’s not even just the comics. It’s the enthusiasm. Writers and artists alike seem thrilled to be there. What have we gotten form DC of late? Dixon thrown off Bat books because they wanted to do RIP. Manhunter canceled without any advertising to remind people it exists. An entire Titans issue completely scrapped because “it wasn’t good enough.” Take away the Superman books which have been amazing and there is no fun in the DCU right now. None.
Now I know that I might just be talking through emotions at the moment and I’m sorry if I am. But I’m coming to a point in my life when I need to start cutting down on comics to pay the rent, eat, and still have a life outside of the shop every week. I think where I am going to start is DC right now.
Please, DC. Give me a reason to care. Give me a sign that your books will start mattering, that there’s a universe going on and not just random stories that might interconnect when you feel like it. Don’t be like the X-Books or The Avengers of the 90’s where everything was cut off even when characters existed.
Just…don’t.
Substance is all I’m asking for here. Is that really too much to ask?
If you read all of that, I applaud you. I think I’m done now.
Well said Ian. I am seriously considering slashing half of my DC books post Final Crisis in the same fashion I did w/ Marvel following WW Hulk was at the high of 11 now stands at 4 or 5. It just means more trades buying for DC/Vertigo to get more bang for the buck & less single issues buying come in Jan. 2009 the cutting axe comes down 25 issue to 12 or 13.
Matthew
I must say Ian, I am in the exact opposite place than you. Over the last couple of years DC has pulled me in deeper and deeper. And Marvel has pushed me away further and further. For me it started with House of M, but what really got me dropping Marvel Titles was the Civil War delay. I never really care about the hardcover or the trade at all, I just want the issue done. That’s the thing about commercial art is that you do art for money on time. If you want all the time in the world, go be a fine artist. With OMD they got me drop spider-man, I haven’t bought a BND spidey since it started, I don’t even have the FCBD one. I am only really getting SI because I like Yu ( I think he is the hottest guy they have at Marvel, he’s sick. If Marvel was Wu-Tang Clan he’s Ghostface Killa).
I do think that DC is more connected than you are giving it credit for with FC. IdC led directly to IC which led to 52 around the same time 7S happened. There are themes that run through all of these along with Superman, JSA and GL titles. FC makes alot of sense if you read Mister Miracle. The Crime Bible was set up in 52. As much as Rogue’s Revenge was a FC tie-in its also a spring board for Flash Rebirth, The GL stuff in FC is setting up Blackest Night. All the writing is on the wall, its all there.
I do understand the cuts, life is real right now for me also, I’m cutting back to trinity and umbrella academy when FC is done. 5 titles, that’s not even 20 bucks with online prices. I have to cut back (I also need Street Fighter 4 and a arcade stick but that is another story). I just want to enjoy a comic while they are still here for an affordable price and not in a trade (and i find nothing wrong with that that WFTT). I kinda wish more comic would just come out, and not wait. But I know that I am in the minority. I kinda wish that more US artist used assistants maybe stuff would come out on time easier. But Mahnke is the truth and I do think he should have did it or maybe JH Williams III ( those club of heroes issues on batman are the truth). Maybe they should’ve had a tag team on from the beginning, but i wonder if the fan base would have accepted it.
sorry if i rambled.
P.S. Don’t forget that Marvel just got back in to good cartoons. DC has a waaaay better track record. And DC has the second highest grossing domestic movie of all time. And are selling watchmen trades like hotcake. Marvel is flamboyant and DC is subdued.