Justice League: Gods and Monsters

Steve Englehart once was going to write a story (a sequel to his Dark Detective saga) where he'd reveal the chemical bath gave the Joker some degree of regeneration, which I actually think sort of makes sense in a comic book universe, and at least partially helps to explain his seeming immortality.

Really? Interesting. Kinda reminds me of a recent series...

DC is releasing a digital-only prequel comics series. From July 1st to July 18th, one issue will be released per day. The first three issues focus on Batman, while the most recent issue focuses on Superman.

Personal assessment: The Batman issues are...OK. They're functional, they do what they have to do, but they're not really offering anything interesting or new to the table. This Batman's basically the long-lost lovechild of Dexter Morgan and Marvel's Morbius and it shows. My favorite parts involved Kirk struggling to have a life outside of Batman and vampire Joe Chill, which was a nice bit of comic book-y weirdness.

I do like the Superman issue better, mostly for the focus on Superman's family life and his relationship with his older sister. Makes him nicely relatable, despite the whole "I accidentally crippled my sister" thing.

edited 4th Jul '15 4:31:34 PM by TheOtherSteve

Do you have a link? I am interested.

Here you go.

https://www.comixology.com/search?search=gods+and+monsters

Thanks.

Just saw this. That's a rather mondernish Wonder Woman.

I just had a thought regarding the prequel comics.

I think this Batman might be gay.

OK, I know it's an analytical cliche to say that any character is gay, but please hear me out.

1. Kirk Langstrom is originally from a small, rural town in Nebraska. He's always been a smart, bookish guy, and that's put him at odds with the rougher people around him. Kirk's narration describes how he's always felt like an outsider, a freak. His parents have more or less disowned him, and his father is "confused" by him. Granted, abuse isn't an inherently logical thing and far worse things have happened in real life, but it seems strange to want to cut ties with your son just because he's a scientist.

2. Francine, Kirk's love interest in mainstream continuity, shows up as his old high school sweetheart. We're told that the relationship did not work out, though we're not really told why. Regardless, the two of them are still close friends, enough that Francine's current boyfriend feels completely un-threatened by Kirk's presence. (Though he's not above cracking a mean-spirited joke at Kirk's expense.) As an aside, Kirk never really describes Francine with romantic language.

3. Kirk develops an obsession, and later very deep relationship with a handsome young man named Jeremy Moxon. We're told that Kirk is confused by how Jeremy seems to be a decent man despite being the son of a crime boss. But Kirk's fascination seems to go a lot further than that. He stalks Jeremy around his own house, then later approaches him and strikes up a friendship with him, one deep enough that he eventually lets Jeremy in on the Batman thing. They work together, play chess together, and Batman even gets a "heroic second wind" moment when a villain threatens Jeremy. And when Jeremy turns out to have been a crime boss all along, he accepts Batman wholeheartedly, despite the fact that Batman killed his father. The whole thing reads like a gay romance gone sour.

OK, I'll concede that I might be reading too much into things. But I think I'm onto something here.

... I don't know. I guess I'll have to read the comics to judge.

On a note, I am confused: are the comics available in scan only or does buying them online mean they will be sent in paper form to our adress?

edited 11th Jul '15 3:13:03 AM by Theokal3

Scan only.

Ah, good. I live in France so I was afraid of how much it'd cost^^' thanks for clarifying.

I thought Batman was a poly-amorous bisexual, of course I only watched the movie but at the end he says "Wrong. I loved two people in my life. And now they're both gone." I was pretty sure he meant Magnus and his wife, whose name I have already forgotten (Tiffany? I think it was Tiffany)

That was a good movie and not just dark for the sake of being dark. It even ended on an optimistic note.

On the subject of Kirk's sexuality, it's pretty dang obvious he was in love with the guy's girlfriend.

WAIT I THOUGHT IT WASN'T OUT TILL THE TWENTY SIXTH.

@ Philosopher Stones What precisely was modern about this Wonder Woman?

Screened at Comic-Con.

Good to know it ends optimistically, though.

edited 11th Jul '15 9:50:36 AM by Etheru

Saw it. Was pretty cool actually, I rather like GAM Superman. TBH I kind of want an entire series off it, it's got some real potential.

President Luthor is one thing, but President Waller? Holy crap. And Darkseid gets owned HARD.

Okay, finally saw it. And I friggin' loved it. Aside from the fact they kill a little too many major characters from the canon to my tastes (something that has always been a common problem with Elseworld stories in my opinion), I have nearly no problem with it. All three characters were good in their own way.

Did not expect the entire wedding thing to go down how it did.

I just saw the episode of Justice League with said involved characters too. Granny Goodness being the wedder of the two made me laugh.

edited 13th Jul '15 10:36:03 AM by Vertigo_High

... now that you mention it, yes, it was pretty hilarious^^

On a note, now that the movie has came out, would you guys say it managed to make Batman more likable than he was in his short and his comic tie-in?

I didn't read the comic, but movie Batman was pretty good. The main problem with his short was that it was so grim it was almost silly.

Oh, and I like that he can fly.

I agree, he was great in that movie. As for flying... I am still wondering if it's part of his power or just his costume^^' Probably the latter considering he is not seen flying in the flashback.

I liked him in this movie except his VA which made him sounds oddly flat. But I get the feeling he's supposed to have Asperger or something.

Kirk Langstrom has always been a kind of flat character anyway.