Responding To Keith Giffen

Over at CBR, Keith Giffen did a kind of rapid-fire, stream-of-consciousness commentary on various comics-related things. As I was reading them, I had a mental response to all of them, so I thought it'd be fun to jot those down here.

This'll go much easier if you're using tabbed browsing and can switch back and forth, by the way.

1. Agreed. We just got the best Joker story in years, and Darkseid's been played out for a long time (I blame the Superman and Justice League cartoons for doing such an awesome version of him that everyone wanted to play).

2. Very agreed. Not just the comics varieties, but the popular image of the "quarter-life-crisis," which used to be called "Hey, it turns out real life is harder than college."

3. Well, no, no one robs banks anymore that I'm aware of, but yes, I'm tired of the nerd tapestry taking precedence over the story at Marvel & DC as well. And no, the nerd tapestry is *not* the story. It's a storytelling tool.

4. Someone should have thought of this before making Night Thrasher the central character of the latest attempt at a New Warriors revival.

5. A lot of people (Geoff Johns, I'm looking at you) seem to be unable to tell a one-off bit when they see it these days.

6. Heh. Probably why it's mostly referred to as "The Fourth World" these days. Although that does raise the question of what happened to worlds One and Two. (Three, Kirby did cover, sorta.)

7. I don't think we need one Hawkman, to tell the truth.

8. I heard somewhere that was a myth. Well, you know what I mean.

9. Because Jesus already came back from the dead. He ascended into Heaven after the resurrection; he didn't die again.

10. I live in New York. That wouldn't really faze me, compared to some of the stuff I see on a day-to-day basis.

11. Of course there is: To look big and ostentatious. (Why do you think Congress still meets in the Capitol Building?)

12. And just in time for Christmas.

13. They do if they want to.

14. Agreed.

15. Oh, you're mean.

16. Most characterizations of her, yes. Especially the original one that everyone seems to be so in love with. (Sadly, that is not an exaggeration. I feel the same way about Gwen Stacy as Peter's girlfriend.)

17. I think fans USED to be better at it than the pros, but then those fans became pros, and the ones who didn't became used to the pros doing it for them, rather than working it out on their own. Marvel stopped giving out No-Prizes for a reason, after all.

18. You should really just relax.

19. He's an arm of God. God can kill whomever He wants. The commandments only apply to us sinful meatsacks.

20. Winter Soldier. And considering I came up with "Benny Light" while the 2004 convention circuit was still going, no, it's not too soon.

21. No bet. Hell, they pretty much turned Blue Beetle into a more upbeat version of Night Owl. (And by "they," I realize I mean "you.")

22. See above.

23. I can't help but wonder to whom this is directed. All involved qualify.

24. Mark Waid told me not to think about it, so I don't.

25. "Progress" is spelled a lot like "process" for a reason.

26. Welcome to the club. We're pleased to have you.

27. Favorite member of Zodiac, a word with no rhymes, a state that does not exist, and a good way to get gum out of hair.

28. It's one way to go, although I hate the word "paradigm." Really, I'd like to see each company come up with a model that worked for them, rather than an industry-wide standard. But that's about as likely as me growing tits.

29. Certain comic books, I'll agree. Hell, I'd probably save money by adding Amazing Spider-Man to my pull list.

30. My friends and I loan stuff out to one another, but I wouldn't call that trading. Really, kids trade comics, and guess what most kids don't do anymore?

31. They became expected, and became by definition unspecial.

32. Mint does not exist. Once it leaves the printing press, it is no longer mint.

33. If it were a rock band, probably. Actually, why isn't there a rock band called the Doom Patrol?

34. Because almost no one who's inclined to read Aquaman wants to use their imagination.

35. The question arises of how it would actually be accomplished.

36. Yeah. It was when they were calling him "Warrior."

37. Understandable, but your loss.

38. Name me one.

39. It worked pretty well the last time.\

40. Depends. Most of the Arab world wasn't too fond of Hussein, either.

41. Yes, and no.

42. I'm not even reading them, and I don't care. Although I don't think you're supposed to.

43. I know I wish the ones in my living room would take the hint.

44. Whatever price that one indie thing that came out this year that everyone hollered about was. (Boy, I've got my finger on the pulse of the industry, don't I?)

45. Have you just discovered Wizard or something?

46. So will I. Particularly if that good, solid artist is Lee Weeks. (This also goes for writers.)

47. I think of it as a "nice to you, rude to the waiter" situation. How does he treat the people he doesn't need?

48. So is an understanding of what editors actually do. Not among the editors; among the fans.

49. One more reason to love them.

50. I have a very empty life.

51. Because Daylight Savings Time just ended.

52. Welcome to last week on the blogosphere.

53. When did the French start making horror movies?

54. To listen, or to be the guy to speak up and say "Are you a fucking idiot?"

55. Well, how else is he going to learn to dodge bullets?

56. "Inferno" is getting a premiere hardcover, so you would seem to be correct on that one.

57. A lot of the time, they do. A lot of the time, it looks crappy. (Also, it's not like they've actually mastered the new coloring techniques yet.)

58. Same for the ones who stay alive, too.

59. It was wartime. Nobody asked questions.

60. Fallout 3 is really not going to affect my life at all.

61. Well, I consider it a kind of intellectual sloth, myself.

62. Ha! You think it's about creativity! That's so cute.

63. It wouldn't work on me if they put it on steak, so probably not.

64. Because comic book writers like to kill God (read: Daddy), and it doesn't really work if He sees it coming.

65. See answer 62.

66. I guess these are showing up in all the books I don't read. I'll give you that it applies to covers as well, though.

67. I'd rather most of the creators turned out to be Skrulls, to be honest.

68. Again, this must happen in books I don't read.

69. Who with the what now?

70. Bruce did leave his DNA all over town...

71. No, why do a comic about his old job?

72. I hope this is a joke.

73. That's nice. I presume you have ideas of some sort?

74. If I cared about football beyond the Cowboys losing, I'm sure I would.

75. So what does that say about me?