Has anyone read Blackstars #1? Thoughts?
I don't read *many* reviews but the ones I did didn't seem overly flattering -- but I liked it. I suppose it helps that I'm pretty heavily invested in Morrison's run, whereas I totally get why some might pick this up and go "what the hell am I reading?"
I thought "GL:Blackstars" was okay, but Hal was a bit lost here. Considering this is a new alternate reality, I was hoping to get caught up on what his deal was, but all I can tell is that he appears to still remember the Corps, so it seems he's still himself and the universe changed around them, rather than this being a new Hal raised on an alternate universe where he was never a GL. This issue seemed more about "Planet-Eater Lass" and her undying devotion to Mu and Hal's value to her as a companion. Some more "throwing in everything and the kitchen sink" writing from Morrison with the references to who knows what, but I imagine this will get a lot more interesting when Hal lands on Earth.
I just read the first issue on DC Universe. I can't remember a time I was so engrossed in a comic. I am planning on adding this series to my pull list.
Bumping for Blackstars #2. This issue gives us quite a bit of backstory on the Countess, ties up pretty much every disparate continuity thread about Sun-Eaters, gives us some real savage satire on current superhero comics (or possibly satire *on* satire, considering it's unusually savage for Morrison) and even gives us a gag about Bendis Speak. Good issue!
Anyone want to do the normal guide to the easter eggs in the Countess' wedding?
I was compelled to laugh out loud a lot here.
Morrison definitely layered the satire heavy, poking fun at ... well himself, the biggest, but also clearly it looked like specific poking fun at Snyder, King, and Bendis, yeah. Batmanson and his Batgirls was just like ... so on the nose, so funny, so not that far off from what's actually our In-Timeline Threat of the Batman Who Laughs and all the rando Evil Batmen he keeps introducing.
Not only that but like ... vampire cameos at the wedding. Sun-Eater continuity. Starbreaker. Andrew Bennett at the wedding because why not? Vorr is cool. It's so silly but it jives and actually resolves a lot of questions I had about Starbreakers and Sun-Eaters in general. I've mused about seeing Superman battle a Space Vampire for a long time and it looks like we're getting it ... and it's silly. Also great Mandrakk shout-out. Surprisingly relevant.
Bee is weirdly sympathetic for such a horrible space monster woman.
Morrison poking major fun at his own Batman run and the tropes it has spawned ... but obviously also using a few quick moments to be like "oh right I do miss Damian & such". Also majorly referencing his own Superman runs with the Action t-shirt and jeans comment and then Hal's backhanded compliment about All Star Superman. More than that though it's made clear that Grant hasn't had a chance to jump into the new Superman status quo with Jon and it feels somewhat like maybe he'd really like to, so we'll have to watch and wait and see if he gets to play in what's so firmly Bendis (and Rucka's) wheelhouse any time soon. I feel like between the groundwork that Jurgens and Tomasi built and what Bendis is running with now ... Morrison might see a fertile playground garden.
Oh man what else? This issue felt long. It had a lot going on.
Bee is fabulously space rich and actually hates Controllers but is incredibly patient and long-planning. Hal is Hal. Nice cameos from everyone else, including commenting on the sword & shield of modern day Diana and what it symbolically means for her stories. But it was a few more inside jokes about Batman and otherwise the Superman show.
Retro315 no more. Anonymity is so 2005.
retrowarbird.blogspot.com
this was def book of the week and it's not even close
good to see morrison just taking shots at king, snyder, bendis, and modern dc in general
Im loving this. Even if I am a little lost with Green Lantern Lore.
I love having Morrison on monthly super hero’s.
Fun stuff, but I didn't feel like Morrison was really making fun of himself here, most of the stuff could be directly tracked to what has been happening in the last few years and done by other writers.
The Batman jokes were him taking shots at himself, Snyder, and King, particularly the whole “oh geez the villains are trying to break and replace Batman AGAIN?” which was a core part of Morrison’s own run and has been the focus of Snyder and King’s runs as well. Also the whole part of making fun of the JL for just fighting SUPERCOSMIC ANTHROPOMORPHIC VILLAINS these days goes back to Morrison’s JLA.
Really funny issue overall.
Yeah, Morrison had the JLA fight angels, then Darkseid, then 5th Dimension imps then the war machine of ancient gods (Maggedon). In 52 it was hyperspace butterflies (among many other things). Final Crisis and Multiversity had the New Gods, the Monitors, the Gentry (multiversal horror machines) and The Empty Hand (who may or may not be the omniversal representation of editorial mandates). Morrison was definitely making fun of himself as well as others
Blue text denotes sarcasm
I took that to be about the current JLA storyline, especially the "relatives" part, but perhaps you're right - I'm sure he included himself in there, having written significant runs on JLA, Batman and Superman. My fav though was, the Batmanson panel and "We're contagious now!"
Hal struck back against Bel in the most Hal Jordan of ways possible: screwing everything up for everybody.