I'm genuinely re-evaluating if I want to continue with DC after this year thus far. I came back during Rebirth after lapsing for all of the New 52, and in 2018 they're upending everything they worked hard to set right with Aquaman, did the entire Batman #50 fiasco, shot Nightwing in the head and now this. They're basically going book-to-book with everything I was pulling and removing what I cared for in those titles. I'm finding more and more my posts are becoming negative and much like in 2011, I just don't think DC is going to publish books I want to support any longer. I generally try to stay positive and I've not been doing so hot there. Moves like this involving such a fan-favorite character, even if reversed, are executed so recklessly that I realize the only things not in consideration is telling a cohesive story with a plot, emotional payoff, or any semblance of respect for its audience or the work it builds upon. All the pretty artwork by Clay Mann can't offset that Tom King will just do whatever the damn hell he pleases, regardless of if it makes sense for a character, plot or what other writers are doing with those characters.
I'm enjoying some things they're releasing at the moment, but the list keeps getting shorter. Rather that continue to whine about recent trends at DC Comics, I think it's time I direct my attention elsewhere and calm down. There's always back issues. Didio continues to say one thing but direct the company in another. The company mantra seems to be that nothing matters unless it makes you wish your diet consisted of bullets and arsenic. Heroics require sacrifice, so people who go out of their way to help just because they like to aren't heroes in their own respect. The only stories worth telling are ones that can get a headline in printed media so we can sell a few more issues this month and then claim we only care for story.
spoilers:
All these deaths--some of which are rather massive (these characters were kids when the Trinity started out, they watched them grow up)-- elicit only a bit of sadness in one member, but really not a whole lot of attention is paid to what is effectively their nephews being slaughtered by someone they knew. It's very dry and matter-of-fact. The dead could have been anyone and reactions would not need to be changed. It was mechanical in the most ugly way. Yes, it's one issue thus far, but it's pretty much shown that it's an event first and a story second. I'm out. It's one thing to execute fan-favorite characters, but to do so wantonly is awful. |
end of spoilers
I simply can't stay positive over the lion's share of DC's work anymore and HiC is making me seriously reconsider if I want to continue this hobby any further. Based on the trajectory of the DCU and Didio's usual comments, I'm unsure things are going to get better. If not, twenty years has been a good run, I guess.