Wrong turns made in storylines for DC Comics

[Nomads1]

Killing off Lyrissa Mallor in L.E.G.I.O.N '91.

She was a likeable fascinating character. Maybe the most likeable character in the book. I know from Legion of Super Heroes that Lydea Mallor was supposed to be Talok's greatest champion but they did too good of a job writing Lyrissa as a character. I wanted more from her. Never cared for Lydea.

Yeah, I remember that really shocking me at the time.

Peace

[SJNeal]

Treating Elseworlds like Marvel's "What If" stories. Elseworlds are not just hypothetical stories in the DC multiverse; they're supposed to be alternate worlds that characters can visit, yet I have not seen one crossover event with a well-known Elseworlds story in decades. Elseworlds have so much potential. They could even be used to give readers who are bored with the main series better more quality stories. A lot of readers don't mind the fact that they're not part of main continuity. That gives the writers so much more freedom.

This.

I think the turning point with Elseworlds came in 1994, when they made it the theme of all that years annuals. Prior to, they were unique stories that creators had to put some thought into and actually pitched. Editorially mandating a ton of stories to fit a theme kind of took the wind out of the concepts sails, and after that they just continued to churn out any old "What If...?" style story and slap the Elseworlds label on it.

[caj]

This.

I think the turning point with Elseworlds came in 1994, when they made it the theme of all that years annuals. Prior to, they were unique stories that creators had to put some thought into and actually pitched. Editorially mandating a ton of stories to fit a theme kind of took the wind out of the concepts sails, and after that they just continued to churn out any old "What If...?" style story and slap the Elseworlds label on it.

I never understood why Kingdom Come was considered Elseworlds. That's one of the few outcomes in comics that would make perfect sense. It wasn't the end of the universe and made way for the utopia that would've been the Legion of Super Heroes in the future.

[Proto Man]

Weirdly, resurrecting Katma Tui in Green Lantern: Mosaic didn't work for me. Gerard Jones and co. had built up a likeable character in Rose Hardin ever since the first issue of the 1990 Green Lantern series who had coupled with John Stewart. So when Katma came back out of the blue and Rose was just abruptly set aside it felt wrong to me. I really do like Katma but it felt odd that this character who was the closest thing to the female lead in the series was suddenly set aside for a character from the past who kind of came back out of nowhere.

While on the subject, the idea to kill Katma off to make Hal Jordan mad was also a totally bizarre story choice.

Also, making John Stewart some god-tier character never excited me, and I don't really mind that those plans never really panned out. I guess he is going through that sort of thing again, and I am equally nonplussed with that development.

[Jim Kelly]

Katma Tui might be my favourite Green Lantern. If it meant her dying, maybe pairing her up with John Stewart was a mistake--as much as I liked those stories. I don't remember MOSAIC; I think I only read the first couple of issues.

I recently read the Replikon story in THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN 627 (June 2004) - 631 (October 2004)--"Battery" by Greg Rucka, Matthew Clark and Nelson Faro DeCastro. It upset me that Greg Rucka got so much of the Replikon continuity wrong. John Stewart doesn't seem to even remember that he and Katma Tui created that Replikon planet themselves and that they honeymooned there. I wonder if John Stewart is even the same character--and it can't be a post-Crisis retcon, since John and Katma got married after the whole Crisis had happened.

[marhawkman]

Weirdly, resurrecting Katma Tui in Green Lantern: Mosaic didn't work for me. Gerard Jones and co. had built up a likeable character in Rose Hardin ever since the first issue of the 1990 Green Lantern series who had coupled with John Stewart. So when Katma came back out of the blue and Rose was just abruptly set aside it felt wrong to me. I really do like Katma but it felt odd that this character who was the closest thing to the female lead in the series was suddenly set aside for a character from the past who kind of came back out of nowhere.

While on the subject, the idea to kill Katma off to make Hal Jordan mad was also a totally bizarre story choice.

Also, making John Stewart some god-tier character never excited me, and I don't really mind that those plans never really panned out. I guess he is going through that sort of thing again, and I am equally nonplussed with that development.

In another weird-as-heck wrinkle....

While Katma was dead and John didn't have a romantic interest.... they had John hook up with Yrra Cynril.... then retcon that romance as a mix of the Star Sapphire forcing her to do it and a Durlan impersonating a Star Sapphire.... yes, REALLY. A shapeshifter.. that either stole a Star Sapphire Ring and used it, or faked having a Star Sapphire Ring.

I kinda liked both relationship ideas actually. Yrra Cynril had an interesting story and the Star Sapphire angle was rather interesting.

[bearman]

Yeah, Hawk and Dove was a great book that Not allowing Giffen to continue his brilliant FYL saga ruined the Legion for me. I realize that might not be a popular stance.