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DC Comics

When Superheroes Go Bad (22 Times In Chronological Order!)

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Superheroes turning bad is a staple of comic books. From sudden tragic twists to long falls from grace, heroes becoming villains is a storied tradition. It’s also a great way of grabbing readers’ attention and raking in the cash. But what are the long and short term effects of turning a well-loved hero evil? And what does it take to bring heroes, and legions of angry readers, back?

Let’s take a look at a long history of when superheroes go bad in comic books, character by character in chronological order.

For the sake of time, we’re not going to include villainous superhero replacements (sorry Azrael and John Walker) or when superheroes get mind controlled and turn evil for like 1 issue. We’ll also skip alternate universes or we’ll be here all day. And look, I’m gonna miss some. I can only cover so many. [Read more…] about When Superheroes Go Bad (22 Times In Chronological Order!)

Huntress Reading Order!

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For the uninitiated who saw it, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) opened a door in the DC Universe that they may not have known existed. Birds of Prey isn’t exactly an underground property – after all, not just any group of heroes can inspire an ill-conceived early 2000’s WB drama series – but it won’t be winning many popularity contests when placed alongside superhero teams like the Justice League, the Avengers, or even the Teen Titans. It was a bold decision to use the adoration for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn to introduce an entire line-up of DC heroines to the masses.

While box office receipts initially weren’t stellar and opinions on the quality vary (this writer personally thinks it rules), the movie went a long way to putting names like Black Canary and Renee Montoya into the zeitgeist. One character, however, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress is given the shortest of shrifts; the character as written and Winstead’s performance are often cited as one of the movie’s strengths, but there’s no denying that Huntress gets the least amount of time to shine. Which is a shame, because she has so much to offer. Well look no further for a rundown on where to start with Huntress and what comes next. Or should that be Huntresses? [Read more…] about Huntress Reading Order!

The Best Scarecrow (Batman Villain) Comics!

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While not as celebrated a villain as others in the Dark Knight’s rogue gallery, the Scarecrow is still one filled with potential. Like many Batman villains, the Scarecrow is a dark reflection of Batman himself, in this case, through the use of fear and intimidation. The entire reason Batman puts on his costume is to inspire fear in the hearts of evil doers, however with Scarecrow, fear is something he wants to inspire in everyone. It’s something that deeply fascinates him to the point of obsession. 

Unlike Joker, Two-Face or even Riddler, Scarecrow gains a lot of his recognition from outside source material, such as his portrayals in cartoons such as Batman: The Animated Series, games like the Arkham Asylum series, and even block buster movies such as The Dark Knight Trilogy where he is portrayed by Cillian Murphy. When it comes to actual comic book stories, good Scarecrow stories are few and far between. But there are fundamental issues and story arcs that show just how impactful or impressive the character can be. While there still really isn’t a definitive Scarecrow story, each of these present the master of fear in a sinister and deadly light. [Read more…] about The Best Scarecrow (Batman Villain) Comics!

DC Comics Young Adult Graphic Novels List!

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Starting in 2019, DC formalized their YA comics with the DC Ink imprint dedicated to standalone graphic novels set outside DC Comics expansive continuity. The end result is a growing list of accessible, high quality graphic novels from talented YA creators, and many times writers and artists known to standard floppy comic book fans.

Unlike the “mature readers” Black Label imprint, DC Ink is less centralized around Batman stories (although you’ll find some!), and open to a more diverse array of DC heroes, anti-heroes, and villains. My personal favorite so far is Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass which does a great job of showing the potential in these graphic novels for both new readers and longtime comics fans. [Read more…] about DC Comics Young Adult Graphic Novels List!

DC Comics: Crisis of Creative Communication

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For a comic book universe to tell its stories to maximum efficiency, creators, editors and departments need to have an understanding and plan in mind going forward. An excellent example is during the late-80s to mid-90s.  Especially post Crisis on Infinite Earths. The DC universe needed to be restructured, and to do this in a consistent and effective manner, the different departments have to be organised. The events following Crisis on Infinite Earths, such as Panic in the Sky and Legends were integrated extremely well into all the ongoing series that it effected. This takes masterful planning and a clear line of communication. DC Comics in particular have had periods where their organisation skills have been incredible. However, recently they have found themselves heavily segmented, resulting in one of the most awkward reading experiences in a long time.

If we look at the DC creative teams at the beginning of 2020, excluding Black Label as a separate entity, you can see some very clear archetypal groups.

Spoilers For Discussed Comics May Follow!

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