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We interrupt this thoughtstream of Yuletide take 4 and counting why do I do this to myself why why why why to bring you this comics cover I saw just now from the March solicits.
It’s the calm before the storm in issue #21. Beetle is dead, Max Lord has Checkmate and the hunt for Wonder Woman has begun. But Booster Gold has given up after losing another friend to Max Lord, and the JLI is left without a leader!
So here is my thoughts.
1. I am 90% sure this is a fakeout, because DC's trying to mine the Jaime Reyes property for tv-related opportunities, and so he is worth more as a story generator. At this point, comics death fakeouts bore me intensely (HOW many Marvel heroes are due to die this month?), and I am irritated to be presented with yet another one which seems targeted to rile up my emotions specifically (as I am a fan of Jaime).
And, to be honest, my emotions sort of are riled. Not that I'm worried for Jaime - he's a fictional construct who isn't in danger of anything except not showing up in team comic books for a few months. But I'm feeling a bunch of bad will towards DC, because of 2:
2. OTOH, I can't be *certain* it is a fakeout, because DC is very trigger happy when it comes to their characters of colour, and has a history of discarding them in favour of either focusing on either white dude manpain (and read that solicit, tell me it is not trying to hook you with Booster's manpain) or making story room for the return of white dudes. Seriously, DC treats their CoC like crap and I can't trust them not to be assholes in any particular case.
And, this is me being cynical, but I can't help but wonder if that's what they're hoping for. That *of course* it is a fakeout, but they are counting on their shitty track record when it comes to non-white-dudes to cause controversy, because no one can be *sure* they aren't drinking from the asshole well yet again. The only suspense value in this shocking twist comes from how willing you are to believe DC is would discard one of their most interesting new characters to earn a couple pages of Booster Gold looking sad.
Not that I'd have been willing to believe they'd drop a building on Lian Harper, last exciting essential event that will change comics forever.
Suspense via. cynicism and bad will. But it doesn't work long term, because of 3:
3. Let me tell you, if they *do* kill off Jaime Reyes? I am pretty much done buying comics for a while. I am close to being done anyway. I've been shopping around for fandoms. I have places to go.
I'd keep the FuckYeahAmandaWaller tumblr, because it needs to exist, but mostly I've been sticking around DC for Supergirl these last couple years, and her book just dumped its solid, enthusiastic, long term writer for a new writer I had, after researching his works, been looking forward to... and then lost the new writer as well. I guess it is back to musical creative teams, and wow I don't need new canon badly enough to go through that clusterfuck again.
DC Comics doesn't owe me anything. Not to make books I enjoy reading, or that are well written, or that star my favourite characters. Not to build online buzz by methods other dangling the threat of killing one of their only Latino heroes: a well meaning, sweet natured boy with a heart of steel. Not even to not go through with it.
But it's not like I owe them anything either. Not moneys, or advertising space, or benefit of the doubt. Not shutting up if they piss me off. Not even those quick and silly Photoshops when Solicit Monday comes around.
Weeeell.
Maybe one, this time.
It’s the calm before the storm in issue #21. Beetle is dead, Max Lord has Checkmate and the hunt for Wonder Woman has begun. But Booster Gold has given up after losing another friend to Max Lord, and the JLI is left without a leader!
So here is my thoughts.
1. I am 90% sure this is a fakeout, because DC's trying to mine the Jaime Reyes property for tv-related opportunities, and so he is worth more as a story generator. At this point, comics death fakeouts bore me intensely (HOW many Marvel heroes are due to die this month?), and I am irritated to be presented with yet another one which seems targeted to rile up my emotions specifically (as I am a fan of Jaime).
And, to be honest, my emotions sort of are riled. Not that I'm worried for Jaime - he's a fictional construct who isn't in danger of anything except not showing up in team comic books for a few months. But I'm feeling a bunch of bad will towards DC, because of 2:
2. OTOH, I can't be *certain* it is a fakeout, because DC is very trigger happy when it comes to their characters of colour, and has a history of discarding them in favour of either focusing on either white dude manpain (and read that solicit, tell me it is not trying to hook you with Booster's manpain) or making story room for the return of white dudes. Seriously, DC treats their CoC like crap and I can't trust them not to be assholes in any particular case.
And, this is me being cynical, but I can't help but wonder if that's what they're hoping for. That *of course* it is a fakeout, but they are counting on their shitty track record when it comes to non-white-dudes to cause controversy, because no one can be *sure* they aren't drinking from the asshole well yet again. The only suspense value in this shocking twist comes from how willing you are to believe DC is would discard one of their most interesting new characters to earn a couple pages of Booster Gold looking sad.
Not that I'd have been willing to believe they'd drop a building on Lian Harper, last exciting essential event that will change comics forever.
Suspense via. cynicism and bad will. But it doesn't work long term, because of 3:
3. Let me tell you, if they *do* kill off Jaime Reyes? I am pretty much done buying comics for a while. I am close to being done anyway. I've been shopping around for fandoms. I have places to go.
I'd keep the FuckYeahAmandaWaller tumblr, because it needs to exist, but mostly I've been sticking around DC for Supergirl these last couple years, and her book just dumped its solid, enthusiastic, long term writer for a new writer I had, after researching his works, been looking forward to... and then lost the new writer as well. I guess it is back to musical creative teams, and wow I don't need new canon badly enough to go through that clusterfuck again.
DC Comics doesn't owe me anything. Not to make books I enjoy reading, or that are well written, or that star my favourite characters. Not to build online buzz by methods other dangling the threat of killing one of their only Latino heroes: a well meaning, sweet natured boy with a heart of steel. Not even to not go through with it.
But it's not like I owe them anything either. Not moneys, or advertising space, or benefit of the doubt. Not shutting up if they piss me off. Not even those quick and silly Photoshops when Solicit Monday comes around.
Weeeell.
Maybe one, this time.
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"Little man in a bowler hat" = Wally the God-boy? YESSS!!