Randomized Posting and My Latest Roy Harper Rant

Published Feb. 22, 2010 at 4:56 a.m.
Caught up on Blackest Night! Whew. I won't review individual issues, but I'm still enjoying this. I'm not reading the GL Corps, but I guess I'll have to read the next one which is part of the conclusion. I really liked the one-shot return issues of canceled series, especially Catwoman and The Question. Both of those stood out for the strong character development. Mera's painful secret, that she never wanted kids, coupled with the guilt over her son's death, really gave her appearances an extra kick. A nice bit of retconning or whatever that doesn't negate what happened, yet enhances it. That sort of character bit is rare in superhero comics, so it was much appreciated: a real, human emotion!

The Secret Six/Suicide Squad Blackest Night crossover was excellent, with the Black Lanterns more window dressing for the actual story, which focused on Amanda Waller's manipulation as she orchestrated a battle between the Squad and the Six in an attempt to get Deadshot back in the Squad. Black Alice is fitting in nicely with the rest of the Six and everyone was as loony as we've come to expect. And Waller is probably the only tough, mean bitch in comics I actually enjoy.

Batman 695 was a solid issue, with a nice appearance from Catwoman. And it looks like Dick's in the thick of it now, so typical of his short reign as Batman.

Batgirl 7 was sheer fun, nicely capping off the current story. Steph and Damian are so funny together I almost wish they could be a team, but the banter would probably get annoying over time. Best to keep it to guest turns.


Wonder Woman 40 was a bit creepy with those persuasive kids, but the story took a back seat, at least for me, to the scene of Diana reuniting with Etta. Etta telling Diana she's actually in Checkmate was very cool. I love the friendship between these two women.

I also read the last two Green Arrow and Black Canary issues, even though I'd dropped them from my pull list. I was curious how they were going to resolve the annoying Cupid storyline and I must admit it was better than I'd thought. Carrie was more than your run of the mill troubled woman/sociopath/psychopath/all around nutjob. I'll be reading this book for the follow-up to Roy being hurt, so this bodes well that the book hasn't fallen into a cesspool of sucky writing. (Now there's an image for ya!)

Which brings me to...Roy Harper. Of course. Nothing I've read or seen has dissuaded me from believing Lian is dead. Promos that claim Roy's lost everything. Things Dinah says in JLA (I peeked while in the comics shop) and Donna has said in Titans lead me to this conclusion. Losing his arm would be horrible enough for Roy, but not "everything." Lian is his everything.

So I'm torn. I want to not read the upcoming Justice League: Rise of Arsenal (not Red Arrow, I noticed) because I don't want Lian to be dead, but I want to read it because it's Roy and because I'm starting to think it might actually be well written.

But this, from the April solicits for the second issue:

"And sparks fly when Roy's old flame Cheshire shows up…to kill him!"

has me very nervous. Why would Chesh suddenly show up to kill him if not because she blames him for Lian's death? Right?

It's this sort of crap promoting of comics (or any media, really) that really bugs me. There are a few possibilities here.

1. Lian is dead. No mention of her, cagey references to Roy losing everything, leads to the very likely possibility that she's a goner.
2. Lian is alive. Then where the hell has she been/is now? Her father is fighting for his life right now. And no one's mentioned her. So, not likely.
3. Lian is alive, but Cheshire took her. This is possible, and her wanting Roy dead is so that he never takes Lian away from her again.
4. Lian is alive, but hurt. Again, no one seems worried about her, yet they hover at Roy's bedside. So, not likely.
5. Lian is alive but ran away to get as far as possible from the lunatics in the DCU. And who would blame her?

 And with so few likely scenarios, why the big hush-hush and the teasers? There's enough going on to sell this storyline. Roy's lost his arm, for frak's sake and clearly, there will be a rift between him and Ollie, and it seems, between Ollie and the JLA over some decision he's made/is about to make. Isn't that enough to get people to read? Does anyone really believe the make or break point would be to discover if a 5 or 6 year old girl is alive or dead? Besides me and a couple of other people who give a damn?

If Lian is indeed dead, then those of us who have feared that all along will be right, damn it, and can say we told you so. If she's not dead, it'll be a relief, but hardly worth the secretiveness. I just don't get why they're dragging this out. This simply isn't anywhere near the level of Blackest Night, Brightest Day, or even the crap that was Cry for Justice in DCU-shattering importance. Except to Roy and the other characters who love Lian. And some readers, me included.

And what happens when this is over? Will Roy be back in the JLA with Donna, Dick, Vic, and Kory? Will Bruce be back by then and replace Dick, anyway? I guess I should be happy Roy's appearing anywhere, but why can't he have a nice, normal superhero arc like everyone else. Why does he get singled out for bad things happening? I shouldn't complain. It all has made him the character I love. Still...But that's a rant for another day.Thanks for reading...


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