Give Chuck Dixon another gold star
After almost 4 years, it looks like another positive act of justice has been done: Stephanie "Spoiler" Brown has returned, alive and well in Robin #172. If this is so, it means that, not only has Dixon done the service of redeeming Cassandra Cain, the new Batgirl, as he seems to have done in Batman and the Outsiders, he's also taken the positive step of righting two wrongs: the assassination of Spoiler in War Crimes, and the additional character assassination inflicted on Leslie Thompkins when Bill Willingham turned into a lunatic several months afterward, claiming that she let Stephanie die.
That's definitely a relief. I'd seen on Dixon's site board several days ago the suggestion that this could be another protagonist who might want to be a vigilante too, and was thinking of pointing out in response that putting a different person in the costume doesn't fix the damage done or counteract the bad taste left behind. It looks like now, that won't be neccassary.
Of course, if it hadn't been for the internet, I figure that, either the problem wouldn't have been solved, or it would've taken an epoch to convince them to repair it, if the character assassination of Hal Jordan and the decade it took to fix that is any idea of what kind of problems could've been faced.
One more thing: Regarding a memorial for Steph that could go in the Batcave, while I realize that some of those who'd asked for it weren't actually saying that they'd accept leaving Spoiler dead, I still don't think that made a strong enough argument - a demand to revive her is the clearer way to make the points. Fortunately, that's been done.
However, the road to repairs in the DCU is not yet over, there's still considerable work to be done: including...
Bringing back Sue Dibny and her stretchable spouse, Ralph, but not in different bodies, if I saw correctly last time. No, it has to be the two of them as we know them, a brunette and a guy with reddish-brown hair.
Exonerating Jean Loring, and Ray Palmer too, now that I think of it. In other words, if DC can fix the errors they made with Stephanie and Leslie, they can do the same with Sue and Jean, and Ray.
And also, one more interesting error that needs fixing:
Tim's father, Jack Drake. Yes, I mean it. His death was just as pointless and in bad taste (death by a razorang thrown by Capt. Boomerang in an otherwise out-of-character depiction), and stemmed from the same mindsets that led to the character assassination against countless other DC women to boot. What good did it do, really? Nada. And men like him who've been wronged can't be ignored any more than the women.
Also: even if Dan DiDio as EIC has allowed for repairs to be done...don't let him off the hook so easily. After all, he started many of these recent problems, and it's possible he could do it again, and come to think of it, he still is, if Big Barda's dirt nap in Death of the New Gods is any indication. If DiDio needs to vacate his seat, then that's what should be done.
Who would I recommend as a new EIC, if he's more reliable? I suppose...Bob Rozakis. As one of DC's leading editors for many years, he was one of the better contributors to their staff. If someone like him can be found to lead, and if he's a better bargain, I'd say to elect him as chief.
The battle for better storytelling taste is not over yet.
That's definitely a relief. I'd seen on Dixon's site board several days ago the suggestion that this could be another protagonist who might want to be a vigilante too, and was thinking of pointing out in response that putting a different person in the costume doesn't fix the damage done or counteract the bad taste left behind. It looks like now, that won't be neccassary.
Of course, if it hadn't been for the internet, I figure that, either the problem wouldn't have been solved, or it would've taken an epoch to convince them to repair it, if the character assassination of Hal Jordan and the decade it took to fix that is any idea of what kind of problems could've been faced.
One more thing: Regarding a memorial for Steph that could go in the Batcave, while I realize that some of those who'd asked for it weren't actually saying that they'd accept leaving Spoiler dead, I still don't think that made a strong enough argument - a demand to revive her is the clearer way to make the points. Fortunately, that's been done.
However, the road to repairs in the DCU is not yet over, there's still considerable work to be done: including...
Bringing back Sue Dibny and her stretchable spouse, Ralph, but not in different bodies, if I saw correctly last time. No, it has to be the two of them as we know them, a brunette and a guy with reddish-brown hair.
Exonerating Jean Loring, and Ray Palmer too, now that I think of it. In other words, if DC can fix the errors they made with Stephanie and Leslie, they can do the same with Sue and Jean, and Ray.
And also, one more interesting error that needs fixing:
Tim's father, Jack Drake. Yes, I mean it. His death was just as pointless and in bad taste (death by a razorang thrown by Capt. Boomerang in an otherwise out-of-character depiction), and stemmed from the same mindsets that led to the character assassination against countless other DC women to boot. What good did it do, really? Nada. And men like him who've been wronged can't be ignored any more than the women.
Also: even if Dan DiDio as EIC has allowed for repairs to be done...don't let him off the hook so easily. After all, he started many of these recent problems, and it's possible he could do it again, and come to think of it, he still is, if Big Barda's dirt nap in Death of the New Gods is any indication. If DiDio needs to vacate his seat, then that's what should be done.
Who would I recommend as a new EIC, if he's more reliable? I suppose...Bob Rozakis. As one of DC's leading editors for many years, he was one of the better contributors to their staff. If someone like him can be found to lead, and if he's a better bargain, I'd say to elect him as chief.
The battle for better storytelling taste is not over yet.
Labels: dc comics, good writers
