Hoopla! - Episode 30: DC Comics, all is forgiven...

Hello and welcome to Hoopla!

This week is going to be a super-quickie as I put the finishing touches on my Field Statement, but to make up for it I'll be posting the next column a little bit earlier than scheduled, and that one will have reviews and stuff.

This week's column, exercise in brevity that it is, is dedicated to some of the upcoming projects that I'm psyched about...

And, in a bizarre twist, almost all of them are from the good folks at DC Comics, a publishing company that has been getting on my bad side this past year or so with all their "Hey, look! We're going to re-set our continuity again! And again! And again!" nonsense.

Not to mention that abysmal failure that is Countdown... and Amazon Attacks... and the huge disappointments of Frank Miller's All-Star Batman and Robin and Grant Morrison's run on the ongoing Batman series.

And that whole horrible thing with Bart Allen being the Flash.

And the way they've completely ruined The Teen Titans.

And... and... and...

But never mind. I come today not to bury DC, but to praise them...

And here are just a few of the reasons why...

Dwayne McDuffie's upcoming run on Justice League of America!!!

Honestly, I can hardly believe they're doing it, because he's totally perfect for the title! It must be some kind of trick, right...?

And then to start off with a humongous Injustice League of America storyline...

Sigh. DC, you are too good to me...

And then there's this...

I don't exactly what this is or when it's coming out, but this cover was released at the San Diego Comic-Con this weekend and I think it's lovely.

Clearly it's some sort of Teen Titans project and I'm guessing it's their "Year One" limited series that was being talked about earlier.

I don't know who that artist is, but I hope s/he is doing interiors too, because that's the version of the Teen Titans that I want to read about!

And from the good folks at Marvel, we have this...

You know why this is going to kick some serious butt? I'll tell you why...

1) It's a limited series about Omega the Unknown, arguably the strangest and certainly one of the most obscure characters in the Marvel Universe. And yes, I read the original series way, way back when it first came out.

2) It's written byJonathan Lethem, a highly-regarded novelist who has written, amongst other things, The Fortress of Solitude. Which, by the way, I haven't read. So, really, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about...

3) The art is by Farel Dalrymple & Paul Hornschemeier, two outstanding indie artists. And I have actually seen their art, so please to be trusting me when I say that it's yummy-yummy goodness!

Getting back to the DC stuff, however, for all of you Legion of Super-Heroes fanatics, such as myself, there's this...

ACTION COMICS #858

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Gary Frank & Jonathan Sibal

Welcome superstar Gary Frank as he kicks off his run as the new monthly artist on ACTION COMICS with the extra-length first chapter of "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes"! Spinning from "The Lightning Saga," the original Legion of Super-Heroes returns! When he was a boy, Clark Kent was isolated and alone until he met this teen team from the 31st Century. Today, it's been years since Superman saw his childhood friends. Why haven't they returned to visit him? What's become of the symbol of Superman in the future? And just why is the future so dangerous for Superman? They warned him away, but now he's determined to help his friends - even if it means his life! On sale October 31 o 40 pg, FC, $3.50 US

The original Legion of Super-Heroes?

Yaaay!!!

DC Comics, why are you being so good to me??? What have I done to deserve this???

They've even put Mark Waid back on The Flash, just for me...


Not to mention Gail Simone's upcoming run on Wonder Woman...

And the thoroughly enjoyable "Sinestro Corps." storyline that's currently running through Green Lantern...

It's like someone at DC woke up one morning and said, "You know what? Maybe our books would sell better if they were really, really good!!!"

And this is some kind of crazy experiment that they're trying out. Maybe it won't work out. Maybe what they really need is a few dozen more Countdown crossovers, but... they're going to give this new idea a shot and see what happens.

Speaking of which, as much as I was already looking forward to the new Booster Gold series, this solicitation has exponentially increased my enthusiasm...

BOOSTER GOLD #2 Written by Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz Art and cover by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund Variant cover by Arthur Adams Booster Gold's bizarre timequest to prevent an evil force from unraveling the origins of the world's greatest heroes continues in Part 2 of "52 Pickup!" Journeying years back in the past, Booster is forced to team up with an egomaniac that rivals even himself - the world's greatest Green Lantern - Sinestro! Plus, what does Dan Garret have to do with any of this? On sale September 12 o 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

So, I've learned to forgive DC for all their past transgressions. Well, almost all of them...

In next week's column, which should be coming at you a little earlier than scheduled to help make up for this ultra-brief Coming Attractions Extravaganza, I'm hoping to feature a showdown among the three worst comics I've read in the past month.

One of our contestants has already been introduced and reviewed in an earlier column, one was briefly alluded to, and one is an extra-special crappy comic from a publisher that isn't DC, Marvel, Image, or Dark Horse.

Who could it be? And who will win the title of Most Craptacular Comic of July 2007???

You'll find out in the next action-packed installment of... Hoopla!

- Paul