Pruning the branches...

Funds are getting tighter here at Casa del Ziegler. As such, it's time for me to review my list and see where I can make some cuts. So let's talk about what I'm getting and whether or not I'll be continuing to get it:


Some of this stuff I pick up as it comes out at Dark Side, some of it I get in a neat little bundle at the end of the month from Ralph over at Alternate Reality in Vegas. I'm not sure it matters, but I'll mark the stuff I get from Ralph with a (*) next to the title. Shall we proceed alphabetically, with divisions as placed on Ralph's club sheet? Sure, why not?

Aquaman: I've been enjoying Busiek's reimagining of the character, but I've got to make cuts somewhere, and unfortunately, Arthur's not going to survive The Great Purge. I see elsewhere that a trade has been solicited of the first arc. Maybe they'll collect subsequent arcs and I can follow it that way. Of course, they didn't collect the Sub Diego storyline, so maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up. Verdict: Thumbs down.

Blue Beetle: Has #3 come out yet? I can't remember. As with Aquaman, I'm liking what I've seen so far, but is that enough? On the one hand, I dig both creators, and it's been a while since I've gotten a monthly dose of both Keith Giffen AND Cully Hamner. On the other hand, I've read a lot of "teen-hero-who-doesn't-fully-understand-or-want-mysterious-powers" books in my time. What's to say that this one will be any different? Verdict: Undecided. I know that's a bit of a cop-out, but I don't have to decide RIGHT NOW, so on this one, I won't.

Checkmate: I'm in for at least the first storyline, but am undecided beyond that. I like the idea of Checkmate, it's got a great creative team, and Amanda Waller's a fantastic character, but it feels like Alan Scott's being spread a little thin, between his (seeming) full-time duties as the White King and his time with the JSA. I think part of my problem once we get past the initial wave of OYL books is that I'm not sure where many of them are set relative to each other. Is Checkmate a OYL book? Is 52 the only book that takes place during the missing year? I'm not sure, and that's not really a good sign. Like I said, I like the idea of Checkmate, but I'm not sure I've got the ducats to support that idea in fact. Verdict: Thumbs down, unless the last issue of the first arc is really, and I mean REALLY fantastic.

The Flash*: I've been following the Flash since pretty early in Mark Waid's run on the character back in the early 90's, and with the exception of the final 4-5 issues of the title, have been crazy about it ever since. I'm looking forward to the new title, and am curious to see what the new creative team does with the character. Since the first issue just came out this week and I get a bundle from Ralph once a month, I obviously haven't read this yet, so I'm certainly not ready to consider chopping it. Verdict: Thumbs up.

Green Arrow: I've been collecting this one pretty much since the beginning. I mostly enjoyed Kevin Smith's run (especially Onomatopoeia, whom I'd really like to see more of), and totally enjoyed Meltzer's Archer's Quest story. Winick's run? I've enjoyed most of it, although I'm not crazy about how he's used Black Lightning. I understand he digs the character, but he doesn't seem to grasp the character's nature. Continuity gripes aside, I'm intrigued by the new status quo Winick's established OYL, but I don't know that I'll be able to follow it through to the end. Again, something's got to go, and I think GA's going to be on the list, but it goes without malice, and if the fundage situation changes, could be welcomed back to the family. Verdict: Thumbs Down.

Hard Time*: Well, the market's taken care of that for me, hasn't it? I know I'm not saying anything new here, but I really don't understand fandom. We complain about how we want something different, but when the different gets here, we treat it like an uninvited party guest, shunting it off to a corner and studiously avoiding eye contact until it goes away. Hard Time was like that. Steve Gerber, drop me a line if you're reading this, and next time I'm in Vegas, the first round is on me, because you write kick-ass comics that don't get near the respect they deserve. Verdict: Thumbs Down (but only because DC's not making anymore).

Hmm, this is going to take longer than I thought. So I guess this is going to be part 1 of xx. I'll be back with more in the next day or two.