Today's personally the day I picked for Axel Walker's birthday, seeing as his first issue was in April I just kind of chose today? Either way he's only a month before my birthday (his first appearance was in 2002, I was born that year!) So happy 20th Axel!!!!
It’s a great day for a birthday! Happy birthday Axel, and a happy early birthday to you too! It’s amazing he’s been around for so long now, and a cool coincidence to be born the same year as him :)
longitudinalwaveme said: I’m excited! I really enjoyed the first Rogues issue (after being worried that I wouldn’t), and I love the JSA variant cover.
Same here, and I’m glad you’re enjoying it! The variant homages in this series are amazing and I can’t wait to see the one for issue #3. It’s incredibly frustrating that they’re so rare and difficult to get, though…I desperately want the one by Michael Cho 😣
longitudinalwaveme said: About the only thing I don’t love is the fact that James is a Grade-A jerk in this story, and not in the “endearing scamp” way that I would expect him to be towards his old friends. Williamson’s James is always weirdly nasty, but it’s especially notable here.
Yeah, I’m really not sure what the deal is with Williamson’s James, and I don’t like it either. This is an AU so I suppose anything goes, but it’s weird on the heels of his darker canon James and makes me think he just doesn’t like him. But maybe that’s not a fair assessment, I dunno. He might just see or interpret James differently than we do.
I love the variant cover homage to the classic Justice League of America #21 cover, and James continues to be an asshole. Plus ‘McCulloch’ is spelled correctly in the credits page, but incorrectly within the story, tsk.
[Thanks for that, it is interesting! I don’t know if I agree with the writer’s premise, but it’s certainly food for thought. However, I’d be interested in hearing input from Australians about it. – Lia]
I’m not sure if he’s been seen since the end of Young Justice and the end of Williamson’s Flash run (both in late 2020), but he’s going to be in the Dark Crisis: Young Justice miniseries which starts in June. It’ll be six issues.
DARK CRISIS: YOUNG JUSTICE #1 Written by MEGHAN FITZMARTIN Art by LAURA BRAGA Cover by MAX DUNBAR Variant cover by TODD NAUCK $3.99 US | 32 pages | 1 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 6/21/22 Crises have always had devastating impacts on the generation of heroes that make up Young Justice, and Dark Crisis will hit them even harder. Tim Drake, Impulse, and Superboy go missing during the Justice League’s funeral. The only person concerned enough to find them? Cassie Sandsmark, a.k.a Wonder Girl. But…the three boys of Young Justice aren’t on this Earth anymore…they’re on the world of their dreams, one they may never want to leave!
Spoilers for Flash #781!
Girder shows up at the end of the story, which leads into next issue’s Iron Heights plot because Wally and Wallace have to return him to prison. But it’s just a one page appearance and there’s not a lot to say about his role for that reason, although it’s always nice to see an old-school Rogue bank robbery even if it is a little more destructive than usual (did he blow up the whole block?)
It’s quite a good issue with a lot of character-building for the two cousins, and for all of Wally’s questionable decision-making in getting Wallace to cut school, the elder West actually lays down some genuine wisdom about being a superhero and life in general. I’ve felt recently that Wally’s been written a little too immature in some stories, but he shows here just how smart and experienced he truly is and I guess he’s just been deliberately goofy as of late – maybe he’s subconsciously trying not to usurp Barry’s or Jay’s roles, or maybe the hell he went through in recent years has been getting to him. Or perhaps he’s just relieved to finally have his life back. And I’m glad Wallace has stepped into the role of one of the older teen heroes in recent times; he’s still a kid, but maturing and taking his job seriously, and responsible enough to be a role model to the younger teen heroes. Clearly he’ll make a fine Flash someday.
Anyway, the issue’s a lot of fun and I couldn’t resist including the Flush Man page here. It’s recommended to anyone who likes Flash stories, regardless of which one is their personal fave!
one-rogue-army said: It’s canon that Gambi made fabric “resistant to 500 mile per hour winds”; that’s over twice the fastest wind speed on Earth. So hyper-insulating yet thin fabrics for Len would be needed, especially for Len’s gloves. He’d need the manual dexterity.
True, and obviously Gambi’s more skilled than most tailors. I’m guessing that cold-resistant fabrics can only get so thin though, but I’m probably overthinking things when it comes to fantastical comic book technology :>
purplecyborgnewt said: Leaving aside butts and crotches (for the sake of preserving your blog’s classiness) - why is Hartley on the finalised variant of the cover so… un-dotted?
Yeah, Digger too. The colourist must have made a mistake, because two of the preliminary sketches include the polka dots and boomerangs. Or maybe Garcia-Lopez forgot while doing the final piece, although that’d be a weird brainfart. I guess we all get old and forgetful eventually (ask me how I know, because I probably won’t remember).
Today (April 19th) is Sam’s birthday! He always has the best parties 🔎🔫🔮
I choose to believe the first cover was rejected because people were blinded by the glory of Len’s butt.
or maybe by barry’s popping pu$$y lmaooo 😂💀💀
Seriously tho, I loved that draft, honestly I think it’s better than the final cover!
I was so torn between the 70s and the 80s (those were the only barry covers at the store) before picking the 70s. It’s such a great cover I love it!!!
Yeahhhh there’s that interesting groin shot too, but once in a blue moon I do have a classy blog and decided not to mention it :>
Agreed that the first draft is the best, although maybe tweaked a little to avoid the groin shot. I do love the final cover just because it’s got virtually everyone and that makes it an A+ in my book, but I like the layout better on that first draft.
I choose to believe the first cover was rejected because people were blinded by the glory of Len’s butt.
It is a most excellent butt (although should it really look like that? Just how tight-fitting can a parka-style costume be!? :P)
I think my favourite is JJ and Piper in the first picture (at least I think it’s them) being 😧 and looking like they very much want to be elsewhere:
…are you okay, guys
They’ve made so many bad decisions 😨
Sometimes Len’s outfit gets drawn ridiculously thin or more form-fitting than any parka should ever look, almost like it’s a regular suit made to look like a coat. But that doesn’t make sense for a guy who actually needs protection from the cold, unless Gambi is just that skilled.
I choose to believe the first cover was rejected because people were blinded by the glory of Len’s butt.
is Lisa supposed to be holding a whip in the first picture? Or a fishing rod?
Also, Roscoe looks good….except the underpants over trousers is a really weird look if your trousers are colored and the underpants look white.
But look at all the classic costumes! I love it.
It’s a fishing rod, which she actually did use a few times in the `70s and is probably a callback to that. Very clever.
Yeah, the underpants thing is just weird, as he’s supposed to have stripes on his butt and no blank spot. Not sure if that was a brainfart on the artist’s part or he just preferred that look to endless stripes :>
I choose to believe the first cover was rejected because people were blinded by the glory of Len’s butt.
Spoilers for Blue and Gold #8!
This is from the official preview for the issue, which you can see in full at Adventures In Poor Taste. There are a couple of other pages not posted here.
Roy’s up to his usual shenanigans again, only this time it seems like he’s been more successful recently! Not a bad haul for anyone.
DC’s solicitations for July 2022 were released on Friday, but unfortunately there wasn’t a single thing about any Flash villain. Guess it’s hard to complain about that after an entire Rogues series, but I just wanted to note that solicits are out and weren’t forgotten. You can see them at CBR.
That said, it seems like a bunch of villains will be rampaging in the upcoming Dark Crisis event, so maybe a Rogue or two will show up there.
