Moments That Made the Bronze (and Modern) Age: Crisis On Infinite Earths

In the mid-80's, DC took a bold step and admitted it had a problem. They just had too many different Earths floating around out there! Initially it was used to explain how the Justice Society of the 40's could exist and still work with the JLA 20 years later, which was a good idea. Unfortunately, they soon started creating new worlds whenever they needed a convenient excuse, giving us Earth 3 with the Crime Syndicate, Earth X with the Freedom Fighters, and many more.

The time came for a clean-up, and DC gave it to the world in a big way. Creating a 12-issue maxi-series, giving it to one of their best artists ever (George Perez), and deciding it was time to kill some major heroes, DC boldly stepped forward and blew my mind with every issue. But the one that truly blew me away had to be the death of my favorite hero at the time: The Flash.

Now I've mentioned Barry Allen's death before in other posts, but that pivotal moment in the series changed the landscape of the comic book world for me. This was years before the Internet, so finding exact issues where other heroes had died wasn't something I'd been able to do with regularity. Yes, I knew the Batman of Earth 2 had died somehow, and I'd seen the JLA issue where Mr. Terrific died, but most hero deaths were stuff that happened in books I would never get to read. The Flash's death, however, I held in my trembling little hands and couldn't believe as I sat in the floor of the drug store in front of the magazine rack.

The Flash's death was preceded by Supergirl's in the previous issue, but I'd never been a big fan of her's so it didn't bother me nearly as much. I kept waiting for the next issue to come out and say that Barry was alive somehow, but it never happened. Wally West stepped in and became the first major sidekick to take on the role of his mentor.

Marvel didn't sit on the sidelines though, as they unleashed Secret Wars and tried to make some changes. They gave us the symbiote Spider-Man suit, and...and...um...well, the suit was cool. They just weren't able to pull off the universe-altering effect DC did with this series.

Another favorite of mine who died was the original Dove, Don Hall (his death is pictured in our blog's title image). Again, I'd hoped for a return, but it never happened. Even up to this day, Don has never come back, even though Supergirl, Barry Allen, and even the Crime Syndicate has found their way back to the land of the living. Oh well, if I ever get the chance to write for DC...

The thing that makes this series stand out is that the changes here were long-lasting--for comic books anyway. Wally West stayed the Flash for the next 20 years as Barry Allen stayed dead. We had just one Earth to deal with, but all the heroes were on it.

Then someone got the stupid idea to try and write a sequel to this hit and we ended up with the "Phantom Menace" of the comic book world: Infinite Crisis. That series decided the hero of the last maxi-series should actually become the villain of the new one. Fortunately for them, Grant Morrison took everyone on such a mind trip in the follow-up Final Crisis, that he was able to make IC look almost readable.

All cruel words aside, Crisis on Infinite Earths was, to me, a pinnacle for the 80's. I still hold it as a standard I judge other miniseries by and think DC really knocked it out of the park with this one. I consider the Absolute Edition of this story a must-have simply because seeing George's artwork in the larger-than-life format is a real treat.

I have just a couple more stories to mention over the next two weeks, and then I want to dive into the black hole decade of the comic book world as we discuss what went horribly, horribly wrong in the 90's. But first, next week: A guest shot in another comic had this hero defeated in his first fight, but his next appearance in the comic world helped create one of the most popular titles of all time...

6 Annoying Things About Comics

It's been a very long time since I've looked at something like this, so I thought I'd continue on with more.

Even though comic books are complete fantasy, they do follow a certain set of rules of their own. Even heroes who can fly have laws of gravity and physics around them that the comic writers adhere to. However, have you ever read a comic story and thought, "Even in a world where men can run faster than light and can fly, that doesn't make sense!"? Here are a few of the things that always confused me:

1. How can you be the worlds fastest man and yet carry on a conversation with others while fighting?

Imagine standing still and having someone rip past you in an F-15 jet telling you about their day. Number one, how much of that would you actually hear? Number two, what kind of witty response could you come up with?

You can say all that in a second?

The correct answer is: nothing (unless you're an auctioneer).

And yet, the comic writers continued to let Flash and his villain of the month talk it out while trying to fight it all out. And we're not talking about a quick sentence here or there...we're talking entire conversations with enough time for response on the part of the normal-speed villain. And yet the guys could never hit the Flash with any ray or weapon?

2. Why didn't Superman just throw Doomsday into outer space?

Works every time.

Superman's battle with Doomsday was supposed to be the stuff of legend. Here was the monster who would finally kill the Man of Steel. But through the whole thing I kept thinking: Just throw him into outer space! I mean, once you've decided to kill or be killed for that big ending, just skip the "be killed" part and toss him. Let some other planet with stronger heroes finish him off, or let him just wander on Jupiter and die of boredom.

Come to think of it, why didn't Superman just do that for most of his too-close-for-comfort fights? Giant robots he would get beat down with a million times before hitting would have been a simple matter of flying behind them, grabbing them, and going straight up until you see stars around you before letting go. End of fight.

3. Why set up an elaborate trap to kill the hero, then leave without watching it work?

If you spent weeks putting together some cool death trap, then you finally got that hero you've always wanted to kill into it, wouldn't you want to see if it worked? I mean, how do you test something like that other than finding the dumbest henchman in your posse and saying "Hey, stand right here for a second."

Yet time and again Batman would be put into one trap after another and then the villain would leave to spend his stolen money or whatever and the Caped Crusader would escape. With all the bad guys trapped together in Arkham, you'd think they'd talk to each other and say, "You know, I left when he was in my trap and now I'm here too...heyyyyyyy, wait a minute...I think I've got an idea...what if we stayed in the room until he was dead?"

And all those elaborate traps costing thousands of dollars when a simple bullet would have ended things quickly and cheaply? Hey, if your villains are named Penguin, Joker, and Clayface they can't be too smart, right?

And speaking of Batman gripes...

4. How can you wear a mask under a mask and yet no can see the pointy ears?

Batman had this annoying little habit during the 70's and 80's of wearing his mask under the mask of whatever thug he was pretending to be. Seems a little redundant to me, but whatever.

It's the ears, Batman. I promise.

Sure enough, when the jig was up he was ready to rip off the fake mask and reveal his regular pointy-eared one underneath...yet no one in the group was smart enough to say, "You know, it looks like something is living under Ted's face right now. I don't think that's really his skin. Hey...he's wearing a mask!"

I guess their inattention to detail is what made it so easy to beat them time and again, eh?

5. No one notices the goatee...really?

No resemblance

Put on a pair of sunglasses, walk up to your best friend, and say "hey". Chances are exceptionally good they'll start talking to you and even call you by name. Why? Because a little something hiding just your eyes can't stop someone from recognizing you. Except in comic books, where a little piece of cloth can confuse even your closest allies.

Suspending that disbelief I can do, but when Oliver Queen wears a forked yellow goatee (and he's the only guy in any of the comics who does...even looking at background characters in crowd scenes) and Green Arrow wears a forked yellow goatee, how can no one do the math? Seriously, why bother with the mask? But then again, we have that little inattention to detail that allowed so many heroes to maintain a secret identity through the Bronze Age of comics.

"Here comes trouble! Clark, look...Clark? Where'd he go? Hey, look, it's Superman!" And it's never obvious to anyone. That's why comics were so much fun back then.

6. How can you change into an elaborate costume that quickly?

Tux to this in 5 seconds flat

With the exception of the Flash and Superman (and maybe Hawk and Dove), a costume change should take a few minutes. Consider how quickly you change from work clothes to your "hanging out" clothes. It takes time, right? So how is it that heroes can see a villain attack in panel 1, then jump on them in panel 3 in full regalia and ready to go. Even allowing for that old "I'm wearing my costume underneath this tuxedo" rule that every hero seemed to follow, it still takes a minute.

Does he have tearaway clothing on at all times?

Doesn't even break stride

Forget superheroing, going from tux to costume in 5 seconds should qualify you to be a headliner in Vegas!

And how do you stuff a cape under a shirt and not have someone thinking you've got some kind of deformity going on back there?


What about you? What comic book trends annoy you when you read them?

Smallville's Best Guest Heroes

With Smallville ending in just a few short weeks, I wanted to give them props for what they've done right over the years. I'm really going to miss the show--especially since there is no contender on the horizon to take its place. DC had a platform to give the fans a chance to see live-action versions of their favorite obscure heroes and you never knew who was coming up. No other live-action superhero series in history has run this long or given us this many heroic guests. While some of them were fairly unimpressive, I have to give them credit for the ones they really did right:

Impulse

They couldn't touch the Flash character because of the legal wrangling about a potential movie, but they really handled it well by giving us Bart Allen instead. The two episodes that have seen him in real action have been good ones.

The thing that sold the role to me was the fact that they made him much faster than Clark. That was a touch I enjoyed seeing. I was afraid they'd make it some close race so their main hero would still seem unbeatable. Instead, they gave us a guy who was better at running than anyone else...just as it should be.

Zatanna

Zatanna is one of the characters that was closest to their actual comic counterpart than any other. The costume was absolutely dead-on. Her powers were just as you imagined they would be. And the actress they chose for the role couldn't have been improved upon. Serinda Swan looked like the model they based the comic character on.

I've never been a big fan of the character in the comics (and that stupid elf costume she had in the 70's was pathetic), but after the events of Identity Crisis and her role in mind-wiping Batman I had to give her some credit. Smallville handled her with a healthy respect that kept her from becoming as cardboard a role as the Wonder Twins in a later episode.

Hawkman

All right, so he wasn't bare-chested and beefed-up like the comic book version, but you have to give Smallville credit for what they gave us.  He had wings, and the helmet was dead-on. He had that brooding quality we were expecting, and those conflicted moments with Green Arrow were a nice touch.

Yes, he's dead now in the series (as of this writing), but he always comes back in the comics.

Doctor Fate

We only got him for that one double-length episode, but give the writers credit where it's due: they nailed the character.  Ok, the crazy secret identity was dumb. Still, when he was a hero, he was absolutely dead-on.

I still have no idea how the actor saw out of that helmet with the lights in his eyes. My biggest complaint is the fact that they only kept him around for a single adventure. It would have been nice to have seen a bigger JSA reunion later on. I know they couldn't touch Green Lantern or the Flash because of movie possibilities, but Wildcat, the Spectre, and even Doctor Midnite or Hourman could have filled the void to complete the team roster.

Aquaman

 Another character from the comics that I wasn't a big fan of, Aquaman turned out pretty cool in his guest shots.

This was another character that the writers were willing to concede was faster than Clark at something. He could outswim the guy with no effort. Again, this made sense and it was good to see the writers give him this edge.

His first episode was so great, but his guest shot in the Justice League episode the following season let him stand out. He's appeared since then a few times. Unfortunately, the Aquaman character himself is pretty useless without water around, so he's been relegated to brooding shots in the background.

Green Arrow

Love him or hate him, you have to admit it's pretty nice to see the Emerald Archer in action. Letting him use a compound bow and even Kryptonite arrows (in the ninth season) showed a lot of detail to attention.  

While I feel the yellow goatee is essential to the character in the comics, I don't think Justin Hartley would look right with it.

I don't know if you've seen Hartley's portrayal of Aquaman for the failed series "Mercy Reef", but I thought he did a great job with it and I would have enjoyed seeing the series take off...especially in Smallville's upcoming absence.

The Legion of Superheroes

We couldn't get the whole roster, so they gave us the three top stars in the team. Cosmic Boy was played out nicely, as well as Saturn Girl. I wasn't as impressed with the Lightning Lad character. I guess it was hard to visualize him married to Saturn Girl as they later became in the comics.

Cosmic Boy made a return visit later on to give Clark a Legion ring he could use to send Doomsday to the future so the Legion could kill him. Lois inadvertently used it instead.

Honorable Mention: Booster Gold

As of this writing, they haven't even cast the part yet, but I had to put him in the list simply because he's one of my favorite heroes and the chance to see him in action before the series closes down shop was a nice treat from Geoff Johns.

I sincerely doubt we'll see the blue-and-gold spandex (or the goggles). I'm sure we'll get something similar though. I'm interested to see if Johns plays off the Legion angle and brings them in to catch him since he's apparently considered a thief in the future for stealing the Legion flight ring and the technology.


UPDATE: In the weeks since I wrote this post (I try to stay about 2 months ahead when possible) they've given us an image of Booster Gold. He really remains pretty faithful to the character. I can't wait to see the episode and see what they do with him. Here he is:

So that's my list of top guests in the series. I know I missed some folks, but I wasn't too impressed with the Star-Spangled Kid, the Wonder Twins, or Cyborg. Like I said before, I'm going to miss this show. It may have gone down hill after Michael Rosenbaum left the show, yet it was the only outlet we had for DC superheroes in the looooong years between films.

Heroes That Need Movies

When you think of superheroes who would get movies, guys like Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman all come to mind immediately. But when we find out Iron Man, Thor, and Green Lantern all get major theatrical releases this Summer, it gives hope for those lesser-known heroes to get some screen time. Here are my nominations for heroes who could probably hold their own in a movie:

Green Arrow

I know he's been a recurring role in the Smallville series, but how about giving the guy a shot at the big screen. I would go for a different feel for the character that was slightly more faithful to the comics version and I'd do a very condensed origin, but the guy has potential.

I know they were tossing around a movie called "Supermax" that would supposedly have Green Arrow having to escape from a maximum security prison filled with supervillains, but I'm not sure that's the best way to go. For one thing, in prison he obviously wouldn't get his costume or arrows (until maybe the last ten minutes of the film).

And definitely give him Deathstroke as his nemesis in the film. No one else would do.

Nightwing

I know you're thinking this could never work without appearing in a Batman film first, but it could be done. Consider the opening moments of the Birds of Prey series. We saw Batman, the Joker, and Barbara Gordon's infamous crippling shot all in a matter of moments in a blurry flashback. The same could be done to give any backstory necessary without changing the origin too drastically.

Why would this be better than just another Batman film? Well, Nightwing had a more light-hearted personality in costume than Batman. His fighting style was much more acrobatic as well. Now add to this the fact that Christian Bale is still up in the air about a fourth Batman film and you are paving the way to replace him in the fourth film without a reboot. Instead, Dick Grayson takes the mantle with an already-established film history.

The Invaders

Look, we have a Captain America movie set entirely during World War 2 and he flies solo the whole time? We established the CGI for a Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies, so there's the big hurdle beaten down.

Let's go ahead and fill up the roster. Union Jack and Spitfire would be there, with the regulars of Namor, Torch, Toro, and Bucky. That should be more than enough fodder to make a great movie.

I think the key to this would be skipping the Red Skull as the villain. Instead, give us a straight-up confrontation with Hitler, Master Man, or Baron Zemo.

The Flash

Another hero from a series that has been rumored for a big-screen role, the Flash is long overdue for a film.

Ryan Reynolds was mentioned for the role before taking the Green Lantern part, and I think Bradley Cooper would be a great second choice. Their personalities would really mesh well for a team-up movie later on down the line if it came to it since Barry Allen and Hal Jordan were such good friends.

The villain here is obvious: Professor Zoom. Most likely he'd be saved for a sequel though, and we'd get Captain Cold. He could give a few good moments in the fight, I suppose. I've never understood how a man moving so fast could have such a running dialogue with his rogues though. They'd carry on complete conversations in what was supposed to be the space of seconds while he's a blur. Go figure.

The Justice League of America

I know this is one that will probably never happen, but if we can get the Avengers I can't see why DC won't budge on this. After crafting the CGI for the Green Lantern film, I can't see anything to stop this.

Yes, the Avengers will be a geekfest for most comic fans, but to me this would be the franchise I'd love to see. The massive fight scene at the end of the film with Batman attacking from the shadows while Green Lantern and the Flash tried finesse, and Superman and Wonder Woman were taking the frontal assault, would be intense.

The villains to face? I don't think the Legion of Doom would be the way to go for the first film. In the old JLA comics they usually had one major villain that was enough to give the team trouble. My nominee would be Darkseid. I know he's in Smallville, but let's put him in the movie and show what a real invasion from Apokolypse would be like.

Comics That Should Be Better

The whole point of this blog is to highlight things about comic books that we miss or that really stand out as noteworthy (or cringeworthy, as the case may be). I want to look now at a few titles that should be a whole lot better than they are, but for one reason or another are floundering badly and in need of a push.

Captain America

After they killed Steve Rogers, it seemed like Marvel was taking a big step forward by allowing Bucky to take the suit. In much the same way that Wally West stepped in as the Flash for his mentor when Barry Allen died, Bucky would be the sidekick who became the hero. Unfortunately, it took Marvel almost a dozen issues between when Steve "died" and Bucky put on the suit. The Falcon stepped in as main center character, but he couldn't keep the momentum of the book going. The trip to him finally "suiting up" was good enough that we'd give them a chance to improve in future issues, but it wasn't the best story ever told for Cap.

Then Marvel decided to put Bucky on trial for his crimes as Winter Soldier. Okay, we knew it was coming so that was expected a little. Then we entered this same costume-less abyss of storytelling that started us into the "Bucky as Cap" run. Once more, Marvel brought the Falcon and Black Widow front and center to handle the "action" parts of the story while they buried Bucky and the now-alive Steve Rogers under page after page of dialogue. Now the trial is over, but Marvel spent so much time dragging the fans through the mud in their desperate attempt to be the next Grant Morrison story that we don't care about the character anymore.

Yes, I understand the whole point of the ".1" Marvel stories last month was to give new readers a chance to jump on board...but honestly, what's the point of taking six months to reboot a series no one really cared about anymore? We've had Steve Rogers limited series as "Super Soldier" and an old Captain America story, but we know with the movie coming out Steve will have to put the suit back on by the summer anyway.

All in all, I think Marvel gave up on this title last year and just decided to take a two-issue arch and turn it into a six-issue storyline so they could fill space until it got closer to the movie. It really wasn't fair to Bucky (who had started out doing a great job as Captain America) or to the readers who suffered through the incredibly long process it took to get him in costume.

Comic books like this show the weakness Marvel has when forcing every single storyline into a 6-issue arc. Some plots are made for short and sweet stories only. Flooding them with filler pages just to get it into a trade paperback just kills the title's momentum over time.

The Flash

Finding out Geoff Johns is taking over a title you love is like winning the lottery. With the return of Barry Allen as the Flash added to the mix, it seemed like there was no way this could lose.


A sporadic publishing schedule combined with a storyline that lacked the fire of anything Johns had come up with for Green Lantern gave fans a little pause. "The Flash: Rebirth" didn't have the punch of Hal Jordan's return, but that could be contributed to the fact that Barry Allen had already returned before the storyline came out (rather than the cool return of Hal Jordan we got with GL:Rebirth), so this was more of a re-introduction to the character for folks who had grown up on Wally West in the scarlet suit.

The first six issues of the series didn't break any new ground either. A recent single-issue story gave us the origin of Professor Zoom that really added depth to the speedster's arch-enemy and paved the way for the upcoming "Flashpoint" mega-event.


2011 is supposed to be the big year for the Flash as "Flashpoint" has no less than 14 different mini-series and one-shots springing out of it. Here's hoping it takes this character to the heights fans have been expecting from Geoff since he took over the character.

Batman: Odyssey

Even though the future of this title is currently in doubt, I had to include it in this list as one of my biggest disappointments.

Tell anyone that Neal Adams is drawing a Batman title again, and they'll immediately have high hopes. Adams is considered by many to be the quintessential Batman artist, having taken the Dark Knight through the tumultuous 70's and made him tough in the process.

Now add to the  mix the fact that DC is giving him a free hand in what he does and you imagine nothing but great things coming out of it all. Unfortunately, the first six issues of this 12-issue maxi-series have floundered horribly.

The story isn't part of the Batman canon. As a matter of fact, there is actually very little of a comprehensible story involved. Batman uses guns regularly, he's actually a Hispanic Bruce Wayne, and so far he's found a way to get shot in almost every issue. I've already written about my total confusion and disappointment in this title before, so I won't beat a dead horse. Suffice it to say if DC finishes this 13 issue maxiseries and Adams doesn't pull a major rabbit out of the hat for the last seven issues, this could be his own "The Dark Knight Strikes Again" rather than "The Dark Knight Returns" that he had envisioned.

Brightest Day

I loved Blackest Night, and one of the key moments for me was when I saw two of my favorite DC characters (Deadman and Hawk) among those brought back by the White Lantern ring, I knew I was going to buy the follow-up story without hesitation.

But where "Blackest Night" moved along quickly and cohesively to a major point, "Brightest Day" seems to meander a lot. I'm sure there is some major point they are leading to, but it seems like they are in no hurry to get there and we've lost sight of the whole purpose of the storyline.

Deadman, Hawk and Dove have the most important storyline, as they are trying to find the White Lantern that the ring is leading them toward. In the process, Boston Brand is adjusting to life as a powerless human again, while trying to figure out what the ring wants him to do. That's good reading, and it's the only reason I've stuck with the series.

The problem is that we have a Martian Manhunter storyline that could have been skipped. The Aquaman storyline existed solely to introduce the reboot version of Aqualad. The Firestorm storyline is really good as Ronnie Raymond is back now, but it has taken a long time to get to this point where it is good. The Hawkman storyline wasn't that compelling either. Now that they've started killing these returned characters off, it could be a promising twist to the otherwise bland story. Time will tell.

I think Blackest Night worked so well because there were those 3-issue miniseries offshoot stories that you could choose to follow if you wanted to. For "Brightest Day" there were no offshoots. Instead, the Martian Manhunter miniseries, the Aquaman miniseries, and the Hawkman miniseries were all integrated into the main storyline, which buried the true theme of the book and dragged it to the point where two or three pages in the book further the main story, while the rest just seems to be telling something else altogether.

This may be one of those titles that can only be appreciated when read as a whole after all the issues are published. The story is almost over now. I still have hope, but I'm afraid few people will look back on it as the same powerful work we saw from its predecessor.


Those are four titles I think should be doing better. There will be more in a future post. What about you? What titles were you expecting more from?

Stupid Origins

I promise you, I understand that comic books are just for fun. I know that no irradiated spider will give you super powers, and there are no aliens out there passing out green rings, but there are some origins that are so stupid you have to laugh when you read it. Here are some of the worst:

Hawk and Dove

I love these guys, I need to say that up front. Hank and Don Hall remain my favorite duo team of all time, but the origin is a little weird. They're locked in a shed and want a way to help their father before he is killed by gangsters. A mysterious voice starts talking and offers them power to help and thus the heroes are born.

I have mentioned many things I wanted in my life and have yet to have a mysterious voice answer and offer me superpowers. I'm a tad disappointed.

It would be over 20 years before anyone attempted to explain where the powers came from in an issue of "Secret Origins". Apparently, it was from a talking dragon. No lie.

Whizzer

Besides having one of the worst names for a superhero in history (yeah, you know what you're thinking when you hear that name and it has nothing to do with running fast), he also has one of the worst origins.

Where does he get his speed? Is it from a lightning strike to chemicals? Maybe an alien beam? Nope. He was in Africa on a trip, and got bitten by a cobra so they gave him a transfusion of mongoose blood. This, in turn, gave him super-speed.

Now, last time I checked, a mongoose isn't a speedster. They may be quick little buggers, but they don't outrun cars or anything. Just imagined how powerful he'd been if they'd given him a little cheetah blood! He'd have been faster than light! And speaking of speedsters...

Kid Flash/Wally West

Lightning strikes chemicals and makes a police scientist a superhero. I can live with that, believe it or not. What bothers me is how they reused the origin exactly--in the same place even--with Kid Flash!

Almost 30 years later they would try to offer an explanation as to why it happened (Speed Force, Flash as a lightning bolt, etc), but that wasn't what they originally had in mind. Originally this was just an easy out in an attempt to create a sidekick for the Flash so they could cash in on Robin's popularity in the Batman titles.

There was any number of ways they could have done this, but this is one instance where I think the writers just got lazy.

In other news, Marvel announced it is getting out of the "All Ages" comics after Captain America: The First Avenger goes out in April. What do you think? Does anyone read all ages comics now anyway? Does this mean "Superhero Squad" will now have Nick Fury dropping the F bomb as he splats MODOK with ice cream?

The Replacements (part 1)

I was thinking about it the other day and it's funny how every single major superhero has been replaced over the years! And still the gimmick lives on in title after title. I mean, you have the high-profile messes like Spider-Man, but have you noticed how no superhero out there has job security anymore?

Here are the ones I caught...

Peter Parker replaced by Ben Reilly

Ignoring the fiasco of "One More Day", you have to credit this period of Spider-Man's storyline as one of the worst for him. The Clone Saga was highly regarded as the biggest stumble in Marvel's arsenal until OMD, and it's easy to see why. After investing a LOT of time into proving Peter Parker was the clone and Ben was the real thing, we found out at the end of the storyline that it wasn't the case at all.

It was the first time we realized that following a Spidey tale for several months thinking the title had changed could end up being a big "Gotcha!" at the fan's expense. Quesada would do it all again to us years later.

Bruce Wayne replaced by Jean Paul Valley and Dick Grayson

Batman really hasn't fared as well as you'd think. The first time, Bruce Wayne was crippled by Bane and spent several months in a wheelchair while Jean Paul slowly slipped into madness and turned Batman into an armored psycho. Immediately after he got the cowl back, Bruce gave it to Dick for a little while so he could straighten out some stuff. Dick gave it back, but then picked it back up again after "Final Crisis" and is still Batman today.

I didn't know how it would work to have both Bruce and Dick as Batman at the same time, but I'm really liking it so far. I think it's an interesting dynamic to have Robin as Batman, and have it happening in a real-time storyline.

Bruce Banner replaced by Thunderbolt Ross

This was one that I have to give Marvel credit on. They managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes with the ultimate reveal of who Red Hulk was, and I still think it was cheating a bit to use an LMD at one point to throw Ross out of the contender's list early on, but it worked.

When Banner lost his ability to "Hulk out" at the end of World War Hulk, it seemed the title would take a rest for a while. Wrong. Instead, we got a new colored Hulk who took things to the other end of the spectrum. This Hulk killed the Abomination early on, and showed intelligence and cruelty we hadn't seen before. While Rick Jones might have been the Hulk for a few issues years ago, it was Ross who literally took the Hulk's place while Banner was out of action.

Steve Rogers replaced by Bucky Barnes

This would have to be the highest-profile superhero death in recent years. Superman's death made the news in the 90's, but the shot heard round the world in the 00's was the one that took Captain America down. The tragic thing was that he had finally be reunited with the one sidekick he thought he'd lost forever just before he was killed.

The aftermath of Marvel's "Civil War" took years to clean up, and Cap's death was sort of the end-note to the initial onslaught. While no one believed Steve Rogers would stay dead forever, it was fun to see Bucky step in and take the mantle. He's changed things around, that's for sure. Unfortunately, he's on trial right now for his crimes as Winter Soldier, so his future with the shield is a little iffy, but there can be no doubt this is one replacement that kept the title alive until the original hero could return.

Barry Allen replaced by Wally West

This was the first major superhero death I can remember reading as a kid. I still remember the exact spot on the drugstore floor in front of the magazines I was sitting at as I watched my beloved favorite hero give his life during "Crisis on Infinite Earths". It broke my little heart!

But then at the end of the maxi-series, Wally West stepped in to say he was taking over his mentor's suit and title. And that's the way it stayed for two decades! To an entire generation of comic book readers, Wally West was the Flash, while the rest of us patiently waited for Barry Allen's return. We saw Batman come and go, Superman come and go, Spider-Man come and go, and a dozen others, but Barry Allen showed up only sporadically here and there.

Then Geoff Johns, giver of all good things DC, brought him back. Wally West was the first sidekick to step into his mentor's shoes and I think it was a great way to use the character. A lot of great things happened during Wally's run (ha! Get it?) as the Flash, but I'm still holding out for good things with Barry's return.

This post is so big (and the choices so many!) that we've had to spread it out to a small series! Join us next week as we hit the next five replacements (including one I'll bet you forgot happened!).

The Dream Team

Sorry it's been a while, but I hit "The Wall" and just ran out of things to talk about for a few weeks, along with work taking a lot of time. Hopefully this will put me back into the swing of things.

We've seen team books for years since the very first issue of Avengers and Justice League, but what about the opportunity to put together a dream team? Never mind publishers, and never mind one-shot issues...what if we could put together a lasting team that would work together for a long time against common foes? Well, let's pick the cream of the crop for all spots:

The Powerhouse: Superman

While there might be other heroes who could fill this role (Hulk, Thor, Sentry, or Captain Marvel all come to mind), Superman is the one who would keep a pure head through it all. 

He doesn't kill, and doesn't try to kill, which would make him an interesting foil for some of the other members of the team who have no problem killing. 

Plus DC knows how to handle this character by making him strong while still giving him stories that challenge him. 

The Tactician: Captain America

I realize a lot of people would argue for Batman here, but Captain America is and always has been a soldier. 

He is the kind of hero who inspires others to follow him and truly is fearless in the battlefield. He's watched more than one friend die under his leadership (even though Hawkeye eventually came back) and that keeps a level head on all his decisions.

While he might not have the technological know-how of Batman or Iron Man, there's no doubt just having him on the team would make all the other heroes feel just a little bit better. 

The Brains: Hank Pym

Considered the smartest man in the Marvel Universe, this guy has something to prove and really is quite the brillian hero. Pym brings a lifetime of mistakes to the team, yes, but he also brings a solid head thanks to the recent death of the Wasp.

I would have to say Hank would serve as a valuable member of the team for other reasons as well. He could fight as himself or any of a half dozen other heroes as the need arose. Also, his recent creation of a multi-dimensional home base for the Avengers (very reminiscent of Doctor Who's Tardis) would help him get the team where they needed to be quickly. 

The Weapons Master: Deathstroke

Not necessarily the man you'd consider for a team player, Deathstroke would have a ruthless edge to him and the ability to back it up. He could easily hold his own against just about any villain the team would face and could keep his cool in an outnumbered situation. 

Of course, there would be clashes. This is the first member of the fantasy team (but not the last) who would kill without second thought. This would lead to numerous clashes with Superman's Boy Scout image. Also, Slade's past would make him a hard man to trust.  The team would never know when he might just be leading them into a trap...and I can easily see where there would be some huge redemption storyline in there somewhere to finally prove himself a team player.

The Stealth: Batman

Come on, you didn't think I'd forget Batman, did you? And I'm talking Bruce Wayne here. While not the heaviest hitter on the team, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone more likely to get into a locked building and grab the bad guy without any of his goons noticing. 

Batman would also bring gadgets to the table. Those moments when stealth wouldn't be enough, he could bring some firepower that would even the odds. Add his aversion to killing people as well, and you have someone to back Superman when things get a little tense in a few encounters. The difference would be that Batman wouldn't be afraid to trade punches with any team member who got out of line (can I get a witness, Guy Gardner?).

The Loose Cannon: Deadshot

Because every team needs someone to keep things interesting, I'd throw Deadshot in there. I know the natural choice would be Wolverine, but he's not on this team anywhere. Deadshot has a death wish, and is completely crazy.

The beauty of this is Lawton's uneasy history with Deathstroke. Both men tried to kill each other before, and you can see where the temptation would always be there in a fight to leave Slade dying or even to shoot him in the back himself. Plus the fact that there's no way on Earth you can tell me it wouldn't be cool seeing him walk solo into a room full of Hydra or A.I.M. goons and throwing down.  

The Heart: Wonder Woman

Every team needs that person that keeps them grounded. She has to be strong enough to hold her own but at the same time human enough to reach out to that person who's been hurt due to a battle and try to help them.

Wonder Woman would bring the advantage of a second powerhouse to the team, while not being an exact copy of Superman.  

She's also got the warrior princess thing going for her, which brings the supernatural element to the team where they can fight demons and mythic creatures galore.  

The Speedster: Barry Allen

Every team needs a speedster, and Barry Allen is the easy choice. Quicksilver is awesome, Wally West is cool, but Barry's the man who has done it all and lived (and died...and lived) to tell about it. 

The Flash does things with his speed powers no other hero had ever done, and his ability to tap into the Speed Force gives him limitless opportunities to "boost" when he needs it.  

The thing that he also adds to the team is brains. He's a scientist, and while he's not on the same level as Hank Pym, he could still contribute a lot by being able to do the equations about 70,000 times faster than Hank. 

The Comedy Relief: Deadpool

Because somebody's got to throw the witty one-liners during a fight, I nominate Deadpool for the job. He's got an incredible healing factor that will keep him going no matter what, and he's a whole lot of crazy. 

He almost qualifies for the "Loose Cannon" spot on the team, but his personality makes him a little too fun for the bad spot. 

Wade would be an interesting foil for Batman's very grim attitude. Seeing the two of them teamed up to sneak into a base would make for a lot of fun, especially as Batman would attempt to sneak past the guards while Wade would just jump into them and start shooting. 

The Archer: Hawkeye

Seems like this position has become a staple in recent teams, so we added an archer here. Hawkeye wins the spot simply because he's one bad dude. He has all the trick arrows of Green Arrow, but he can move beyond that. When his bowstring breaks, Clint has proven he can pick up just about anything handy and beat the tar out of any villain lurking nearby. 

 Clint also has a lot of leadership experience that would make him a good secondary leader. Given his past with the Thunderbolts, he's proven he can even manage villains and turn them into heroes, so the presence of Deadshot and Deathstroke wouldn't phase him. 

One interesting note, archers never fare well in team books. Both Green Arrow and Hawkeye have been killed in explosions (though both have come back thanks to the intervention of supernatural friends).  

The Mysterious Presence: Deadman

Come on, I dare you to name me a better spy for the team? The guy can go just about anywhere without being seen or heard, then report back as needed. 

Of course, he couldn't be seen or heard by his friends either, so that could be awkward at meetings...unless he had a body to possess. For that position, I nominate Rick Jones as permanent Deadman host body. Why not? He's been everyone else's sidekick.

So that's my dream roster. Yes, it would be a fairly large and volatile team, but imagine how this team could build over time. Deadshot and Deathstroke already have bad blood between them, so the constant contact with each other could lead to cool confrontations. How about a Wonder Woman/Captain America love connection (after she rejects Tony Stark's guest appearance in the magazine, of course). Hey, my line up definitely couldn't be worse than the Luke Cage angst-fest we're forced to sit through now in every issue of New Avengers. 

There are a lot of possibilities here, but we'll never know how it would have worked. Who do you think I should have dropped and added?