Radio Hope and The Reader is a weekly podcast set up like the journal of a superhero, The Reader, John Black, stuck on a satellite in space as he copes with his own loneliness as well as trying to solve the problems of the planet Earth.
Written and Narrated by Luke Herr
Click here to listen to episode 1 (it’s about 23 minutes)
or here to download the first episode. No fancy podcast work yet.
Notes and commentary after the jump. Read More
Basically, I am a big fan of the DCAU Justice League. So it’s really hard for me not to say, “we should just make Justice League Unlimited the main continuity and be done with it. They did it. It’s done. Everyone break for coffee.”
But wow that’s simplistic and boring and probably only 97% truthful, so here’s what I want out of Justice League actually.
Recently, DC released his image of Geoff Johns and David Finch’s JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA:
This is the U.S. government version of the Justice League, not to be confused with the U.N. version, Justice League International. The first thing that becomes one likely notices is that half of this team are non-powered weapon-wielding human beings. Also Catwoman can’t work a zipper. Brought together by some combination of individual need and/or blackmail, this is a team bought together to get results and represent America. Kind of like a parody of the Justice League written by the guy who writes JUSTICE LEAGUE which has become almost parody. Whoo, head rush.
Seeing this most uninteresting League has inspired Head Nerdcenary Herr to issue an assignment: put together a Justice League team.
I’ve been looking for a new theme for Nerdcenaries since we did Vertigo Zombies almost a year ago. Luckily for me the new Justice League of America team was announced and it did nothing for me – or a lot of people. So instead of just complaining I decided to invite the Nerdcenaries team members, friends and people we admire to pitch their own teams.
For my team, I got on current collaborator James Lloyd on art duties (We have a Kickstarter for a mini you’ll be able to get later) and I set about constructing a new Justice League.
I like to think that superhero teams should do more than punch out villains. I wanted to assemble a different team – a force for keeping the peace and bringing balance to the world. To do this I brought in representatives of the different worlds and elements and hopefully they might be able to fix the world – unless they destroy it.
By Jordan Neves
NEW YORK, NY – DC shocked the comics world today when it announced its new controversial stance about portraying women: That is, that they aren’t going to bother with it anymore.
“We’ve been hearing the backlash from fans and have definitely taken note,” said premier DC artist Jim Lee, “but changing our ways so soon and so broadly is difficult. Why expect us to draw Catwoman without her zipper down to her belly? Or a girl in clothing an average person could wear comfortably? We feel we will be serving our fans better by staying away from the issue altogether.”
“Unfortunately, drawing our female characters with any sort of discretion or dignity is just far too cost-prohibitive,” Said Editor-in-chief Dan DiDio. “Plus, we just don’t want to do it.”
“Frankly, all these strong, independent women should be able to choose what they wear, so I don’t know what the big deal is,” said Red Hood writer and grown man Scott Lobdell in regards to DC’s many fictional females. “But it will be a relief to write for male characters exclusively.”
When made aware that other creators have been successfully writing and drawing non-sexualized females for years, DiDio replied, “That may work for small-market writers like Dan Clowes and Mike Mignola, but I don’t see their characters appearing in smash-hit blockbuster movies like Green Lantern.”
Key to the announcement was that none of the DC Universe’s numerous female characters will actually disappear. The company plans on retaining their copyrights in a most unusual way. “We’ll be replacing all of them with males in the same roles,” said Lee. “Of course, with this change comes fresh, brand-new costume designs; We just felt uncomfortable drawing the same costumes on men. It’s funny, I don’t know why.”
“It will definitely be a challenge writing practically new characters,” said Catwoman writer Judd Winick, “but it will be the real shot-in-the-arm that the industry has needed this past couple of months.”
In response to the many fans put off by this decision, DiDio simply responded “We’re glad our comics have people talking about these issues.”
The change is expected to take full effect in January.