Green Hornet #25

[Arcalian]

Perhaps I should give more details on myself. Though I think I already did that elsewhere. I was primarily a DC guy from 89 to 07. I saw the kind of story arc you describe on the DC side, over and over again. I saw Batman's back broken. I saw Superman die. I saw Green Lantern turn evil and blow up the Corps. I saw Titans Tower destroyed and the team on the run. I saw Nightwing go through a scenario not too different from Daredevil's. I saw Zero Hour. I saw Gotham City destroyed, ridden with plague, abandoned. I saw Wonder woman replaced by an ends-justifies-the-means type. Over and over and over I saw these things. I saw Identity Crisis, in which the silver age Justice League were turned into nothing more than mind-wiping villains. I saw Roy Harper lose his arm, then his daughter, then his mind. I saw the Titans replaced by a group of thugs led by Deathstroke. I saw Infinite Crisis. I saw Black Adam go on his killing spree at the end of the previous 52.

And I said:

ENOUGH.

Enough is enough.

If the only way to tell "memorable" stories is to treat the characters like garbage--because yes, that's exactly what it is--then the stories aren't worth telling. We've been through the dark, desparate times. Been there, done that, bought the t shirt, wrote the book, wrote several sequels to the book. It's time--long since past time--for heroes to be heroes again.

In an earlier post, positronic talked about curve balls. I would say that long ago the curve ball has been thrown inside so far, so many times, that it's become the pitcher deliberately hitting the batter. Every time. Only the batter isn't allowed to take a base as compensation.

Am I sensitive on the subject? You can be certain that I am. A sensitivity gained through long overexposure.


I came to Dynamite because of Green Hornet; I had read some of the Now Comics GH back in the 90s. I had hoped I would find something different here, better here. That since you guys weren't fighting tooth and claw to be #1 on the sales charts every month, the shock-horror, things-will-never-be-the-same-again cliche could be avoided.

And at first I was hopeful reading Annual #2. Then #23. I knew there was a long term plan with the scumbag and his enforcer in the whore's den, but I was okay with that. Even the Mayor's death didn't phase me much. I was a little worried about Kato at the end of #24, but only a little.

Then came #25.

And I went, "Not again."

Because guys, I'm not going to go through this again. I'm not going to give you guys 18 years like I did DC.

I want to stay. I want to keep reading GH, and branch out into Vampirella, another independent 90s title that I liked.

But I'm not going to go through the song and dance again. I've been burned too many times.

I hope that clarifies my position. I haven't left, yet. I don't want to have to. You guys were my way back into comics, after DC chased me out.

But you can understand how it looks to me like I might be chased out again.

[Ande Parks]

Understood. I really hope you'll be happy when the arc is over.

Anj

[Captain Canuck]

...many artists have a couple of stock character type faces, but not Cliquet.

Good point. It jumped out at me with the new mayor's assistant.

Now if we could settle once and for all what hell Chritton looks like...

OK, my only other comment is how does the Hornet (we know it is Britt and not the other guy because he had a tooth knocked out) fall from a great height onto a parked car at the end?

I was more puzzled as to how far he fell into the warehouse in the first place without killing himself. Landed on his feet without difficulty.

[Captain Canuck]

And notice that Chritton's hat and coat are green. Does every good guy in Century City wear a green coat and fedora?

Further note that there are six credited colourists on this book. Could no one suggest, I don't know...navy blue?

[Captain Canuck]

Not sure how you're defining flagship title here.

It may have been intended to be at one point, but like most Dynamite titles the attention given to it dwindles the further it gets from issue #1 in order to promote new stuff that Dynamite will ignore in a few months for the next batch. 'tis the Dynamite circle of life.

Ah well. At least it comes out pretty regularly.

[Captain Canuck]

If the only way to tell "memorable" stories is to treat the characters like garbage--because yes, that's exactly what it is--then the stories aren't worth telling.

It's not the only way, but it's inevitable to a degree. The whole thing is about people overcoming adversity. The most difficult conditions are the personal ones. You have to expect that there's going to be a fair amount of it.

I think you probably get that but you're looking for a) a better balance and b) for whatever adversity there is to not be gratuitous. In other words, there for no other reason than to shock.

Sometimes, a story about stopping a bank robbery is just fine. It doesn't have to include a stray bullet hitting the main character's pregnant girlfriend in the face for it to be "good".

I don't think GH is even near being treated that way though.

[LetsRollKato]

But bear with me...I haven't been able to pick up my comics in a good, long while so I'm JUST getting around to reading GH issues 24-28.

While I prefer my GH stories set in the 30's (GH: YEAR ONE was an absolute masterpiece), I've been following this title from the beginning as I am an enormous fan of the character.

I've generally enjoyed what Mr. Parks has been giving us but I have one rather major complaint about what occurred between issues 24 and 25, art-wise:

In issue 24 (with artist Igor Vitorino), Kato is cornered by Detective Chritton (their one ally on the force who has, however, recently been blackmailed into turning sides). She (yes, SHE. This Kato is the daughter of the second Kato, granddaughter of the first) is not in costume (which is okay because Chritton knows their identities). Chritton is portrayed as a clean shaven thin man in his late thirties/early forties. End of issue. To be continued.

Issue 25 (with artist Ronan Cliquet) opens on the same scene only THIS time Kato is in her full costume with mask and hat and Detective Chritton is a heavy man in his late forties/early fifties and with a mustache.

That kind of discrepancy is inexcusable. YES, the issues were drawn by two different artists and, yes, both artists are quite talented, but, for God's sake, you mean to tell me, in THIS technological day and age, that people can't e-mail each other? That an artist can't do a little research as to what a character looks like? Do you HAVE an editor?

Shameful.