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Post by HoM on Feb 25, 2010 11:57:50 GMT -5
Please tell us what you think of this soon to be legendary first issue!
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Post by HoM on Feb 25, 2010 12:12:06 GMT -5
This has to be one of my all-time favourite tales from Don Walsh. The characters are all favourites, well known and easily to access without the need for copious personality foreplay, the story is so succinct you can't tell that it took ages to write (Thanks Don  ) and it was such an effortless read I was just blown away. Don, you know I love your writing, but I find it sometimes denser and harder to access than others, but this was just beautiful, and it resolved so many lingering threads that it was a delight to edit. Hawkman continues to be one of my all-time favourite Leaguers, the cast of the Justice League you used was lifted from the current roster but reflected well the one you yourself had, and the Batman/Justice League resolution was played perfectly. No one admitting they were wrong, but Bruce... changing, ever so slightly, and Superman being the one to see it. Beautiful, simple as. The running joke you had with Nightwing calling his meeting was well done, as I was worried when you mentioned it that it might be a bit too corny, but no, it worked, and every Leaguers reaction, and dialogue, just right. Loved the little moments with all the characters, and the pairings were brilliant. We had a Worlds Finest team-up to set up the issue, descending into classic Justice League-partnerships, until the whole team played their role and defeated the menace-of-the-issue! Wonder Woman and Aquaman's moment was a wonderful little bit, and I was fascinated by the continuing use of classic character lore. I didn't remember the many uses of Wonder Woman's costume, but one mention and it fell into place. Great stuff. If there was any doubt after The Return that Bruce was back, then this issue concluded that overarching plot perfectly, and I can't wait for Bruce to be the Batman in Justice League next month! Thanks Don, five stars, all the way. |
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Post by HoM on Feb 25, 2010 12:30:44 GMT -5
I would be remiss, of course, not to mention Boris' contribution to the issue: I recently accquired Vol. 1 to 4 of the Justice League International omnibus hardcovers (God, they're all so expensive ), and when Don showed me the initial pencils of Boris' cover I was jumping up and down in delight. The cover perfectly encapsulates the story itself, and I'm a big fan of using someone elses' words, images, music, to convey another emotion or feeling not connected to the source material. Boris, your work does great honour to KEvin Maguire, and I'm so pleased that you were able to come onboard and do the cover for this issue. It's a big event unto itself-- Justice League united! A world-threatening threat! A half dozen personal relationships analysed and built upon! --and you are truly the man for this job. Thank you. |
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rapscallion86
Staff 
Subtlety: The mark of a good superhero. Right, Brainiac 5?
Posts: 99
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Post by rapscallion86 on Feb 25, 2010 19:06:21 GMT -5
Loved this story a lot. Everything was painted out for me very clearly and distinctly and all of the characters had wonderfully in-character and powerful voices. I liked how Effron started out so confidently, but then his plan was slowly and meticulously dismantled by the efforts of the Justice League. This story just felt perfectly like a new beginning. A lot of dark stuff happened to the Batman books over the past year or so, and its nice to see a return of that more friendly, silver-age, "we can do it if we work together" feel that the DC2 universe perfectly encapsulates. I liked all the gadgetry and gizmos that Batman has both in his utility belt and his costume, and I thought it was well-described with every action he took, the meticulousness and careful planning her goes through. Conversely, I also liked the moment where Superman saves the day for Bats and Vicki, and then Batman throws the smoke bombs for the most awesome team up fight ever. Goosebumps. I also thought the part with Flash and Hawkman was very well done, and the moment about "high-fives" was incredibly done. You can still put jokes into a story without turning it into a humor book. Nicely done. Batman using blinks to operate his mask? Again, nice. Using that feature to block out the smell of Vicki's perfume? Meh. A little corny for me.... Speaking of Vicki, man! I am so glad that plotline got resolved and I hope to see more of it in future Batbooks. That loose thread kind of irked me, but you tied it all up very neatly, nicely, and leaving Vicki looking like a star. Kudos. Overall a fun and exciting read that kept me smiling and enjoying myself, which is pretty much the main point, right? Great job. -D.L. Mann |
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Post by lissilambe on Feb 27, 2010 15:08:05 GMT -5
Thank you for the great comments, guys. I'm so glad this story seems to be hitting the right notes. Charlie, it's very good to hear you discuss how much easier a read this is, while both of you thoroughly enjoy what it does say. This is truly my homage to the Super Friends, using a bit of the cartoon Brave and the Bold's philosophy: writing a Super Friends story that I thought I was watching on TV when I was a kid. LOL So easy, accessible, but still fun and exciting to read is a good thing to hear back from both of you.
Charlie, glad you liked the pairings. I tried to get classic pairs, and in SF, Wonder Woman and Aquaman were almost always paired off together. Taking advantage of hidden trivia is just a part of the job, I think, at least for me. I might as well put all this useless info I have to work, right? LOL The fact that the pairings fit various aspects of the adventure just makes it even better.
I pulled my roster out from your current group, but I took the cue from your lead, where there's sort of a core within the League that handles these particularly important moments. Kind of like "the Founding Avengers" over in that other group, LOL I do think there would be this kind of inner council, and it's fun to use them sometimes. After all, no reason to tell Dr. Light (good version), Animal Man, Manitou Dawn, etc. who Batman really is.
And you are absolutely right, we can not forget this great cover Boris turned in for me. Thank you so much, Boris, this cover is great, and strikes the perfect note of the issue, I feel.
D.L., great to hear from you, and I'm very pleased to see you enjoyed it, light and fun and exciting, again all the things I was going for. I've enjoyed writing all these characters, and hitting their voices and giving them their moments to shine starts to come easy at this point. LOL
I'm glad you enjoyed Effron's defeat, he's just a silly little DCU villain I thought would be fun to use for the true story of reconciliation and friendship to shine around. Boris did the redesign on him, and he really came through, it was great. A blast to write.
I want to thank Charlie for letting me handle this little chapter of Batman and the League. When he took over the JL, he asked me if I'd step back in for an issue and write the resolution to Bruce being welcomed back. We both knew it had to be handled on panel, and with more than a wink and a nod, and he felt I could do the job properly. It turned into this debut of DC2 Comics Presents as the story built up, and events came together, and i want to thank him very much for the opportunity to really just flex my Saturday morning cartoon muscles.
So, DL, I got a great chance to wrap up some stories, including the Vicki dilemma, which made me very happy. I'm a big fan of Vicki (just behind Silver St. Cloud on my list), and getting to write her here was a truly great moment for me. And don't you worry: she's getting a decent recurring role in the upcoming Batman and Detective Comics, so keep an eye out for her.
Glad you liked the gadgets, and yeah, the nose filters is a bit corny. On the other hand, I'm reasonably sure there are several people on this board (myself included) who has had moments in their lives when they really wish they couldn't smell that wonderful perfume or cologne at an inopportune moment. LOL I'm glad you loved the tricks, gadgets, gimmicks and uses for them, D.L. Fun moments, and I'm glad they struck you the right way.
Enough rambling for now. Thanks a ton, and keep an eye out for DC2 Comics Presents #1, when we find Superman and Wonder Woman teaming up to tackle to GIANT problems!
Take care
Don
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Post by Admin on Mar 6, 2010 17:13:55 GMT -5
Smashing feel-good debut! This issue brought to the fore everything fun about DC comics fan fiction. From an eye-pleasing Rizzian homage to Maguire to a Walshian love letter to Saturday morning cartoon nostalgia, this issue succeeds as unabashed entertainment.
But this issue adroitly avoids the pitfalls of camp, with a great story, wonderful character work amongst the "super friends" and sparkling dialogue (especially between Clark and Bruce: loved the line about handling "two women!") .
If this special is any indication what to expect, DC2 Comics Presents... is going to be a title to follow!
So to Don and Riz, thanks for the trip down Memory Lane and the reminder of how damn fun this stuff can be!
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Post by lissilambe on Mar 8, 2010 4:55:51 GMT -5
Thank you kindly for the praise, Dave. This is indeed a love letter to Saturday morning cereal and cartoons traditions, but with more modern sensibilities and action. It was such a great itch to get worked out. And every reference the World's Finest Team made about the two reporters in their lives, and each time I could obliquely draw in the shadow of Lois made me smile as well. Superman may be the greatest hero on Earth, but Lois...she's a force of nature. DC2 Comics Presents Lois Lane and Vicki Vale? Hmm...maybe some time down the road... Anyway, I appreciate you checking the issue out, and here's hoping to keep the fun up as we plunge into the regular series with DC2 Comics Presents #1 starring Superman and Wonder Woman against a pair of truly gigantic, titanic foes.  Take care Don |
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Post by chris on Apr 5, 2010 14:44:11 GMT -5
Just got round to reading this issue and I am glad I did. Not sure what to say that hasn't been mentioned here. Great interactions and I loved how you ties in all the various threads from all over the site. Well done sir.
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Post by lissilambe on Apr 5, 2010 19:40:18 GMT -5
Thanks for the compliments, Chris. Great to have more readers, and happy to hear this struck the right chords for you.
Take care
Don
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Post by jayrow75 on Jan 17, 2014 3:04:22 GMT -5
I know. I'm reading issues from years ago again. This one is superb because it is a one and done type of book. It featured some resolutions to other plotlines that seasoned the story well. As expected, Lissilambe hit all the character's chords correctly.
Thanks for the great read.
Jay
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Post by lissilambe on Jan 17, 2014 20:30:56 GMT -5
Thanks a lot for the kind words, and for checking it out in the first place. Keep your eyes peeled: the follow-up Challenge of the SUPER FRIENDS is coming up sometime this month, and I hope to keep it as fun as the first. You can already check out the cover for it from returning DC2 alum Roy Flinchum here! Take care Don |
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) and it was such an effortless read I was just blown away. Don, you know I love your writing, but I find it sometimes denser and harder to access than others, but this was just beautiful, and it resolved so many lingering threads that it was a delight to edit. 
