2010-02-03 - THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT, I GOTTA WEAR SHADES

It's funny how trends seem to move almost independently of one another sometimes, as if the powers that be at Marvel and DC can feel that the time is right for something, and start laying the groundwork for it, little realizing that the same conversation is going on over on the other side of town.

I'm not talking about the deliberate lifts, such as then-Marvel publisher Martin Goodman's famous instruction to Stan Lee that "JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is selling well; go create a superhero team book," leading to the creation of the Fantastic Four. Rather, I mean the completely random coincidences that sometimes pop up between the two largest comic-book publishers, in a clear case of unwitting mental synchronicity.

For example, take the spring/summer of 1963, when both Marvel and DC introduced new series about a team of unwilling, misfit superheroes cast off from the rest of society and led by cold, unemotional geniuses confined to wheelchairs. While THE X-MEN would eventually become much more popular than DC's DOOM PATROL, for most of their initial runs, they were about on the same level at their respective publishers, perennial third-string series usually hanging out around the fringes of popularity.

Still, there's no denying that their mutual appearance on the scene, too close together for one to be chalked up as a copycat of the other, serves as a fine example of the kind of unintended trendmaking that we're talking about.

We're seeing that again right now writ large on the canvasses of the DC and Marvel Universes, as both have announced their big companywide initiatives for the spring and summer of 2010. On the DC side of things, we have "Brightest Day," the follow-up to 2009's smash hit BLACKEST NIGHT event.

While details about it remain sketchy, one would assume that, following the previous year of undead superheroes and hearts being ripped from ribcages, we'll be seeing a lot of supertypes like Aquaman and Martian Manhunter returned to the land of the living, and hopefully a reunion of the full, original Justice League for the first time in over 20 years.

Meanwhile, Marvel has recently announced the onset of "The Heroic Age," and included an image of what one might assume to be a new Avengers lineup, coming as it did alongside news of the cancellation of all the existing AVENGERS series and the debut of a new AVENGERS series by Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita, Jr.

Presumably the follow-up to the current SIEGE event for Marvel, it's a logical assumption that Norman Osborn will finally be getting his cornrowed head booted from the halls of power, with the Avengers in turn losing their outlaw status in the process. Since it looks like Bucky Barnes is staying in both his Captain America role and as a member of the Avengers, who better to take Norman Osborn's place as spearhead of the government's superhuman community than Steve Rogers?

What's amusing is, this trend toward a lighter universe seems to have been anticipated on both the DC and Marvel sides by their respective small-screen counterparts. Marvel's SUPERHERO SQUAD animated series, while skewing a bit juvenile for most comics fans' taste, is a fun, jovial romp through the Marvel Universe, with a surprising amount of wit and guest-stars galore.


And DC's THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD has matured into a fantastically flexible series, capable of straight-on comedy like the recent "Aquaman and family on vacation" episode, or more serious offerings like "Sidekicks Assemble," which not only featured a Teen Titans guest shot, but also featured a tantalizing glimpse of a Satellite-Era Justice League of America.



Why can't we get a series based on that?


Scott Tipton won't even mention that Hank Pym was sorely absent from that "Heroic Age" teaser. Thanks to Mark Engblom for the image. If you have questions about comics, send 'em here.

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