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I like Geoff Johns' writing. Yes, it definitely has its feet firmly in the Silver Age, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy his character development and interractions. I like the action sequences. And I like that his stories have forced my to do my research on certain characters, which gives me a better appreciation for both Geoff's stories and those that have come before (Wagner's Dr. Midnite, anyone?).

The only gripe I have is when he tries to insert Silver Age continuity where there is none. His stories about the Flash taking on Brother Grimm annoyed me because Grimm's origin is from back in the Silver Age. I did my research and was kinda bummed when I discovered that Geoff's origin never happened. It's almost as if he uses people's lack of knowledge about Silver Age (and the difficulty in getting Silver Age back issues or reprints) against the reader. It's what is making me skeptical about the current Identity Crisis/Top storyline - did the Top really act as a hero for a while, or is it another example of Geoff creating Silver Age continuity to fill a need?


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Quote:

Grimm said:
How would you know, Dave, since you've never actually read anything he's written, but in your own words, merely glanced across it?

You're pre-judging work without having read it, meaning your opinion is as relevant as anything Mota has to say.




En garde.

I have a copy of JLA/JSA Virtue and Vice. Read it several times now.

I think its utter crap.

Plot problems: I still don't understand the significance of Captain Atom going forward in time - I thought that was a cheap plot device just to demonstrate he could do it. Hourman's broken arm was pointless - another example of Johns simply displaying a character's powers. If Despero was a disembodied ghost possessing Luthor's body, how is it at the end there was a naked Luthor and a comatose Despero lying next to him? And there were no clever tricks in defeating their foes - it was just simply a pile-on of characters.

Dialogue: I thought the dialogue was stilted and often indistinguishable for some of the characters. You could have interchanged the dialogue for the Atom, Jay Garrick, Superman and Hourman on several occasions.

The concept: In the back feature of a Gen 13 comic I read years ago, a paradoy of a team up between Gen 13 and WildCATS had the leaders shakes hands and offer to have a team up one day with a case of mistaken identity so they could fight each other and then be friends. Group team ups are often focussed on pitting one team against the other, or parts thereof. Johns didn't see any need to break this tiresome stereotype.

I actually bought this comic with great expectations - I thought I would be seeing a new version of the old JLA/JSA team ups I enjoyed as a kid, as well as hearing great things about Johns from various people. I was seriously let down on both fronts.

I have since read several issues of JSA, without buying them. One of them was with Atomsmasher destroying a JSA jet. Another recent one had Johns engaging in blatant and stupid retconning in substituting one Hourman for another in a fight to the death with Extant because "Hourman will die" and it didn't matter which one - and it didn't matter that the android Hourman died anyway because they could rebuild him. Hack writing - it really is on the same level as fan fiction.

Riposte, et touche.


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Quote:

Rob Kamphausen said:

i already loved batman since i was in diapers





robs fantasizing about batman in diapers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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why not? Batman fantasized about Rob when he was in diapers!

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well then i digress!

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Quote:

Dave said:
Quote:

Grimm said:
How would you know, Dave, since you've never actually read anything he's written, but in your own words, merely glanced across it?

You're pre-judging work without having read it, meaning your opinion is as relevant as anything Mota has to say.




En garde.

I have a copy of JLA/JSA Virtue and Vice. Read it several times now.

I think its utter crap.

Plot problems: I still don't understand the significance of Captain Atom going forward in time - I thought that was a cheap plot device just to demonstrate he could do it. Hourman's broken arm was pointless - another example of Johns simply displaying a character's powers. If Despero was a disembodied ghost possessing Luthor's body, how is it at the end there was a naked Luthor and a comatose Despero lying next to him? And there were no clever tricks in defeating their foes - it was just simply a pile-on of characters.

Dialogue: I thought the dialogue was stilted and often indistinguishable for some of the characters. You could have interchanged the dialogue for the Atom, Jay Garrick, Superman and Hourman on several occasions.

The concept: In the back feature of a Gen 13 comic I read years ago, a paradoy of a team up between Gen 13 and WildCATS had the leaders shakes hands and offer to have a team up one day with a case of mistaken identity so they could fight each other and then be friends. Group team ups are often focussed on pitting one team against the other, or parts thereof. Johns didn't see any need to break this tiresome stereotype.

I actually bought this comic with great expectations - I thought I would be seeing a new version of the old JLA/JSA team ups I enjoyed as a kid, as well as hearing great things about Johns from various people. I was seriously let down on both fronts.

I have since read several issues of JSA, without buying them. One of them was with Atomsmasher destroying a JSA jet. Another recent one had Johns engaging in blatant and stupid retconning in substituting one Hourman for another in a fight to the death with Extant because "Hourman will die" and it didn't matter which one - and it didn't matter that the android Hourman died anyway because they could rebuild him. Hack writing - it really is on the same level as fan fiction.

Riposte, et touche.




Whereas, I've also read V&V many times, and I think it's a great action adventure. The first team between the groups I've really enjoyed since the Perez era.

Does it have plot problems? Sure, the Captain Atom and Hourman examples were predictable, yes. But it's also filled with great character moments, such as Superman and Alan Scott floating above the Watchtower and looking at the earth.

And using the Seven Deadly Sins to possess various members of each team was a great usage of never seen (to my knowledge) bits of Captain Marvel lore. Contrary to your opinion, this was a twist on the usual "teams meet/fight/teamup/etc." plot, given weight by the context of the history between the two groups, and the fact that various members of each group had to interact with each other.

Referencing back to the JSA's days in limbo and Jay Garrick's utter horror at being stuck there again was a fantastic use of history.

And the Atom easily figuring out how to escape Limbo, was an excellent showcase for his intelligence. He did something in minutes that the JSA couldn't do in years.

As far as the issue you reference with Atom Smasher breaking the jet, you admitted to merely glancing through that on the stands. As it was in the midst of a big storyline that had been building up for months, there is no way you can merely glance at that and get the gist of it.

The Hourman issue, I wasn't happy with the outcome myself, but he claims to have plans to bring Tyler back next year, and since he's a time traveler, is he ever really gone? I don't think so.

Calling the work fanfiction is a cheap copout by someone unwlling to look past their own personal biases, and frankly Dave, is a tactic unworthy of someone of your intelligence.

So there!

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Quote:

Grimm said:
[
Whereas, I've also read V&V many times, and I think it's a great action adventure. The first team between the groups I've really enjoyed since the Perez era.

Does it have plot problems? Sure, the Captain Atom and Hourman examples were predictable, yes. But it's also filled with great character moments, such as Superman and Alan Scott floating above the Watchtower and looking at the earth.





"Great character moments"? If indeed that was one, that was it. Oh, and the obligatory "it doesn't get much bigger than the JLA/JSA" - Johns way of showing that each team respects the other.

Probably th best character moment Johns had was having Kyle Rayner mock the old costumes. I thought that was quite good. But of course Johns then has to borrow the old "dog collar" schtick touted on the DCMBs. its part of his appeasement strategy, discussed further below.

Quote:


And using the Seven Deadly Sins to possess various members of each team was a great usage of never seen (to my knowledge) bits of Captain Marvel lore. Contrary to your opinion, this was a twist on the usual "teams meet/fight/teamup/etc." plot, given weight by the context of the history between the two groups, and the fact that various members of each group had to interact with each other.

Referencing back to the JSA's days in limbo and Jay Garrick's utter horror at being stuck there again was a fantastic use of history.

And the Atom easily figuring out how to escape Limbo, was an excellent showcase for his intelligence. He did something in minutes that the JSA couldn't do in years.




I had forgotten that. I thought that was just terrible writing - the most contrived plot device in ages.

Quote:


As far as the issue you reference with Atom Smasher breaking the jet, you admitted to merely glancing through that on the stands. As it was in the midst of a big storyline that had been building up for months, there is no way you can merely glance at that and get the gist of it.





Compared to Planetary, which you can pick up off a stand with virtually no knowledge of the overall story arc, and enjoy it. Aren't you conceding that its inaccessible?

Quote:


The Hourman issue, I wasn't happy with the outcome myself, but he claims to have plans to bring Tyler back next year, and since he's a time traveler, is he ever really gone? I don't think so.





Not sure I get your point. You agree with me?

Quote:


Calling the work fanfiction is a cheap copout by someone unwlling to look past their own personal biases, and frankly Dave, is a tactic unworthy of someone of your intelligence.

So there!




My own personal biases are orientated towards good writing. I don't really care if its superhero or not. I just care that its something other than fan-driven drivel.

Johns lacks craftsmanship. He relies upon two things to drive his work:

1. continuity and the retrospective alteration of continuity to introduce or reintroduce characters;

2. an appeasement of older readers with 80s style plots, and an abundance of characters. This is considered to be a form of respect for the heroic traditon and the "heritage" of characters. Its of the same vintage of writing that someone like Julius Schawrtz might have done for Superman. Schwarz used the forumla Superman's myriad of powers and kryptonite to advance the story. Johns uses obscure points in characters' histories and powers.

Many comic book writers are hacks in the traditonal sense of the word: that is, they are writers for hire, paid to express others' thoughts and opinions. In comics, this is usually applied to those writers who are the extension of their editors.

In Johns' case, its a form of demagoguic hackery. He writes to please his readers. He does not write with skill or aplomb. There is nothing in his writing which would make him stand out as a creative dynamo. It is pure appeasement.

In that regard, it is like fan fiction: using obscure characters and obscure continuity points as the framework, rather than the backdrop, of a story.

Busiek does something similar, but at least he brings a uniqueness of perspective on his stories.

I think the thing which most annoys me about Johns' work is that it is lacking in this creative spark. It never challenges the reader. There is nothing clever about his work. Someone like Chris Claremont would have Colossus and Juggernaut in a brawl, with Wolverine standing by and letting his team mate get beaten up in order to teach him a lesson in loyalty and gratitude. There was always some philosophical twist in Claremont's writing which made you think twice about the story. Ellis writes kooky and bizarre things that make you think. Millar tries to shock you. Ennis uses macho philosophy. Carey uses deux ex machina. Milligan uses humour juxtaposed with meaning. Diggle uses research.

Whereas Johns just crunches characters together, like a kid playing with action toys.


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Ditto on what Rob posted. DC feels the same way since Johns is now DC exclusive. Not everyone gets that consideration.


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Quote:

Dave said:
He writes to please his readers.




Um... Forgive me for being flip, but isn't that what he's SUPPOSED to do? This is comics! He's not trying to make the next great novel, he's trying to sell some damn books! And nothing makes money like readers who are pleased and want to come back for seconds.


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Quote:

King Snarf said:
Quote:

Dave said:
He writes to please his readers.




Um... Forgive me for being flip, but isn't that what he's SUPPOSED to do? This is comics! He's not trying to make the next great novel, he's trying to sell some damn books! And nothing makes money like readers who are pleased and want to come back for seconds.




So how does Grant Morrison's name sell books?

He is creative, and challenges readers to understand the theme to his stories. He's not writing a novel - he's being original. Johns is not.

We were discussing JLA: Earth 2 on the other thread. Can you even compare this to Virtue and Vice?


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JLA: Earth 2 IS better. That does not mean that V&V is unenjoyable, however. I liked it very much, and thought it was worth the $25 bucks I spent for it.


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Quote:

King Snarf said:
JLA: Earth 2 IS better. That does not mean that V&V is unenjoyable, however. I liked it very much, and thought it was worth the $25 bucks I spent for it.




By way of a big and reluctant concession, I guess the answer is that despite having many of the same characters, and despite the fact that they are broadly very similar premises, they are different books because they are aimed at different readers.

In V&V, the heroes win, pat themselves on the back, get a new HQ, we cheer wildly and they go home to drink tea and eat cake. Old school - aimed at 1980s JLA/JSA readers.

In Earth 2, no one wins because no one can win. Each side is left haunted because they have seen an opposite version of themselves in the mirror. New school - aimed at Morrison readers.


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Well, we could, but I'd rather continue on this course.

Quote:

"Great character moments"? If indeed that was one, that was it. Oh, and the obligatory "it doesn't get much bigger than the JLA/JSA" - Johns way of showing that each team
respects the other.




Yes, great character moments. Why shouldn't they respect each other. They have a long history of working together. This would imply exactly that. Why would they willingly continue to do so if they didn't?

Quote:

Probably th best character moment Johns had was having Kyle Rayner mock the old costumes. I thought that was quite good. But of course Johns then has to borrow the old "dog collar" schtick touted on the DCMBs. its part of his appeasement strategy, discussed further below.





That was a good moment, but I'm confused here. You don't like him showing that they respect each other, but if they rag on each other, then it's "appeasement?"

Quote:

I had forgotten that. I thought that was just terrible writing - the most contrived plot device in ages.




So, putting together scenes to show a character's usefulness is contrived? Or only for characters you're not particularly fond of?

Quote:

Compared to Planetary, which you can pick up off a stand with virtually no knowledge of the overall story arc, and enjoy it. Aren't you conceding that its inaccessible?





Not a bit. Sure, it's a handful to toss at a newbie, but I started reading comics with these types of stories when they went between earths and teamed up with various second and third stringers and I never had a problem with accessibility.

Planetary is, a paradox, in truth, because while it's a singular entity in the world of comics, it's also largely dependant on knowledge of the history of comics to really understand it's depths. This doesn't necessarily make it inaccessible. Although some could argue that. Largely, I feel the people that use the inacessibility argument are just lazy readers. My opinion.

Quote:

Not sure I get your point. You agree with me?





On the Hourman issue, yes. However I notice you skipped over my Atom Smasher point, as you have a tendency to do when at a loss for a point.

Quote:

My own personal biases are orientated towards good writing.




Towards your opinion of what makes good writing. We're all biased towards what we consider good writing. But we don't all share the same ideas of what good writing are. Now you're a highly educated, literate man and you bring that literate sensibility towards your reading with a sharp, critical eye. That's one of the most interesting things about reading your reviews.

However, that critical eye can tend towards a willing myopia in certain cases. We all do this. It's part of our nature.

Quote:

Johns lacks craftsmanship.




I disagree. I don't believe you've read enough of his work to honestly make this statement. I've read a great deal of his stuff. Some of it I like, and some of it I don't. But I think he does have craft. It's just not oriented towards the things you value in fiction.


Quote:

1. continuity and the retrospective alteration of continuity to introduce or reintroduce characters;





This is the most common complaint, and yeah, it's valid. But you're gonna have continuity when we're working on sixty plus year old character concepts. You're gonna have continuity when you're on a title with three generations of characters. And a lot of times, that continuity is confusing and convuluted. Hey, anyone who can take Hawkman's mess of a history and make sense out of it should be given props, I say.

But he's also done a creator owned mini at Wildstorm, and work for the new Metal Hurlant mag. So where's the reliance on continuity there? I'd like to see him do more creator owned stuff, myself.

Quote:

2. an appeasement of older readers with 80s style plots, and an abundance of characters. This is considered to be a form of respect for the heroic traditon and the "heritage" of characters. Its of the same vintage of writing that someone like Julius Schawrtz might have done for Superman. Schwarz used the forumla Superman's myriad of powers and kryptonite to advance the story. Johns uses obscure points in characters' histories and powers.





Sure, there is a level of appeasement or pandering, I think is what you really wanted to say. But his writing is hardly the style of gimmickry that was prevalent in the Silver Age. Much of Johns' writing is based off of character. Plot points often proceed from character's actions. Pick up any issue of Flash.

I think you've confused Julius Schwartz with Mort Weisinger. Both editors. Weisenger did dominate his writers, by all accounts. Schwartz was responsible for quite a bit of progression in comics, he put together Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams and let them work their magic, for one. Sloppy work, counselor.

Damn, this is getting long.

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Quote:

Grimm said:
This is the most common complaint, and yeah, it's valid. But you're gonna have continuity when we're working on sixty plus year old character concepts. You're gonna have continuity when you're on a title with three generations of characters. And a lot of times, that continuity is confusing and convuluted. Hey, anyone who can take Hawkman's mess of a history and make sense out of it should be given props, I say.






I second that props. Too bad DC took him off Hawkman and put Palmiotti on. While it's not bad, it's not nearly as good as it was before...


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Many comic book writers are hacks in the traditonal sense of the word: that is, they are writers for hire, paid to express others' thoughts and opinions. In comics, this is usually applied to those writers who are the extension of their editors.





Yes, they are doing work for hire. But I'd hardly say most writers of the last twenty years are expressing other's thoughts and opinions. John Ostrander is an extension of an editor? Steven Grant? Keith Giffen? J.M. DeMatties? I could go on.

Quote:

In that regard, it is like fan fiction: using obscure characters and obscure continuity points as the framework, rather than the backdrop, of a story.





I can see where it could be. Let me reiterate a point I made to Mota a while back. Continuity when used properly, gives weight and context to a situation. Used improperly, it weighs down stories and readers with endless minutia. Ala Kurt Busiek's Avengers or Mark Waid's later Flash issues. And yes, some of Johns work falls into the latter. But some of it also falls into the former.

Quote:

Busiek does something similar, but at least he brings a uniqueness of perspective on his stories.





What uniqueness of perspective did Busiek bring to Avengers, pray tell? His endless knowledge of their history, perhaps? How is that different from Johns' work? How is the abundance of continuity in JLA/Avengers or Avengers Forever different from the continuity in Johns' work?

Busiek can be a good writer when he's motivated. Arrowsmith was a good book. His Conan is pretty good, as well. (But don't read that, it has continuity. So it must be inaccessible. )

Quote:

I think the thing which most annoys me about Johns' work is that it is lacking in this creative spark. It never challenges the reader. There is nothing clever about his work.





As we've already established you've not read much of his work, I'll just move on. I feel the same way about Bruce Jones' writing, personally, but I've actually read a good bit of it.

Quote:

Someone like Chris Claremont would have Colossus and Juggernaut in a brawl, with Wolverine standing by and letting his team mate get beaten up in order to teach him a
lesson in loyalty and gratitude. There was always some philosophical twist in Claremont's writing which made you think twice about the story.





Yes, Chris Claremont of the impossibly long dialogue and the multitude of never ending plotlines. He had his day, sure. Dark Phoenix, Days of Future Past, that was good stuff. But challenging or thought provoking? Clever at times, especially with a good collaborator, yes. But Claremont also veered into hackwork quite a bit.

Quote:

Ellis writes kooky and bizarre things that make you think. Millar tries to shock you. Ennis uses macho philosophy. Carey uses deux ex machina. Milligan uses humour juxtaposed with meaning. Diggle uses research.





All true. They all have their things that they write well. They also all have their shortcomings. No writer is perfect. Everyone has their tastes, and different writers will appeal to different people. Ellis is my favorite of the current crop of writers, due to the combination of intelligence, venom, and balls. Millar and Ennis are probably about half and half with me. Milligan and Diggle I'm the least familiar with of your list, but what I've seen I've enjoyed. What I've seen of Carey's work I like a lot as well.

But overall, how many of them regularly work in the superhero genre? Ellis and Millar, currently. That's it, as far as I know. Oh, and Milligan.

Johns is largely a purist, and a traditionalist. Fundamentally, I see nothing wrong with that. We need traditionalists to juxtapose against the visionaries. Both are good, in their own ways. Both are flawed in their own ways, as well.

They all write about things that are important to them. What's important to Johns is his sense of family and belonging. That's largely what he brings to books like Flash and JSA, and I think that's the appeal of those books to most of their readers. It's a bit silly and naive to look for tradition breaking in those particular books, imo.

Quote:

Whereas Johns just crunches characters together, like a kid playing with action toys.




Or you could say he uses the character's personalities to create conflict between them. Black Reign is one of the best examples of this. As Black Adam and the JSA are drawn into conflict over their differing ideologies of what it means to be a hero. Black Adam and his allies wish to be more proactive and enforce their views, while the JSA feels they're going over the line. Neither side is one hundred percent aligned with their dominant view, and neither side is fully right or wrong. Now, in most instances, writers would be lauded for a complex situation as this, but Johns gets the "Atom Smasher crashes into their airplane" treatment.

Personal biases.

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Quote:

King Snarf said:
Quote:

Grimm said:
This is the most common complaint, and yeah, it's valid. But you're gonna have continuity when we're working on sixty plus year old character concepts. You're gonna have continuity when you're on a title with three generations of characters. And a lot of times, that continuity is confusing and convuluted. Hey, anyone who can take Hawkman's mess of a history and make sense out of it should be given props, I say.






I second that props. Too bad DC took him off Hawkman and put Palmiotti on. While it's not bad, it's not nearly as good as it was before...




Yeah, lost a lot on the art side as well.

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Yeah. Rags Morales RAWKS!


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When I don't address one of your points, I don't concede it: actually, I try to focus on what shuld be the main issue.

I don't like Busiek's work, but at least I acknowledge that on Astro City he does something interesting, even if it wasn't my preferred style of writing.

Busiek at least has craft. Johns does not. Rather than go through each of your points, I think I'll just have to pull down my copy of V&V and pick it to pieces.


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I think you've confused Julius Schwartz with Mort Weisinger. Both editors. Weisenger did dominate his writers, by all accounts. Schwartz was responsible for quite a bit of progression in comics, he put together Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams and let them work their magic, for one. Sloppy work, counselor.





I was referring to the Schwarz era of Superman - Curt Swan art, Kryptonite at every turn, Superman Island, Terra Man and the Master Jailer, and the infallible Superman: late 70s and 80s stuff which seems goofy now but kids delighted in. It strikes me that Johns' style has the same appeal as Schwarz era Superman - or more ot the point, appeals to the same market.

I would be interested ot read Johns' creator work on the basis of what you've said, just to see if he improves his writing when its his own material.

PS I'm not a "counsellor" - that's an American attorney, and I am an Australian barrister and solicitor, called (honestly) a"learned friend" by opponents in court.


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I WIN!

In all seriousness, I think he should do more creator owned work, as well. It will expand his style.

and my referring to you as "counsellor" is not meant to denote any specific title, it's merely me doing a bit of Max Cady from Cape Fear.

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Quote:

Rather than go through each of your points, I think I'll just have to pull down my copy of V&V and pick it to pieces.





You know, Dave, I have another idea for something you could do, if you're up for it.

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...cage match? With bats?


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Duelling pistols at dawn, sirrah!

Quote:

Grimm said:
I WIN!

In all seriousness, I think he should do more creator owned work, as well. It will expand his style.

and my referring to you as "counsellor" is not meant to denote any specific title, it's merely me doing a bit of Max Cady from Cape Fear.




Oh, right.


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No, seriously. You up for it?

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Quote:

Grimm said:
Quote:

Rather than go through each of your points, I think I'll just have to pull down my copy of V&V and pick it to pieces.





You know, Dave, I have another idea for something you could do, if you're up for it.




Well?

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Well, what?

I don't even know what I'm supposed to be agreeing to.


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I wanted to get your attention.

Write a JLA/JSA teamup story. Seriously. Take all the criticisms you've thrown out here in this thread, and apply them towards doing a story of this type, the way you would like to see it done.

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I heard he did a great job cleaning up Hawkman. I've looked through and liked some of his Flash. Maybe he should be given Legion.

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Quote:

Grimm said:
I wanted to get your attention.

Write a JLA/JSA teamup story. Seriously. Take all the criticisms you've thrown out here in this thread, and apply them towards doing a story of this type, the way you would like to see it done.




Done. I'll post it at Writers Block.


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Heh, I thought Grimm was kindly asking Dave to shove his shattered copy up his arse.


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I was expected a similar request.


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Heh. I assure you the thought never crossed my mind.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

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Beilieve it or not, I spent an hour yesterday (when I should have been reviewing a contract) writing somerthing, and then accidentally deleted it. I'll start again.


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Please tell me it's not just a scene of the JLA and JSA sitting around having various conversations about their genitalia while munching on vegemite sandwiches...

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While that does have appeal, and should clearly involve beer and kangaroos, no.

Its a JLA/JSA team up based upon The Tanartula's book on superheroes in the All-Star Squadron, and how they have to use a villain's analytical expertise to solve a crime because Batman isn't around. Its a reverse World's Finest story.


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Quote:

Dave said:
Its a reverse World's Finest story.




World's Poorest?

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...dude...


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World's Dullest?


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World's Coarsest.


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Quote:

Dave said:
World's Dullest?




It took you three days to come up with that?


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