How many heroes are ALL-STAR worthy?

[TROUBLEZ]

I was thinking, how many DC superheroes are All-Star book potential. Superman and Batman obviously because there the top names and have somewhat confusing continuity by now, but what about the rest?
Wonder Woman is supposed to be done by Adam Hughes but now that the Dodsons are back on the regular title and the issues are coming out on time, what's the point of ALL-STAR WW? Even her setting is back to her classic roots, having the secret identity and all.

All the other heroes aren't well known by the public to warrant a new book dealing with the more "classic concepts" of the characters.
Does anybody have any suggestions to argue against this?

Or has DC already changed the purpose of this line to being definitive stories by top talent ala Marvel Knights?

Even though I think this line has problems, it does have some real potential as far as storytelling goes.
For example, alot of Flash fans hate that Barry is gone (not to mention Wally), so this would be a great way to have the regular Flash title carry on with continuity, and a ALL-STAR FLASH title, telling stories with Barry Allen. As a non Barry fan, I would buy the book just to see how Flash stories were before the Speed Force, 10 different speedsters, and the original Zoom back in action.

Hawkman would be good too, but unfortunately he can't sell his regular title.

Justice League also seems to be going back to it's roots so I don't think it would work. Maybe during the JLI days, but now we have JUSTICE and Meltzers classic JLA roster.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League & Teen Titans. Those are the only real iconic properties that DC has any right calling "All-Stars". The rest of the DCU, no matter how much we may love them, are simply not recognizable enough to a mass audience to justify the All Star treatment.

[Frankie Dennis]

I still like the idea of an All- Star Question.

[BigBoss]

You guys gotta be having short term memoary loss. Man green lantern defintly deserves a all star ongoing. For god sakes he is up there with superman and batman and wonderwoman, You guys cant disagree with me.

[trickster]

Actually, most people might associate Green Lantern with the DJ, rather then the comic character, if at all.

[TheKerrMan]

This is how it is, these are ALL-STAR worthy....

The Flash
Green Arrow
Green Latern
Superman
Batman
Wonder Woman
Aquaman
and MAYBE Martian Manhunter

other than that no one and i mean NO ONE else is ALL-STAR worthy.........and WHAT THE HELL are you talking about ALL-STAR QUESTION?!?!? It sounds stupid just saying it. You have to be a hero for atleast 50 years on a team like the JLA to be even close to being an ALL-STAR.

[Doug Strange]

You guys gotta be having short term memoary loss. Man green lantern defintly deserves a all star ongoing. For god sakes he is up there with superman and batman and wonderwoman, You guys cant disagree with me.I was all set to disagree with you, but then you threw that last clause in there. Sneaky bastard.

Anyway, I would tend to agree with Bored, but frankly I don't see any reason to have an "All-Star" line and never have. I think it's silly. EVERY book should be an "all-star" book. Saying otherwise is saying, "Ok, we're not doing our best on Action Comics" or "Detective could have better talent on it." Setting something up as "the best" implicitly sets the others up as "not as good as they could be."

And why? They should be striving to make every book its best.

[a-spidey]

i think only batman, superman and maybe wonder woman are "all-star like"

[Taskmaster]

Actually, most people might associate Green Lantern with the DJ, rather then the comic character, if at all.

Um who? I've never heard of any DJ named Green Lantern

[Gingold]

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Justice League. Maybe Teen Titans and Legion.

[General Grievous]

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League & Teen Titans. Those are the only real iconic properties that DC has any right calling "All-Stars". The rest of the DCU, no matter how much we may love them, are simply not recognizable enough to a mass audience to justify the All Star treatment.

Most people know of The Green lantern, The Flash and Hawkman.

The Atom, Booster gold will be the next additions to Dc's Icons soon enough.

[casual Bat Fan]

alot of Flash fans hate that Barry is gone (not to mention Wally), so this would be a great way to have the regular Flash title carry on with continuity, and a ALL-STAR FLASH title, telling stories with Barry Allen. As a non Barry fan, I would buy the book just to see how Flash stories were before the Speed Force, 10 different speedsters, and the original Zoom back in action.



That's something i'd buy. I think the Flash character has become too complicated with all those things you mention above. Barry Allen was the Flash to me and he'll always be the image of the Flash in my mind.

I think Green Lantern is also All-Star worthy or maybe to throw a wrench in it how bout having GL and Green Arrow team up again like they did in the '70s. I don't know how'd that read in a political/social commentary sense today but i'd give it a shot if I ran DC.

[jerrymcl89]

I do think an All-Star Flash would work, since Barry Allen is dead in the DCU proper, but there is probably some demand for new stories about him. The same could have been done with Hal Jordan, but since he's back, and his book is more or less "classic Green Lantern" stuff, I don't see how an All-Star title would differ.

Beyond Flash and the existing/announced All Star titles, I'd say the Marvel family would be the other likely candidate (although that's really what Jeff Smith's book is).

[spidervenom]

Flash
Green Lantern
Teen Titans
Jla

I think we need alot more all star books pronto especially an all star flash with mark waid writing.

[dupersuper]

I think most of the other potential All-Star charactors would be covered by an All-Star Justice League (Aquaman, Flash, GL, etc.), or as supporting cast in the others (Supergirl, Batgirl, Catwoman...).
My list'd be All-Star Supes, Bats, WW, Cap. Marvel, JLA, TT, Plastic Man, and Swamp Thing
MAYBE; JSA, Doom Patrol, Jonah Hex, and Sgt Rock.

[Loren]

Personally, I see great potential in an All-Star Flash not because of Barry himself, but because of Barry's job. He's a police forensic scientist. He's a speedster AND he works CSI.

Given the current popularity of forensic investigation shows, I'm frankly a little amazed that DC hasn't attempted to make use of Barry in that way. All-Star Flash would be the perfect forum. Properly and intelligently written, it could be a really neat angle on the Flash.

[Bo-Man]

Personally, I see great potential in an All-Star Flash not because of Barry himself, but because of Barry's job. He's a police forensic scientist. He's a speedster AND he works CSI.

Given the current popularity of forensic investigation shows, I'm frankly a little amazed that DC hasn't attempted to make use of Barry in that way. All-Star Flash would be the perfect forum. Properly and intelligently written, it could be a really neat angle on the Flash.

I totally agree.

Here are the heroes I think would be good as an All-Star...
1. All-Star Superman ( we have)
2. All- Star Batman ( we have....when it comes out)
3. All-Star Wonder Woman
4. All-Star Flash (Barry Allen)
5. All-Star Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
6. All-Star Batgirl (Barbara Gordon... It's coming and Babs is the iconic
version)
7. All-Star Shazam
8. All-Star JLA
9. All -Star Teen Titans
10. All-Star JSA
11. All-Star Supergirl (Linda Lee Danvers/ Kara Zor-EL)

[jadrax]

What criteria do you base this on?

Public recognition? sales of main title? Number of cartoons/films/TV series the character has been in?

Number of writers that actually have a decent all-star story to tell about a character?

[Robin3]

The All-Stars aren't the characters, they're the writers and artists.

The idea is that they give super-creators like Grant Morrison the time they need to put out a developed story.

although I think while "The question" might work for a vertigo book, All-Star seems to be indicative of special treatment of mainstream characters.

[DWEarhart]

EVERY STINKIN' ONE OF UM!!

Just make them awesome stories. That's it. That's all that is required of yee, All-Star teams. Just make a damn good story. It can be done with the talent roster DC has, their history proves it more for some better than others, but they all know how to tell a good story.

Every friggin' time it can be done.

[skally19]

aquaman would do fine. that's the only all star i'd buy.

[dancj]

Really Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and maybe JLA.

Anyone else just hasn't got the level of public recognition it would take. A succesful Flash or Green Lantern series of films might be enough to get them on the list.

[dancj]

Most people know of The Green lantern, The Flash and Hawkman.
I think it's a pretty safe bet that most people have never heard of Hawkman and a lot haven't heard of Green Lantern or The Flash.

Actually I just did a straw poll of the four nearest people at work. 1 had heard of The Flash, 2 had heard of Green Lantern and none had heard of Hawkman

[captain_unimpressive]

The All-Stars aren't the characters, they're the writers and artists.

The idea is that they give super-creators like Grant Morrison the time they need to put out a developed story.

Grant Morrison, and Frank Miller.
So, if there's no time frame, why did they give this "just turn this in whenever you get to it" assignment to two of the busiest artists at their disposal?

[Phoney Bone]

Superman
Batman
Robin
Wonder Woman
Aquaman
Captain Marvel

maybe Plastic Man
maybe Blue Beetle

[TROUBLEZ]

You guys gotta be having short term memoary loss. Man green lantern defintly deserves a all star ongoing. For god sakes he is up there with superman and batman and wonderwoman, You guys cant disagree with me.

I disagree. Maybe when Kyle was GL and people want to read about the original and best, Hal Jordan (the most recognizable GL for what All Star was made for) but now he is back and not only that but it's back to business as usual. He's still a pilot, Carol owns the base (i think), the Corps are back, Sinestro is back, etc.

[TROUBLEZ]

Anyway, I would tend to agree with Bored, but frankly I don't see any reason to have an "All-Star" line and never have. I think it's silly. EVERY book should be an "all-star" book. Saying otherwise is saying, "Ok, we're not doing our best on Action Comics" or "Detective could have better talent on it." Setting something up as "the best" implicitly sets the others up as "not as good as they could be."

And why? They should be striving to make every book its best.

I completely agree with you. I do see the purpose of doing a Superman book off in it's own continuity (Silver Age), because that gives a writer like Morrison more creative freedom not to mention it gives older fans the Superman they grew up with, while keeping the modern age readers happy with the regular titles.

But yea, putting All Star talent on special books labeled, "All-Star" is stupid. Maybe if every editor of every book strove to make each title "All-Star" in quality, the comic book industry would be doing a little bit better.

[TROUBLEZ]

The All-Stars aren't the characters, they're the writers and artists.

The idea is that they give super-creators like Grant Morrison the time they need to put out a developed story.


Maybe they shouldn't be writing so many books at once then. I like All Star Superman and all, but it's pretty crazy that I'd have to wait 15 years for a kick ass Superman man title to come out, and yet have it only to come out 6 times a year??

Look at JUSTICE, I'm assuming the reason it's bi-monthly is becaue Braithwaite and Ross are PAINTING the panels, and even then, it's always on time, and yet All-Star Superman was late. Not to mention, that the story in JUSTICE is about one of the best DC stories I've read so far.

I also don't think it helps when the public and the companies stoke the egos of these artists and writers by calling them "super creators" and making it seem that just because they're art is good it's okay to be consecutively [sp?] late.

[TROUBLEZ]

With the right artist one board, I would defintetly buy an All-Star Question. It wouldn't make sense for the line but after reading his Watchman counterpart I'm interested in the original.

[CaptainCanada]

But yea, putting All Star talent on special books labeled, "All-Star" is stupid. Maybe if every editor of every book strove to make each title "All-Star" in quality, the comic book industry would be doing a little bit better.
All-Star is a line name, and it indicates what the line is supposed to be: the best writers and artists given free reign to tell stories about DC's signature characters (I'd say "classic stories," but ASBR doesn't resemble any "classic" Batman that I'm aware of, and Miller has indicated that it's a part of his "insane Batman" continuity). It's like Marvel's Ultimate line (although the talent on that line has declined considerably since the launch; well, actually, the line was launched by indie comics faves who later became industry mainstays, so maybe that's consistent).

I can see All-Star Flash (with Allen, or even West, since he's not around anymore), All-Star Batgirl (since Barbara has gone on to bigger and better things, even if she's commonly associated with her earlier role), and the like; I agree that I'm not really sure what All-Star Green Lantern would offer right now that the regular GL title wouldn't. All-Star Superman gives us a classic Silver Age Supes; ASBR, er, keeps Frank Miller away from main continuity, I suppose; All-Star Wonder Woman isn't out yet, but from what Hughes has been saying, he'll be writing more in the manner of the Perez version of the character than anything else. The current GL series is more or less a "classic" take on the character.

[Scarlet Speedster]

Besides the two current All Star titles:

All Star Wonder Woman (already in development)
All Star Flash (Barry Allen)
All Star Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
All Star Shazam (the character really deserves it after all the half-hearted revisions of the past twenty years)

How about an All Star title that rotated DC's second-tier heroes like Hawkman, Aquaman, Green Arrow and the Atom?

[CaptainCanada]

All Star Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
How different would that be from the current GL title?

[Foxy]

To be honest, I wish DC would introduce a line that had top-notch writers telling stories about less-popular heroes. That'd be really nice to see

[Adset]

Aquaman, a thousand times over. Then we might actually get a good Aquaman story out of it

[CaptainCanada]

Aquaman, a thousand times over. Then we might actually get a good Aquaman story out of it
So out of every thousand Aquaman stories only one is good?

[Adset]

Though meant in jest, that number is not far off

[Harding Prime]

Actually, most people might associate Green Lantern with the DJ, rather then the comic character, if at all.

That I seriously doubt, the DJ can't even keep a job (G-UNOT), and got his name sake from the comic character. Green Lantern certainly deserves a All-Star...but that's about it.

[Floyd The Barber]

Most people know of The Green lantern, The Flash and Hawkman.

The Atom, Booster gold will be the next additions to Dc's Icons soon enough.

You are the only one to mention Hawkman. I would buy an All-Star Hawkman by a decent creative team in a heartbeat. Winged Phoenixes (I'm not talking red-headed mutants here people), how's that not timeless?

[MutoMikey]

I don't know how many will agree with me but, Impulse! I just want to see more Impulse stories. :o

But I love the idea of an All-Star Question! That'd be a great read. I don't know why, but I think Paul Dini could do that well.

Oh, and All-Star Green Lantern, Alan Scott! Or All-Star JSA! Either written by Geoff Johns.

[Doug Strange]

All-Star is a line name, and it indicates what the line is supposed to be: the best writers and artists given free reign to tell stories about DC's signature characters.I still fail to see why they shouldn't be doing that on their regular line of books. Your statement boils down to this:

DC's regular books are not given the best writers and artists possible.

Whether or not that's actually true is debatable, but in any event, it's what the mere existence of the 'All-Star' line implies, and it's a stupid thing for a company to imply.

It's like if a hot dog stand sold "Hot Dogs" and "Amazing Hot Dogs" for roughly the same price. Why would anybody buy a regular hot dog?

You should make every hot dog amazing. And even if you sell two different types of hot dogs, don't undercut one of them by proclaiming the other superior, even if it is!

[Ryan Day]

I think the most significant element of CaptainCanada's description is "given free reign".

They don't have to make the book consistent with every other book DC publishes. They don't have to reconcile it with 50 years of bogged-down and convoluted continuity. They can just do their own thing, take the best elements of the character, and tell a perfectly self-contained story.

[dupersuper]

How about an All Star title that rotated DC's second-tier heroes like Hawkman, Aquaman, Green Arrow and the Atom?

All-Star Brave and the Bold?

[Doug Strange]

I think the most significant element of CaptainCanada's description is "given free reign".

They don't have to make the book consistent with every other book DC publishes. They don't have to reconcile it with 50 years of bogged-down and convoluted continuity. They can just do their own thing, take the best elements of the character, and tell a perfectly self-contained story.I'd argue that this should be the case with all of DC's books, too, but it's kind of beside the point.

If this is the selling point, that the books are continuity free, they should've been named something different and marketed differently. My point remains: the existence of the "All-Star" line undercuts the regular line, at least from Joe-off-the-street's perspective. And it's Joe-off-the-street you should be selling to, not Captain Fanboy, who will buy both books no matter what.

[nosferUATU]

Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman without a question.
(anyone who says that WW doesn't deserve it has no clue about her place in comic book history and her legacy.
She is THE superheroine, period)

I think that Shazam, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman and Hawkman would be next in line.

[Harding Prime]

Besides the two current All Star titles:


There are two current All-Star titles? LOL

[Harding Prime]

To be honest, I wish DC would introduce a line that had top-notch writers telling stories about less-popular heroes. That'd be really nice to see

U mean like 52?

[zhivago]

How different would that be from the current GL title?

Have you even tried reading old, classic Green Lantern comics? You should, you would be surprised.
Hal Jordan is definitely all-star material. And so are Barry Allen, Katar Hol and Aquaman

[shyguy]

Depends what the criteria is for an All-Star character.

If public recognition is important, then all DC's really got are Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Aquaman, and maybe Flash and Green Lantern, with the former over the latter, and it doesn't matter which version of either.

Anyone who wasn't on The Superfriends, hasn't been featured in a movie in the past ten years, or isn't a recognizable female variant of Superman or Batman need not apply.

Of course, then you need popular writers and artists who actually want to work on the above characters.

I'm fine with All-Star books being few and far between, since that seems more in keeping with the spirit of the line.

*Edit: I actually forgot another character who could support an All-Star title based on public recognition: Lois Lane.

[carabas]

And it's Joe-off-the-street you should be selling to, not Captain Fanboy, who will buy both books no matter what.
Alas, poor Joe has never ventured inside a comics shop in decades, and is extremely unlikely to do so, regardles of what demographic DC is aiming at. All that is left is preaching to the choir and doing Infinite War part 56.

More on topic, pretty much all characters are All Star material. If Neil Gaiman and John Casaday want to do an Ambush Bug book set outside of the regular DCU, you get Neil Gaiman's All Star Ambush Bug.

[TROUBLEZ]

Alas, poor Joe has never ventured inside a comics shop in decades, and is extremely unlikely to do so, regardles of what demographic DC is aiming at. All that is left is preaching to the choir and doing Infinite War part 56.


good point. unless these comics were being sold in convenient stores, drug stores and grocery stores the original intent was either a lie or they didn't quite think it through. DC just wanted to sell books to fan boys with the most popular artists and writers, but unfortunately these great creators can't work on a monthly basis, so they create All Star (maybe they also don't want to pay hot creator rates either regulary, i dunno).

[carabas]

DC just wanted to sell books to fan boys...
Nono, DC woul absolutely love to be able to sell a multitide of what they sell now to Joe-off-the-street.
But to do so they (and Marvel, Dark Horse, Image...) would have to radically change the face of the American comics industry, starting with no more Diamonds, abandoning the direct market, and killing off the 22 page format, and

[the flash 10]

i would say that the original teen titans could be a good all-star line up

and since we have all-star batman and robin it could be possible to have an all-star flash and kid flash

[Brady]

Personally, I think only Superman and Batman really warrant All Start treatment. Those are the two DC characters that have gone through so many changes and different directions that a classic, iconic rendition is needed.

All the other All Star possibilities seem a little redendant to me. Why do All Star Wonder Woman? Just bring those elements to her regular comic. It just relaunched after all. All Star Green Lantern might have worked pre-Rebirth, but now Hal's back and so are the Corps. All Star Flash is probably the most wrokable, since Barry's been dead for so long, but even then it doesn't scream All Star to me. Barry's not around, but most of his old villains and a lot of his supporting cast are still running around.

[Hatut Zeraze]

Anyone up for All-Star Topo?

Since a new squid-faced lad has taken that name in the current Aquaman series, an All-Star Topo title could alternate between the new squid kid and the classic octopus friend of classic Aquaman.

Classic could be by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake.

New Topo story could be by Warren Ellis and Mike Allred.

It's been far, far too long since octopus comics dominated the market.