New 52 Crossovers: Good So Far?

[Drew Mathieu]

When DC launched this bananza last year its titles opening arcs were mostly standalone, with a few reminders here and there that this was a shared universe. Nine issues later, more titles are mingling with each other, especially this month with "The Culling" in Teen Titans, Superboy, and Legion Lost, the Night of Owls across most batbooks, JLI and Firestorms and more. As someone who hasn't read a book yet that crosses over to another title (mostly because I'm a few issues behind in my pull list), I was wondering what the reaction to these titles are so far. Is it required to read another title to get the full story or is it a standalone guest spot? Have these crossovers been natural extentions of the titles? Are any of them good?

(I'm aware "Night of the Owls" is mostly self contained stories in the various batbooks, but I felt weird leaving it out).

[shingi70]

Was thinking of making this.

There has been a mix of both cameo crossover a d full blown starts in one title and ends in another.

The best one so has been rise of vampires and when omac fought frankie.

[Pixie_Solanas]

No. In fact, they've felt forced and shoehorned. John Constantine just showing up in the final page of Animal Man (out of the absolute BLUE) just reeked, i'm sorry.

And Red Lanterns just started getting good with Bleeze and Atrocitus against each other, now we've got Stormwatch coming in? Come on.

[JasonTodd428]

The Night of Owls self contained stories have been hit and miss so far at least for me they have been. I've enjoyed the Batwing #9, Detective #9 and Nightwing #8 stories of the ones that are out so far but the stories in Batgirl #9 and Batman and Robin #9 were pretty weak and felt less natural to the books as a whole. The only other title connected to this event that I'm reading is Red Hood and the Outlaws and it will likely fall into the enjoyed catagory.

The Culling on the other hand is a different matter altogether. I don't like it at all so far and I don't think it because I only have one of the books involved on my pull list currently. I dropped Legion Lost months ago and have no interested in Superboy's solo title. I have given the other books a read through though and have to say that this just looks messy to me.

If I had to vote I would go with the Night of Owls because at least there I'm being entertained enough despite some weak stories.

[shingi70]

No. In fact, they've felt forced and shoehorned. John Constantine just showing up in the final page of Animal Man (out of the absolute BLUE) just reeked, i'm sorry.

And Red Lanterns just started getting good with Bleeze and Atrocitus against each other, now we've got Stormwatch coming in? Come on.

Writers gotta pimp there new books.

Also Kant that Constantine's thing. Dude has his ear to the ground comes out of nowhere and threatens to kill you with a mini sun or gives a cryptic hint than leaves. And it isn't forced at all. Shade just had an encounter where they had to resort to using a bomb to get rid of the rot, so its not a stretch that shade reports this Argus who sends the Dark Team to investigate the Barker family. Lemire did say we will find out why the team is called justice league.

[El Sombrero]

They haven't caused me to pick up any extra books, so it hasn't really had an effect on me. And I actually skipped Justice League Dark during the crossover with I, Vampire, but that had more to do with the book feeling like a lame duck till Lemire took over.

I do appreciate that with Night of the Owls, you can completely understand the story with only buying Batman. I hope they continue to do crossovers like that, where you can ignore the side titles if you like.

[shingi70]

They haven't caused me to pick up any extra books, so it hasn't really had an effect on me. And I actually skipped Justice League Dark during the crossover with I, Vampire, but that had more to do with the book feeling like a lame duck till Lemire took over.

I do appreciate that with Night of the Owls, you can completely understand the story with only buying Batman. I hope they continue to do crossovers like that, where you can ignore the side titles if you like.

Your missing out on some good jld stuff.

[El Sombrero]

I will probably get the two issues once #8 drops in price (I buy everything digital). The art did look pretty nice and I love Milligan's Deadman.

[MajorHoy]

I'm getting a lot of the Bat-books anyway, but Night of the Owls did get me to (temporarily) pick up Detective Comics and Catwoman again for that. (Not likely to stay with them, though.)

As for the Culling, I had been reading Teen Titans, but because of the Culling (and the fact that Teen Titans Annual didn't look like it was worth it), I'm now dropping that title.

So, overall, the crossovers aren't really having a positive effect on me. The fact that my money is tight, Barnes & Noble doesn't carry everything, and I'm not the rabid "must-have-everything" type of collector I was many, many years ago doesn't exactly help DC here.