Brave and Bold #33

[IvCNuB4]

This story is not at all what I expected ! It starts out as a fluffy chick story, including a strange not-quite-right panel of WW and Zatanna in the womens rest room. Really. By the end we find out exactly why Zatanna called for this special girls night out, and what was really happening in the womens rest room (get yer minds out of the gutters, boys).

I was seriously impressed by this. Between this issue and the last (with Aquaman and Etrigan) this is fast becoming one of my favorite titles !

[jacoblevy]

With this issue I'm finally cancelling B&B from my pull-list. Under Waid & Perez it was probably my favorite DCU title. I haven't actually enjoyed any JMS issue, but I kept hoping-- the character pairings sound like fun! Chris Chiang's art is awesome!

But--

-Wonder Woman's risque comment to Zatanna about the terrorist

-the wonky timeline-- the issue goes out of its way to give us a piece of technology and a song that tie the events down to 2009 or so, which can't possibly make any sense given the DCU events being used

-Zatanna's never-before-mentioned power

-"I dare you"

- "Z," "D," "B"

- the careless override of Barbara's semi-retirement as Batgirl at this time (entirely incompatible with her having been on patrol every night for as long as she can remember)

- and the sledgehammer being applied to The Point, both in the "oracle" conversation and in Zatanna's final narration

added up to make me realize that I'm just never going to enjoy a JMS Brave & the Bold. A book that's supposed to get all of its emotional traction from continuity-- knowing what comes next for these characters-- has to pay some actual attention to, you know, continuity. And while Zatanna sounded vaguely in-character, Wonder Woman sounded so far off to me to more than make up for that saving grace.

Chiang's art really is quite awesome, though.

[Thok]

I'm expecting this issue to be the topic of next week's She Has No Head column.

Surpisingly, the issue isn't exploitation of female tragedy; between the Dial H for Hero issue and the Dr. Fate/Green Lantern issue we've seen JMS cover this topic from the other side of the gender pool.

But the cover and solicitation was fairly clearly false advertising, nearly comparable to the cover and solicitation of the notorious "Who is Wonderdog?" issue of Teen Titans.

[zurenarrh]

I personally thought the issue was great, especially the last couple of pages. When you realize just what exactly is happening, it really sent chills up my spine (not gonna ruin it, go out and buy this book!). The twist at the end and the polarization between the first half and the later half of the book is genius. In terms of the out of continuity stuff, it didn't really bother me to much. B&B is more light-hearted and continuity light for most people so just try not to let things like a recently released song being sung in one frame bother you. But in the end, it is all gonna come down to personal preference, so whatever floats i guess.

[lautreamax]

Hmm. I just finished reading this. I don't know what to think of it just yet. I need some time to process it.

It's a shame about the iPhone being mentioned when the story clearly is situated years into the past before it was invented. But otherwise, I don't think any of the points jacoblevy mentioned really bothered me enough to make me dislike the story.

I'd like to discuss it further, but maybe I'll wait a couple of days so other people have a chance to read it. Don't want to risk spoilers just yet.

[Mark_S]

I liked it, kind of sweet. Between Z's and Booster's meddling I'm surprised Barbara's shooting wasn't stopped. I would have liked to have seen a full out Barbara/Batgirl adventure but DC has a new Batgirl and I doubt we'll ever see that again.

Mark_S

[HaroldAllnut]

I thought this issue was on par with the rest, though I was surprised to find that I didn't like Cliff Chiang's art as much as I thought I would have.

[zurenarrh]

I thought this issue was on par with the rest, though I was surprised to find that I didn't like Cliff Chiang's art as much as I thought I would have.

Yeah, l felt the same way on the art. Sometimes, Zatanna and Diana looked so similar l couldn't tell them apart. I think it just needed some polishing, but overall it wasn't bad.

[galactica]

But the cover and solicitation was fairly clearly false advertising, nearly comparable to the cover and solicitation of the notorious "Who is Wonderdog?" issue of Teen Titans.

I disagree. I think it's night and day between this and the Teen Titans issue.

First this one actually just skips over the tragedy. She opens the door and she wakes up. This is very different from the Teen Titans issue where we saw the dog, standing over a dead character and then chasing the other through the hall ways like something from a slasher flick.

This issue also ends on a pretty nice note with Barbara saying Zee and Diana taking her dancing was her favorite dream.

[Apathetic-piggy]

"These aren't the droids you're looking for."

It didn't help that I watched A New Hope Monday night. That one made me laugh quite a bit. I'm not sure if I should be ashamed of that, but I admit it anyway.

Towards the end, specifically Diana lecturing, went on a bit longer than I felt it should have. I realize Barbara doesn't get it, but most readers do and it probably could have done better to be a bit shorter.

Also, minor nitpicks, but since when has Babs had trouble attracting people? Moreover, iPhones?

Overall I enjoyed the issue, but I feel the Aquaman/Etrigan story last month was stronger. Just my two cents, which isn't worth even that.

[MurderFace]

"These aren't the droids you're looking for."

It didn't help that I watched A New Hope Monday night. That one made me laugh quite a bit. I'm not sure if I should be ashamed of that, but I admit it anyway.

Towards the end, specifically Diana lecturing, went on a bit longer than I felt it should have. I realize Barbara doesn't get it, but most readers do and it probably could have done better to be a bit shorter.

Also, minor nitpicks, but since when has Babs had trouble attracting people? Moreover, iPhones?

Overall I enjoyed the issue, but I feel the Aquaman/Etrigan story last month was stronger. Just my two cents, which isn't worth even that.

Yeah, I agree with this. The ending would have been more powerful with a little bit of trimming.
Still, I thought it was a fantastic issue. Is it true the book's gone once JMS moves on the pastures of Superman and WW?

And to all those questioning the mention of iPhones in a story that takes place around the Killing Joke, I'm pretty sure 'The Brave and the Bold' is out of continuity. So, though events still happened in a similar manner, they were at a different time, with different circumstances (Zatanna's power set).

That's what I thought at least. It's an open sandbox of a book for JMS to play around in.

[dupersuper]

And to all those questioning the mention of iPhones in a story that takes place around the Killing Joke, I'm pretty sure 'The Brave and the Bold' is out of continuity. So, though events still happened in a similar manner, they were at a different time,

No, I think it's just to accomodate the sliding timeline. JLA Year 1 had modern computers, not silly 60s tech. Since Killing joke is perpetually about 4 years ago, dating the tech and pop culture references would be silly.

[Apathetic-piggy]

No, I think it's just to accomodate the sliding timeline. JLA Year 1 had modern computers, not silly 60s tech. Since Killing joke is perpetually about 4 years ago, dating the tech and pop culture references would be silly.

I'm not so sure. We're at least two years, in-universe, from Infinite Crisis (52 and Countdown, respectively. Not sure what Trinity did, as I gave up on that series within the first third of it). I'm expecting the gap between Killing Joke and IC being a bit larger than two years, if only for the wealth of stories that fills said void.

A cell phone would have been fine, but an iPhone is still recent enough to make one wonder if its placement works, thus removing them from the story. I don't mind thinking about what I'm reading (I quite enjoy it), but this sort of thing is just a minor nitpick that ultimately interrupted my experience.


But Brave and the Bold has an easy out, since it's not following a strict continuity. For all we know, the book takes place on Earth-13 where all the events happened as we remember them, but ten years later rather than sooner.

[Buried Alien]

I'm not so sure. We're at least two years, in-universe, from Infinite Crisis (52 and Countdown, respectively. Not sure what Trinity did, as I gave up on that series within the first third of it). I'm expecting the gap between Killing Joke and IC being a bit larger than two years, if only for the wealth of stories that fills said void.

A cell phone would have been fine, but an iPhone is still recent enough to make one wonder if its placement works, thus removing them from the story. I don't mind thinking about what I'm reading (I quite enjoy it), but this sort of thing is just a minor nitpick that ultimately interrupted my experience.


But Brave and the Bold has an easy out, since it's not following a strict continuity. For all we know, the book takes place on Earth-13 where all the events happened as we remember them, but ten years later rather than sooner.

Back in the first issue of FLASH: REBIRTH, Barry Allen initially reacted to cell phones and texting as if he really had been dead/missing since 1985.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Apathetic-piggy]

Back in the first issue of FLASH: REBIRTH, Barry Allen initially reacted to cell phones and texting as if he really had been dead/missing since 1985.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Thanks, I wasn't sure if I was misremembering that or not, and was not about to go digging for my issues of Rebirth to verify.