Justice League #1 (October, 2011)

Five years ago DCnÜ.
A newfangled Parademon wanted to plant a bomb in Gotham City.
Batman followed.
Gotham City PD pursued both, guns blazing from helicopters.
Green Lantern hit Parademon with a fire truck construct.
Green Lantern surprised to learn Batman in real.
Cops shot at them both. People fear and hate super-humans.
Parademon escaped. Heroes pursued.
"Gotham's mine. Coast City's yours."
"No, this entire space sector is mine... unauthorized extraterrestrial presence in Gotham."
"Hold on a second... You're not just some guy in a Bat costume, are you? ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!"
Green Lantern was really cocky and arrogant.
Batman stole his power ring. Stupid Hal Jordan.
Parademon planted a Mother Box, then self-destructed for Darkseid.
Batman took Mother Box.
Maybe that publicly known alien guy Superman in Metropolis knew something?
Evidence Superman just finished a fight of his own.
Batman recognized potential threat of Superman. Green Lantern didn't.
Green Lantern beat up by Superman at super-speed.
Superman looked at Batman. "I don't handle easy. So... what can you do?"
High school football player Victor Stone had a train of scouts ready to offer him a scholarship. Just wanted absentee father to love him. Too busy with science work involving super-humans. Sad Vic.

"Justice League: Part One" was by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. As evidenced by the story title, more thought and originality was put into Johns' spelling of first name "Jeff" than into this story. It's basically a fifth of the plot points of Legends #1 with a fifth of the characters but five times the crosshatching and cover price. My go-to complaint about Star Wars: The Phantom Menace has been that if you asked any random person with a basic knowledge of the franchise to imagine their own Episode I, it would have been a more entertaining movie than what was produced. Ditto.

DCnÜ Year's Wildstormin' Eve

• Captain Atom: Armageddon #9 (August, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
• Demon Knights #2 (December, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• DC/WS DreamWar #6 (November, 2008) @ DC Bloodlines

2009 Vixen art by Flávia Güttler

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"It looks great in my humble CRT monitor, but her face gets messed up in those snazzy LCD monitors"

I think Mari looks great here-- so much so that I saved this piece to close out "The Year of the Vixen." At 129 posts, the initiative allowed her to unseat Aquaman and Zatanna as Queen of the blog. They haven't always been good posts-- hell, they've often been pretty crappy-- but they've at least been thoroughly researched (like hours sifting through deviantART's lousy search engine I'll never get back.) School and work responsibilities kept the year from being all that it could have been, and the imperative to get something posted every week often saw me sacrifice quality for quantity. The up side is that I have good material in progress to build from for 2012, which will not offer a weekly dose of the Lady Fox, but will contribute to her representation in meaningful ways. Since Mari and Aquaman dominated so much of the posting in 2011, I also figure it's time to give other members more attention (or at least getting poor neglected Steel his own character-specific menu like everyone else...)

2006 The Vixen color art by Jason Brown

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On my site, ive been doing a series of drawings of lesser known 'second string' JLA characters. Partially to entertain myself, partially to muck around with photoshop and try to add some new element into each image. This is Vixen. I was mostly just trying to get a dynamic pose. (PS-CS and a Wacom Tablet)

The feet suck, i know. ;)

Aquaman #3 (January, 2012)

Flashback: Tom Curry stood out on the dock of the bay, crying and telling his departed wife Atlanna what a good kid they had. Little Arthur ran up to see if his dad had spotted the whale he supposedly was on the lookout for every day at sunrise, "in case she came back."

Presently: The largest of the present Trench creatures tossed Aquaman around. When the Sea King tried to "VUU VUU VUU" it, the creature was briefly pained, then bit the hero's shoulder. Mera was introducing the smaller ones to the hell of getting cut to pieces by agua-fu. Aquaman continued his struggle against the boss creature until it got fed up, unleashed its bio-luminescence, and called the Trench beings to carry their food back home. A cop noted that they sounded like seals.

As dawn broke, Aquaman continued to be hassled by the cops while totally in the right, including pointing out that the fuzz should hold their fire around cocoons. The Trench had taken some of their prey alive, paralyzed inside the gooey shells.

Aquaman took one of the creature's bodies against military orders and leaped away. He explained to Mera that they would take it to Stephen Shin, the mysterious friend of his father's seen earlier in the photo album. He was a marine biologist who Tom had taken Arthur to as a boy to help develop his powers, "And then he tried to kill me... Because I wouldn't take him to Atlantis."



Shin was surprised to see Arthur again outside his house, but agreed to examine the Trench creature's body. It was somewhat like a piranha, and its energy needs would require the consumption of 20-30 times its body weight daily to simply function. A fluid they spit out caused paralysis in normal humans. The cocoons were made from a paste secreted from under its tongue. The sulfide minerals crusted in its gills indicated that its habitat was near hydrothermal vents of the kind found in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. "Out of the trench... Do you have any idea what this will do for me? With this I can get my credibility back." Or not, since Aquaman refused to leave the creature with Shin, despite his pleas and attempted barring of the exit with his frail body. The heroes were then off to investigate the trench...

"The Trench Part Three" was by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. This was my favorite issue so far, since I felt it had the best balance of back story, exposition, action, characterization and tantalizing morsels of future developments. A lot can come of a simple throwaway line like Shin's noting, "You still kept that trident. Despite all the trouble it might bring." Something is going on with his neck, as well. Anyway, the book remains gorgeous to behold, and while still a slight read, this time it was a satisfying one.

New 52's Day featuring Wildstorm

• The Huntress #2 (January, 2011) @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Stormwatch #3 (January, 2012) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Captain Atom: Armageddon #8 (July, 2006) @ Power of the Atom
• DC/Wildstorm DreamWar #1-5 (2008) @ DC Bloodlines

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Chrissy Zullo

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Hero's JLA 100 Project Friday

• The Atom & Aquaman by Mark Buckingham @ Power of the Atom
• JLA by Alex Ross @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Martian Manhunter by Jeff Lemerie @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.


ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

2010 Vixen Sketch Card by Manuel Hernandez

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2009 The Vixen art by Marcio Pazin

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The Top 10 Aquaman Covers of the 1980s

10) Adventure Comics #475 (September, 1980)

Honestly? I expect better than this from Bolland, as it's kind of bland. Weird concept, too. Makes the trio seem like a loser squad.

9) The Best of the Brave and the Bold #3 (December, 1988)

Fantastic Aquaman and Ocean Master, as expected from Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, but too much Batman.

8) Justice League of America #242 (September, 1985)

Nice idea, but it comes off kind of stiff and staged.

7) Aquaman #4 (May, 1986)

A dramatic image, but between the pentagram and the new costume, barely registers as Aquaman. Great Ocean Master, though.

6) Aquaman #5 (October, 1989)

Command those fishies, sir!

5) Adventure Comics #478 (December, 1980)

Old school split decision cover, with a cameo by Black Manta and the complimentary art stylings of Dick Giordano.

4) Aquaman #4 (September, 1989)

Damned creepy, and it foreshadows the dark fantasy of the current series while calling back to the moody covers of the 1960s.

3) The Legend of Aquaman #1 (1989)

Curt Swan might not have been the ideal choice to launch a successful Aquaman series by 1989, but this is still a snazzy image that landed on some merch.

2) Aquaman #1 (June, 1989)

This is a badass art school project, but it seems a bit out of place applied to a guy commanding fishies. Careful that oar doesn't bean our hero!

1) Aquaman #1 (February, 1986)

It may be one of his shortest-lived looks/costumes, but this Aquaman cover composition is one of the best loved and memorable of all.

Their Top Covers of the 1980s

• The Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Doom Patrol @ DC Bloodlines
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• DC75: Top Character Covers of the Dodranscentennial

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by John McCrea

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The Black Canary and the Vixen! There's a team-up I'd pay to see done right! So far, animation has done it best, though. Kudos to John McCrea for his character selection being so oddly specific that true love is indicated!

Hero's JLA 100 Project Friday

• JLA by Andy Smith @ Power of the Atom
• Donna Troy by Gene Ha @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Despero by Dean Haspiel @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.


ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Rejected DCnÜ Aquaman design by Jim Lee from Justice League #1 (October, 2011)

AQUAMAN: A more crustacean-looking armor was considered but ultimately deemed to be too detailed and "crusty" a look for the regal, majestic King of the Seven Seas. Maybe an Atlantean foot soldier will carry this mantle...

Define "abomination": See Above. What is the appreciable difference between "regal" and "majestic," anyway?

New 52's Day

• DCnÜ Wonder Woman design by Jim Lee @ Diana Prince
• Demon Knights #1 (November, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Grifter #1 (November, 2011) @ DC Bloodlines
• Bonus: Captain Atom: Armageddon #4-7 (2006) @ Power of the Atom

2011 NYCC Zatanna Color Commission by Mike McKone

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These scans are enormous, so be sure to check them out in their full glory!

Mike McKone's TwitPics

• 2011 Nightwing @ DC Bloodlines
• 2011 NYCC Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Martian Manhunter Style Guide/Turnaround @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

2010 "Vixen On The Prowl" art by Taylor Cordingley

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"When it comes to Saturday morning cartoons, "Justice League" was one of the best -- until "Justice League Unlimited" came along and blew it out of the water with its massive roster! I loved that we got to see just about every Justice Leaguer we would have ever have wanted to see. Vixen was among the few who got a large role on the show. She was fierce, feisty and had super cool powers. On top of that she was voiced by the always talented Gina Torres. Even though she's often written badly in the comics, we'll always have the cartoon version to love forever.

Oh... and why is she one of the VERY few black superheroines at DC? Marvel has a few (one of them being Storm who is f*cking awesomeness wrapped in an often barely-clothed package) and DC has Vixen and a few randoms."

Aquaman #2 (December, 2011)

The creatures from the Trench ate the crew of a boat. Afterward, they saw lights through the night along the coast. "What is this? Maybe there's more food there?" From the dock, a little boy said "Mommy! Mommy! It's daddy's boat!"

At the lighthouse, Arthur showed Mera a photo album, including a picture of himself skiing as a boy. "It looks terrible. When can I try it? ...If we're going to make a life on land instead of the oceans, I want to learn more about the world you grew up in. I want to learn more about you." Another picture of a man standing behind young Arthur and his father agitated him. "That picture shouldn't be in there."

A police officer knocked on the door. He'd been visiting lighthouses all down the coast looking for Aquaman. He got more than he bargained for when asking Mera an innocent question about her being a mermaid. Her eyes went white as she controlled nearby water to form a flying mermaid replica. The deputy was from Beachrock, site of a massacre. The heroes rode out with him to the docks, canvased by police and military. The local sheriff chastised the deputy for exceeding his authority, but the guy swore by Aquaman, who'd saved his sister a year prior on a cruise ship in Iceland. The Sea King blew off the sheriff, while Mera observed, "They should be bowing before you."
"I'm not a king to them, Mera."
"They need to be educated. I'm happy to do it."

On a pier, the King of the Seven Seas attempted to contact the denizens of the deep telepathically, complete with cartoon-style "VUU VUU VUU" sound effect. There was nothing in the waters of the area to respond to him. Police divers meanwhile found some sort of cocoon, and hauled it up to the dock. Aquaman psychically "heard" the Trench creatures as they suddenly emerged from a docked shop en masse. "Our food." The swift and powerful monarch of the ocean had never seen their like, but their intentions were clear, so his trident dug into their flesh. Mera was similarly ruthless. "You attack us like monsters? We do the same."

A "normal" Trench creature broke its teeth on Aquaman's armor, but a "hero" creature of larger proportions wrenched his trident away. It spit on the Sea King, marking "This food. This food comes home to the trench."

"The Trench Part Two" was by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. It is a gorgeous book, and clearly the best rendition of Aquaman ever seen. The writing also respects the character, even if the metatextual defensiveness is a bit of a self-defeating turnoff. Show, don't tell. Cool villains, and I approve of the dark fantasy direction, but it sucks to read an issue inside five minutes.

New 52's Day

• Legion: Secret Origin #1 (December, 2011) @ DC Bloodlines
• Stormwatch #2 (December, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Voodoo #1 (November, 2011) @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Bonus: Captain Atom: Armageddon #1-3 (2005-2006) @ Power of the Atom

2008 Aquaman color head sketch by Jim Lee and Alex Sinclair

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"Diana told me to get Martian Manhunter and she was going to get Aquaman. But when she went up to Jim, she messed up. Jim started laughing because we all knew she got the wrong character. It was pretty funny, but I guess you had to have been there. Nevertheless, Alex did a spectacular job with the colors on this sketch."

Image Founders

• 2006 The Atom, Wolverine, & Batgirl by Jim Lee & Amanda Conner @ Power of the Atom
• 1985 Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and The Question art by Rob Liefeld @ Power of the Atom
• 1984 Green Lantern John Stewart, The Predator and Eclipso art by Rob Liefeld @ DC Bloodlines
• 1990 Martian Manhunter art by Whilce Portacio @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• 1990 Martian Manhunter art by Jim Lee @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• 2007 The Question convention sketch by Whilce Portacio @ DC Bloodlines
• 1986 Vixen fan art by Rob Liefeld @ Justice League Detroit
• 2005 Wonder Woman San Diego Comic-Con sketch by Whilce Portacio @ Diana Prince
• 2010 Zatanna Commission by Rob Liefeld @ Justice League Detroit
• Wonder Woman Gallery by Jim Lee @ Diana Prince

2011 Mari McCabe Sweater Post by Hanie Mohd

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"I did a few drawings of DC ladies in sweaters. It's first inspired by this post (http://potatofarmgirl.tumblr.com/post/10723216750/i-read-this-earlier-tonight) and I ended up drawing a few more because it's freaking fun and who said superheroes need to dress up skimpy to look awesome?! I love trying to insert their iconic look/ personality into the outfits."

Aside from the Vixen, "Hanie Mohd" also offers Bab Gordon, Selina Kyle, Pamela Isley, Karen Starr, Harleen Quinzel, Kara Zor-El, Donna Troy, Stephanie Brown and blog favorite Zatanna Zatara here,