Soapbox update and Stan Lee loose in the DCU

It's not everyday that I use this blog with an agenda in mind. Normally, I just let the Randomizer lead me blindly through my longboxes one issue at a time. You can rest easy though, as today is not one of those rare occasions, but before we pick the next random book to review I thought it might be interesting to check back in on a couple of my more recent soapbox blog posts to see how things are progressing.

Most recently, I had blogged about the sorry state of comic book prices these days. It's been close to two months now, so have I crossed the line in the sand that is four bucks for a twenty-two page comic book?

Nope. Seven weeks in, and I'm still holding firm. The first major test was with the Avengers relaunch, as I was planning on picking up three of the four new titles. I bailed on the New/Bendis era after the third issue, so I was really looking forward to getting back into one of my all-time favorite franchises.

There have been around a baker's dozen worth of Avengers issues in that time, and I left 'em all on the shelf. It's Marvel's loss though, as from the word of mouth I've heard, I'm in no hurry to pick up the trades either.

As it stands, I'm probably dropping Marvel alltogether sooner, rather than later. What do they have...Two? Maybe three issues a week that are still three bucks? I'm down to only two titles that I still pull, S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hawkeye and Mockingbird. The former is relatively self-contained, while the latter gives a mild reprieve to the overall Avengers disappointment.

I thought I heard, however, that H&M was going to be crossing over with another title? Thunderbolts, maybe? I guess I'll be down to one title when that happens. I'm sorry, but I like a shared universe. I like reading a wide selection of titles that all inhabit the same space. With Marvel embracing the four dollar price point, they are making that decision for me. It's all right though, don't cry too many tears for me as I'll always have my longboxes.

And lest you think this is a gang up on Marvel post, I also have to say goodbye to my favorite current title with this month's issue of American Vampire. I'm not the world's biggest vampire fan by any means, but Scott Snyder has put a nice little twist on the genre and wrote some compelling stories to boot. That Stephen King fella ain't no slouch either, but his pages are gone with the next issue while the higher price point remains.

I'm also going to be leaving a Green Lantern book on the racks when Emerald Warriors debuts. I think I have picked up every new Green Lantern book since Rebirth started. Geoff Johns has made me a devotee of the Corps, where there was little to no interest prior. Four bucks for an issue of the new title is too rich for me, and signals the beginning of the end.

In hindsight, it's actually been quite liberating. I buy less on a weekly basis, which leaves more time for both rereading the good stuff that I do get every week, and for spending more time on the blog.

The other big issue that got my dander up was the seemingly endless creative team shuffle in the Superman titles. We've only had a handful of issues come out with Paul Cornell and Pete Woods on Action Comics and J. Michael Straczynski and Eddy Barrows on Superman, so there's still plenty of time for Superman editorial to disappoint me yet again. And when they do, it's going to be especially frustrating as Cornell's Action issues have been nothing less than awesome.

So anyways...what are we here for again? Oh yeah, it's time to pick another completely random book to review. Take it away, Randomizer...


...and that book is Just Imagine Stan Lee with Jim Lee Creating Wonder Woman #1 from August 2001, published by DC Comics!

Well damn if that isn't the longest comic book title I've seen in a while.

And hey, it's Jim Lee redesigning Wonder Woman's costume! I'm getting this vague sense of deja vu.

When the Randomizer picked this title, I literally smacked my forehead with my palm. Jim Lee tried his darnedest to re-crack the internet in half last month with his pantsing of Wonder Woman, and here he had already done that exact same thing a decade previous.

After studying both of the redesigns (I'm going to refrain from re-posting the new image again for fear of drifting over into stalker territory with how often I've referenced it lately), I have to say that I dig 'em both. Yeah, there are little things I'd change, but there's a lot to like. I'm also beginning to wonder what's up with Jim Lee and undersized accessories (the jacket for the new design and the wrist shield for the old one).

I think the moral of this story is that maybe Wonder Woman's costume hasn't changed enough over the last 68 years.

See you in a day or two for the review.