DC Relaunch: Looking Around 7/13

While today we were taking a look over at what's up with Batgirl, Gail Simone has spoken some about it online already.

Over at DC's blog The Source, they published a short blurb of Gail talking about Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, while over at Newsarama they had a much more extensive interview.

And here's Adam Hughes' cover for Batgirl #2, on sale in October!

So today, DC released their October soliciations for their Green Lantern books. It's very exciting. Also, there's some spoilery stuff about the War of the Green Lanterns. If you don't care, go right ahead, but otherwise, you may want to hold off until you read the issue. 

Link after the jump, along with some more DC Relaunch goodies...

DC Relaunch: Batgirl

Many times, we as people give up on the small things. Something simple that we become frustrated enough with that we throw our hands up in the air. It's not worth it, right? And at the same time, we see these stories of people with huge problems that it is totally okay to throw your hands up about, and yet they persevered. They overcome, they move on. Barbara Gordon has rode the high, had the lowest of lows, and brought herself up out of it all to overcome all the odds, all while not moving physically from the place she was brought to. And now she gets to stand once again where she started, as Batgirl.

Barbara Gordon started her career as Batgirl. There's something that's intriguing about the Batgirl persona, no matter who's behind that particular cowl. Many people have expressed their devotion for every incarnation of the character, the very first one being an exception. She is unique in that she is allowed to carry the title/mantle of "Bat," something Robin does not do. Additionally, Batgirl grabs us as a reader because of the types of adventures she finds herself in. We frequently find the character of Batgirl in over her head. Whereas the story may start off as something well within her control, some element in that reveals itself, a snake revealed to be the head of a gorgon, which presents Batgirl, whichever one she may be, with the new and unprecedented challenge.  And without assist, Batgirl does the job. She leaps in headfirst. I think it's a great quality for the character to have, and I think it makes the dynamic between her and Dick Grayson, former high wire act, all the better.

Now, Barbara has been through alot. She was Batgirl, stepped down of her own free will, was paralyzed by the Joker and forced into a wheelchair, not only became the super info-source/hacker Oracle, but became perfectly capable of defending herself without any help whatsoever. It's another Batgirl story, just told in a different fashion, and in long form. We see with her return as Batgirl yet another step in that journey, and thankfully one of Barbara's biggest fans is guiding us.

DC Relaunch: The Fury of Firestorm

Firestorm is one of those characters that I admit, I haven't read that much on. But that doesn't mean I won't give it a try!

Firestorm is a book about two people. No matter which one it is (yes, like most of the characters I've already told you about, there's been more than one behind the mask), Firestorm needs a plus one invitation. Ronnie Raymond became the original Firestorm along with professor Martin Stein during a nuclear accident. As Firestorm, Raymond becomes a literal human reactor as well as having the ability to transmute elements. Raymond usually was in the driver seat with Professor Stein providing knowledge, and general guidance. Now lots of stuff happened over the years, and one of those was the unfortunate death of Ronnie Raymond. And so Jason Rusch became the new Firestorm. Recently, when DC revived Ronnie Raymond, Ronnie and Jason bonded together to form the new Firestorm, and had to figure out how to get along in it. Two completely different people, trying to get along, and trying to both be one Firestorm at the same time. Though the image makes me wonder if they might not be two Firestorms in this new series? That's be interesting. All in all, crazy science, crazy powers, and two people who have to learn to act as one. There's alot of promise in that.


Helming this venture is Gail Simone & Ethan Van Sciver. Gail Simone has paid major dues over the years, working on Birds of Prey (for those unfamiliar, the original Batgirl, Barbara Gordon is coordinator for Black Canary, Huntress, and other heroes on a variety of missions), Wonder Woman, and the Secret Six (a rag-tag group of villains for hire who are bizzare and quirky as they are deadly). She also has written for Bongo Comics, and wrote some of my favorite Deadpool and Superman stories. While Ethan Van Sciver has mostly handled artist duties, we have already covered the capabilities of an artist as storyteller. Van Sciver has worked in the past with Geoff Johns on both The Flash and Green Lantern, and has also worked with Grant Morrison on New X-Men. The two have never had a published collaboration (at least not to my knowledge), but have long been rumored to be working up a proposal for Plastic Man, and can frequently be seen going back and forth on Gail's creator board at Jinxworld.



Yildiray Cinar is a Turkish artist who most recently has been working with Paul Levitz on Legion of Super-Heroes. He has also worked in the past with Jay Faeber on the creator owned books Noble Causes and Dynamo 5, and with Sean McKeever on his run of Teen Titans. Having worked on the Legion will certainly prepare him for the madness he'll experience coming from the minds of Simone & Van Sciver.

As I said before, I haven't read much Firestorm, but these are the only collections available. They are respectively Ronnie, Jason, and the first experience working together.



Firestorm: The Nuclear Man by Gerry Conway & Al Milgrom
Firestorm, the Nuclear Man--Reborn by Stuart Moore, Keith Champagne, & Jamal Igle.
Brightest Day vols. 1 & 2 by Geoff Johns, Peter Tomasi, & others.

Tomorrow we'll be taking a look at The Savage Hawkman.