Justice League of McDuffie

The difference between a good writer and a good black writer!

Last week saw the release of Dwayne McDuffie’s first Justice League of America issue from DC comics. Well almost the first issue, technically this is a one shot issue called “Justice League of America: Wedding Special”. Now I don’t work in the comics field yet so I am sure there is a perfectly good reason why Dwayne’s first issue is not a real issue but a one shot. Anyway anyone who watched Justice League unlimited on Cartoon Network will fall right into step with this book, and why shouldn’t they? Dwayne was a writer, editor and producer for the popular and high rated show so there is a very familiar feel to the tone of the book.

Ok here are some of my problems with the book. First it’s called the “Wedding Special” because for those of you who don’t follow DC comics, we are all in preparation for the nuptials of Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) and Black Canary (Dinah Lance), but there is no wedding. Now if it had been called “Justice League bachelor Party” that might have been more on point. My other problem with the stand alone one shot is that the story gets continued in “Justice League of America” #13 which is actually Dwayne’s first issue. Ok enough griping about that, now for the good….

Too answer the question in the title about the difference about a good writer and a good black writer is that the good black writer is by no means at all ever afraid or ashamed to point out some little piece of ethnic tisity. (Yes I made up a word)! When it was first announced that Dwayne was going to take over writing chores from Brad Meltzer one of the first things he said he was going to do was bring in Green Lantern John Stewart. Well that does happen in this issue and it is done is such a small but creative truthful way. I won’t spoil it here but I will say rare is the writer that can call John Stewart the “Black Lantern” and not have me writing him an angry letter. Another bright spot continues to be Dwayne’s handling of the Batman. Now in my opinion Batman is not an easy character to write for being a human surrounded by demi-gods and holding his own if not being a bit better. Dwayne manages to make the Bat strong and vulnerable all in the same book. On the opposite end he has also managed to capture the true essence of the Joker.

I would suggest anyone who enjoyed and appreciated JLU on television pick up this book. I am giving this book 4 out of 5 afro pics. It would have gotten 5 if there had been an actually wedding! I think we can expect some REALLY great things from D.M.

Stay tuned!

The Second Sister of Saturday Morning

Back in simpler times when Saturday mornings really meant something. Her present was our future and teamed with her two partners they made a formidable fighting force. The first lady of Saturday morning royalty, Princess Ariel from Thundarr the Barbarian.

“The year: 1994. From out of space comes a runaway planet, hurtling between the Earth and the Moon, unleashing cosmic destruction! Man's civilization is cast in ruin!
Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn...
A strange new world rises from the old: a world of savagery, super science, and sorcery. But one man bursts his bonds to fight for justice! With his companions Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, his courage, and his fabulous Sunsword against the forces of evil.
He is Thundarr, the Barbarian!”

In this setting, Thundarr, a muscular warrior, and his companions Princess Ariel (who was a formidable sorceress) and the Wookiee-like Ookla the Mok battled evil wizards who combined magical spells with technologies from the pre-catastrophe world. Further Star Wars influences can be seen in Thundarr's weapon of choice, the "Sun Sword", which projects a blade-like beam of energy when activated, and can be deactivated so that it is only a hilt. The Sun Sword is magically linked to Thundarr and as such, only he can use it.

There is not a lot of info out there about the show in general or Ariel in particular so I will have to whoop out my bag of geekdom and go from memory. First of all Ariel (like so many of our sisters thru out time) was the glue that held the group together. She was strong and confident, a nurturer to the innocent and a formidable opponent to any enemy. Of the three she was the only one who could actually read and she was a sorceress, which you don’t find may dummies doing. She was often seen creating energy bolts, bridges or my favorite bubbles and was only rendered helpless when her hands were bound. What I really loved about the character and the show was that unlike most shows with a female lead who’s main job it is to be captured and rescued, Ariel was captured and rescued just as much as Ookla and Thundarr. It was often hinted at in the show that she a relation to one of the villains but to my memory this was never proven.

The show and characters was created by Steve Gerber who also created Howard the Duck

FYI the first African American cartoon female was Christy Cross, who along with her husband Chris Cross (how cute…not!) made up the dynamic duo of Superstretch and Microwoman. They appeared as a segment of Tarzan and the Super 7 back in 1979. 1 Year before Thundarr hit the scene.

Welcome to Color in Comics

Greetings and welcome to my new blog Color “n” Comics. For the last twenty five years I have been an avid comic book reader and aspire to become a writer. While I have always enjoyed comics I have always felt that we ,as a people, have continued to get the short end of the stick. This blog will explore and educate about the contributions we as a people have made to the comic, sci fi , pop culture world! I hope you enjoy the ride and reading it as much as I enjoy posting it!