I actually liked both of those, but I’m not sold that they needed Elektra. Both could have been done with a new character more true to the mercenary with a heart of gold version Rucka and Morse wrote, as opposed to the more cold-hearted, broken woman that Elektra was when Frank Miller wrote her.

As for the Rodi run, Dan, I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one. I found it boring as dirt. I know Don liked it at the time as well, though.

Don’t worry, Randy. This isn’t anything particularly gross. When I was a kid, we referred to kids who wore pants whose lengths were a bit short, therefore, the length was a bit higher than usual. The reference to floods comes from the fact that if your pants’ length were higher (shorter), then the flooded waters wouldn’t reach it. Hence, “floods”. After that explanation, I guess I’ve grown fonder to “short pants”.

That said, the “Elektra & Wolverine: the Redeemer” illustrated graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Yoshitaka Amano and the Elektra mini by Scott Morse (both published in 2000 or so) were both very enjoyable reads.

Yes; the Rodi run from the last ongoing was excellent, simple assassin action stuff, with some awesome Sean Chen art in the first arc. I’m sure a writer could really do something interesting with the character. I despise Miller so much these days I want an Elektra ongoing to exist just because I know it pisses him off.

That said, I still don’t want to see his girlfriends killed off in rapid succession. Kevin Smith’s offing of Karen Page was awful, just a shock value death that ruined one of the most long-standing supporting characters in comics. Really, it’s like killing JJ Jameson or Mary Jane. And everybody seems to get the idea that because Bullseye killing Elektra was such a moving and memorable scene, they should try to duplicate it, either by having Bullseye kill someone close to Daredevil or by having Elektra come back into his life and turn it upside down. Rarely can a writer pull it off, and really, Elektra probably should have been pulled from other writers’ hands after Miller brought her back, giving her her happy ending.

Seriously, has anything been done with her that makes it worth not leaving her alone to have her ending? Even the Rucka stuff, which I liked at the time, was basically bending the character into new shapes so she could be usable, in which case why not just create a new character?

Btw, I’m just ranting there. I know the answer, and it’s licensing and money. Elektra movie, she’s one of Marvel’s best known female characters, and so we see her in ongoing series, the Ultimate Alliance game, etc. Which really says more about the sad state of Marvel’s female characters, that one of their most recognizable women is a deadly assassin who they’ve had to turn into something of a good guy to make her easier to market.

“Your heroes need to suffer to have something to triumph against”

This is one I absolutely hate. And I will tell you why, my favorite character is Daredevil. And this is all he does, all writers think to do. Do they do it well? Some of the time, sure. But what just cemented my dislike of this method was the fact that I started Daredevil with the Kesel run. Which deviated the norm, at best. I think it is fantastic, but it does make the rest of the series harder to take.

I do like Brubaker’s run, perhaps because he does seem to be sliding out of everything going wrong, maybe it is taking DD out of the country, I don’t know. Granted it is not all smiles and sunshine, but what few people remember is that neither was Kesel’s run. I think alot of it depends on where you came from with a character. I know I am not so critical of what is going on with other characters.

Oh, and I love TSStG, too. Just to show more of that praise.

Funny you should say that, in a recent interview with Tim Sale on CBR he implied that Jeph Loeb got a bit of frustrated with working at DC. Probably due to the massive continuity they have over there.
That’s a bit strange, considering that DC could’ve just given him work outside of the DC continuity. But Marvel, for a fact, is alot less uptight with handling continuity within their books.

I’m looking forward to the Darwyn Cooke-centric podcast.

Oh, absolutely. My faith in Darwyn Cooke is a lot stronger, especially as he has pretty much always delivered. It’s just always a bit annoying to me to see these tendencies in work I otherwise like.

Tom Beland wrote:
But nowadays, it’s about taking Parker, smashing his face into the dirt and really working that heel into his skin. Life does to Parker what Michonne did to the Governor in Walking Dead. I think it’s a bit too much, personally.

Absolutely, and I think the point you make is dead on. These days, too many writers have taken to flip writing advice like “Kill your darlings” and “Conflict is what makes a book interesting” and “Your heroes need to suffer to have something to triumph against” and forgotten the complexities and rewards that are meant to go with it. So what we get are writers submitting the characters to increasing and varied methods of punishment and suffering, and generally forgetting that the point is for them to triumph over that adversity, rather than wallowing in it.

Thanks for the nice words, by the way.

You’re welcome. Still loving the book, as always.

Spider-Man would save the city from the Kingpin, or Doc Ock… but when he became Peter Parker, he’d find a parking ticket on his motorcycle… or find out he wasn’t dying, but had an ulcer. The problems were things that would make Charlie Brown groan “good grief” and that’s how I got to relate to Parker.

But nowadays, it’s about taking Parker, smashing his face into the dirt and really working that heel into his skin. Life does to Parker what Michonne did to the Governor in Walking Dead. I think it’s a bit too much, personally.

I think this is true of Superman as well. With Superman… I think I’ve lost a lot of the wonder that makes him who he is.

Thanks for the nice words, by the way.

I think it’s important to remember that we’re still on issue two. I have little doubt that, by the end, the Superman you want to see will make his appearance. Darwyn Cooke is no Millar or Meltzer.

You’re over-categorizing again, Don. There’s a pretty clear delineation: Wednesday Number Ones is for books that came out that day, jumping-on points and first issues only. Short Pants is an expansive category that covers everything else. The format is the same, but the focus of the features is entirely different, so it’s best to keep them separate.

Kevin said:
Like the new category title. However, I thought about a variation of the “Short pants” title (and this dates me a bit): “Floods”. (Was this a West Coast thang or do I need to elaborate?).

I’m not entirely sure I get it, but given what short pants generally means (youth) and what the word floods and younger people brings together (remember, I’ve got a daughter just out of potty training), I’m not *sure* want you to elaborate.

Medard said:
I’m still on the fence wheter to buy the Darwyn Cooke and Time Sale story in TPB or not. and the more I read about ‘True Story, Swear to God’, the more I just want to get that first TPB.

For what it’s worth, I highly recommend the TSSTG trade to everyone… it’s a book that really deserves a wider readership, and most who have read it (including guys like D3, who was very much a doubter) have really enjoyed it. As for Superman Confidential… I’ve got my issues with it, but right now, my guess is that I’ll be buying the trade (or hardcover) when it comes out. Cooke has yet to let me down when all is said and done with a story, and Sale’s art looks great.

Albert said:
I agree with another poster that Superman: Confidential #2 was dark without being cheap. The idea that Superman failed and was actually vulnerable and scared (and not from kryptonite) was shocking, and a great plot point.

Differing opinions here, and we actually discussed this a bit amongst the Pantsers last night, and will no doubt discuss it further in this week’s Cooke-centric podcast. But where I come down is, no one should ever die because Superman was there. I’m not wild about Superman failing to save everyone, because, y’know… he’s Superman. He shows up, everyone should be saved. But this is his early days, and I can accept that Cooke is showing him to be fallible and limited in his early career. What I didn’t like was the notion that his presence basically *caused* the death of an innocent old woman and a dog. Too much for me.

The idea that Superman inadvertently caused that dog to burn up as he was trying to escape was a throwaway, which I actually wished the story highlighted to shore up his feelings of guilt and horror. It makes sense that if a Superman was saving the world, that he would be haunted by the people he failed ot save, and face situations that would threaten his mortality.

This seems to be the common wisdom these days, that it’s more realistic for superheroes to be haunted by their failures. I say, cut out the angst and give me heroes I can look up to! I don’t want a hero who makes me think “Wow, that’s just like me.” I want heroes that I can aspire to, who remind me that humanity (or it’s adopted aliens) can be nobler than the everyday. Does it make sense? Well, sure, I can’t really argue that. But I’d prefer a slight flexibility on the realism to really play up the heroism.

I mean, if you think about it, it’s more realistic that some lucky punk with a gun would have taken out Batman by now. But that’s not a story we really want to see, is it? (I say, fully expecting that Mark Millar or Brian Bendis has that very story in his drawer as we speak.)

This story feels like a continuation of the tone of Loeb and Sale’s “Superman for All Season” which had some great writing, but a weaker plot to hang it on. I’m enjoying this comic, and can’t wait to see where it heads.

I’ve definitely picked up on a “Loeb, but better” vibe from Cooke as well. This might be why the Spirit/Batman collaboration between the two of them worked so well. Cooke has a similar vibe to Loeb at his best. I’m also thinking that Loeb should really do more period work, rather than working in the modern, continuity-intensive universe, as I think that’s where his strengths lie as well. Let’s remember, most of Loeb’s work with Tim Sale has been very good to exceptional.

I’ve hated the DC turn towards over the top grit, but this feels different. It’s more sophisticated than, say, having Ma Kent raped by Kryptonite Man. It’s an exploration of the fears and vulnerabilities of an otherwise invulnerable man. We’ll see how it plays out, but I definitely like Cooke’s story so far.

I would say that it is dark without being cheap.

On the other hand, the more I read about ‘True Story, Swear to God’, the more I just want to get that first TPB. That’s a series I should be able to enjoy.

These Short Pants Reviews are a great addition to the site, thanks.