Who says they’re not doing DC/Marvel crossovers any more? Look, it’s Vision vs Red Tornado.
OK, maybe not. It’s actually attendees at Robocon 2020, the world’s number one event for fans of all artificial beings. And the guests of honour?
The boys need a bit of light relief, as back at base, creator Will Magnus is having a hard time accepting that the newly arrived Nth Metal Man is right to bring Gold back to ‘life’ after the destruction of the personality-inducing Responsometer. Gold, mind, is delighted. And a little different.
Blimey O’Reilly!
It’s another fun-filled issue as creators Dan DiDio and Shane Davis put the Metal Men at the heart of the DC Universe, a place where con organisers dress up as evil android Amazo, and Ilda, Star Hawkins’ robot secretary, flirts with veteran Robotman Paul Dennis.
The Nth Metal Man (you know he’s bad because he’s always scowling) continues to sow dissent among the world’s most human robots, Doc Magnus’ romance with STAR tsar Jenet Klyburn is developing – much to Tina’s chagrin – and one of the better characters of the New 52 is Out Making A Comeback.
Dan DiDio and Shane Davis have come up with a very enjoyable superhero yarn, featuring zippy dialogue by the former and inviting artwork by the latter, with extra fun to be had in spotting various robotic folk from across pop culture. Everyone sparkles courtesy of colourist Jason Wright, while the letters of Travis Lanham are easy on the eye. All in all, this enjoyable maxi-series doesn’t excuse the tedious excesses of DC’s Dark Nights: Metal event, but it does ensure its legacy isn’t all bad.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
I don’t like the not really sentient thing or Doc’s characterization so why do I just love this book? Gotta point out that for a guy who has made most of the line grim-dark, who doesn’t get that DC heroes are designed to be true heroic ideals, it’s amazing how the books he writes are so positive and old-DC-ish…
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Exactly! it’s like he’s finding the joy so other writers don’t have to.
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Are we convinced that it’s Didio who was the one that loves the grim and dark?
Geoff Johns is the one who’s always ripping off character’s arms or heads at a moments notice. And it was Geoff Johns who killed off Barry’s parents to give the character better motivation.
Didio, on the other hand, wrote a fun Superboy and a fun OMAC for new 52 and a fun Metal Man in Wednesday Comics.
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Johns spearheaded the beacon of hope that was Rebirth. Johns left. DCU became the villaincentric, dark ass place it was then upped that even further. Yes, I’m sure Didio is the one constant when it comes to making the DCU darker than dark…
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I’m with Steve, Murray, it seems that every time the Universe darkens, DiDio is right there – I suspect he thinks the market wants one thing, but his personal taste swings in another direction and as publisher, he gets to indulge it,
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Maybe. I suspect it’s a little bit of both. Cuz while Rebirth was a breath of fresh air, it was also a bit of a departure for Johns. With the exception of Stars and S.T.R,I.P.E.,I can’t think of a single concept that he hasn’t left darker after playing with it. Even his Shazam series, which is as lighthearted as I think I’ve seen from him in a long, long time has plenty of dark moments. And now we’ve got Superboy Prime making an appearance in the book, so I can’t imagine that’s going to go well.
I think that Didio gets painted with the “all dark, all the time” paintbrush, when Geoff Johns has, up until recently, been around just as long and has had as much input into the direction of the DCU as anyone else. It’s like he’s the anti-Didio in that I think Johns thinks the market wants brighter, but his personal taste runs dark.
Either way, I want a DC tell-all that documents all the behind the scenes shenanigans that have gone on during this era of the DCU.
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Geoff Johns will never live down Pantha and Risk and the like, you’re right. And as I recall, even Stars and STRIPE got a tad stabby towards the end.
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Bite your tongue! Now I’m gonna have to go back and check that out. I like to remember it as a beacon of shining brightness and fun that ended too soon. But maybe if the tv series does well, they’ll think about reviving it.
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Sorry!
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