Transformer Roll-Out: A "Reluctant Specialist" Gets His Due in 'Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter'

Julian Titus is a writer/editor for PixlBit.com and the host of the Nerds Without Pants podcast. He's also the biggest Transformers fan I've ever met and will be covering IDW's Transformers comics right here on a regular basis. This week, he's reviewing the latest book from IDW...

Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter, “The Reluctant Specialist”

​Cover to Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter, art by Matt Frank. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

When I reviewed the recent Transformers Spotlight one-shot for Bumblebee, I complained that the story contained within held no weight because it was so far removed from the current storyline that it was no longer relevant. The same could be said for this story about Autobot Trailcutter, since it takes place between More Than Meets the Eye issues 5 and 6, but this story feels timeless. James Roberts has written a comic book that feels more like one of the older cartoons and can be enjoyed outside of continuity just as well as if you’re reading it right alongside the companion book.

The premise really is like something out of a cartoon - Trailbreaker is tired of being overlooked as the Autobot that generates forcefields and spends the first part of the book moping around Swerve’s bar. Whirl tries to bring the “specialist” out of his funk but only succeeds in bringing some incredible laughs to an already lighthearted story. Things go awry when Trailbreaker (now calling himself Trailcutter at Whirl’s suggestion) finds himself as the only functional Autobot on the Lost Light during a Deception attack.

This is a hilarious comic that is enhanced by the art of Matt Frank, who brings some wonderful emotion to the characters in this book. Trailcutter’s sour frown is priceless, and while this artist hasn’t done a lot of work on the IDW Transformers books, I’d love to see him do more with the MTMTE cast. There’s a great cameo by Lockdown from the Transformers: Animated series, and the book has a perfect ending. Wonderfully entertaining, perfectly stand alone, this is how a Spotlight book should be done.

(Transformers Spotlight: Trailcutter arrives in stores and online on Wednesday, April 3, from IDW Publishing.)​

WTF? According to DC, Superman Is Batman's Brother?

I was alerted to this bit of weirdness by Michael Nixon on Twitter. This is from DC's official page for Superman...

Superman has super-everything—strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, X-ray, heat vision…and a world-famous brother. What the world doesn’t know is that Clark’s mother, Martha, once changed her name from Wayne to Kent. Martha was the real target for the mob hit the night that her husband Thomas Wayne was murdered. While in the ambulance it was discovered that she was still alive, and the doctors were able to save her. She signed over guardianship of their son Bruce to the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, in hopes that Bruce would be protected, and she was put into the Witness Protection Program and sent to Smallville, Kansas—a quiet town where nothing ever happens.

There Martha met and married the local farmer Jonathan Kent. With a new inability to carry a child due to the bullet wound, Martha and Jonathan were unable to have the baby they so longed for. However, their prayers were answered when out of the sky, a rocket landed in a nearby field as the couple was driving by. There was a small baby in the rocket who they adopted and gave the name Clark, and who would grow up to be Superman!

This new information is backed up on Batman's page as well...​

Millionaire Bruce Wayne was just a kid when he watched his parents get gunned down during a mugging in Gotham City. The crime would define his life, as he dedicated himself to becoming the world’s greatest weapon against crime—the Batman. What the world doesn’t know is that Bruce’s mother, Martha Wayne, was the real target for the mob hit the night that Bruce’s parents were murdered. While in the ambulance it was discovered that she was still alive, and the doctors were able to save her. She signed over guardianship of Bruce to the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, in hopes that the young boy would be protected, and she was put into the Witness Protection Program and sent to Smallville, Kansas—a quiet town where nothing ever happens.

There Martha met and married a nice young man named Jonathan Kent. With a new inability to carry a child due to the bullet wound, Martha and Jonathan were unable to have the baby they so longed for. However, their prayers were answered when out of the sky, a rocket landed in a nearby field as the couple was driving by. There was a small baby in the rocket who they adopted and gave the name Clark Kent, and who would grow up to be Superman!​

Um...WHAT? Is this an April Fool's joke that DC forgot to take down or is this New 52 canon? If it's a joke, and DC takes it down (ED NOTE: They did - the very same day this made the rounds), I've saved the screens for posterity below...​

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Captured on 4/2/2013

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​Captured on 4/2/2013.

Review: Brian Wood's 'The Massive' Vol. 1 Is Epic and Original

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit." Now he's taking a look at the first collection of Brian Wood's sci-fi series 'The Massive' from Dark Horse Comics...

Cover art for The Massive Vol. 1. Brian Wood/Dark Horse Comics.​

The events in The Massive aren't world ending so much as world changing. Mother Nature turned her back on humankind and the result is a fractured, split world which struggles to survive among the ruins of civilization. The backdrop is epic in scope but the focus is on the small crew aboard a conservationist ship called the Kapital, who refuse to abandon their mission of finding their long lost sister ship, the Massive. Somewhat similar to a modern television show there's a big mysterious goal guiding the larger arc but with these first few issues it's more about survival and exploration. Writer Brian Wood really wants us to get to know this world and the people that inhabit it before overloading us with too much plot too quickly. The result is a wonderfully grounded what-if scenario built on realism and rich characters that are as fractured and complicated as the new world.

The storytelling takes an approach similar to Lost in that much of the initial character development is told through flashbacks, usually informing and building upon what's taking place in the present. Slowly and methodically we learn what makes each of these characters tick, shedding the obvious and cliché classifications in an effort for something more relatable. The goal isn't to transport you to a different world but instead make you feel as at home as possible so that when the big moments happen, you are right there beside these characters. Wood has the rare ability to take something so familiar and skew it just enough so that it continues to engage while never making you feel like you've seen everything. He gives you just enough to be satisfied, but you're always wanting more.

The book is really broken up into two smaller 3-issue arcs, each with a different situation the crew was deal with and as a result different artists split the duties between the halves. The first entitled “Landfall” deals mostly with a sea-based cat and mouse game between the Kapital and pirates through dense fog while tracing a signal they think is from the Massive. It's a slow burn thriller with more emphasis on backstory and past events than any sort of real narrative beyond finding the Massive. It's nonetheless exciting with Kristian Donaldson's art cleverly displaying the sea excursion as above water submarine warfare, the moments of silence and tension accentuated with Dave Stewart's grim grays and deep blues.

The second half entitled “Black Pacific” is land and survival based dealing with the crew's need for supplies and the unorthodox ways they go about getting them. Like “Landfall” there isn't a big narrative arc to the second half. Instead it's about the individual situations the crew find themselves in and the moral implications of the choices they make. The world isn't nice and tough decisions must be made. What happens when nice, decent people are saddled with those tough decisions? Garry Brown's art for “Black Pacific” contrasts Donaldson's with a more rough, pressured approach that heightens the more intense, action specific sequences. He sacrifices detail for energy and the result is a perfect match for the writing style.

If there are any weak spots in The Massive's hull, they are all minor dents and more than made up for by the excellent art and Wood's dedication to deep characters and engaging plotting. The only disappointment might come in how the story ends. Will it all be worth it in the end? It's a slow build on a mysterious narrative and as of right now appears to be well worth the investment. The Massive is one of the most promising original titles in recent memory offering a beautiful union of world building, concept, and characters that I can't recommend enough.

Into the Pit: 'G.I. Joe' #2 and 'Special Missions' #1 Reviewed

Tyler Mager has written for CollegeMovieReview.com and the Scorecard Review and is a filmmaker based out of Austin, TX. He also happens to be an enthusiastic G.I. Joe fan and covers IDW's Joe comics right here in his regular feature "Into the Pit."

G.I. Joe #2

I was left wondering if the newly relaunched G.I. Joe series from writer Fred Van Lente could deliver the goods after a surprisingly solid first issue that hinted at more sociopolitical and satirical undertones than the more light hearted identity overhaul seemed to initially suggest. The Joes are in dire straits with Cobra not just invading the United States but spreading chaos and influence by turning entire cities against the government. Even though G.I. Joe #2 does little to move the plot along, a chilling opening and some good character development make for an interesting continuation of a story with great potential.

​Cover to G.I. Joe #2. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

Duke is still being interrogated by the Baroness, whose intentions become a little more clear with gruesome guest appearances from fellow Cobra staples such as Firefly and Croc Master. Meanwhile, Cover Girl, Doc, and the embedded journalist - unfortunately code named Hashtag - are trapped in a building while Roadblock and his unit are still trying to save the “girls” and the recently wounded Shipwreck. Although there are a few key character moments, Van Lente does very little to actually move the story forward in a meaningful way. What works is very promising but what doesn't, fails pretty hard.

Looks like the out of place pop culture references are here to stay as we see the ruthless Baroness tell a “Gangnam Style” joke while rookie member Hashtag gives away the Joes location via checking in on Facebook. It's possible that these references are supposed to be ridiculous but they mostly just come across as lazy, practically yelling at the reader, “We need to rope in the younger crowd!” and “See! We're hip!” It's unfortunate too, since many of these moments undermine otherwise interesting scenes, particularly with Hashtag. She's a terrible character, a representation of nearly everything wrong with the current generation. She blows their cover, complains, and continuously proves to be worthless in the field. That is, until Van Lente pulls a fast one and forces Hashtag to face the harsh, violent reality she's stuck in. The situation feels forced and rushed but I have to admire the willingness to go there.

Cover Girl gets some time to shine by kicking some butt throughout an escape attempt, but I'm worried about Roadblock's constant degradation of the all female group by exclusively referring to them as “the girls." Because the intention and tone of the title is so unclear, it's hard to take what is happening seriously unless it's supposed to be some sort of subversive satire. It's a tough call when COBRA is cleverly turning the country against itself while making tired pop culture jokes at the same time. I love that there's a chance that this era of Joe might deal with more sociopolitical issues while still being entertaining but the tone needs to be nailed down before I'm completely sold. Despite my grievances and a lack of narrative momentum, G.I. Joe still has just enough going on to keep me interested.

G.I. Joe: Special Missions #1

Variant cover to G.I. Joe Special Missions #1, art by Paul Gulacy. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.​

After an excellent run focused on Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, longtime Joe writer Chuck Dixon is back with a sister title to Fred Ven Lente's main series. The idea is that after being publicly outed in G.I. Joe, there still needs to be a team that does the dirty covert missions that no one else wants to do. G.I. Joe: Special Missions follows Scarlett and a team of Joes trying to prevent former COBRA operative Baroness from retrieving a large cache of sunken COBRA valuables. In addition to highlighting these covert missions, we're likely going to see how Baroness gets back into COBRA's good graces, eventually leading into Van Lente's main series.

The first issue wastes no time getting right into setting up a huge showdown between Baroness's mercenaries and Scarlett's team. Dixon wisely keeps a majority of the focus on the plot, with most of the action taking place in an unconnected Libya mission that, while exciting, feels tacked on simply to accommodate fans of this Joe team. Although the two stories might fit together through various plot threads, Dixon clearly has a better handle on the more militaristic sensibilities of the title with banter better suited to the situation and style of the franchise, whereas Van Lente is actively trying to force the series toward a more super-heroic route. That's not to say one way is better than the other but instead it spotlights the major differences between the two titles. I won't be surprised if fans end up declaring their allegiances between the two books simply because they both feel so different.

The art from Paul Gulacy is serviceable but feels rushed with faces that end up looking like disjointed robots at times. He's at his best with action sequences set at a wider angle when more focus can be placed on the environment. It's absolutely gorgeous while still being easy to follow from moment to moment. Special Missions is a fairly decent companion piece to the main series with plenty of espionage and action to satisfy old school fans but new readers might find themselves a little lost by being thrown into ongoing plot threads with no real context to go off of. I'd prefer a bit more time devoted to more consistent art but Dixon's plot has me intrigued enough to see how everything comes together.

Transformer Roll-Out: 'Robots in Disguise' #15 and 'More Than Meets the Eye' Vol. 3 Advance Reviews

Julian Titus is a writer/editor for PixlBit.com and the host of the Nerds Without Pants podcast. He's also the biggest Transformers fan I've ever met and will be covering IDW's Transformers comics right here on a regular basis. This week, he's reviewing the latest books from IDW..

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #15: Plan for Everything

​Cover for Transformers: Robots in Disguise #15, art by Andrew Griffith. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

It’s with great satisfaction that I can come to you this week and say that for the second month in a row, Robots in Disguise is worth reading. Not just worth reading, but kind of great. That’s high praise coming from a guy that only slogged through the previous 13 issues because I got to read them for free. It may come to light that - once this arc reaches its conclusion - things couldn’t go down any other way, and the lengthy buildup is integral to the story. But for now, I’m just stoked that things are finally happening in this book.

Let’s start with some good old fashioned Decepticon carnage, shall we? A large portion of this issue is told from the perspective of the new Devastator, who has merged for the kill. That’s far more interesting than it sounds, and it gives some great insight into the way combiners work in the current IDW Transformers universe. There’s plenty of action between Devastator and Superion (apparently the first and only Autobot combiner), including a final page that made my jaw drop.

Meanwhile, the uneasy peace between the Autobots, Decepticons, and Non-Aligned Indigenous Lifeforms (NAILS) leads to some shocking changes to character loyalties. Bumblebee and Megatron find that they can’t count on the ‘bots they thought they could, and Metalhawk finally has to take up arms.

I can’t stress enough how impactful that final page is, and I can’t wait to see what happens next month when Megatron’s push to take over peacetime Cybertron sees its conclusion.

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Vol. 3

​Cover art for Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Vol. 3 collected trade paperback. Hasbro/IDW Publishing.

The Roll Out has only been around for about two months, but it should be pretty clear by now that I’m a big, big fan of More Than Meets the Eye. I put it right up there with Invincible and Ultimate Comics All-New Spider-Man as a book that I can’t wait to devour when I get a new issue or trade paperback. I’ll sing the praises of this book for as long as it continues delivering this much entertainment, and I totally think you should try it out, even if your knowledge of the Transformers is minimal.

Volume 3 is a great jumping on point for a variety of reasons. The MTMTE Annual that kicks off this collection not only reestablishes the reason for Hot Rod and the crew of the Lost Light to be gallivanting through space, but it hits that perfect blend of humor and drama I’ve come to expect from this comic. The annual also gives the first telling of the creationist origin of the Transformers, something that has only been hinted at in this incarnation of the story.

After that, you’re in for a treat with the three-part "Shadowplay" story. Simply put, this is an expertly woven tale told from multiple perspectives, as various members of the crew get together to talk about their lives before the war, and how they all came across a certain influential transformer by the name of Orion Pax. You may know him as Optimus Prime, though. Shadowplay is part gritty police procedural, part political drama, and part comedic farce. Do yourself a favor and pick up this trade!

(Transformers: Robots in Disguise #15 and Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye Vol. 3 arrive in comic stores on Wednesday, March 26.)​

The DC New 52 Timeline of Departures, Firings, and Bridge-Burnings

I'm writing this piece because I wanted someone else to do it and no one else had (that I know of). I wanted a living document of the events that seem to be unraveling one of the oldest and greatest comic book publishers.  I love DC Comics, though I fear you'd never know it looking at this website. I've expressed my disappointment with the company many times here, and unlike a lot of fans, my complaints aren't about them wiping the slate clean with the New 52, but about the public appearance of a hostile, poisonous working environment for comic book creators. I'm really hoping the ship rights itself. I'm hoping that I can stop updating this list because DC's creators are happy and the books are healthy.

As it is, this list will be updated as major changes continue to happen. I tried to limit the list to big events (some of them strictly to give context) or surprising and sudden changes. I am not listing the kind of typical writer or artist changes that occur when a book has been given a chance to sell or when the creators want to move on because their arc is finished. If there are any major events I've forgotten, let me know in the comments section and I might add it to the piece.

(To be fair, and to show that this isn't the way things typically run at a major comic company, Marvel has announced and then canceled one book in the past year before its first issue [John's note: from the time when this was originally posted] . Thanos, to be written by Joe Keatinge, was sidelined when Marvel changed their mind on the project, post-Avengers film.)

DC Comics logos, through the years, courtesy of DesignBuddy.com.

9/2009 - DC Entertainment is formed. Diane Nelson is named President of the newly labeled company, which includes DC Comics, but also all DC-related multi-media ventures and licensing. Nelson's background is not in comics but in brand management. The timing of DC's restructuring is of note, as it comes just a couple of weeks after Disney's $4 billion buyout of Marvel.

2/18/2010 - Dan DiDio and Jim Lee are promoted, sharing the title Co-Publisher. DiDio was DC Executive Editor (basically Editor-In-Chief, since the position didn't exist during DiDio's tenure) and Lee was Editorial Director of his own WildStorm imprint, which moved from Image to DC Comics in 1998. Writer Geoff Johns was promoted to Chief Creative Officer, a position created to allow someone from within DC the opportunity to oversee and exercise some measure of creative control over DC products like films, television, and video games. 

9/21/2010 - DC splits their offices between New York City and Burbank, CA.  Lee is a West Coaster anyway, and this allows the company to have more direct physical contact with Warner Brothers' TV and film.

9/27/2010 - Bob Harras is named DC Comics' Editor-In-Chief.  Harras held the EIC position at Marvel Comics from 1995-2000.

12/16/2010 - Nick Spencer is the first notable casualty in DC's new "fired before the first issue hits" practice, when he's announced as the new writer for Supergirl, then replaced on his very first issue by "co-writer" James Peaty.

8/31/2011 - The New 52 launches with 52 new monthly titles starting with all-new #1 issues, wiping the slate (mostly) clean and hoping to entice new readers with easy reading entry points.

9/16/2011 - Writer John Rozum quits Static Shock. due to disagreements with editor Harvey Richards and artist Scott McDaniel. The series is eventually canceled after just eight issues.

9/19/2011 - J.T. Krul is replaced on Green Arrow the same month as its first issue is released. 

9/30/2011 - Writer-artist George Perez announces his departure from the flagship Superman book the same month its first issue is released. Perez completes his first arc, but is the first to dish on behind-the-scenes problems, "Unfortunately when you are writing major characters, you sometimes have to make a lot of compromises, and I was made certain promises, and unfortunately, not through any fault of Dan DiDio, he was no longer the last word, I mean a lot of people were now making decisions; they were constantly going against each other, contradicting, again in mid-story."

10/12/2011 - Editorial conflicts and strong differences of opinion with co-writer and artist Ethan Van Sciver cause writer Gail Simone to step away from Fury of Firestorm. 

11/14/2011 - Ron Marz leaves Voodoo after his script to issue #5 is tossed out by editors. The series is canceled after ten issues. 

1/19/2012 - DC Entertainment shows off their new logo. This fan wonders why the new logo didn't debut with the New 52 re-branding. 

​Cover to Before Watchmen: Comedian, art by Jim Lee. DC Comics.

2/1/2012 - DC officially announces Before Watchmen, directly against the wishes of series creator Alan Moore. Rights to the Watchmen property were to revert to Moore and co-creator David Gibbons a certain number of years after the series was out of print, but DC has kept the book in print since its release (and for good reason - it's a perennial best-seller). Though Moore swore off DC in the late 1980s, some creative entanglements with DC continued, with work on V for Vendetta and titles under the WildStorm line. With Before Watchman, Moore fans realize any chance of reconciliation is permanently off the table.

4/20/2012 - Vertigo writer Chris Roberson (iZombie, Fairest) leaves DC and publicly burns bridges with the company. "Sorry. In a better world, characters like the Legion would be owned by a more ethical company, but sadly not in this one. The short version is, I don’t agree with the way they treat other creators and their general business practices."

8/23/2012 - Rob Liefeld leaves all of his DC duties - writing and drawing Deathstroke and writing Grifter and Savage Hawkman.  He cites major conflicts with editor Brian Smith, and says of his time at DC, "Reasons are the same as everyone's that you hear. I lasted a few months longer than I thought possible. Massive indecision, last minute and I mean LAST minute changes that alter everything. Editor pissing contests... No thanks. Last week my editor said, 'Early on we had a lot of indie talent that weren't used to re-writes and changes. [That] made it hard.' Uh, no, it's you."

12/3/2012 - Long-time editor Karen Berger steps down from Vertigo, DC's "mature readers" publishing imprint. 

12/9/2012 - Writer Gail Simone is unceremoniously dumped from Batgirl, a book with solid sales and a strong fanbase, with no apparent explanation, through an email from editorial.

​Cover to Batgirl #1, art by Adam Hughes. DC Comics.

12/21/2012 - Gail Simone is re-hired on Batgirl after massive fan outcry. 

1/14/2013 - Robert Venditti, the announced writer of the all-new Constantine book, is replaced by Ray Fawkes before his first issue hits the stands. 

1/14/2013 - Jim Zubkavich, hired to write Birds of Prey, is removed from the book and replaced by Christy Marx before his first issue hits the stands.  Nick Spencer, who had a similar experience on Supergirl in 2010, finally speaks out, "Seeing lots of ‘that’s how it is in this business,’ stuff in regards to the day’s news. It really isn’t, and it certainly shouldn’t be. To be a little more direct: the way DC treats a lot of their freelancers is absolutely abhorrent. When it happened to me on Supergirl, I didn’t say much, because I didn’t want to dwell on the negative. But when you see it happen to so many good people, and the damage it does to their careers, their incomes, etc…It’s just not okay. I don’t understand the need for it, and I wish it were otherwise. I love DC, love the characters, and I know I did some of my best work there. And I’m very happy for my friends who have been successful there. But I would tell any creator - especially newer, younger ones - to be extremely careful in doing business there."

1/16/2013 - Superman Family Adventures duo Art Baltazar and Franco discover that their book has been canceled when that month's Previews catalog lists the latest solicitation as the book's final issue.

1/25/2013 - Keith Giffen leaves Legion of Superheroes after just two issues. The pairing of artist Giffen with writer Paul Levitz was to be a re-united "dream team" for Legion fans, since both creators brought the book to critical and sales heights in the 1980s. 

Cover to Insurgent #1. DeSanto & Farmer/DC Comics.​

3/13/2013 - Insurgent , a creator-owned 6-issue sci-fi mini-series (from screenwriter Todd Farmer and F.J. DeSanto), is axed after three issues (especially stinging considering the series was shelved for nearly three years due to the DC purchase of Wildstorm). Sales were low, but cancellation of a mini-series is almost unheard of, as publishers will typically ride out the low sales knowing that they have no obligation to continue the arc past its already-established finite number. Some explanation for the first issue's low sales might be blamed on the fact that the title appeared under the "DC Kids" section of the Previews retailer order form despite being made for adults.

3/20/2013 - Josh Fialkov quits both Green Lantern Corps and Red Lanterns before his first issues hit the stands. Rumors swirl that editorial wanted to kill off the Green Lantern John Stewart, but if it was ever planned (DC denies it), the company has decided against it...for now.

3/20/2013 - Andy Diggle, who was to take over the reigns on Action Comics after Grant Morrison's departure, leaves the book before his first issue hits the stands, citing "professional differences." DC announces Tony S. Daniel as his replacement, but... 

3/22/2013 - Tony S. Daniel leaves Action Comics the same week he gets the new writing assignment.

3/26/2013 - Bleeding Cool notices that writer Mike Johnson, already scheduled to leave Supergirl, bows out much earlier than expected, with his name still on the cover of a book he was supposed to write and didn't.

3/29/2013 - Bruce Timm, Supervising Producer of WB Animation and the man behind every DC animated project since Batman: The Animated Series debuted in 1992, steps down, disinterested in the increasingly popular direct comic-to-film adaptations that the company produces. In this fan's eyes, Timm's contribution as a "welcome wagon" to the entire DC Universe can not be overstated. He kept DC characters on TV for 20 years in lively, well-made shows and is responsible for a whole generation of DC fans.

4/9/2013 - DC replaces Mico Suayan as artist on Red Hood and the Outlaws after the gruesome cover to #19 leaks to Bleeding Cool.  Unchanged credits on the book reveal that the decision may have been a last minute one.

5/17/2013 - Long-time DC writer James Robinson leaves Earth 2 and DC Comics. The move comes as a surprise as Robinson's enthusiasm for the book and long-term plans for the Earth 2 version of Batman had been heavily publicized. "I'm no longer working at DC Comics," Robinson tweeted.

8/1/2013 - DC heads Dan Didio and Jim Lee address the editorial troubles. "I think it’s actually been a little bit less in the last decade than it’s ever been," Didio said, which dodges the question of just what the heck is going on over there right now. Jim Lee is more direct, but throws creatives under the bus a little for not being able to properly collaborate, "To me it’s the normal course of business in that not everyone’s going to agree creatively what to do with a book. The company has to reserve the right to control the destiny and the futures of the characters, and the creators have to decide if they’re willing to work in an environment where they’re telling their story but in the framework of a universe that has continuity and you have to work with all of these other different creators and editors that would want to control the directions of the characters." This doesn't explain how these same creatives are able to collaborate as work-for-hire elsewhere.

Lobo redesign by Kenneth Rocafort

8/9/2013 - Justice League 3000 was to be a "dream team" book reuniting writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis with artist Kevin Maguire.  Somewhere along the way, DC got cold feet with the lighter direction of the book (before the first issue had hit the stands, of course, because why wait for the fans' reactions) and fired Maguire, replacing him with Howard Porter. "I'm still a bit perplexed as to how it got to this point," said Maguire, reflecting the feelings of many fans who wondered why DC would even hire the beloved Justice League International veterans in the first place if they didn't want a book that was anything like Justice League International.

8/23/13 - DC launches a third version of the New 52 Lobo, the only character in the New 52 to experience three reintroductions since the company rebranding just two short years ago (first by Rob Liefeld who was told to drop Lobo's biker look, then a more traditional take by Jim Starlin, and now an all-new take on the character, who retroactively replaces those versions, designed by Kenneth Rocafort). Regardless of fan outcry over Lobo's slimmed-down, younger look, the third Lobo reboot stands as an example of conflicting editorial direction with no guiding vision over the New 52 universe.

9/5/2013 - Citing last-minute editorial meddling on approved storylines (and not because of an anti-gay marriage stance from DC Comics, as some spreading the news would have you believe), J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman stepped down from their duties on Batwoman. Williams stated on his site, "All of these editorial decisions came at the last minute, and always after a year or more of planning and plotting on our end. We’ve always understood that, as much as we love the character, Batwoman ultimately belongs to DC. However, the eleventh-hour nature of these changes left us frustrated and angry - because they prevent us from telling the best stories we can. So, after a lot of soul-searching, we’ve decided to leave the book after Issue 26."