Thothblog

I enjoy comics.  I do.  I look forward to the weekly Wednesday and/or Saturday trek to my comic store.  I enjoy the look and smell of the new books, the great conversation with the various patrons and store owner.  Its a chance to take a little step out from the regular world and to revel in the enjoyment that is comic books.  As for the comics themselves, the people who are integral to the books, whether they be weekly or monthly or even one-shots, these people get to help create and continue worlds that many people find escape in and find every day enjoyment in.

Brian Cunningham is clearly not one of them.  Don’t get me wrong, his name appears in Teen Titans Issue 78, not on the cover, but inside, in fairly big letters credited with editing the book.  Now in case you aren’t familiar with what an editor does, or you are a DC editor and have NO idea what so ever, I am going to throw out a quick list of things a comic book editor should be doing.  Comic book editors help the overall flow of a universe, they ensure that if say Superman shows up in a Flash book, that some crazy writer has ensured that the character is not dead or actually a solar system away doing something else.  Continuity.  They also make sure that writers and artists are not taking too many liberties with characters and that certain plot lines and such get followed and nobody is swearing up a storm on page 7.

So now that we have an understanding of what comic book editors should be doing most comic fans will be scratching their heads wondering why that doesn’t happen more.  Unfortunately I don’t know, but Brian is a prime example of how comic book editors are milking their books.  I say milking because I would wager that a pothead deciding between hot dogs or Doritos at the local convenience store exerts more brain power in that decision than Brian put into Teen Titans issue 78.  Now, I can forgive the fact that the printer didn’t bother to bind the book with two staples (every copy at my store like this) and there is no way Brian could have stopped this.  I also understand that Brian is stuck with a wickedly lazy creative team so we are going to get 3 panels with the same damn image in it and Rose apparently has her family 5 o’clock shadow going.  Got it.

Ya know what I would not expect to see though is a Slade who is sporting a goatee in most of the book, just not have one at all in a random panel.  Especially when 2 panels away the almost SAME FUCKING IMAGE HAS HIM WITH A GOATEE.  I get that artists and inkers and colorists can be lazy.  BUT AT ANY POINT DID YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE PAGES.  Just add another name to the giant list of editors who don’t do shit for comic books.  Congrats Brian, the list isn’t distinguished but at least its long and for the moment, your on top.

Brian Cunningham and DC comics, consider your chops busted.

Lazy Art