Been a While...

While I could take this brief entry to talk about 'The Dark Knight' and how awesome it was; or discuss the ramifications that 'Hell Boy 2's success had on comic movies of the future; or reminder the reader about how much I detest Dan Didio, I am simply going to reference two characters (one from each of the big 2 comic book houses) that should be getting much better treatment than they've received over the past couple of months (my one shameful caveat is that I'm not too current on their whereabouts and well-being as of the past couple of weeks...so don't sue me if I'm misguided):

Nightwing: is there a hero more abused and left to dust like Dick Grayson? Almost a decade ago he was heading up a new JLA. A couple years ago he and Superboy destroyed the Anti-Monitor. He headed up the Outsiders after the Titans failed. He's consistently been the best of the Dark Knight (careful, smart, a great tactician, and cocky) and Superman (no powers but has a heart of gold and actually cares about his teammates). By far he would be my choice to lead the DCU through the next crisis (which I'm still unsure if they're even in one right now...all I've seen is a few folks hangin' out with Libra).

My issue is that they were first going to kill him. Now they're gonna kill Batman (equally ridiculous) and have Dick become Bruce (which he doesn't want to do and it's been done already, see Knightfall). When he left the Outsiders he lost all sense of the good balance between bad ass leader and compassionate teammate. Now he's just as brooding as Batman. DC needs to return this kid to his glory and soon.

Layla Miller: Without her, the Marvel Universe would be stuck in the House of M. While that's a great series and it has had some success with an elseworlds spin off (HoM: Avengers) we're smack dab in the middle of the Skrull Invasion. And where is she? What's she doin'? She got recruited by SHIELD and had to turn it down. Really? Does anyone realize that A. Layla had her mutant powers BEFORE she became a teen (for those lay folks, when you hit puberty you get your mutant powers along with acne...) and B. she's the most well spoken wisest character out there this side of Stephen Strange, who is now MIA.

While putting her in X Factor and having Peter David write for her is always a treat, they sent her into the future and (I believe) she has yet to return? Or she has and is still just hanging out on that step? Can someone tell me why she's not messing up Skrulls with one thought?

All right, 'nuff said. Also I've given up on Trinity. I don't really care what's happening with any of the Big Three since the week to week writing hasn't been as fresh as the first issue. Oh, and someone let me know, again, when they bring back Barry Allen so I can stop buying comics.

pb