Private Rooftop Invitational: Martian Manhunter by Paul Milligan

More than a year ago, Dean Trippe began contacting some frequent art contributors for a special project: the first ever Project: Rooftop Invitational, a massive jam redesign of a superhero team. This being his first try at anything like this, it took a while to select and confirm the artist roster, as well as their individual choices of team members to redesign from the chosen super-team, the Justice League of America!

Paul Milligan designed this his version of Martian Manhunter for Project Rooftop.  It's awesome.

Superheroes vs. the LAPD: Video (Superheroes Strike Back!)

I can almost hear Twisted Sister playing the background.  Controversy has been brewing in Los Angeles over conflicts between costumed characters and the LAPD. It ain't exactly Civil War, but it looks like these costumed characters are ready to strike back -- If they don't kill each other first.

This is the strangest  collection of "superheroes" I have ever seen.  I always knew something was missing from the Justice League or the Avengers, I guess it was Charlie Chaplin. (Source: Comic Book Movie).

Why DC Needs Ben Caldwell's Manga Wonder Woman

For me Wonder Woman's finest hour came when George Perez was writing her stories. Perez's books were captivating and he had a way of making Wonder Woman seem fresh and exciting. Unfortunately, after Perez left the book, DC seemed to regulate the Amazon Princess to a second tier character. In my mind, she was only a relevant and/or exciting character when she was involved with the Trinity (Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman). Her stand alone books seemed boring, meaningless and without relevancy to anything of substance going on in the DCU.

Then came Bruce Timm and the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited cartoon series. Timm's stories made Wonder Woman once again a fantastic character full of heroics and humanism. He walked the line very well with Diane making her one of my favorite characters on the show. She wasn't just relevant within the Trinity, she was relevant in her own right.  Diane was powerful, smart, compassionate, beautiful, humorous, intimidating and kind.

Recently, cartoonist Ben Caldwell's fresh, new take on Wonder Woman has circulated in and around the Internet.  Caldwell bring us a young and hip and continuity free, Wonder Woman packaged in a digest size format. His Wonder Woman is very cartoony (think Skottie Young) with a skew toward the generally female friendly Manga style.

DC needs to take a good hard look (or another good hard look) at Caldwell's take on the Amazon Princess.  In my opinion, this new look and story(s) will bring in new young readers and bring back those of us that have always enjoyed Wonder Woman but have lost faith in her stories over the years.

 I have posted some of Caldwell's Wonder Woman art that has been floating around the Internet for your enjoyment.  Please take a look and let me know if you agree with me that his take could re-energize this once fantastic character.

Another Sh*tty Story Unveiled: Cover of JLA/THE 99 #1

Before we start our diatribe, it needs to be pointed out the art on this comic is amazing. But the story of JLA/The 99 itself looks like a fucking disaster.  Absolutely no continuity with the DC Universe and not portrayed as an ElseWorlds Tale. The last thing anyone wants is to learn more B list superheroes FROM Teshkeel Comics.  It is excruciating enough to keep track of the god damn Legion of Superheroes.  Now you want me to learn 16 additional characters with the potential to become 99.  WTF?

NEW DC Variant Covers

DC Comics recently released a slew of variant covers for some upcoming books.    Here are the variants to GREEN LANTERN #56 by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #47 by Alex Garner, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #50 by Patrick Gleason and a double-shot of JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #6, with covers by Cliff Chiang and Kevin Maguire.

The Justice League is Making Horrible Recruitment Decisions

Look the Justice League has seen some real hard times lately.  Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and J'onn J'onnz are all not currently on the team in the DC Comics Universe.  So the League is desperate for some real superheroes, because right now they're relying on Vixen to save the world.

Yet as you can see above they turned away Super Grover for membership, who is not only one of the greatest superheroes to ever grace our planet, but has an amazing handle on the alphabet.  So the Justice League chose Super Grover over Aquaman.  Well, I guess the letter of the day must be M - for morons. 

Image courtesy Low Image Theatre 

DC Comics 'Fringe' Amazing Alternative Earth Covers

Late last week, DC Comics The Source, revealed a series of amazing covers that were created specifically for the season finale of the sci-fi show Fringe.

These beautifully creative covers each represent a direction that the DC editorial staff might have taken in an alternate universe

Gfest has all the covers below, side-by-side with their alternate counterparts.  Thanks to our friends at geekosystem.  Original covers are on the left; Fringe alternate covers are on the right.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Frank Miller’s seminal graphic novel.

The Crisis on Infinite Earths: the issue where Supergirl died.

The Death of Superman: one of the biggest events in DC history.

Justice League #1: Guy Gardner replaced with Jonah Hex. 

Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76. Red vs Green.