Women.

No where, I dare say, will you find stronger female characters than in DC's universe. This is a universe where, for the most part, women rule.

This is a universe where a sideways glance from Ma Kent can stop the most powerful man in the universe, cold.

Where a character can lose the use of her legs and through using her wits and mind, become more powerful than before.

A woman can lead a team of female superheroes from a wheelchair in The DCU.

A woman can be defined not by her gender but by her abilities to join a trinity of comics' greatest heroes.

In The DC Universe, the ability to pull off wearing fishnet stockings is a superpower.

This is a universe where mothers and fathers are proud of their daughters.


Read comics!

I'm sitting here in my apartment and I just noticed something. I am still. I am calm.

I am happy.

To those reading this, you've helped contribute to that in ways you could never, ever imagine.

I wish you all the best the day has to offer.

Thank you.

Is that The Green Lantern Corps: Recharged I just read and actually enjoyed? Why, yes! It was!

Well, it was no Darkstars, that was fer shure! Remember The Darkstars? They were designed to sorta be like the Green Lantern Corps but kinda more space cop-py. They were cop-ies!

Get it?

Long story short, The Darkstars after a while became a dumping ground for DC characters at a creative crossroads. Donna Troy was a Darkstar after losing her powers as was current JLA Green Lantern John Stewart, post-Cosmic Odyssey yellow death machine explosion.

With The Corps back and better than ever, do we need this cosmic copycat squad. Do you really think The Manhunters would fear these guys?

No.

Send them to Marvel where they can fight Nova and his amazing friends to see who sucks the most cosmos.

In the pages of Infinite Crisis #3, after being propositoned by Superman for a chance at a better world for himself and Gotham, Batman asks the question any good father would basically ask, "Would my child be a better person for it?"

When Superman tells him the answer is "No.", there was never even a deal to be made.

Batman...not an a-hole, just a damned good man.

Read comics!

What do Swamp Thing, Starman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) and Superman all have in common? *

OK, besides that. That’s too obvious.

You’ll never get it….

Give up? The one common thread they all share is space.

Space.

It isn’t some bias that I’ve suddenly developed. It’s something I’ve discovered that I do. Sort of like sticking one’s hands down one’s pants while watching television. If you want me to continue reading a comic, don’t send your character into space. I will drop your book. That is not a threat. It is just the truth.

When a writer needs to explore a character’s humanity, they have some sick need to have that character bounce their humanity off an alien’s. We all know how these comics turn out, with our hero, hair blowing in some alien wind and framed by an alien sunset saying something dumb like, “Why did I have to go so far away just to appreciate what I have on Earth? Thanks you, aliens.” After witnessing the alien equivalent of a Mexican donkey show, I’d probably have the same feelings about America and Jade. (Hi, Kyle!)

Jack Knight’s father never visited the stars in order to become a better Starman. Ted Knight was Starman and dammit, that’s all we needed to know. Ted Knight didn’t need Space Cabby to show him the way home. Superman should know that whatever problems he had on Earth would still be there when he got back. For Pete’s sake, that’s the type of thing that in another time, Superman would have had to explain to Jimmy Olsen. “Wonder Woman In Space” did nothing for Wonder Woman other than expose the fact that she had no city or supporting cast worth defending.

The main thread that these space stories share is that the characters all went off to space in order to “find their way home” after some kind of soul-shaking personal event in their lives. I don’t know about you but I don’t read Superman for a monthly dose of super-heroic self-doubt. I read comics to reconnect with my humanity, not have it questioned. I know it may sound silly and cold but let’s be honest, we are not there for the superhero, we want the superhero to be there for us. If you wanna see me run away from a hero, all you’ve gotta do is have them whine. The space adventure has become the superhero equivalent of the therapist couch and we, the readers, are left to decide on whether or not we want to pay for the journey.

Space just leaves me cold.

* The author of this blog is the pround recipient of two "F's" in two sciences he never used anyway and one "D+" in Earth Sciences with which if he throws a rock at your head, he'll know if it's igneous or somesuch. Do not listen to him.

Listen, I know I've been lame this week. I've contributed nothing to the blogosphere.

The short reason? I got sick. The Bird Flu. The media told me I'd catch it but did I listen? No! Like man idiot, I just kept living my life.

Now, you can tell everyone that you know somebody who knows someone who got The Bird Flu.*

Anyway, here's what I've got cooking for the coming days:

The final two of "Seven Reasons To Become A DC Comics Fan."

"Why I Hate Saturn, Rann And Space Cabby."

Another Character Donation!

The Red Bee: 2006! and...

"Seven Hells!": The Year-End Issue!

"Seven Hells!": Making comics ashamed all over again!

*I don't have The Bird Flu. I have the scurvy.

Arthur Curry responds to the impending release of Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis...

One of my favorite stories to tell is how at Thanksgiving a few years ago, my cousin stood up in front of a bunch of turkey-filled a-holes (Us, her boy cousins) and proclaimed:

"I have an announcement to make. I no longer want to be called (*). I don't feel like that girl anymore. From now on, I hope that you all will take to calling me "Nova Sunshower.*"

* Names were changed to protect her silly ass.

Reactions ranged from:

"**** that ****!" to "Girl, you bumped your head. Sit your ass down!" to "I got five on what she's smokin'."

Well, I, Devon Sanders, have an announcement. I no longer want this blog to just be "Seven Hells!".

It no longer feels like that blog.

From here on out, I'd like for you all to refer to this blog as "Seven Hells!": Sword of Atlantis."

Continue with your meal.

It's happened four times now and I couldn't be happier.

I've had to re-order copies of Jonah Hex #1 and yesterday I put in a re-order for Jonah Hex #2.

Why, you may ask, is that reason to make this one of the seven reasons to become a DC Comics fan?

DC Comics has brought back variety in their DC Comics line. Last year, DC brought back space adventure in a big way with the Adam Strange mini-series. (Collected in the Adam Strange: Plane Heist trade paperback, on sale now.)

This year, they reinvigorated the Western with the release of the excellent Jonah Hex ongoing series.

Next year, war comics return with comics great Joe Kubert and Sgt. Rock in tow. (On sale January 18th.)

I don't know about you but just knowing that these characters are back out there on The DC Universe's front lines and on the comics rack assures a bit that the industry is as strong as it's been in a good while. Sometimes the best ideas continue to be the simplest ideas. What could be simpler than men who go out there, fighting the good fight with nothing but their given names and earned respect.

Read comics!

This story can be found in the Superman/Batman Volume One: Public Enemies trade paperback.


Where other companies...


SPOILER WARNING!!!!


shoot their highly unlikable Ultimate butlers in the forehead for the sake of shock value...

please believe that in The DC Universe if you even so much as threaten a butler, he will not hesitate to put a cap in your ass.

DC Comics where the help are just as tough as the superheroes.

Read comics.

This story can be found in the Batman: Year One hardcover.

Corruption has eaten Gotham alive. A message needs to be sent. Explosives break down walls allowing access to the those who thought they were untouchable...

Where other publishers put irony above everything else, symbolism is king in The DC Universe.

Read comics.

Reason Number Two:

This scene can be found in Legends: The Collection trade paperback.

In The DC Universe, being a Black woman, in and of itself, is practically a superpower.

Read comics.

Reason Number One:

This story can be found in JLA Volume Two: American Dreams.

A rogue faction of militaristic angels invades Earth while the forces of Hell pull down The Moon from out of the sky.

Standing between them: The JLA.

Heaven invades, riding down on a (un)holy burning ark. Should it touch down, all that is unholy will burn.

In the heavens, Superman wrests The Moon from Hell. On the ground, The JLA fights back angels. In the air, Wonder Woman tries to stop the ark's flaming descent.

Burned and spent from the touch of Heaven, The Manhunter stands alone against Heaven's general, Asmodel. Nearly felled, his resolve remains steady.

"You...shall not...pass...Asmodel," falls from burnt and searing lips. Then, when the day seems darkest, a familiar hand meets The Manhunter's shoulder.

"You've done enough, old friend. Stand down. I'll take over now."

Superman has joined the battle. With no others available to reach the skies to halt the ark, The Martian Manhunter, whose sole weakness is flame, comes to her aid.

Rogue angels fall. Hell stands defeated and the former Kid Flash utters these words:

"We are The Justice League...and The Bad Guys have left the building."

Read comics.