Click the link below for the episode on The Batman Universe
Part two of the Bendis Dump is here, which will get the boys caught up with the current Young Justice series. Jay and Rob continue their discussion from the previous episode with issues #13-14 as well as take a look at the appearance of the team in Action Comics #1020-1021. They also discuss the forward momentum of these books while looking forward to the next episode which dives back to the 1998 version of the team.
On The Surface:
The Bendis dump as they were called. Theses were two episodes that were books that had piled up since the pandemic and we thought rather do two issues at a time we would just we would just dump all of the issues on the podcasting table and cover them over two issues. What we found out was that over the two episodes we kinda did actually dump on the books a bit especially Action Comics in this episode.
Starting with the main two books being Yong Justice 13 and 14.
Here we are in 2020 and we have 14 issues of the series that launched in January of 2019. It has taken a year and a half to get us to the point where we are just now learning about what happened to teams memory in this "Rebirth"era Universe. Now I know this is 14 months of story telling but that is 14 issues/months worth of story telling. Bendis has given us back characters that we have not seen in years... some since 2002. I'm looking at you Arrowette. Speaking of the classic book let's recap who is here in 2020 on this team. We have Tim Drake Robin.. now Drake... don't get me started I'm just glad Tim is in a book! Conner Kent Superboy, Cassie Sandsmark Wonder Girl and Bart Allen Impulse! The core of the original team from 1998. That's not all Bendis added in Amy Winston aka Amethyst, plus he gave us a few new characters to play with, Jenny Hex, Teen Lantern and Naomi. All three of whom are created by Bendis himself. Now on the surface this is great! I was over the moon with this book. I still really like this book but the saying "this dose not scratch the surface" might as well say "don't scratch the surface, there's nothing underneath".
The book has been a feast for the eyes with Pat Gleason leading the charge, boy do i miss his art, then his replacement with John Timms. The art leaps off the page (a few exceptions with some guest artists but still good) and it makes you want to read more! There in lies part of the problem with Bendis. Jay and I have said a few times on the show that he's showing us but hes not telling us. If he is telling us it has taken so long to tell us something that i have forgotten what he's been saying. Going back to the surface theme again. I think Bendis has a surface knowledge of these characters, but it feels like there is not much more than that in the 14 issues. Now maybe he does have more knowledge of them but he has not doe a great job telling us that so far. I feel we spent way to long dancing around the Mulitiverse before we got them home. Now is Bendis expecting us to bring 20 years of history along with these characters into this book? Maybe but the idea is there... on the surface, but its not formed. It's action and set pieces and not much story... but not all the time. There are moments where he really delivers on story but it gets clouded from all of "set dressing" if you will.
Issues 13 and 14 lead us right to the door step of why don't they remember what happened to themselves before Flashpoint I'm assuming... again it's cloudy... on the surface. We have been givin more heroes in these two issues with Arrowette (finally), Aqualad, Sideways and Spoiler, plus Dial H for Hero (don't think they are permanent) and the Wonder Twins (also probably won't stay). All to help do a thing. WHAT IS THE THING?! Oh to figure out where Conner has been twice?
I say again, I am enjoying the book. It could be SO much much better... and should be. David Walker has been in to help right with Bendis on the last few issues. Is this to help or take over or... well maybe to help with the surface? We'll have to wait and seen i guess. See you next month where it's the 1998 book and that surface is full! I called the the show Everyone Loves Young Justice because most people do love Young Justice, the 1998 book, the wonderful animated series and tie-in comics. I just want to see it here too, and not just on... well you know.
-R
Send email feedback to elyjpodcast@yahoo.com
Twitter @elyjpodcast
Facebook at www.facebook.com/ELYJpod
