The Flash just had its third season premier and it throughly entertained me. I was impressed how the writers were able to use the Flashpoint concept and it made for a cool story with a very interesting twist at the end of the hour. It was a blast to see The Flash and Kid Flash in action side by side - and the tease of Dr. Alchemy has me looking forward to future episodes.
I recognise that picture! Trade heroes and win! The other villain in that cover was Batman's foe, Dr Ecks/ Double-X. On earth-stf I could see them vs the x-men.
ReplyDeleteRainbow Raider,to me, was very unpromising in concept, but Cary Bates made him believable as a villain to be taken seriously!
ReplyDelete"Cary Bates" ?
DeleteI remember the garbage he was putting out way back in Superboy & The Legion of Super- Heroes.
Every other issue was just the same nonsensical theme of either Duo Damsel, Projectra, Dream Girl, Matter - Eater Lad, Bouncing Boy, Braniac 5 .... "Oh, my powers are so weak, and I stink and how did I ever become a Legionnaire " ?
The outcome was always another Legion member with their fists on their hips telling about how its teamwork that makes us a team " or something similar .
The only reason those stories are considered "classics" is the art done by Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell otherwise they'd might have just been drawn by Jimmy James and used as bird cage liner !
The Rainbow Raider!! LOL!!! Anyone remember some of the more goofy villains and gimmicks like The Ten Eyed Man, Kite Man, and the Purple Pile Driver?? I even remember a clown with orange hair who sent Superman to the time of the founding fathers because he was allergic to super people. Great stuff.
ReplyDelete"I was impressed how the writers were able to use the Flashtime concept and it made for a cool story with a very interesting twist at the end of the hour."
ReplyDeleteUmm Ross, don't you mean "Flashpoint"?
-RC
NIGHTHAWK was an awesome character in the DEFENDERS. I wish he would come back without the writers trying to "modernize" him by altering his costume or making him a 14 tear old girl.
ReplyDeleteSecond anonymous, to be fair, Cary Bates did write a lot of stories, so some are good and some less so. My biggest gripe with his writing was the awful Trial of the Flash saga. That took up around two years of Flash comics which could have been so much better.
ReplyDeleteI remember the stories he posted about that Bates wrote and they were terrible. I had to check my LSH archives and he's right about them and 'the fists on the hips' is point on as it was incredibly lame LOL.
DeleteI don't know. The Abomination and the Rainbow Raider would've made more sense against the Flash and the Hulk. But, to help Roy G. Bivolo against Barry Allen? Who else but...Whizzer of the Squadron Sinister!
ReplyDeleteP.S.---the 3rd season premiere struck me as a little over-angsty. A case of going to the "Should-I-save-my-Mom-or-not?" well once too often.
ReplyDeleteCary Bates did great on Flash, I do agree the Trial issues could've been done better as in a real story vs villains or at least something about his supporting characters. His "run" on Flash is still one of my favorite comic sets.
ReplyDeleteCary's LSH had some interest but when you reuse plots enough, the sci-fi/future setting and great art couldn't cover it up! His Superman stories were usually pretty good.
I'll have to differ with you in that. Some parts of the trial story arc were good, but the Clive Yorkin bits were ridiculous and the whole idea of killing Iris Allen horrible. I'm glad I gave up before the whole spirit pulled into the future bit.
ReplyDeleteLSH _ruled_ under Cary Bates and Mike Grell! Although, Timber Wolf did strike me as looking too much like the love-child of Wolverine and Little Orphan Annie.
ReplyDeleteHey! No fair; you used that joke back @ issue #1596.
ReplyDelete@Carycomic: well, I admit that it might not be a funny joke. But, it's undeniably an accurate one!
ReplyDeleteP.S. @ Carycomic: The Whizzer of Squadron Sinister is now called "Speed Demon!" But, yes, he would be more appropriate as the Rainbow Raider's partner for a fight against the Flash and Nighthawk.
ReplyDelete