Books and Comics News: Aquapeople, Holmes, and Turf

Fixing Aquaman the Neal Adams Way!



I'm always interested in ways to fix Aquaman's public image, because I don't think it should be as hard as DC seems to think it is. I mean, look at how cool he is in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Neal Adams gets it too:

All he's ever needed was … hmmm … to be … oh, 6'3". To have the densest muscles of anyone on Earth … to swim like a powerboat with a costume that turns him into a creature OF the sea … and what he's always had … the ability to command any creature of the sea to drive RIGHT UP YOUR … imagination.

I'd add that he needs a defined personality that people actually like, but otherwise that works for me.

Big plans for Mera



Speaking of Aquaman, his wife has seen a lot of action in Blackest Night and Blackest Night: Wonder Woman lately, but according to Geoff Johns it's not going to end there. In this interview with Newsarama, Johns says, "She’ll be someone I’ll be working with in 2010, 2011 and beyond." It's about time she got some of the spotlight. [The Aquaman Shrine]

Sherlock Pulp



I'm planning to finally see Sherlock Holmes tonight. My expectations have been lowered by lukewarm reviews, but I'm still excited to see it. I haven't asked too many questions of my friends who've seen it for fear of spoilers, but I wonder whether they're turned off by the shift from mystery genre to action. I'm looking forward to finding out.

Which brings me to the above image: Hard Case Crime's decidedly non-mystery-looking cover to one of Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes novels. It's obviously not marketed to hard-core Holmes fans. Looking at it through my Holmes-fan eyes, I'm bothered about how it removes pretty much everything I like about those stories. But viewing it as a pulp fan - as Ron Fortier does - I think it rules. I suspect that my enjoyment of Guy Ritchie's movie will depend heavily on my ability to take off my Deerstalker and put on my Mickey.

Turf



I don't know much about this series, but I know all I need to. It's vampires vs. 1920s gangsters and aliens. I need this like I need love.