I’ve now read the first collected volume of that series, Young Justice: Gemworld, and I’m just as confused as I anticipated.
Bendis has indeed restored the core of the original team: Tim Drake as Robin, Conner Kent as Superboy, Bart Allen as Impulse, and Cassie Sandsmark as Wonder Girl. In addition, he’s added three more girls, versions of established heroes/trademarks: Jinny Hex, Amethyst, and Teen Lantern (leaving out the original Young Justice’s Secret,
Of course, the original Young Justice series was far from deep. Launched by Todd Dezago and then taken over and scripted almost entirely by Peter David, it was a sitcom. It had catch phrases, laugh lines, villains and supporting characters whose names were based on puns. Sure, there were many moments of teen angst and very special episodes and all that. But fundamentally that series didn’t take itself too seriously. This team formed because a bunch of young superheroes liked hanging out, not because they had a crucial mission or psychological need. That’s why the unorthodox artwork of Todd Nauck worked.
Bendis has restored the group, but he hasn’t restored that tone. To be sure, these first issues are devoted to reintroducing and introducing the team through one breathless flashback after another. But I recall only two jokes fondly, one of them repeated and the other almost lost in small panels.
The new series doesn’t need to follow the same path, of course. So far, however, there just isn’t enough adolescent drama (as in Teen Titans at its best) or threats to this world (as in the intermediate, TV-spin-off Young Justice magazine) to make up for the loss.
I haven't picked up Young Justice,but that it's re-doing what are basically old stories shows,I think,that the reboot was not completely successful.It seems that they did the same with the Titans from what I've heard,and they restored Superman's old stories too.So much for starting from scratch.I haven't read much from the new stuff that DC is releasing,but just trying to get into it it seems confusing.So from what I've seen,I share your sentiment.At first glance,I feel that DC doesn't have a clear direction either for the Titans(the original and the Wolfman/Pérez era) or Young Justice,going by the amount of re-designs and retcons.But I haven't read much,so are these accurate statements to make?
ReplyDeleteI've read some on your other posts on DC and comics,and you certainly know your stuff.It's been a great read.
But wasn't the archer girl in the original Young Justice comics Arrowette,not Artemis?
You're right about Arrowette, of course. The change to Artemis in the Young Justice TV show interfered with my memory of the earlier comic.
ReplyDeleteThe Titans and Young Justice have been reconceived a lot, and probably will be again. The publisher is trying both to appeal to current teens (a moving target) and to older readers nostalgic for the earlier stories they read about those characters or similar ones. The high point for the Titans in terms of sales, critical reception, and influence was the Wolfman/Pérez series of the 1980s, and reboots are constantly trying to catch that magic again. I'm frankly a little surprised to see the same sort of nostalgia for the David/Nauck Young Justice, but I was willing to give it a try.