National Comics 'Eternity' Cover Up

[espanolbot]

Basically the National Comics imprint is DC's new line, intended to explore "dormant" characters in the DCnU such as Kid Eternity, Madame X (presumably Xanadu) and Rose and Thorn.

"The first issue, written by Jeff Lemire with art by Cully Hamner will center around Eternity. This is the story of police coroner Christopher Freeman. After being given a second chance on life, he finds himself with the ability to resurrect the dead. Freeman uses his new ability to help those he resurrects to find their murderers and to gain closure, so they can continue to the other side."

This could be interesting. :) Plus the cover is neat.
http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/04/national-comics/

Comments

[icon_uk]

So rather than a kid who is given power to summon ghosts from history to fight crime because it was kinda cool, he's now an adult with necromancy powers with a plot drive nicked from Pushing Daisies (And to a lesser extent the sadly abortive pilot "17th Precinct")?

[espanolbot]

On the plus side, this guy kind of looks like John Lennon... yay?

[icon_uk]

The glasses are a hark back to Grant Morrison and Duncan Fegredo's Vertigo take on the character (who was then perhaps the first Vertigo character to come back to the DCU when he appeared to joined the Teen Titans, with yet another variant set of powers, before being killed AGAIN.. which shouldn't have been possible, what with him being dead already)

[michael_ellis_day]

But, as any comics writer will tell you, the police procedural with magic powers added is the ultimate form of art! All comic books must eventually turn into paranormal police procedurals, the highest goal to which they or any other art form can aspire!

Also, the National imprint is actually obligated to do this under their corporate mandate to root out any character you might have enjoyed in the past and suck all the fun out of it, so that even your fond memories of past comics become more dilute. It's not that they enjoy doing this; it's just the rule.

[arbre_rieur]

"All comic books must eventually turn into paranormal police procedurals, the highest goal to which they or any other art form can aspire!"

Well, after decades of all comics being turned into superhero stories*, it'll at least be a change of pace. ;)

*Yeah, that doesn't apply outside the Big Two, but I assume that's what we're talking about here.

[shadowpsykie]

hmmm also kinda like True Calling.... (which i believe was a totally underrated show!) and i think that came first....

[grazzt]

And let's not forget the genius Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, so this concept isn't even all that new to comics.

[cainofdreaming]

Less chance of seeing brought back Tesla - instant 1000 minus points.

[maxisanacorn]

Kid Eternity used to be Freddie Freeman's brother too.

He has the Freeman last name again.

Good to see Kid Eternity back in any form though, the off-panel Teen Titans fridging later rectified in Steph's Batgirl was HORRIBLE (in a scary way).

[icon_uk]

The sibling relationship beteen CMJr and KE was a retcon in the 1970's and 80's Adventure Comics, though an elegantly constructed and fun one. (One brother got powers because he didn't die when he should have, the other brother got powers because he DID die when he shouldn't)

I posted some stories (including that reveal) from that run many moons ago on s_d v1 but the change to the posting rules since then makes it damned tricky to edit them down to a third, and cutting down a Don Netwon drawn story always seems like a crime against art.

[lascoden]

I really like the concept behind National Comics, using underused characters. I wonder how unused, though. Maybe like Donna Troy or Wally West, characters that don't really have a place or role in the DCnU? Also, isn't Xanadu in Demon Knights?

[espanolbot]

And Justice League Dark, I remember that on Twitter (I think it was) Paul Cornell joked how she was becoming the Wolverine of the DCnU.

Not really sure who else it could be, the character being called Madame X and all.

[filthysize]

Madame X is not Xanadu. She's a Batman villain from a few years back.

[glprime]

"Huh, well she looks pretty coo- WHOA!"

[kamino_neko]

'She looks f'n awesome.'

[espanolbot]

Nope, they say that she'll be telling the future with cards and things, it'll be Xanadu.

[icon_uk]

The plot to Eternity also reminds me of the Tangent Green Lantern, I wonder if she's still around as she moved to the DCU not long before it became the DCnU.

[shadowpsykie]

didn't she die shortly after coming to the DCU? with the shadow cabinet... or maybe i am mixing my stories...

[blueprintstyles]

art can be misleading he could still be a kid.

[rdfox]

Not when he was a police coroner.

[nightauditguy]

Maybe he's Doogie Howser like?

[auggie18]

I approve of this line of thought.

[icon_uk]

They call him "the Cadaver Kid"

[filthysize]

Toetag says he was born in 84.

[shadowpsykie]

sooo 27-28

[auggie18]

This looks neat. It's a little disappointing that he's not a kid anymore, but whatever. Time to stop nitpicking tiny things about new DC comics. It still looks like a cool book. Definitely gonna pick it up.

[darkblade]

Why do you need an imprint for characters you aren't using normally? Why couldn't this just be a normal DC or Vertigo title?

[filthysize]

It's not an imprint. It's a monthly anthology series. Each character gets a done-in-one story.

Basically "DC Universe Presents" but with one-shots instead of 6-issue arcs. Rumor has it DCUP is getting canned to make way for this.

[maxisanacorn]

It's actually a really good idea. I love the redesign he got.

[akodo_rokku]

"Eternity" is being written by Jeff Lemire so that's really all anyone should need to know to determine that it's going to be great.

[sir_mikael]

Madame X, you say?