tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862722106761723755.post1854560144340788289..comments2023-11-13T13:46:13.960-06:00Comments on DC Bloodlines: Review: Stalker #2Diabolu Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862722106761723755.post-46213781006289011672011-06-17T19:43:42.319-05:002011-06-17T19:43:42.319-05:00Frank, Ends of the Earth is pretty easy reading ev...Frank, Ends of the Earth is pretty easy reading even if you are not "into" the WW story surrounding it. I read the issues cold and dug them.Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07352646370918575626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862722106761723755.post-55920788200967682662011-06-07T18:33:16.768-05:002011-06-07T18:33:16.768-05:00Okay, now that I got my OT rambling out of the way...Okay, now that I got my OT rambling out of the way last time, let's talk about the actual <i>Stalker</i> issues. I can't remember for sure if I had the first issue as a puppy, or if I'm combing memories the house ads of that glorious cover with recaps from a later issue. Whichever issue it was, a copy of <i>Stalker</i> was one of my very first comics, and I found it oddly compelling.<br /><br />In my youth, I struggled with the "weird" artists like Ditko, Kane, and Kirby who had very distinctive and unusual styles. They were very prolific, but were often on short-lived "off brand" titles, which led to negative associations on my part. I knew Ditko had done Spider-Man through reprints, but I preferred the more safe, "on model" John Romita Sr. I kind of liked what little I had seen of his Charlton work, but those were hard to come by. Even on the old <i>Strange Tales</i> issues I had, I kind of resented Ditko for drawing Dr. Strange so much differently than everyone else, plus he had Steranko Nick Fury to contend with. Thankfully, as an adult, I've learned how wrong-headed my prejudices were, but <i>Stalker</i> was that one shining moment when I had a Ditko book as a babe that I fully appreciated.<br /><br />Nobody draws like Ditko, so even through the heavy embellishment of Wally Wood, I recognized the man. However, I was struck by how much more palatable Ditko's work was on this book. Wood was dead by the time I was coming into comics, so I didn't discover him until much later. I just knew somebody had done something right, because I could finally enjoy Ditko's dynamic, emotive, peculiar storytelling without being distracted by the furthest manifestations of his eccentricity. Wood made the girls pretty, gave the figures weight, and offered cinematic lighting that brought the characters to life.<br /><br />Paul Levitz's story read very well, and he was one of those guys that never disappointed me growing up. Stalker had a well thought out mythology, and I honestly think his soul-stealing origin gave me my first taste of existential angst. Stalker was probably my first anti-hero, driven by cold vengeance and motivated by supremely poor choices in his life. Stalker was a really intense guy, and those red eyes of his creeped me out. <br /><br />It was a pleasant surprise when James Robinson brought back Stalker for a JSA crossover, but making him a giant stand-in for Dgrth felt like a missed opportunity to me. It's not that Stalker isn't scary enough to be a villain, but he should be more sneaky and cutthroat like a... um... stalker. You definitely make me want to check out that <i>Wonder Woman</i> arc, but DC unfortunately released trade collections before and after it that left me stone cold. Still, I need to chart a course through those <i>Stalker</i> issues, then see about working my way up from there. I wish they'd put it in a shiny new trade.<br /><br />Once again, awesome coverage, Anj! Thank you!Diabolu Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04685199809207954223noreply@blogger.com