SDCC Day One: why I’m kinda sad

I’m kinda sad based on what I saw coming out of SDCC yesterday. Why? Let me show you:

Catwoman with her bra showing. And why not? According to the writer, “This is a dirty, dirty book, and you’re going to enjoy it.” Why? Because Catwoman is “a chick in a catsuit who steals things” “If anything goes wrong, she’ll scratch someone’s eyes out.”

Great. She’s not just sexy. She’s dirty.

Roy gawking at Kory. Let’s be thankful there is not spit on his chin. By the way this Roy never had a daughter named Lian. (It was also implied that Catwoman’s daughter has been jettisoned).

And now the most depressing.

On Tuesday DC broke the news via TMZ that “Lois and Superman were "dunzo” essentially making the retcon of the marriage into another celebrity break-up. Think about the choice they made. They went to a gossip site. A gossip site that covers break-ups and divorces and affairs. And they gave them the news that Lois and Superman would be no longer married. To the average person who doesn’t understand retconning and read the fine print, they are going to walk with a break-up not “it never happened”.

And now that that message is out, the deliver the second soundbit and image. Again think about the choice of outlet. Not a comic news site. Not an entertainment news site. A tabloid “the New York Daily News” - a paragon of subtly.

Look they want to reboot the marriage do it with respect. You want to know what I mean? Go read the Superman 2000 pitch that Morrison did. You’ll see. It ends the marriage but it will break your heart.

I don’t know if we’ll see the marriage end but we really don’t need to know it’s a Brand New Day in Metropolis:

Lois Lane, ace reporter. Lois Lane, celebrating a big story by getting laid. Lois Lane, a character who was a protagonist in the Action Comics #1 and the post-crisis reboot, The Man of Steel, reduced to someone designed to make you feel bad for Clark.

Of course, they could have chosen to have these panels be of her and new boyfriend heading out to dinner but then Lois wouldn’t be seemingly cheating on Clark. Because really, this isn’t about Lois. This is all about Clark:

Jim Lee:

“Many of us know what it’s like to be the odd man out and we think readers will have a soft spot for Clark when they see his reaction to Lois’ new boyfriend.”

But wait maybe, just maybe this will be a good story for Lois? Today we heard this:

“We’re really excited for fans to see this take on Lois in September. This character has always been a successful modern woman and her new role at the DAILY PLANET opens up dramatic new story possibilities.”

What kind of stories? Well here’s the headline from the Source “Lois Lane rides high with new love.” Because her love life defines her?

Lois Lane is dating a hunky new co-worker and the sky’s the limit for her career as the new boss of the Daily Planet’s TV and New media department.

Sigh.

And there was other stuff that bothered me:

Wonder Woman is back in heels. It’s dumb. Why? Change that. Please.

There was also a confirmation that Barbara Gordon is, as I suspected, deaged.

This Barbara Gordon is just out of college. Or maybe in college. There were conflicting statements.

Barbara Gordon a woman who who a librarian and had a law degree and who had been Batgirl and then Oracle in the old DCnU, is now the same age as Stephanie Brown.

Sigh.

This closeness in age should be interesting if the hints that Stephanie will be showing up are indeed true.

Of course, just who Stephanie will be is interesting. It was declared loud and clear yesterday that there are “four Robins” in the DCnU. Four.

My guess is that DC has now solved its issue of Stephanie being a Robin. Poof. She was never Robin. Makes those panel questions so much easier.

But there were two good things:

Batwoman, is reported on track with issues by Williams and Reeder finished up.

And someone called DC on their woeful amount of female creators when Didio asked the crowd what they had to do to win “you over”

Someone yelled out “Hire more women. You went from 12% women to 1% women.” Reports say there was applause.

Didio instead of saying, “working on it” or “right!” or “Wait to you see what Amanda Conner has coming” gave this response.

“Who should we have hired?”

Sigh.

Of course I could be completely misreading all of this and everything this will be hunky dory come September.

Sigh.