Join us, starting June 13 to July 1, for this year’s Pride Month Book Club: Crush & Lobo 1 - 3! After quitting the Teen Titans in a somewhat outlandish fashion, Crush is ready to take on the world in this furiously fun story. Will she face her challenges head-on? Will she get Lobo out of space jail?? Only one way to find out…
Here are some discussion questions to get things started:
Crush & Lobo #1 Discussion Questions
The comic uses the color Pink a lot throughout. What do you think the significance of this is?
Do you enjoy the way that Crush constantly makes fun of their own storytelling or do you prefer it when comics don’t break the 4th wall?
Is 45 travel mugs really too many?
Crush puts on this persona of being a very tough person, but then has little things that display another side of her. Her phone case for example. Do you think she’s softer than she seems or does she just really like unicorns?
When Katie asks Crush to leave on page 15, the panel is completely white with no background. Why do you think this is?
Crush & Lobo #2 Discussion Questions
On Page 1, Crush says that reading a story about someone who messes up might make you feel better about yourself. Do you think this is true?
Before the end of the issue, did you believe that Crush would return the ship that she stole?
Crush & Katie met in a child’s playground. Do you think that the location of where you meet your significant other says much about you/them?
On page 15, the alien mentions that Crush is Lobo’s kid without any form of prompting. Do you think there’s more to this or is the alien just connecting dots?
We learn right at the end of the issue that Crush is here specifically to deal with her
father issues. Do you think she’s doing this for her or to fix her relationship with Katie?
(Bonus!) - Is that Lobo on the wanted poster above the homeless person on page 10?
Crush & Lobo #3 Discussion Questions
Since coming face-to-face with one another, what do you think of Crush and Lobo’s relationship?
Why do you think Crush gets so offended by being called “Little Girl”? How do you feel about her reaction?
Do you think Crush is going too far out of her way for Lobo?
Does Lobo seem grateful at all to you? Or do you think he’s simply using Crush for his benefit?
What themes do you take away from Crush & Lobo #1-#3? What are your takeaways?
What would the Official DC Community Book Club be without some great digital perks?!? Check out these downloadable bookmarks and wallpapers:
#1 - The comic uses the color Pink a lot throughout. What do you think the significance of this is?
I believe the color pink used in this comic symbolizes affection, innocence, and teenage romance.
#2 - Do you enjoy the way that Crush constantly makes fun of their own storytelling or do you prefer it when comics don’t break the 4th wall?
I love when characters break the fourth wall! It reminds me of Deadpool comics.
#3 - Is 45 travel mugs really too many?
Damn I need to step up my travel mug collection!
#4 - Crush puts on this persona of being a very tough person, but then has little things that display another side of her. Her phone case for example. Do you think she’s softer than she seems or does she just really like unicorns?
I think Crush is a big softie beneath the hardcore tough girl persona.
#5 - When Katie asks Crush to leave on page 15, the panel is completely white with no background. Why do you think this is?
I think that was the moment Crush’s expectations started spiraling down.
Looking forward to reading some other answers to this. I got nothing.
I… actually really hate it. I don’t have a problem with fourth wall breaking as a rule, but the writer/narrator constantly drawing the reader’s attention to shortcomings or nonconformities of the story only to immediately reprimand the reader for supposedly caring, “Would a normal writer do this? no, but shut up!” gets old super fast for me. Maybe it’s because I see a lot of my younger self’s writing style in it? I think that goes for my feelings on issue #1 as a whole. I recognize that this is a very accurate depiction of an insecure teenager who’s overcompensating, but that’s not something I enjoy reading.
Eh, people collect what they collect. As long as she actually uses them, it’s cool. She can have some of mine.
Everything she does reads like textbook overcompensating to me. She’s an insecure teenager (or, you know, a teenager) who’s settled on an identity that doesn’t quite fit her, but thinks she isn’t able to change for whatever reason. Happens to everyone as they’re growing up (even half alien bounty hunters)
The all white background blends with the boarders, so that this panel takes up the whole page, making the characters look even smaller by comparison. I imagine this is how Crush is feeling. She wants to be this larger-than-life character, but is beholden to all the the crushingly human emotions of a breakup.
Hi team, to go with this Official reading club, can we maybe also get an official response as to why DC keep denying Wonder Woman’s LGBT identity during Pride month to the extent of even excluding her from all Pride reading list recommendations in the Infinite app? Thanks for your kind answer. @Alec.Holland@Jitsu
If said story is true, I think that there’s definitely a catharsis to it. I think this is the appeal of a certain brand of reality television.
I definitely thought it was a possibility. I don’t know Crush very well.
no. I mean, I guess it says a little about you that you’re the type of person who would wind up there for whatever reason, but the meeting of your SO is just a random happy event. I don’t think there’s any significance to where it happens.
I think Lobo has made a reputation for himself, and that the alien recognized Crush as the only other Xarnian alive. I don’t suspect that there’s any plot significance to this moment. I think its purpose is to remind the reader that Crush is working on getting out from under Lobo’s shadow.
Why not both? I think Crush has always known that she has issues she needs to deal with for her own sake, but caring for Katie and wanting to be a better person for Katie is what has inspired her to finally put in the work.
The comic uses the color Pink a lot throughout. What do you think the significance of this is?
Hmm not sure. At most I’d say Katie as that seems to be her color. Or love as that seems to be the theme. Or maybe just space as a lot of space ascetics tend to be purples and pinks.
Do you enjoy the way that Crush constantly makes fun of their own storytelling or do you prefer it when comics don’t break the 4th wall?
I enjoy dirty wall of done right and this was. Didn’t expect from her as wasn’t much in Titans but definitely fit her character. Also made some fun moments.
Is 45 travel mugs really too many?
Most may say yes but the day will come when your traveling with 44 other people and they don’t have any drink carriers who will they turn too.
Crush puts on this persona of being a very tough person, but then has little things that display another side of her. Her phone case for example. Do you think she’s softer than she seems or does she just really like unicorns?
Probably a mix. She likes the tough stuff but also they bot considered tough stuff. She like what she likes and doesn’t care.
When Katie asks Crush to leave on page 15, the panel is completely white with no background. Why do you think this is?
On Page 1, Crush says that reading a story about someone who messes up might make you feel better about yourself. Do you think this is true?
Maybe. Many May see that even these larger than people make mistakes and can even come back from them could be inspire or they just make good entertaining stories.
Before the end of the issue, did you believe that Crush would return the ship that she stole?
Maybe. Probably not but she’s May be feeling generous to do so at the end .
Crush & Katie met in a child’s playground. Do you think that the location of where you meet your significant other says much about you/them?
Yes. It’s all about where you start. But even bad starts can be good only making things stronger or good ones can end badly. But it may be more so about you versus both.
On page 15, the alien mentions that Crush is Lobo’s kid without any form of prompting. Do you think there’s more to this or is the alien just connecting dots?
I don’t think so. Definitely dot connection as he is the most famous Czarnian and with none left it’s a logical conclusion.
We learn right at the end of the issue that Crush is here specifically to deal with her father issues. Do you think she’s doing this for her or to fix her relationship with Katie?
Both. Probably if she can fix this maybe she can fix Her and Katie. Or just a distraction a problem but using another.
(Bonus!) - Is that Lobo on the wanted poster above the homeless person on page 10?
Since coming face-to-face with one another, what do you think of Crush and Lobo’s relationship?
Rocky as rocky road ice cream. But trying to amend at least from Crush’s end.
Why do you think Crush gets so offended by being called “Little Girl”? How do you feel about her reaction?
Probably with the mindset of being called a “little girl” signifies helpless or vulnerability based of earth society and Crush just doesn’t like that. Also a bit insulting since she’s a teenager not a little girl. A bit over the top but in the scenario perfectly okay.
Do you think Crush is going too far out of her way for Lobo?
A bit but she just wants to avoid a problem with another and this one seems the lesser of the too.
Does Lobo seem grateful at all to you? Or do you think he’s simply using Crush for his benefit?
Definitely using. He may care a little bit but his nature just prefers what’s best for him.
What themes do you take away from Crush & Lobo #1-#3? What are your takeaways?
Relationships are difficult and unique but talking them through can solve a lot.
Overall really enjoyed these. And went on to binge the rest. (Except the last as it’s not on DCUI yet so eagerly waiting next month for it). Really fun and unique story. Flows real well. Cool art. Just great stuff.
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not sure. At most I’d say Katie as that seems to be her color. Or love as that seems to be the theme. Or maybe just space as a lot of space ascetics tend to be purples and pinks.
