Let’s take a moment to complement the things we don’t like.
I’ll go first:
I don’t like Grant Morrison’s run on Batman, but I think the idea of making all stories part of continuity in some way is great and it’s fun seeing how Morrison fits them all in. It takes a lot of creativity to pull that off.
I don’t like Tom King’s run on Batman, but him staying so long despite the negative reception of his run is proof that he cares a lot about the story he’s writing and has a lot of integrity as a person. I know multiple people who have been deeply effected by his run, so it’s great that they’re getting a story for them.
I don’t like the movie Man of Steel, but I think Zod is great in it.
I don’t like Harper Row, but I feel like the character has a lot of potential for great storytelling. If writers were to try to use her more in stories, I think that she could add a lot to the universe.
I don’t like that Bendis tore down what came before him, but what he built in its place has been enjoyable so far. He has great ideas for stories even if his scripts don’t always live up to their potential.
I think AwesomeSquid has a point; Harper can be a good character–but first, every trace of her involvement in other characters’ origins needs to be scrubbed, and Row herself needs to be reworked from the ground up so she can excel with qualities unique to her, and not just copy-pasted from other vigilantes.
That’s as positive as I can be about that character without repeating “KILL IT WITH FIRE!”
I don’t really care about Batwoman, but she’s a one example of how a diverse character can become popular on their own, within a legacy, without being pandering or insulting to the readership.
Geoff Johns had his hand in the New52 and has written some dull stuff, but has not only scribed some good stuff, he has a skill for handling continuity to fix problems, like when Cassandra Cain was turned back to a heroine. I wouldn’t call it a super-rare talent, but it’s one that other writers seems to lack.
I thought Batman v Superman was–let’s say, not good, but Ben Affleck did a pretty good job as Bats, given the material he had to work with.
Wonder Woman’s third act was not great, but the rest of the movie is still entertain, and her marching through No Man’s Land was fittingly iconic.
The dinner scene in The War of Jokes and Riddles was a great idea and really entertaining.
Morrison’s JLA had some cool ideas. I maintain the execution was a flop, but if someone else handled the script, it could’ve been much better.
A death in the Family is so far the worst story I’ve ever read, but Jason’s death itself, while not the best idea from a broader perspective, was a really impactful and well-written moment in its own right.
The closing stretch of Devin Grayson’s Nightwing run where he’s undercover as a mob enforcer is actually pretty good. If the stuff before that were cut down to a lot fewer issues and got rid of a certain scene involving Tarantula, the story would be excellent.
The New 52… boosted sales for a little while? Yeah, I’ll go with that.
And Damian Wayne makes me unimaginably thankful for every book that doesn’t have him in it.
Burton’s Batman returns is a good work, and marks the turning point of showing the masses Catwoman is a strong empowered character, even though her origin, costume and Michelle Phifers performance are truly vomit worthy.
DC continually deciding that their continuity needs fixing only ends up making things worse in the long run, but stuff like the “Reboot Legion” and the New 52 integration of Wildstorm properties into the main DC continuity almost make up for the convolutedness that inevitably results from said decisions.
I think Captain Marvel is dull and its jokes are mostly “hey look a 90s business that’s dead” But Larson nails the cocky/confident flyer with a dry sense of humor
The “Steel” movie was a hot mess, but John Henry Irons is a great character who would make for a good film protagonist if better acted and directed.
Same goes for Jonah Hex and Hal Jordan.
I’m in the minority in that I’m not the biggest fan of the Nolan trilogy, but it had great special effects, quotable dialogue, and AMAZING villains.
From what I’ve seen and heard about Batwoman (both comic and new show) I’m not fond of her. But I am very glad a Jewish superhero is getting good representation