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    <title>Ask Chris - ComicsAlliance</title>
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      <title>Ask Chris - ComicsAlliance</title>
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      <title>Ask Chris #333: The Three Faces Of Superboy</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-333-three-faces-of-superboy/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 24 Mar 2017 20:00:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Is Superboy conceptually better as adolescent Clark, a cloned Superman, or Superman's son? — @chan_180

A: Here's the thing about Superboy: he's one of those characters who had to happen. It's like the Royal Flush Gang, or the Wrecking Crew. Sooner or later, someone was bound to put pencil to paper to come up with a bunch of playing-card themed villains or evil construction workers who tear everything up with crowbars and wrecking balls, and if Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster hadn't sat down to answer the question of what their most famous character was like when he was a kid, someone else would've had to. It's right there.

And I think there's evidence of that in the fact that over the past 72 years, we've gotten three completely different versions that actually all work. So let's see if we can't figure out which one works best. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-333-three-faces-of-superboy/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Is Superboy conceptually better as adolescent Clark, a cloned Superman, or Superman&apos;s son? &#x2014; @chan_180

A: Here&apos;s the thing about Superboy: he&apos;s one of those characters who had to happen. It&apos;s like the Royal Flush Gang, or the Wrecking Crew. Sooner or later, someone was bound to put pencil to paper to come up with a bunch of playing-card themed villains or evil construction workers who tear everything up with crowbars and wrecking balls, and if Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster hadn&apos;t sat down to answer the question of what their most famous character was like when he was a kid, someone else would&apos;ve had to. It&apos;s right there.

And I think there&apos;s evidence of that in the fact that over the past 72 years, we&apos;ve gotten three completely different versions that actually all work. So let&apos;s see if we can&apos;t figure out which one works best. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-333-three-faces-of-superboy/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/03/AC333.jpg?format=natural"/>
      <media:description xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">Ask Chris #333, background art by Babs Tarr</media:description>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=263945</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
      <category><![CDATA[Ask Chris]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[jon kent]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Kon-El]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Superboy]]></category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Ask Chris #332: The Masterpiece That Is Matt Wagner's 'Mage'</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-332-matt-wagner-mage/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Mar 2017 19:00:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you about Matt Wagner announcing that he's going to finish Mage? — @SuperSentaiBros

A: Like, 26? Maybe 27, but I don’t want to oversell things too much.

But yes: The most exciting piece of news to come out of Emerald City Comic-Con this year by a long shot was Matt Wagner announcing Mage: The Hero Denied, the third and final installment of a creator-owned series that dates back to the black-and-white boom of the '80s, and stands to this day as the single greatest comic book about magic baseball bats ever printed. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-332-matt-wagner-mage/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you about Matt Wagner announcing that he&apos;s going to finish Mage? &#x2014; @SuperSentaiBros

A: Like, 26? Maybe 27, but I don&#x2019;t want to oversell things too much.

But yes: The most exciting piece of news to come out of Emerald City Comic-Con this year by a long shot was Matt Wagner announcing Mage: The Hero Denied, the third and final installment of a creator-owned series that dates back to the black-and-white boom of the &apos;80s, and stands to this day as the single greatest comic book about magic baseball bats ever printed. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-332-matt-wagner-mage/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/03/AC332.jpg?format=natural"/>
      <media:description xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">Ask Chris #332, background art by Matt Wagner</media:description>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=262245</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
      <category><![CDATA[Ask Chris]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Image]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Mage]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Mage: The Hero Defined]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Mage: The Hero Denied]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Mage: The Hero Discovered]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[matt wagner]]></category>
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    <item>
      <title>Ask Chris #331: The Imaginary Story Cake Brunch That Sadly Never Happened</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-dc-comics-imaginary-stories/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Mar 2017 21:00:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Can you please explain this picture? — @settlechaos

A: I actually can! But I'll warn you right now, friend, the actual answer does not involve a bunch of superheroes hanging out on a patio eating chocolate cake while ignoring Jimmy Olsen's cries for mercy in the background. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-dc-comics-imaginary-stories/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Can you please explain this picture? &#x2014; @settlechaos

A: I actually can! But I&apos;ll warn you right now, friend, the actual answer does not involve a bunch of superheroes hanging out on a patio eating chocolate cake while ignoring Jimmy Olsen&apos;s cries for mercy in the background. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-dc-comics-imaginary-stories/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/03/AC331.jpg?format=natural"/>
      <media:description xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">Ask Chris #331, background art by Brian Bolland</media:description>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=261092</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
      <category><![CDATA[Ask Chris]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[DC]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Batman]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Curt Swan]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Jimmy Olsen]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Kurt Schaffenberger]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Lana Lang]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Leo Dorfman]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[lois lane]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Lori Lemaris]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[Otto Binder]]></category>
      <category><![CDATA[superman]]></category>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Ask Chris #330: Batman v Superman v World-Building</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-330-batman-v-superman-world-building/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Mar 2017 17:00:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Given the premise of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the studio's intent to launch Justice League from it, was the movie doomed from the start? — @CrookedKnight

A: That movie has Some Problems, friends. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-330-batman-v-superman-world-building/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Given the premise of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the studio&apos;s intent to launch Justice League from it, was the movie doomed from the start? &#x2014; @CrookedKnight

A: That movie has Some Problems, friends. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-330-batman-v-superman-world-building/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/03/AC330.jpg?format=natural"/>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=259658</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>The Handbook Of Extremely Obscure Batman Villains</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-329-lego-batman-obscure-villains/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 24 Feb 2017 18:00:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Hey, so in The Lego Batman Movie, there's a character called The Mime. What's the deal with that? — @comicsfan4life

A: That signal, shining in the sky --- someone needs me to explain an extremely obscure Batman villain to them! I have been training for this day my entire life.

It might come as a surprise, but I actually haven't seen The Lego Batman Movie yet --- although I definitely want to. As I understand it, though, the Mime is only one of several c- to z-list Batman foes who show up and somehow also manage to get toys out of the deal. So my question is, why stop with the Mime? <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-329-lego-batman-obscure-villains/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Hey, so in The Lego Batman Movie, there&apos;s a character called The Mime. What&apos;s the deal with that? &#x2014; @comicsfan4life

A: That signal, shining in the sky --- someone needs me to explain an extremely obscure Batman villain to them! I have been training for this day my entire life.

It might come as a surprise, but I actually haven&apos;t seen The Lego Batman Movie yet --- although I definitely want to. As I understand it, though, the Mime is only one of several c- to z-list Batman foes who show up and somehow also manage to get toys out of the deal. So my question is, why stop with the Mime? <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-329-lego-batman-obscure-villains/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/02/AC329.jpg?format=natural"/>
      <media:description xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">Ask Chris #329, background art by Kevin Nowlan</media:description>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=258474</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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    <item>
      <title>Ask Chris #328: Why Doesn't WildStorm Fit Into The DCU?</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-328-the-wildstorm-blues/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 Feb 2017 21:00:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Why aren't the Wildstorm characters a comfortable fit in the modern, edgier DC Universe? — @jdkrach

A: With Warren Ellis and Jon Davis Hunt reviving it in the pages of The Wild Storm --- and with characters like Midnighter and Apollo experiencing some of their best stories ever in the core DC Universe right now --- it seems like the WildStorm characters have been on everyone's mind lately. And Real talk? I kinda love the WildStorm Universe.

It's a universe built on an interesting twist on what it means to be a superhero, shaped by creators like Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, Ed Brubaker, and Adam Warren, a roster of world-builders that somehow came together beautifully to make it all work. But the flipside to that is that a lot of what I love about it comes from the nature of the universe itself, and when you remove them from that kind of thematic setting, it makes it a lot harder for them to fit anywhere else. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-328-the-wildstorm-blues/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Why aren&apos;t the Wildstorm characters a comfortable fit in the modern, edgier DC Universe? &#x2014; @jdkrach

A: With Warren Ellis and Jon Davis Hunt reviving it in the pages of The Wild Storm --- and with characters like Midnighter and Apollo experiencing some of their best stories ever in the core DC Universe right now --- it seems like the WildStorm characters have been on everyone&apos;s mind lately. And Real talk? I kinda love the WildStorm Universe.

It&apos;s a universe built on an interesting twist on what it means to be a superhero, shaped by creators like Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, Ed Brubaker, and Adam Warren, a roster of world-builders that somehow came together beautifully to make it all work. But the flipside to that is that a lot of what I love about it comes from the nature of the universe itself, and when you remove them from that kind of thematic setting, it makes it a lot harder for them to fit anywhere else. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-328-the-wildstorm-blues/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/02/AC328.jpg?format=natural"/>
      <media:description xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">Ask Chris #328, background art by Jim Lee</media:description>
      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=256299</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #327: Is Lex Luthor In Love With Superman?</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-327-lex-luthor-superman-love-story/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2017 21:00:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Is it possible that Lex Luthor is actually in love with Superman? Is it the reason for his obsession and jealousy? — @RedEarth18

A: No.

Don't get me wrong: As much as it's been overused and misapplied over the years, the trope of a villain who's lashing out at a hero through some twisted kind of love isn't exactly one that I'm opposed to. It can be the source of some genuinely great storytelling, like Noelle Stevenson's Nimona, and it adds a lot of layers to villains that you don't often see in straightforward adventure stories where someone wants to punch someone else because they robbed the Crossword Puzzle Museum. I just don't think it works for Lex. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-327-lex-luthor-superman-love-story/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Is it possible that Lex Luthor is actually in love with Superman? Is it the reason for his obsession and jealousy? &#x2014; @RedEarth18

A: No.

Don&apos;t get me wrong: As much as it&apos;s been overused and misapplied over the years, the trope of a villain who&apos;s lashing out at a hero through some twisted kind of love isn&apos;t exactly one that I&apos;m opposed to. It can be the source of some genuinely great storytelling, like Noelle Stevenson&apos;s Nimona, and it adds a lot of layers to villains that you don&apos;t often see in straightforward adventure stories where someone wants to punch someone else because they robbed the Crossword Puzzle Museum. I just don&apos;t think it works for Lex. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-327-lex-luthor-superman-love-story/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=254763</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #326: Solaris The Tyrant Sun</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-326-solaris-the-tyrant-sun/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2017 21:00:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: I’m going to fall for it: Why would Solaris make a much better movie villain than Darkseid? — @robotfrom1984

A: In case anyone out there missed it, I made an off-hand reference in last week's column to my feeling that Solaris the Tyrant Sun would be a better villain for a Justice League movie than Darkseid, and as is usually the case, readers picked up on the fact that I'm obviously fishing --- er, seeding future columns, I mean --- and decided to follow up. Honestly, though, it's not really that complicated.

It basically just comes down to the fact that Solaris is a giant evil bad guy from space that you can beat by punching. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-326-solaris-the-tyrant-sun/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: I&#x2019;m going to fall for it: Why would Solaris make a much better movie villain than Darkseid? &#x2014; @robotfrom1984

A: In case anyone out there missed it, I made an off-hand reference in last week&apos;s column to my feeling that Solaris the Tyrant Sun would be a better villain for a Justice League movie than Darkseid, and as is usually the case, readers picked up on the fact that I&apos;m obviously fishing --- er, seeding future columns, I mean --- and decided to follow up. Honestly, though, it&apos;s not really that complicated.

It basically just comes down to the fact that Solaris is a giant evil bad guy from space that you can beat by punching. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-326-solaris-the-tyrant-sun/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/02/AC326.jpg?format=natural"/>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=253483</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #325: Operation Justice Incarnate</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-325-justice-incarnate/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2017 20:00:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Superman just reintroduced Justice Incarnate. Can this team make sense outside of The Multiversity? — @EfremOshinsky

A: One of the great things about superhero comics is that over the past eight decades, it's been twisted into so many different forms that there aren't a lot of concepts that don't at least do something interesting when you remove them from their original contexts. That's half the fun of the genre, right? The idea that you can take a character like Batman and make him work in gritty street-level crime stories or cosmic Justice League sagas and have it all work with the same core ideas.

That said, I'll agree that Justice Incarnate --- aka Operation Justice Incarnate, aka Justice League Incarnate, a pretty confusing string of names for a team that's only ever appeared in three issues --- is a bit of a special case. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-325-justice-incarnate/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Superman just reintroduced Justice Incarnate. Can this team make sense outside of The Multiversity? &#x2014; @EfremOshinsky

A: One of the great things about superhero comics is that over the past eight decades, it&apos;s been twisted into so many different forms that there aren&apos;t a lot of concepts that don&apos;t at least do something interesting when you remove them from their original contexts. That&apos;s half the fun of the genre, right? The idea that you can take a character like Batman and make him work in gritty street-level crime stories or cosmic Justice League sagas and have it all work with the same core ideas.

That said, I&apos;ll agree that Justice Incarnate --- aka Operation Justice Incarnate, aka Justice League Incarnate, a pretty confusing string of names for a team that&apos;s only ever appeared in three issues --- is a bit of a special case. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-325-justice-incarnate/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/01/AC3251.jpg?format=natural"/>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=252197</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #324: Strong As Iron, Homely As Sin</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-324-strong-as-iron-homely-as-sin/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2017 18:00:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: I've always felt like Metamorpho could be a much bigger star, but he's just too ugly. And not like The Thing, who's ugly in universe; Metamorpho is a truly awful design. Are there characters who you think could be better if they didn't look horrendous? — @EvilKeaton

A: Whoa whoa whoa, my dude. It's all well and good to ask a question about good ideas for characters that were held back by bad designs, but you can't just roll up in here and disrespect Rex Mason like this! It's certainly true that he's never quite caught on the way he probably should've for how good his original appearances were, and there are plenty of reasons for that, but to chalk it up to a "truly awful design?" I have to disagree.

It might not be the best design to ever hit the comics page, but that affable ugliness is only part of what makes it work --- not just for the character, but as a visual signifier of one of the most interesting eras in comics. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-324-strong-as-iron-homely-as-sin/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: I&apos;ve always felt like Metamorpho could be a much bigger star, but he&apos;s just too ugly. And not like The Thing, who&apos;s ugly in universe; Metamorpho is a truly awful design. Are there characters who you think could be better if they didn&apos;t look horrendous? &#x2014; @EvilKeaton

A: Whoa whoa whoa, my dude. It&apos;s all well and good to ask a question about good ideas for characters that were held back by bad designs, but you can&apos;t just roll up in here and disrespect Rex Mason like this! It&apos;s certainly true that he&apos;s never quite caught on the way he probably should&apos;ve for how good his original appearances were, and there are plenty of reasons for that, but to chalk it up to a &quot;truly awful design?&quot; I have to disagree.

It might not be the best design to ever hit the comics page, but that affable ugliness is only part of what makes it work --- not just for the character, but as a visual signifier of one of the most interesting eras in comics. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-324-strong-as-iron-homely-as-sin/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
      <media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="https://townsquare.media/site/622/files/2017/01/AC325.jpg?format=natural"/>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=250561</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #323: Like The Batmobile, But Funnier</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-323-jokermobile/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2017 19:00:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Where does the Jokermobile fit in Batman’s canon? Is it a necessary piece of their rivalry? — @thybmb

A: Okay, the way I see it, there are really two questions here. The first is a pretty easy one, too: No. Strictly speaking, the Jokermobile is by no means necessary, and there's nothing that it adds to or illuminates about the enmity between Batman and the Joker that you can't get elsewhere, especially when it comes to characters who are built far more explicitly around the idea of mimicking Batman's approach to crime fighting.

The second question is one that's more implicit in the fact that you asked: Can I write an entire column about how the Joker used to ride around Gotham City in a car with his own face on it? And, c'mon. It's me we're talking about here. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-323-jokermobile/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Where does the Jokermobile fit in Batman&#x2019;s canon? Is it a necessary piece of their rivalry? &#x2014; @thybmb

A: Okay, the way I see it, there are really two questions here. The first is a pretty easy one, too: No. Strictly speaking, the Jokermobile is by no means necessary, and there&apos;s nothing that it adds to or illuminates about the enmity between Batman and the Joker that you can&apos;t get elsewhere, especially when it comes to characters who are built far more explicitly around the idea of mimicking Batman&apos;s approach to crime fighting.

The second question is one that&apos;s more implicit in the fact that you asked: Can I write an entire column about how the Joker used to ride around Gotham City in a car with his own face on it? And, c&apos;mon. It&apos;s me we&apos;re talking about here. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-323-jokermobile/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=249698</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #322: A Tail Of Two Splinters</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-322-a-tail-of-two-splinters/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 06 Jan 2017 20:30:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Which is the better version of Master Splinter: Hamato Yoshi's pet, or a mutated/reincarnated Hamato Yoshi himself? — @RandallJSanders

A: Okay, first things first: The history and minutiae of the Ninja Turtles are weird. By its very nature as a franchise that started out as a goofball parody drawn on a kitchen table over pizzas, and then became the breakout hit of the '80s black-and-white boom that then became Literally The Most Popular Thing In The World, and then became a tenured franchise that's spawned multiple iterations over the past 30 years, things get really complex, really quick when you start trying to figure out how it all works.

And for Splinter, that's even more true than it is for the Turtles themselves. As their mentor figure, the one who's responsible for handing down all the ninja knowledge that makes up a full quarter of their identities, his complications spring from an entirely different set of problems --- and that's before you start figuring out how a bunch of turtles wound up with a rat as their dad. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-322-a-tail-of-two-splinters/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Which is the better version of Master Splinter: Hamato Yoshi&apos;s pet, or a mutated/reincarnated Hamato Yoshi himself? &#x2014; @RandallJSanders

A: Okay, first things first: The history and minutiae of the Ninja Turtles are weird. By its very nature as a franchise that started out as a goofball parody drawn on a kitchen table over pizzas, and then became the breakout hit of the &apos;80s black-and-white boom that then became Literally The Most Popular Thing In The World, and then became a tenured franchise that&apos;s spawned multiple iterations over the past 30 years, things get really complex, really quick when you start trying to figure out how it all works.

And for Splinter, that&apos;s even more true than it is for the Turtles themselves. As their mentor figure, the one who&apos;s responsible for handing down all the ninja knowledge that makes up a full quarter of their identities, his complications spring from an entirely different set of problems --- and that&apos;s before you start figuring out how a bunch of turtles wound up with a rat as their dad. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-322-a-tail-of-two-splinters/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #321: Legacy And Distinction In The Green Lanterns</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-321-green-lantern-corps-legacy/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 Dec 2016 20:00:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: What should differentiate the Green Lanterns as Green Lanterns? — @jtlevy

A: How legacy works, and how different iterations of the same idea have to be made distinct and interesting on their own, is a fascinating topic in the context of the DC Universe. But when it comes to building in distinct traits that differentiate legacy heroes, the Green Lantern franchise has been doing that job from the start. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-321-green-lantern-corps-legacy/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: What should differentiate the Green Lanterns as Green Lanterns? &#x2014; @jtlevy

A: How legacy works, and how different iterations of the same idea have to be made distinct and interesting on their own, is a fascinating topic in the context of the DC Universe. But when it comes to building in distinct traits that differentiate legacy heroes, the Green Lantern franchise has been doing that job from the start. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-321-green-lantern-corps-legacy/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=248050</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #320: The Justice League's Holiday Mixtape</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-320-justice-league-holiday-mixtape/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2016 19:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: What would be each member of the Justice League's favorite Holiday song? ---- @XavierFiles

A: I've been asked a ton of questions that follow the pattern of asking about what the Justice League does at the holidays, and answered many of them, but asking about their favorite holiday songs raises a lot of really interesting questions that can't just be answered by posting Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" seven times. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-320-justice-league-holiday-mixtape/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: What would be each member of the Justice League&apos;s favorite Holiday song? ---- @XavierFiles

A: I&apos;ve been asked a ton of questions that follow the pattern of asking about what the Justice League does at the holidays, and answered many of them, but asking about their favorite holiday songs raises a lot of really interesting questions that can&apos;t just be answered by posting Darlene Love&apos;s &quot;Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)&quot; seven times. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-320-justice-league-holiday-mixtape/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=247220</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #319: Die Hard With A Santa</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-319-santas-workshop-die-hard/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2016 21:00:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Santa's workshop is taken over by terrorists who are not what they seem. Which comics character fits the John McClane role? Remember: he’s an unlikely hero, so no obvious answers like Batman. — @charlotteofoz

A: Okay, look: I know that everyone is tired of the whole "Die Hard is the best Christmas movie" thing. I mean, I'm tired of it, and Matt D. Wilson and I once recorded a commentary track for that movie as the Christmas special for our podcast. But all that said, this question has too many interesting parts to not answer. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-319-santas-workshop-die-hard/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Santa&apos;s workshop is taken over by terrorists who are not what they seem. Which comics character fits the John McClane role? Remember: he&#x2019;s an unlikely hero, so no obvious answers like Batman. &#x2014; @charlotteofoz

A: Okay, look: I know that everyone is tired of the whole &quot;Die Hard is the best Christmas movie&quot; thing. I mean, I&apos;m tired of it, and Matt D. Wilson and I once recorded a commentary track for that movie as the Christmas special for our podcast. But all that said, this question has too many interesting parts to not answer. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-319-santas-workshop-die-hard/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #318: The Definitive Christmas Comic</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-318-definitive-christmas-comic/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Dec 2016 20:00:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: What is the definitive Christmas comic? — @Koltreg

A: "Definitive" is a pretty tricky requirement to meet. You have to find a comic that's not just definitively Christmas, with all that goes along with it, it has to be definitively comics, too --- and if you think it's difficult for people to agree on what Christmas is all about, just wait'll you try getting them to pin down one single issue that defines comic books as a medium. At least religion has centuries of scholarship; comics just has loudmouths writing columns about them on the Internet.

That said, I do think I've found one that's as close as we're going to get: 1989's Christmas With The Super-Heroes #2. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-318-definitive-christmas-comic/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: What is the definitive Christmas comic? &#x2014; @Koltreg

A: &quot;Definitive&quot; is a pretty tricky requirement to meet. You have to find a comic that&apos;s not just definitively Christmas, with all that goes along with it, it has to be definitively comics, too --- and if you think it&apos;s difficult for people to agree on what Christmas is all about, just wait&apos;ll you try getting them to pin down one single issue that defines comic books as a medium. At least religion has centuries of scholarship; comics just has loudmouths writing columns about them on the Internet.

That said, I do think I&apos;ve found one that&apos;s as close as we&apos;re going to get: 1989&apos;s Christmas With The Super-Heroes #2. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-318-definitive-christmas-comic/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #317: A Speed Force To Be Reckoned With</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-317-the-speed-force/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2016 20:00:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Can you help me make sense of how the Speed Force is supposed to work? -- @TheKize

A: For those of you who may not know, the Speed Force is a plot point from the pages of The Flash that was introduced back in the '90s, and ended up not just shaping how the Flash himself would work for the next two decades, but also united an entire corner of the DC Universe into a cohesive whole.

The thing is, while I've definitely read those comics and love 'em to pieces, I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask about how it works. You should probably just ask Mark Waid. Which is what I did. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-317-the-speed-force/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Can you help me make sense of how the Speed Force is supposed to work? -- @TheKize

A: For those of you who may not know, the Speed Force is a plot point from the pages of The Flash that was introduced back in the &apos;90s, and ended up not just shaping how the Flash himself would work for the next two decades, but also united an entire corner of the DC Universe into a cohesive whole.

The thing is, while I&apos;ve definitely read those comics and love &apos;em to pieces, I&apos;m not sure I&apos;m the best person to ask about how it works. You should probably just ask Mark Waid. Which is what I did. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-317-the-speed-force/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=243251</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #316: To Kill A Legend</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-316-to-kill-a-legend/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:00:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Would you like to write a miniseries about the Batman from the end of "To Kill A Legend?" -- @TByrne75

A: Hm. Hmmmmmm. You know, as much time as I've spent thinking about Batman, this is one thing I've never actually considered.

When you get right down to it, the real question here is whether I think that particular take on Batman is strong enough on his own to carry a story, and on the surface, that seems like a pretty easy one to answer. There are enough alternate versions of Batman floating around that it's pretty clear that you can do almost anything with that character, from recasting him as a grumpy old man to just straight up making him a vampire. But the thing about "To Kill a Legend" that stands out, the thing that really defines that take on the character, is that he doesn't have any of the things that define the Batman we already know... except Batman himself. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-316-to-kill-a-legend/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Would you like to write a miniseries about the Batman from the end of &quot;To Kill A Legend?&quot; -- @TByrne75

A: Hm. Hmmmmmm. You know, as much time as I&apos;ve spent thinking about Batman, this is one thing I&apos;ve never actually considered.

When you get right down to it, the real question here is whether I think that particular take on Batman is strong enough on his own to carry a story, and on the surface, that seems like a pretty easy one to answer. There are enough alternate versions of Batman floating around that it&apos;s pretty clear that you can do almost anything with that character, from recasting him as a grumpy old man to just straight up making him a vampire. But the thing about &quot;To Kill a Legend&quot; that stands out, the thing that really defines that take on the character, is that he doesn&apos;t have any of the things that define the Batman we already know... except Batman himself. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-316-to-kill-a-legend/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=240355</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #315: Bat-Mite</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-315-bat-mite/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 11 Nov 2016 17:00:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Bat-Mite: Silly or amazing? — @firehawk32

A: Yes. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-315-bat-mite/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Bat-Mite: Silly or amazing? &#x2014; @firehawk32

A: Yes. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-315-bat-mite/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=239049</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #314: Does Batman Carry The Mark of Zorro?</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-314-batman-mark-of-zorro/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 04 Nov 2016 19:00:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: How essential is The Mark of Zorro to Batman's origin story? -- @TheKize

A: Strictly speaking, I don't think it's necessary. For one thing, while I'm actually not sure where it was introduced, the idea that young Bruce Wayne was watching The Mark of Zorro on the night his parents were murdered was at least canonized in stone in the opening pages of The Dark Knight Returns, which means that there were almost 50 years where Batman got along just fine without that element. On top of that, there have been plenty of Batman stories that go in a different direction, and it doesn't really hurt the mythology behind the character to make it something else.

But that said, The Mark of Zorro being the last thing Bruce Wayne sees before his world ends and he makes the choice to become Batman certainly makes it a whole lot better. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-314-batman-mark-of-zorro/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: How essential is The Mark of Zorro to Batman&apos;s origin story? -- @TheKize

A: Strictly speaking, I don&apos;t think it&apos;s necessary. For one thing, while I&apos;m actually not sure where it was introduced, the idea that young Bruce Wayne was watching The Mark of Zorro on the night his parents were murdered was at least canonized in stone in the opening pages of The Dark Knight Returns, which means that there were almost 50 years where Batman got along just fine without that element. On top of that, there have been plenty of Batman stories that go in a different direction, and it doesn&apos;t really hurt the mythology behind the character to make it something else.

But that said, The Mark of Zorro being the last thing Bruce Wayne sees before his world ends and he makes the choice to become Batman certainly makes it a whole lot better. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-314-batman-mark-of-zorro/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #313: The Devilish Deals Of 'Underworld Unleashed'</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-313-underworld-unleashed/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 28 Oct 2016 18:00:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Did anyone actually come out improved from DC's Underworld Unleashed crossover? — @JordanLevells

A: Huh, Underworld Unleashed. There's one I haven't thought about in a while.

This week, though, I actually got a few questions about DC's neon-green, diabolical deal-making crossover, and I think I know the reason why. With Neron showing back up in the pages of Midnighter and Apollo, and with Halloween on the horizon bringing devils and haints to mind, there's no better time to look back on the series where a bunch of heroes and villains literally sold their souls, and nobody actually got what they wanted out of it. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-313-underworld-unleashed/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Did anyone actually come out improved from DC&apos;s Underworld Unleashed crossover? &#x2014; @JordanLevells

A: Huh, Underworld Unleashed. There&apos;s one I haven&apos;t thought about in a while.

This week, though, I actually got a few questions about DC&apos;s neon-green, diabolical deal-making crossover, and I think I know the reason why. With Neron showing back up in the pages of Midnighter and Apollo, and with Halloween on the horizon bringing devils and haints to mind, there&apos;s no better time to look back on the series where a bunch of heroes and villains literally sold their souls, and nobody actually got what they wanted out of it. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-313-underworld-unleashed/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=236763</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #312: Don't Quit Your Day Job, Superman</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-312-superheroes-secret-identities-day-jobs/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Oct 2016 17:00:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Are superheroes inextricably tied to their alter-ego day jobs? For example, does Clark Kent have to be a journalist, or Hal Jordan a pilot? — @Chan_180

A:For all the questions about whether the Secret Identity is a concept that can still provide drama within the superhero genre or something that just sticks around as an outdated trope from the Golden Age that was handed down to comics by Emma Orczy and the Scarlet Pimpernel, the idea of getting rid of the day job is something that's rarely discussed, probably because it hasn't actually happened all that often. Let's face it: If you're a superhero, you're a whole lot more likely to literally come back from the dead than you are to start a new career once you're in your thirties. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-312-superheroes-secret-identities-day-jobs/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Are superheroes inextricably tied to their alter-ego day jobs? For example, does Clark Kent have to be a journalist, or Hal Jordan a pilot? &#x2014; @Chan_180

A:For all the questions about whether the Secret Identity is a concept that can still provide drama within the superhero genre or something that just sticks around as an outdated trope from the Golden Age that was handed down to comics by Emma Orczy and the Scarlet Pimpernel, the idea of getting rid of the day job is something that&apos;s rarely discussed, probably because it hasn&apos;t actually happened all that often. Let&apos;s face it: If you&apos;re a superhero, you&apos;re a whole lot more likely to literally come back from the dead than you are to start a new career once you&apos;re in your thirties. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-312-superheroes-secret-identities-day-jobs/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=235268</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #311: The Many Deaths Of The DC Universe</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-311-death-dc-universe/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 14 Oct 2016 18:00:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Can you explain the difference between the Black Racer and the Black Flash and why DC needs both? - @CoreyInformin

A: Oh, this one's easy. Black Racer has skis. All right, cool, see y'all next week!

Okay, fine, it's a little more complicated than that. Despite the obvious difference in appearance and the fact that one of those characters tends to only show up around the Flash, they're actually pretty similar characters, both in terms of powers and in terms of what they represent. In the DC Universe, they're both aspects of capital-D Death, and I don't just think DC needs both of them, I think it could probably use a whole lot more. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-311-death-dc-universe/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Can you explain the difference between the Black Racer and the Black Flash and why DC needs both? - @CoreyInformin

A: Oh, this one&apos;s easy. Black Racer has skis. All right, cool, see y&apos;all next week!

Okay, fine, it&apos;s a little more complicated than that. Despite the obvious difference in appearance and the fact that one of those characters tends to only show up around the Flash, they&apos;re actually pretty similar characters, both in terms of powers and in terms of what they represent. In the DC Universe, they&apos;re both aspects of capital-D Death, and I don&apos;t just think DC needs both of them, I think it could probably use a whole lot more. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-311-death-dc-universe/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #310: Picking A Starting Point For The Silver Age</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-310-starting-the-silver-age/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2016 18:00:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Since the Silver Age is now defined mostly by aesthetics, not superhero popularity, is Showcase #4 still a good starting point? -- @morganwick

A: Dividing the history of comic books into a series of ages is a pretty easy thing to do, but picking out one single issue that serves as the hard, immutable dividing line can be a tricky proposition. Showcase #4, the first appearance of Barry Allen as the Flash, is the one that everyone seems to have always agreed on as the "Official Start Date of the Silver Age," and it's about as good a dividing line as you're likely to find outside of Action Comics #1. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-310-starting-the-silver-age/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Since the Silver Age is now defined mostly by aesthetics, not superhero popularity, is Showcase #4 still a good starting point? -- @morganwick

A: Dividing the history of comic books into a series of ages is a pretty easy thing to do, but picking out one single issue that serves as the hard, immutable dividing line can be a tricky proposition. Showcase #4, the first appearance of Barry Allen as the Flash, is the one that everyone seems to have always agreed on as the &quot;Official Start Date of the Silver Age,&quot; and it&apos;s about as good a dividing line as you&apos;re likely to find outside of Action Comics #1. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-310-starting-the-silver-age/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #309: 'Hex' Was The Hero This Wasteland Deserves</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-309-hex/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 Sep 2016 19:00:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Remember Hex, where Jonah Hex was DC's Mad Max, and where Batman lives in the Statue of Liberty? What are your thoughts on that? -- @jomomma75

A: Hex is legitimately one of the most interesting comics of all time, largely because it's one of the greatest examples of how weird comics can get when they're built on the laws of the superhero genre. It's also not very good. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-309-hex/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Remember Hex, where Jonah Hex was DC&apos;s Mad Max, and where Batman lives in the Statue of Liberty? What are your thoughts on that? -- @jomomma75

A: Hex is legitimately one of the most interesting comics of all time, largely because it&apos;s one of the greatest examples of how weird comics can get when they&apos;re built on the laws of the superhero genre. It&apos;s also not very good. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-309-hex/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=231151</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #308: Silent Interlude</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-308-silent-interlude/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 19:00:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: What makes a good silent issue? -- @XavierFiles

A: Listen: I don't know if you meant for me to interpret this question as, "Can you talk about GI Joe #21 for a couple thousand words," but I do think we all knew that was exactly what was going to happen. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-308-silent-interlude/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: What makes a good silent issue? -- @XavierFiles

A: Listen: I don&apos;t know if you meant for me to interpret this question as, &quot;Can you talk about GI Joe #21 for a couple thousand words,&quot; but I do think we all knew that was exactly what was going to happen. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-308-silent-interlude/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=229348</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #307: The Evolution (Or Lack Thereof) Of Tim Drake</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-307-evolution-of-tim-drake/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2016 18:00:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: How do you feel about Tim Drake’s evolution over time? Will he ever be his own man, like Nightwing? — @DarthFraga

A: Okay, first things first: Tim Drake is the best Robin, and it's not even a competition. It's not just that he's a great character, and believe it or not, it's not just that he was Robin when I as a kid and will always be my Robin because of it. More than any other character who has held that title over the past 75 years, he works in that role better than in any other, and because of that, he's always going to have a place in the larger Batman family.

But if you're talking about evolution, especially in the context of how Batman's other sidekicks, that might be the only thing that really works against him. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-307-evolution-of-tim-drake/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: How do you feel about Tim Drake&#x2019;s evolution over time? Will he ever be his own man, like Nightwing? &#x2014; @DarthFraga

A: Okay, first things first: Tim Drake is the best Robin, and it&apos;s not even a competition. It&apos;s not just that he&apos;s a great character, and believe it or not, it&apos;s not just that he was Robin when I as a kid and will always be my Robin because of it. More than any other character who has held that title over the past 75 years, he works in that role better than in any other, and because of that, he&apos;s always going to have a place in the larger Batman family.

But if you&apos;re talking about evolution, especially in the context of how Batman&apos;s other sidekicks, that might be the only thing that really works against him. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-307-evolution-of-tim-drake/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=228161</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #306: In Praise Of Jughead Jones</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-306-in-praise-of-jughead-jones/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 09 Sep 2016 20:00:11 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Why do you think Jughead is such a great character? -- @hurgling

A: Every now and then, I'll bring up the idea that I have a definite, immutable, and 100% official list of the five greatest characters in comic book history. When I do, people are usually pretty understanding of the characters you'd expect to be there --- you know, Batman and Scrooge McDuck --- but Forsythe Pendleton Jones III is always the one that throws people off. I stand by it, though: Jughead's great. And the reason why goes far beyond just the hamburgers, the crown, and the sleepy eyes that all come to mind when you think of the character.

I'm not gonna lie, though: The crown is a pretty big part of it. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-306-in-praise-of-jughead-jones/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Why do you think Jughead is such a great character? -- @hurgling

A: Every now and then, I&apos;ll bring up the idea that I have a definite, immutable, and 100% official list of the five greatest characters in comic book history. When I do, people are usually pretty understanding of the characters you&apos;d expect to be there --- you know, Batman and Scrooge McDuck --- but Forsythe Pendleton Jones III is always the one that throws people off. I stand by it, though: Jughead&apos;s great. And the reason why goes far beyond just the hamburgers, the crown, and the sleepy eyes that all come to mind when you think of the character.

I&apos;m not gonna lie, though: The crown is a pretty big part of it. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-306-in-praise-of-jughead-jones/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=226495</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #305: Death Of The Sidekick</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-305-death-of-the-sidekick/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 Sep 2016 17:00:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: There's hasn't been a new sidekick in years. What happened to the concept of the sidekick? -- @RedEarth18

A: I'm not sure that sidekicks are really all that in danger of extinct, but I do think you're right to say that sidekicks aren't as prominent as they used to be, and I think there's a reason for that. And a lot of it has to do with how you define the term. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-305-death-of-the-sidekick/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: There&apos;s hasn&apos;t been a new sidekick in years. What happened to the concept of the sidekick? -- @RedEarth18

A: I&apos;m not sure that sidekicks are really all that in danger of extinct, but I do think you&apos;re right to say that sidekicks aren&apos;t as prominent as they used to be, and I think there&apos;s a reason for that. And a lot of it has to do with how you define the term. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-305-death-of-the-sidekick/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #304: Make Gotham City Great Again</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-304-batman-politics-hizzoner-the-penguin/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 Aug 2016 19:00:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Has Batman ever been overtly political? Was there a time Batman ran for office? If so, would you vote Batman? - @ShaneMBailey

A: To answer your last question first, yes: I consider myself a staunch Batocrat on virtually all of the most important issues, like crime, child labor laws, funding for the development of personal rocket cars, and batarang control. But even though I would happily cast my vote for the Caped Crusader if I had the chance, the occasions where Batman chooses to take a political office are pretty few and far between, especially if you don't count the time he was secretly President of the United States for a weekend.

Of course, there was that time Batman ran for Mayor to keep the Penguin from gaining control of Gotham City. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-304-batman-politics-hizzoner-the-penguin/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Has Batman ever been overtly political? Was there a time Batman ran for office? If so, would you vote Batman? - @ShaneMBailey

A: To answer your last question first, yes: I consider myself a staunch Batocrat on virtually all of the most important issues, like crime, child labor laws, funding for the development of personal rocket cars, and batarang control. But even though I would happily cast my vote for the Caped Crusader if I had the chance, the occasions where Batman chooses to take a political office are pretty few and far between, especially if you don&apos;t count the time he was secretly President of the United States for a weekend.

Of course, there was that time Batman ran for Mayor to keep the Penguin from gaining control of Gotham City. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-304-batman-politics-hizzoner-the-penguin/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=224324</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #303: Guilty Pleasures</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-303-guilty-pleasures/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 19 Aug 2016 20:00:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Do you think there's any value in defining something as a guilty pleasure? If so, what's your comic guilty pleasure? — @ykwilpodcast

A: On the one hand, no, I don't. The concept of a "guilty pleasure" has always struck me as a weird way to shield yourself from the knowledge that you like something that's not very good, and that's reductive to both your own tastes and the media that you're consuming. There's very little media in this world that's completely without value, and even when I can judge something to be completely and utterly worthless, that judgment comes from a context and a set of experiences and comparisons that are completely unique to me. Dismissing it as a guilty pleasure isn't just disingenuous, it ignores the idea that art can resonate with you despite its failing.

On the other hand, well, it's been 20 years and I still kinda love Gen 13. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-303-guilty-pleasures/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Do you think there&apos;s any value in defining something as a guilty pleasure? If so, what&apos;s your comic guilty pleasure? &#x2014; @ykwilpodcast

A: On the one hand, no, I don&apos;t. The concept of a &quot;guilty pleasure&quot; has always struck me as a weird way to shield yourself from the knowledge that you like something that&apos;s not very good, and that&apos;s reductive to both your own tastes and the media that you&apos;re consuming. There&apos;s very little media in this world that&apos;s completely without value, and even when I can judge something to be completely and utterly worthless, that judgment comes from a context and a set of experiences and comparisons that are completely unique to me. Dismissing it as a guilty pleasure isn&apos;t just disingenuous, it ignores the idea that art can resonate with you despite its failing.

On the other hand, well, it&apos;s been 20 years and I still kinda love Gen 13. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-303-guilty-pleasures/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=222482</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #302: All The Fun Of A VHS Tape In Comic Book Form</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-302-all-the-fun-of-a-vhs-tape-in-comic-book-form/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2016 18:00:30 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Why are comic book adaptations of movies a thing? Do you think any are worth reading? -- Daniel, via email

A: You don't see them around too much these days, but when I was a kid, comic book movie adaptations --- official comic book movie adaptations --- were a pretty big deal. Or at least, that's how it seemed to me. See, when you're stuck in the back seat of a Ford Escort on a 600-mile car trip and you want to know more about this new movie that you've been reading about in Disney Adventures, and you're also living in a time before everyone carried a tiny personal computer that could show them literally every comic book, television show, and music video in the world, well, picking up a The Rocketeer: The Official Movie Adaptation off the magazine rack at a gas station was a pretty solid way to kill some time.

But then, I imagine that's the problem. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-302-all-the-fun-of-a-vhs-tape-in-comic-book-form/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Why are comic book adaptations of movies a thing? Do you think any are worth reading? -- Daniel, via email

A: You don&apos;t see them around too much these days, but when I was a kid, comic book movie adaptations --- official comic book movie adaptations --- were a pretty big deal. Or at least, that&apos;s how it seemed to me. See, when you&apos;re stuck in the back seat of a Ford Escort on a 600-mile car trip and you want to know more about this new movie that you&apos;ve been reading about in Disney Adventures, and you&apos;re also living in a time before everyone carried a tiny personal computer that could show them literally every comic book, television show, and music video in the world, well, picking up a The Rocketeer: The Official Movie Adaptation off the magazine rack at a gas station was a pretty solid way to kill some time.

But then, I imagine that&apos;s the problem. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-302-all-the-fun-of-a-vhs-tape-in-comic-book-form/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=221060</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #301: Comet The Super-Horse Is None Of Those Things</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-301-comet-the-super-horse/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Aug 2016 19:00:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: I need a Comet the Super-Horse primer. What's his deal, Chris? -- @MagiknKitty5evr

A: All right, you might want to buckle up for this one, because Comet the Super-Horse is way more complicated than you might expect, even by the standards of the Silver Age. He has a history that literally covers thousands of years in both directions, and provided what are unquestionably some of the most inexplicable and occasionally uncomfortable moments in the 78-year history of DC Comics.

So here's where we start: His name's not actually Comet, he's not actually a horse, and if we're being honest with each other, he's only some definitions of "super." <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-301-comet-the-super-horse/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: I need a Comet the Super-Horse primer. What&apos;s his deal, Chris? -- @MagiknKitty5evr

A: All right, you might want to buckle up for this one, because Comet the Super-Horse is way more complicated than you might expect, even by the standards of the Silver Age. He has a history that literally covers thousands of years in both directions, and provided what are unquestionably some of the most inexplicable and occasionally uncomfortable moments in the 78-year history of DC Comics.

So here&apos;s where we start: His name&apos;s not actually Comet, he&apos;s not actually a horse, and if we&apos;re being honest with each other, he&apos;s only some definitions of &quot;super.&quot; <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-301-comet-the-super-horse/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=219586</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #299: Archie Goodwin Is... Mr. Nice</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-299-archie-goodwin-mr-nice/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 Jul 2016 19:00:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Archie Goodwin is a guy who permeates comics history, but isn't much talked about. Can you talk a bit about his impact/career? -- @EvrLvnBluIdThng

A: When you get right down to it, the fact that we're not talking about Goodwin literally all the time is pretty surprising. He is, without question, one of the most influential people in the history of comics, especially the ones I tend to obsess over in this very column, and one of the things that makes him so notable is that his career wasn't limited to one thing. He had influential work at Marvel, DC, even "independent" publishers like Warren, and newspaper strips, and it wasn't limited to a single role. He was a writer, editor, and artist, and more than that, he's regarded as one of the most genuinely kind people that the industry has ever seen.

But all of those accomplishments pale in comparison to his greatest achievement: Being the inspiration for one of the all-time greatest obscure Batman villains ever. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-299-archie-goodwin-mr-nice/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Archie Goodwin is a guy who permeates comics history, but isn&apos;t much talked about. Can you talk a bit about his impact/career? -- @EvrLvnBluIdThng

A: When you get right down to it, the fact that we&apos;re not talking about Goodwin literally all the time is pretty surprising. He is, without question, one of the most influential people in the history of comics, especially the ones I tend to obsess over in this very column, and one of the things that makes him so notable is that his career wasn&apos;t limited to one thing. He had influential work at Marvel, DC, even &quot;independent&quot; publishers like Warren, and newspaper strips, and it wasn&apos;t limited to a single role. He was a writer, editor, and artist, and more than that, he&apos;s regarded as one of the most genuinely kind people that the industry has ever seen.

But all of those accomplishments pale in comparison to his greatest achievement: Being the inspiration for one of the all-time greatest obscure Batman villains ever. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-299-archie-goodwin-mr-nice/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=216316</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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      <title>Ask Chris #298: Putting The Detectives In 'Detective'</title>
      <link>https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-298-detective-comics-batman/</link>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Jul 2016 16:00:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <description><![CDATA[Q: Generally, what's the difference between Batman and Detective Comics? I've heard right now Detective is going to focus more on the Batman Family, has that always been true? -- Anonymous, via tumblr

A: This is a very interesting question, because it doesn't just have to do with how the Batman titles work. It has to do with how every character with multiple monthly titles works, and the question of whether it's necessary to make those multiple titles distinct or just have them form a single ongoing narrative. It's something that you can see approached in almost every way you can approach it across multiple characters and creative teams from different eras, from Superman and Spider-Man to the X-Men, and it has a lot to do with how the approach to superheroic storytelling has changed over the past 75 years.

But let's be real here. If you've read this column before, then you already know that we're mostly just going to be talking about how it works for Batman. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-298-detective-comics-batman/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[Q: Generally, what&apos;s the difference between Batman and Detective Comics? I&apos;ve heard right now Detective is going to focus more on the Batman Family, has that always been true? -- Anonymous, via tumblr

A: This is a very interesting question, because it doesn&apos;t just have to do with how the Batman titles work. It has to do with how every character with multiple monthly titles works, and the question of whether it&apos;s necessary to make those multiple titles distinct or just have them form a single ongoing narrative. It&apos;s something that you can see approached in almost every way you can approach it across multiple characters and creative teams from different eras, from Superman and Spider-Man to the X-Men, and it has a lot to do with how the approach to superheroic storytelling has changed over the past 75 years.

But let&apos;s be real here. If you&apos;ve read this column before, then you already know that we&apos;re mostly just going to be talking about how it works for Batman. <a href="https://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-298-detective-comics-batman/">Continue reading&hellip;</a>]]></content:encoded>
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      <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicsalliance.com/?p=214272</guid>
      <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Sims]]></dc:creator>
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