How Has Gender Identity Naturally Altered Over Time? 6 to 8 min read Views on Gender and Sex... In the eighties, some psychologists described men as experiencing 'autogynephilia' if they were sexually aroused at the idea of being a woman. If sexual cross-gender fantasy can entice male to female transition it may reveal one psycho-sexual example for what we call gender identity. This theory differs to what the World Health Organisation advise (WHO), along with people like Judith Butler, who insist gender is a social construct based on shared beliefs. For me, such ideas are poppycock, given for starters, how beliefs can be altered! Human biology causes gender. I might be wrong, blinded by my own biases, so let's explore... How is Gender Constructed? We are unique sheep , and truthfully, I think men transition for various reasons. Masculine and feminine traits arise like bio-determinants. Therein exists part of a dichotomy; a bottom-up emergence of gender, roo...
Is The New 52 Justice League Worth Reading?
A Deep Dive Into The New 52 Justice League: What You Need to Know!
4 to 6 min read
Alright, let’s talk about The New 52 Justice League. If you’re looking for the ultimate superhero team-up origin story, this is it. Volume 1 is not just well-written and beautifully illustrated; it’s packed with the excitement of characters meeting for the first time, which is an absolute joy for someone like me, a graphic novel fan in his forties!
This first Justice League book is a belter. Following my reading order, the next book is Barry Allen's flashpoint story arc which created this universe; he returns home at the end of the book and his costume and his memories begin to change too. It was clever how he is absorbed into the new 52 version.
After finishing this volume, I’m diving right into Barry Allen’s Flashpoint arc. That twist where he returns home, and everything about him starts changing—brilliant storytelling!
The dialogue in Origins, Vol. 1 has a spark that jumps off the page, keeping me hooked. Honestly, it's weird how comics can deliver more action than films somehow. I guess it's the art and storytelling in sequences of orderly boxes that span through the pages!! After all those DC films crashed from that shitty Suicide Squad (cheers, Leto Joker) to the marmite-like mess of Batman vs. Superman, it’s been trial, but mostly error! Wonder Woman seemed to save the day initially, but even her sequel cause a global mexican wave of face-palming. Even Deadpool stopped doing DC jokes after that! Luckily, we still have some decent TV shows like The Flash. Fans should be paid to make the films.
At least the 'The New 52' was an absolute dream. It had been around a bit before the DC movie disasters, but it was new to me, and it was an exciting new dimension for DC to re-invent all of its characters! I really hope they don't reintroduce underwear on the outside of the trousers again! In Origin, we see a brand new Superman, Batman, Wonder woman, Lantern, Cyborg, Aquaman and Flash. You can see its influence on the Justice League film, but better.
That being said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, is it? Superman comes off a bit too cocky at times. It took a while for readers to warm up to him, he finds his footing. Green Lantern doesn’t quite shine like he did in the Blackest Night era, and Lobo? Total disaster.
One surprisingly engaging storyline was the Throne of Atlantis arc. It dives into a conflict between the surface world and Atlantis. I’m not buying into the whole Atlantis myth, but the world-building is solid, and it gives Aquaman some much-needed depth. It’s not just mindless reading; it adds layers to the characters and their struggles.
You can’t overlookTrinity War and the beautifully drawn Darkseid War that wrap up the Origins saga. Darkseid is a genuinely menacing big bad boss, and he makes the stakes feel real. I found myself pulled into the drama of DC’s universe, where danger is lurking around every corner. Truthfully, I confess, I have less enjoyable characters: Cyborg is the internet on legs, Shazam comics are just written for younger audiences, Aquaman is the fishguy outdone by his Atlantis context, Wonderwoman is eye candy with an unappealling backstory—there are many compelling characters in DC.
Looking back, the biggest cringe was 'hero' and 'villain' speak that is throughout mainsyream comics. For example, whenever I read, 'I wanna be a hero, like you,'
'But you cannot, you're a villain!'
'No, I am working with Barry to become a hero!'
It minces at my janglers slightly. These so called heroes are all pretty much vigilantes working alongside or against the law to fight crime! The hero jargon doesn't sit right. 'Gimme your bastard wallet! Now!!!,' imagine that. 'Come on, I'm an actual villain!!' It's quite silly.
At least the heroes are flawed and relatable, which is what draws us in isn't it? At the core of every great superhero story is that fight for justice, but that’s not what keeps these stories enjoyable, it's the smacking the shit out of each other, the war and struggles. Deaths and wagimg who will beath who. Batman is the best. Legit.
Now, if you check out the animated version of Origins, called War, well, let’s just say it's shit. Just read a graphic novel!
In the end, DC breathed new life into their universe with the New 52 because of the Batman and some of these Justice leagues. A comics, graphic novels or omnibus is a frozen moment of time, a slice of the DC cake preserved for you to consume. It never goes out of date. I recommend getting stuck in and then follow on into rebirth.
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