There is something very scary about not knowing what happens next, that whole ‘fear of the unknown’ idea. While comicbooks are suspenseful, there is always a certain amount of predictability in them. The Amazing Spider-Man will not see Spider-Man die at the hands of Mysterio. Surprises (like the death of Captain America in his own monthly title) often end in the inevitable (like his inevitable return from the dead). However, comicbooks that do not follow ongoing continuity are the true wild cards. These are an outlet for the writer to make some incredible statement, with no regard for what may come next. Standalone stories provide the storyteller with a way to totally disregard responsibility to the character. Loose ends are left hanging, and no one has to pick up the pieces once the story ends. Truly, no subject or character is untouchable.

That being said, I want to look at one of my favorite non-continuity titles from the 90s: Earth X.

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With the publication of its penultimate issue as part of the World Against Superman crossover series, it’s the perfect time to reflect a bit on the most politically relevant new series to unexpectedly come out of the DCU in some time—Superman: World of New Krypton. . .and to call on DC Comics to continue the series as a stand-alone comic beyond its initial 12 issue run. To not do so would certainly be a Missed Direction for the DCU.

At first glance, two of the at least half dozen works that share the title “Life During Wartime” bear almost no resemblance to each other.

John Cale’s “Sanities” Lyrics Provide
Inspiration for the Title of This Blog Post

“Journalism is just a gun. It’s only got one bullet in it, but if you aim right, that’s all you need. Aim it right, and you can blow a kneecap off the world.”
—Warren Ellis, Transmetropolitan

Right now, outside of Kabul, a young man has just had his kneecap shattered by a flying bullet, fired at him by another young man who doesn’t know they share the same favorite poet and that the two would become fast friends if they met in other circumstances. Neither one yet knows that the injured man will never walk again, and will probably need to have his leg amputated, lest he contract gangrene.

In London, a young woman has been caught on camera exchanging an envelope for money and is about to be arrested by undercover police officers from Leeds on suspicion of drug-dealing. The arresting officers do not yet know that she is actually an undercover Interpol agent whose cover they have just blown.

It is iPod culture writ large.

As a medium (both in the sense of narrative technique, and physical material on which the story is printed), comics has always been highly mobile. Much more so than television, cinema, or even novels.