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DC Second Features

If I were to ask you to pick a superhero you think you’re most like, who would it be? Batman perhaps? Spider-Man, most likely (I’d probably choose Superman). Meanwhile, as I fantasize about flying around Metropolis, I’m forgetting to do my laundry, misplacing my cell phone, and nearly running out of gas on the freeway. Yeah, there’s no way in hell I’m Superman…I’m probably much closer to Ambush Bug. But I’m not complaining- I’ve accepted this. Deep down, we all strive to be the A-list valiant hero, but in reality we’re closer to the B-listers who give it their all, screw up constantly, and never get their just reward…which is the reason why I love them so much. Don’t get me wrong, Batman’s one of my favorite heroes but often times, I feel a deeper seeded connection to characters like Mr. Terrific or Metamorpho because they’re more on my level-just dudes with powers. My friends and I screw around, talk about girls, and eat too much pizza just like Booster Gold and Blue Beetle. I’m constantly coming up with stupid ideas and schemes in the vein of Maxwell Lord. And I’m just flat out a weirdo like The Creeper. In its history, DC has always done a good job of keeping their B-Listers relevant and in the spotlight (even when they’re killing them off by the hundreds). And they continue this tradition with their new venture: “Second Features”.

Second Features are smaller back-up stories (around 10 pages) that are included in certain titles that follow specific characters on all new adventures.

MAIN TITLES SECOND FEATURES

Booster Gold - Blue Beetle

Action Comics - Capt. Atom

Doom Patrol - Metal Men

Detective Comics - The Question

Streets of Gotham - Manhunter

Adventure Comics - Legion of Super Heroes

Green Arrow - Black Canary

Teen Titans - Ravager

This is all straight secondary character stuff here- no Wonder Woman or Green Lantern features. DC has taken a lot of fan favorites who may not be able to support their own monthly, or who recently lost theirs (Blue Beetle, Manhunter) and still give them the chance to shine. This is really a great way to keep these lesser seen characters fresh and in people’s minds, or to introduce them to new audiences. And by keeping them going, there’s no need for DC to “clean house” like they did in Infinite Crisis and fill a bunch of empty caskets with the mutilated remains of fun characters.

There are some really great stories in here, like the new Question’s thrilling adventures or the less confusing re-introduction to the Legion of Superheroes. I’m even picking up books for the back-up tales alone. I was among the readers who groaned to the high heavens when they canceled Manhunter, because they did it as soon as I got into it-but now I can get my quick fix, without having to dedicate myself to buying a whole ‘nother book. My favorite of these stories is the Metal Men, featuring the dream team of Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire. To be honest, their second feature is so good that I’d rather have a Metal Men main title and a Doom Patrol short story (sorry guys).

The only drawback to all this is that each title carrying a second feature is a dollar more, which really isn’t too bad, considering you’re getting 10 more pages of comic book. It’s nice to get that extra bang for your buck, unlike Marvel who decided to up ALL of their most popular titles by a dollar just because. Now I have to pay 4 bucks for Deadpool and I don’t get anything extra out of it-not even a Forbush Man back up! Shame on you, Marvel Comics!!!

So there you have it: second stringers are in the mainstream and they deserve your full attention. You may have a bias because they aren’t the most popular or they still have a stigma for being losers, but so are we and people still talk to us, right? So why not give them a shot? You’re bound to find a hero out there that stands out or seems cool. You might even change the hero you connect most with from Superman to Detective Chimp…