Justice League Dark #2 is in stores tomorrow. There are some cool cameo appearances as well as a big first appearance of a new villain. The images below are spoiler protected, click on the spoiler warning to see the images. The accompanying text is not spoiler protected. Read on only if you do not mind spoilers.
A lot is going wrong for the magical Leaguers in Justice League Dark. The come across a character who hasn’t been seen in a while. Not seen since the end of the New 52 series
You can check out more about him HERE.
But the big surprise is the new villain, The Upside-Down Man. And boy is he creepy…
I am awaiting the return of SNOWFLAME
Wouldn’t that be 2nd cameo, as issue 1 has about the same type of appearance (and most are labeling it a cameo?)
Did UDM speak at all in issue #1?
If I remember correctly he did. But it felt like a cameo appearance and I think the only part he was in was kind of a dream sequence.
Yes. He was named and he spoke.
We are the one who decide what is of value. I can’t stand the whole cameo/first appearance controversy. It looks like a cameo because he doesn’t do anything great, now if he reached out and smacked a guy or ate someone I would consider it being a first appearance. Realistically this is a second cameo.
Unfortunately there is no letter of law that stated what is a full or a cameo. Yes, we are the ones who decide what holds value, but with this being a spec site, it is our duty to try and figure out what the market decides on, before the market decides. The full vs cameo debate is old and tiresome, but it is unavoidable in this crazy market we call comics.
Maybe we can wait to debate if and when the character gains fans or popularity. How many villains come and go? How many stick around and make a book more valuable for the long haul? I’m pretty sure the number of villains that stick around to become household villains are a far cry from those that are introduced and never really utilized again.
Yes, villians arent as popular and generally come and go, not to mention it takes longer as they arent featured month to month. But, if you wait till they gain popularity, then your margins will not be as big. Mind you, I have just my reader copies of this run. Im not banking on UDM. Although I am looking forward to seeing him in action.
For me, there are two heroes where people know the villains just as well as the super hero. DC hands down would be Batman. The villains are just as popular as the hero himself. I mean, if you know about Batman, you likely know most of his popular enemies. So when a new villain arrives in Batman, that’s a book I tend to buy for the long haul.
The other super hero is Spider-Man. Same boat as Batman.
I mean, sure other heroes have their villain friends like Superman has Lex but unless you read the comics regularly, the regular folks couldn’t probably name most villains beyond Lex for Supes. Same goes for a lot of the other long running heroes of DC and Marvel.
But I bet if you ask the regular folks to name more a handful of villains for either Batman or Spider-Man, I’m willing to bet most can do it.
This is why I loaded up on ASM #798. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the Red Goblin and a new Spider-Man villain in such a huge story line has a good chance of becoming a nice long term gamble compared to most of the other villains in other titles.
I welcome all new cool villains but if I bought every book with a new villain, I’d lose more than I win. I’m okay in missing out, it beats losing. 🙂
I think that with all the new heroes introduced in the past few years (esp. on the Marvel side of the equation), and the never ending heroes vs. heroes schtick, as well as every bad seemingly turning good and joining a team, good villains have been sorely lacking. Yes, their spec potential isn’t as great as those of heroes, but I miss some good villains for my heroes to fight against, which is what we are seemingly getting now in the marketplace.
I agree with you about Batman and Spiderman villains Poyo. I have multiple copies of Asm 798 stewing on a long box for that very reason. Batman rarely encounters new badass villains anymore. Whatever happened to emperor penguin/blackgate? He seemed promising and I still have a couple Detective Comics 13 as well.
Out of curiosity, why 798 and not 799 2nd print? No one thinks that little Normie will be the new Red Goblin (or Darkchylde or w/e he called himself), moving forward, with Norman taking on the traditional GG role?
Looks pretty good, I may have to check these out.