Cary Bates returns to comics?!

[The Toyroom]

It's been a loooong while since I've seen a Cary Bates byline in comics (he's been working in the TV/animation field since the 90s I believe). He used to write some good stuff for DC (Superman, The Flash, Justice League of America) back in the day. Apparently he's going to be writing the "True Believers" series for Marvel (with art by also-legendary Paul Gulacy).

[Earth 2 Chris]

Nice to see one of the old guard return. Bates was one of the first of the fanboys to make good, and was only slightly older than Jim Shooter when he sold his first script.

My only gripe with Bates was his insistence on putting himself in his stories. That JLA/JSA crossover where he was the villian was the worst of the whole 20 year tradition, IMHO. Maggin and him were usually MUCH better. His Flash run was way ahead of its time, breaking down a hero, and a never-ending story arc. Heavy stuff for the Pre-Crisis DCU.

Kind of weird to hear he's working for Marvel though.

Chris

[The Toyroom]

^ Yeah I've been looking through the 4 TPBs from the JLA/JSA cross-overs this last week and that one with Bates and Maggin is definitely a stinker compared to the others.

[Bionic Joe]

For the most part Bates wasn't a bad writer and has turned out some enjoyable books But this is the one thing i never forgave him for i blame him the the cancelation of the silver age FLASH series with the over done drawn out trial of the FLASH, So i blame him for the death of Barry

[palitoy]

I'm not really a big fan, maybe it's that horrible JLA issue that taints me but from all his stories I've read, he's always just been kind of average. Nothing he's written has ever done a great deal for me.

[The Toyroom]

^ His Flash stuff is MUCH better than his JLA stuff.

[davidb]

Especially his earlier Flash stuff. The death of Iris arc was completely out of left field for the time.

The later stuff, well, I don't just blame Bates for the book's cancellation. Infantino's art had really degraded by then, too (I blame at least part of that on Infantino inking himself too heavily). Still, while the trial's interesting to sit down and read today, it would have been torture waiting years for the arc to finish.

And yes, Bates making himself a villain in a JLA story was ridiculous. At least when Julie Schwartz would show up he was just Julie Schwartz, Earth-Prime comic book editor.

[The Toyroom]

Bates on the Flash was gold for me back in the early 70s with Irv Novick/Frank McLaughlin art. When they left and Don Heck jumped on board, I dropped the book.
I came back around during the Flash's trial but I agree that the Infantino art was a little bit of a turn-off by that point. But it was a nice way to send the character out with a bang and tieing it up nicely with a bow, regarding the "death" and resurrection of Iris. Too bad his happiness in the 30th Century didn't last...

[Bionic Joe]

I liked Don Heck's short run on the FLASH But yes the Infantino art was alright till around the early 300s then went down hill fast, But even George Prez would have been unable to save the series the trail lasted way to wrong and in mho was the final nail in the coffin and lead up to FLASH's demise in CRISIS

[Earth 2 Chris]

I like Infantino better when he's "reigned in" by a strong inker like Anderson. Rodin Rodriguez inked some of his Bates-Flash run, and I liked that combo.

While I think the trial was ahead of its time, I do agree it lasted too long and was too dark for a character like Flash. A short storyline like that may have worked but that one ran on and on and on. It was kind of the start of the "well-written, but did we really need to go there" type stories like Identity Crisis.

Chris

[Bionic Joe]

Long drawen out stories work well for the X-MEN and LEGION OF SUPERHEROES but not FLASH, the whole thing should have been wraped up in 6 issues topps or done as a seprate 12 issue max series

[chalwa]

I could never stand Maggin's work much. His contribution to the Shazam! Peeing Contest led to the leaving of C.C. Beck. I often wondered if allowed more room, Mr. Beck could have kept the Marvel ball rolling back then.
Beck was grumpy though.

bestest

[The Toyroom]

For those that are interested...

There’s a new project, quite a way off yet, that DC should be announcing toward the end of the year for 2009 that will allow me to revisit certain characters I was once closely associated with.

Superman, Flash, JLA or Legion....gotta be one of those. My bets on JLA or Legion.

[Airdave817]

I liked Don Heck's short run on the FLASH But yes the Infantino art was alright till around the early 300s then went down hill fast, But even George Prez would have been unable to save the series the trail lasted way to wrong and in mho was the final nail in the coffin and lead up to FLASH's demise in CRISIS

IMHO Don Heck was okay. I would take Jim Aparo over Heck. I couldn't believe how awful Infantino's work on The Flash was in those days. He made everybody look fat with flyaway hair. And this was the guy who introduced the character!

While I think the trial was ahead of its time, I do agree it lasted too long and was too dark for a character like Flash. A short storyline like that may have worked but that one ran on and on and on. It was kind of the start of the "well-written, but did we really need to go there" type stories like Identity Crisis.

I'll have to second that.

I'd like to see what Barry would be like now - where characters are less alike and less likely to see eye to eye. I'd like to see Barry's eternal optimism challenged. Not darkened, but challenged. I'd like to see him at odds with Batman and Green Arrow.