Thursday, June 27, 2019

Leviathan Theory - Event Leviathan #2 Cover



Well, by now you have all read my Leviathan Theory . Briefly, Leviathan is Ted Kord. His lieutenants are Captain Atom (the Leviathan enforcer) and Nightshade. And I am building this all on the Watchmen-esque visuals and words saturating the Leviathan books. And when I think Watchmen in the DCU, I think Charlton heroes.

For me, the clues are present and loud. But I wonder if I am starting to see meaning in things that aren't really meaningful.

For example, I have been looking at the cover for Event Leviathan #2 and I am convinced that the whole thing is one big clue.

And it all points to Blue Beetle.





 Let's start with the cover composition.

I'll say, with a bit of wry wit, that I want to make something of the composition.

This pose, looking down on a gathering of heroes, a sort of reverse of the typical upshot of our 'bigger than life' heroes is interesting.

There is one comic that is famous for that viewpoint. And it is an issue and composition so famous, that it spawned innumerable copies and homages.


That is the look Kevin Maguire gave us in Justice League #1, a team noted for having Batman at it's core but included ... you guessed it ... Blue Beetle.

You can't look at that sort of angle and not be reminded of the JL cover and by inference Ted and his bwa-ha-ha antics.


Moreover, if you look closely at the seal they are standing on, you see that Manhunter is standing near the word 'united'. But clear as day is the word 'TED'.

And not just any 'TED' by the way, but one with a crack through it, telling us that this is a broken Ted. This is something cracked, imperfect, wronged somehow.


But let's take it one step further.

The cover dress says the group of detectives are 'on the case'.

What if that isn't an expression of speech?

What if they literally are standing on the case? The word 'Ted'!

I wouldn't put it past Brian Michael Bendis to use such nefarious wordplay to both obfuscate and tip his hand at the same time.

I have solved this mystery.
This time I'm right.

5 comments:

Martin Gray said...

I don’t know if you’re right, but you are rather brilliant!

garyb said...

Anj, you are good and I have no idea. But to take out of the phrase United States and get Ted you might just be having a bit of confirmation bias.

Or.... you are really really good.

Anonymous said...

I still say it's brilliant. It makes sense. Maybe around the edges some details might turn out to be wrong, but the big picture is very plausible.

Or maybe you are picking up deliberate red herrings, and still should be proud you spotted those.

Of course not all of these are native clues. Not fair to Batman if one clue is the cracked "Ted" on the floor, and another the perspective of a cover. Those would be clues for readers, not for those in-story.

Manhunter looks like Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman. Nothing wrong with that.

T.N.




Anj said...

Thanks for comments!

As I say on Twitter, I am probable crazy.

Rob S. said...

Love it!

Did you see any noteworthy clues in the latest Action Comics?