In the 10th issue of the post-Flashpoint Stormwatch series the plot solves around how Apollo is tired of living and operating in secret, and explaining why the team must remain a secret organization. This gives me the motivation to write about my perception on the book so far. Some may think is too late for this topic, but i wanted to wait and see how the series develop before I could form an opinion. WHY STORMWATCH? As many if not all of you can see all the characters from this book that come from the Wildstorm universe were members of The Authority and were better known for their apparition on that title, but two of them, Engineer and Jenny Quantum were never related to the original Stormwatch, so why choose this name and no the earlier? Simple, The Authority is a name that means power, superiority, in the WS universe they were the top superteam, but in the DC universe this position belongs, and always will belong to the Justice League. Now, we need to keep in mind that in the new SW we see the characters adapted to the DCnU, and changes were necessary. The first thing to consider is the concept of the book, the WS version of Stormwatch was a team of superhumans who worked for the UN and followed a military approach, they were a crisis intervention team, in the DC universe they could have been something similar, since the Justice League and the other teams are independent operators is under stable that the governments of the earth wanted to have their own superpowered elements just in case, or simple to not depend on the good will of superheroes, and this could have worked even as a secret Organization as it was described in the solicits for the first month. The editorial decision was give this role to Justice League International, which instead of being a branch of the main League were tuned in a cheap knock off. The version that has been published we see SW as a version of the Shadow Cabinet(their ruling body is even called this way), a secret organization that have existed for centuries dedicated to protect Earth from alien menaces, and they consider themselves the professionals while demising superheroes as amateurs. The first issue also introduces three new members Adam One, the Projectionist and Harry Tanner so they could be disposed; since Adam One was useless as a leader no matter that he had eons of experience, Projectionist was redundant because her only power (control media) was something the Engineer can do, and Tanner was revealed as a traitor, and this way the plot could take flight. The characters who already existed suffered minor changes, mostly in appearance, like Apollo and the Midnighter who were mainly made to resemble less to Batman and Superman (but I still don’t like MN’s spikes or Apollo’s boots) , and Apollo’s powers were actually increased and diversified. Making Martian Manhunter a member tied them to the DC universe (but Geoff Johns made a mess with the changes); I like Jenny Quantum being portrayed as a little girl, a little bratty but mature enough to take the job seriously, and I prefer this to the bitchy personality she had post Revolution, because Jenny Sparks had became this way after 90 plus years of hit herself against a wall and Jenny Q only had 8 years at the time of her change. I don’t like that Jack Hawsmoor only talks to cities now; he should remain being a fighter. Engineer is now a little bulkier to my taste, but her new personality fits her situation. I’ve just read that MM will quit the team, and they say it’s for good, if that’s the case they could replace him with characters from the Authority, and I think Swift would make more sense in this black ops team than she made on a group that presumed to be the top badasses in the world. They could also use a less powerful version of the Doctor or even Jenny Sparks, why? Because is another continuity, so in this version being the spirit of the 20th century wouldn’t necessary means die on the beginning of year 2000. To conclude and return to the original point, I don’t like much the need keep the secret/ world is not ready/ people are morons position, when they were the Authority this characters had the goal of make a finer world, which include share tech and be open about their activities treating people as adults an demanding to behave as such. This Stormwatch are lackeys whose main goal is maintain the status quo, hopefully they will revel against their bosses and become version of their previous incarnation that fits in the DC universe, because I want this title running for many years.

Solid post.

@midnightmare said:

In the 10th issue of the post-Flashpoint Stormwatch series the plot solves around how Apollo is tired of living and operating in secret, and explaining why the team must remain a secret organization. This gives me the motivation to write about my perception on the book so far. Some may think is too late for this topic, but i wanted to wait and see how the series develop before I could form an opinion.
WHY STORMWATCH?
As many if not all of you can see all the characters from this book that come from the Wildstorm universe were members of The Authority and were better known for their apparition on that title, but two of them, Engineer and Jenny Quantum were never related to the original Stormwatch, so why choose this name and no the earlier? Simple, The Authority is a name that means power, superiority, in the WS universe they were the top superteam, but in the DC universe this position belongs, and always will belong to the Justice League.
Now, we need to keep in mind that in the new SW we see the characters adapted to the DCnU, and changes were necessary.
The first thing to consider is the concept of the book, the WS version of Stormwatch was a team of superhumans who worked for the UN and followed a military approach, they were a crisis intervention team, in the DC universe they could have been something similar, since the Justice League and the other teams are independent operators is under stable that the governments of the earth wanted to have their own superpowered elements just in case, or simple to not depend on the good will of superheroes, and this could have worked even as a secret Organization as it was described in the solicits for the first month. The editorial decision was give this role to Justice League International, which instead of being a branch of the main League were tuned in a cheap knock off.
The version that has been published we see SW as a version of the Shadow Cabinet(their ruling body is even called this way), a secret organization that have existed for centuries dedicated to protect Earth from alien menaces, and they consider themselves the professionals while demising superheroes as amateurs. The first issue also introduces three new members Adam One, the Projectionist and Harry Tanner so they could be disposed; since Adam One was useless as a leader no matter that he had eons of experience, Projectionist was redundant because her only power (control media) was something the Engineer can do, and Tanner was revealed as a traitor, and this way the plot could take flight.
The characters who already existed suffered minor changes, mostly in appearance, like Apollo and the Midnighter who were mainly made to resemble less to Batman and Superman (but I still don’t like MN’s spikes or Apollo’s boots) , and Apollo’s powers were actually increased and diversified. Making Martian Manhunter a member tied them to the DC universe (but Geoff Johns made a mess with the changes); I like Jenny Quantum being portrayed as a little girl, a little bratty but mature enough to take the job seriously, and I prefer this to the bitchy personality she had post Revolution, because Jenny Sparks had became this way after 90 plus years of hit herself against a wall and Jenny Q only had 8 years at the time of her change. I don’t like that Jack Hawsmoor only talks to cities now; he should remain being a fighter. Engineer is now a little bulkier to my taste, but her new personality fits her situation.
I’ve just read that MM will quit the team, and they say it’s for good, if that’s the case they could replace him with characters from the Authority, and I think Swift would make more sense in this black ops team than she made on a group that presumed to be the top badasses in the world. They could also use a less powerful version of the Doctor or even Jenny Sparks, why? Because is another continuity, so in this version being the spirit of the 20th century wouldn’t necessary means die on the beginning of year 2000.

To conclude and return to the original point, I don’t like much the need keep the secret/ world is not ready/ people are morons position, when they were the Authority this characters had the goal of make a finer world, which include share tech and be open about their activities treating people as adults an demanding to behave as such. This Stormwatch are lackeys whose main goal is maintain the status quo, hopefully they will revel against their bosses and become version of their previous incarnation that fits in the DC universe, because I want this title running for many years.

I agree ... i was wondering why everyone in the Authority is on Stormwatch haha

why was adam one a bad leader?

do you think MM was fitting in Storwatch?

how did apollo's abilities change?

Hyperlight: If you read the first 5 issues, you'll see that aparently Adam doesn't know what to do in a combat situation, i think this version of MM has more to do with a secret organization than with a public superteam, and Apollo still absorbs solar energy, can fly, is superstrong, near invulnerable and can shoot eye beams, but also he can proyect energy throug his hands and manipulate electromagnetic waves, at least enough to crack SW comunications.

@midnightmare said:

Hyperlight: If you read the first 5 issues, you'll see that aparently Adam doesn't know what to do in a combat situation, i think this version of MM has more to do with a secret organization than with a public superteam, and Apollo still absorbs solar energy, can fly, is superstrong, near invulnerable and can shoot eye beams, but also he can proyect energy throug his hands and manipulate electromagnetic waves, at least enough to crack SW comunications.

dang. an immortal man doesnt know how to fight or lead? thats weird

I prefer the current team become Authority that answers to nobody. Can relaunch a new Stormwatch that works for the shadow lords. I prefer to use the Shadow Cabinet name for the Milestone group.