Sideways (comics)

Sideways (Derek James) is a fictional superhero created by writers Dan DiDio, Justin Jordan, and artist Kenneth Rocafort who appears in media published by DC Comics.[1]

Sideways
Sideways #1 (February 2018) by Kenneth Rocafort
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSideways #1 (Feb 2018)
Created byDan DiDio
Justin Jordan
Kenneth Rocafort
In-story information
Alter egoDerek James
Team affiliationsSeven Soldiers
Young Justice
AbilitiesTrans-dimensional travel
Teleportation
Superhuman strength and durability

Publication history

The character debuted in Sideways #1, which was originally promoted in spring 2017 as part of a group of new comic series set for release in fall 2017.[2] They were branded as the "Dark Matter" line and their stories follow events from the Dark Nights: Metal crossover.[3][4] In November 2017, the line was rebranded as "The New Age of DC Heroes" and publication was delayed until early 2018.[5]

The first issue of Sideways was published February 14, 2018.[6] Like the other first issues in the line, it featured a vertical gatefold cover.[7] When closed, the cover shows Sideways exiting a portal in the sky. When opened, additional characters can be seen on the ground below him and in the sky above him.[7]

Sideways appeared in the background of a group shot in Dan Jurgens' story in Action Comics 1000

Writer Grant Morrison co-wrote the series' first and only annual with Didio.[8] The annual was released in November 2018.

The series ended in February 2019 with its 13th issue.

He appeared one month later in Heroes in Crisis.

Character biography

Within the context of the stories, while on a trip to Gotham with his adoptive mother, Derek James, a Puerto Rican high school student, falls through a dimensional rift into the dark matter dimension following the events of Dark Nights: Metal. As a result, he gains the power to travel through dimensions and create rifts that can act as small barriers.[9] Derek is best friends with a girl named Ernestine, and is unpopular in school, as well as adopted.

A few months after Derek James acquires his powers, he is video recording his powers when he meets a being known as Tempus Fuginaut who accuses Derek of causing tears in reality. Derek escapes but he dislocates his shoulder, and he goes to his best friend Ernestine for help. Ernestine takes him to the hospital, where Derek's adopted mother arrives worrying for him. Suddenly, a mentally unstable woman name Killspeed breaks out and kills several hospital staff members in order to take some money for her cancer. Derek suits up into his Sideways costume and they both fight, with Sideways defeating her. When the police arrive, Sideways use his Rift abilities to teleport, but he accidentally severs Killspeed's arm.[10]

A few weeks later, Derek teams up with Hot Spot, a former Teen Titan, to take down a man named Replicant who can replicate superpowers. Replicant accidentally kills himself when he creates multiple rifts on top of his body, and Sideways gains popularity.[11] In Issue 5, Sideways is called out by a villain name Showman who gains power the more people are angry. With quick thinking from Erin, she calms the audience, which allows Sideways to teleport Showman to a different location where he defeats him.[12] In Issue 6, Derek is overwhelmed with stress and doesn't talk to his adopted mother, but finds out his mother was killed by people who were investigating him.

In the final issues, Sideways manages to find out the people who killed his mother, and defeat most of them. In Young Justice #13, Derek joins the Young Justice team.[13]

Powers and abilities

Due to Derek falling through the Dark Multiverse during the Dark Nights: Metal event, he acquired several powers involving reality and spacetime manipulation. Derek has the ability to create rifts (tears in the space-time continuum) which allow him to travel through any place he wants as long as he knows where it is. He can also teleport to other people's locations as long as he knows who they are; he did not know where his best friend was but when he imagined her face, he immediately teleported to her location. He can also use rifts for offensive abilities, like cutting off people or redirecting their attacks back at them. Sideways also has super strength and durability as well. When Derek creates a rift on top of another rift, it can create a miniature Black Hole.

Critical reception

The character has been commonly compared to Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, specifically the Ultimate version, evoking both his costume design and personality. The character and comic initially received mixed reviews, with the first issue averaging 7 out of 10 according to review aggregator Comic Book Roundup. Over time, the series received generally positive reviews with an average rating of 7.4 out of 10.[14] In a review of the first issue for IGN, Blair Marnell praised Rocafort's art but said the teenage dialogue was "so far off of the mark that it borders on self-parody."[15] Bleeding Cool called the character "charming" but the story "meandering". It went on to say Rocafort's art is fantastic but not the best fit for the comic's tone.[16] The character is part of an effort to increase diversity within the fictional setting and has received attention for being a minority character drawn by a Puerto Rican artist.[17][18]

References
  1. Lu, Alexander (February 14, 2018). "INTERVIEW: Dan DiDio on crafting SIDEWAYS and how Grant Morrison will help explore the Dark Multiverse". Comics Beat. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  2. Schedeen, Jesse (April 20, 2017), "DC Reveals New Comics Spinning Out of Dark Nights: Metal," IGN. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  3. (April 20, 2017), "DC Comics superstars unite for new Dark Matter line," Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  4. (April 20, 2017), "Full Details of DC's New Dark Matter Line," Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  5. (November 9, 2017), "'New Age of DC Heroes' Titles Pushed Back To 2018," Newsarama. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  6. Diaz, Eric (February 9, 2018). "Meet Sideways, DC's Newest Teen Hero (Exclusive Issue #1 Preview)". Nerdist. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  7. (October 16, 2017), "How DC Comics' Vertical Foldout Covers For New Age Of DC Heroes," Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  8. (October 5, 2017), "Grant Morrison Joins Dark Matter as Sideways Co-Writer," Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  9. "The New Age of DC Heroes Previews: The Terrifics & Sideways #1". Newsarama. January 5, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  10. "Sideways 003 (2018)". Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  11. "Sideways 004 (2018)". Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  12. "Sideways 005 (2018)". Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  13. "Young Justice v3 014 (2020)". Retrieved 2020-03-21.
  14. "Sideways #1 Reviews (2018)," Comic Book Roundup. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  15. Marnell, Blair (February 15, 2018), "Comic Book Reviews for February 14, 2018," IGN. Retrieved February 22, 2018
  16. (January 18, 2018), "Sideways #1 Review: A Charming Character in a Meandering Book," Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  17. (February 14, 2018), " DC's New Age of Heroes will organically diversify the DCU," Critical Hit. Retrieved February 23, 2018
  18. (February 13, 2018), "DC Co-Pub Dan DiDio On 'New Age' Diversity, SIDEWAYS ," Newsarama. Retrieved February 23, 2018
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