Polite Dissent

In this plot cliché, the comic starts out well forward in time of where the narrative left off in the previous issue. The story then jumps back to the original time frame (usually through some sort of flashback) to fill in the reader on what they missed. This in itself is asking for trouble. The reader should never “miss” anything. It’s not like we snuck off to the kitchen during a commercial break and we’re late getting back.

In particular, this cliché is carried out poorly if:
1) The reader stops and wonders if he missed an issue.
2) Important plot points are presented as a fait accompli rather than uncovered during the course of the narrative.

I know this plot device has occasionally been used well, but more often than not, it’s used poorly as in these recent examples:

JLA #112: The issue starts out with the League in space fighting the Qwardians. I had to check that I hadn’t missed an issue. The plot then jumps back to where it left off the previous issue when the JLA calls in reinforcements and split into three teams to face the various threats. Unnecessarily confusing and cumbersome, especially in the middle of a multi-part storyline.

Books of Magic: Life During Wartime #9: A near perfect example of how this plot device can ruin a story. As the issue starts, two of the characters are dead – and they were alive the last the reader knew – and all of Tim’s friends have already discovered that they’re figments of his imagination. The narrative then jumps back in time to where everyone is still alive and no one knows they’re imaginary. The story continues until it reaches the point when the issue starts. This non-linear storytelling is a poor choice here because one of the most important plot points of the entire series (the characters realizing that they’re imaginary) is stripped of all its dramatic potential.