The New 52: Week 1: Part 2

Justice League International #1

Creative team: Dan Jurgens (writer) and Aaron Lopresti (pencils)

Story so far: A fun new take on the classic JLI concept. The United Nations sponsoring an international superhero is tried and true, and this is a pretty standard JLI lineup, including standards such as Fire and Ice, Rocket Red, Batman, Booster Gold and Guy Gardner, with new additions August General in Iron, Vixen and Godiva. The most interesting aspect thus far is the dynamic between Batman and Booster Gold, leading me to wonder if Booster’s previous solo series has been adopted into the new continuity (since Batman was the only hero aware of his mission to protect the time stream). Bruce seems to be putting an unprecedented amount of faith in Booster as a leader if that isn’t the case, and that could be the seam that the series falls apart at in the future if unaddressed. Grade: B

Art: Lopresti’s art is clean, focused and consistent. He seems to be a perfect fit for this book, though it is unlikely the art will go down in history as anything exceptional. He is a true professional, and compared to some of the other art I’ve seen today, may prove to be one of the better artists in the DC stable at the moment. Of course, there are 44 more books to evaluate at this point! Grade: B

Overall grade: B. This is a solid book, though fans of the classic Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire runs will find it missing that certain “BWA-HA-HA” flare.

Batwing #1

Creative team: Judd Winick (writer) and Ben Oliver (pencils)

Story so far: The story is fairly straight-forward. Batwing is a black, armored Batman that operates in Africa. By day, he is a member of a corrupt African police force. Under most writers, this story would probably come across very vanilla, but in the hands of Winick, the dialogue is snappy and you get this immediate connection with the character. The final two pages are a serious shock that you have to read to believe! Grade: A-

Art: Ben Oliver can have my babies! This book is absolutely GORGEOUS. I don’t even know what else to say. Grade: A++

Overall grade: A+. This grade may have been boosted by my low expectations, but with amazing art combined with a new-found attachment to a character I knew nothing about ten minutes ago, it seems appropriate.

Static Shock #1

Creative team: Scott McDaniel and John Rozum (co-writers) and Scott McDaniel (pencils)

Story so far: Static is one of the characters DC recently imported into their regular continuity from the old Milestone publisher they bought out years ago. Here he makes his debut in the new 52 along with Hardware, another old Milestone character. The only point of interest in this story was the fact that he is based out of New York City, and references how he seems to be the only cape in NYC, comical in comparison to Marvel Comics, where New York has practically ALL of them. Otherwise the story was bland, the dialogue choppy and the character was mildly annoying. Grade: C-

Art: The art here seems to fit with the character well; childish. This art might work better for a cartoon adaptation for the book, but not so much for a new book trying to get off the ground. Grade: C-

Overall grade: C-. One of the few books that lived up to expectations, Static Shock is a run of the mill Static story, so if you’re a holdout from the early 90s and love the character, this book is probably for you. If you feel no attachment to the character already, though, leave this one on the shelf.

OMAC #1

Creative team: Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen (sharing both writing and pencil duties)

Story so far: This was the book that registered lowest across the board in fan anticipation factor this week. Swing and a miss, fans! This book is the best rendered Jack Kirby tribute I’ve ever seen. Not much is really known at this point. An OMAC unit breaks into Camdus Labs at the behest of some unknown intelligence wanting to rejoin with the Camdus mainframe. Naturally this phantom AI turns out to be Brother Eye, an orbital space station that controls the OMACS. Many of you remember OMACs and Brother Eye from the Countdown to Infinite Crisis story several years back, where they were initially created by Batman to track super humans and gained an intelligence of their own. They set out to destroy super humans from there while being manipulated by Max Lord. I don’t know if any of this backstory is still relevant, but with its slightly over-exaggerated exposition, this book has a wonderfully nostalgic Silver Age feel to it. Grade: B+

Art: The Kirby/Silver Age feel of this book also applies to the art style. From color schemes to background emanations, this book is littered with The King’s fingerprints. I’m not certain how the art duties were distributed, but I am certain that this book has me hooked from page one! Grade: A

Overall grade: B+. I don’t expect this book to last very long, but I look forward to reading it as long as it does.

Green Arrow #1

Creative team: J.T. Krul (writer) and Dan Jurgens (pencils); George Perez (inks)

Story so far: It appears that Oliver Queen’s life has been simplified considerably in this reboot. He is back to running Queen Industries and dodging board meetings to bust up super villains at a night club. So far, none of the liberal leanings that made Ollie an endearing character have displayed themselves, with the exception of hiring a tech to create his weaponry because the tech doesn’t like to make weapons, ensuring nothing excessive. I enjoyed the previous GA series by Krul, so I expect this one will pick up the pace eventually, but so far, not a very engaging story. Grade: C

Art: This was one of the few books where the art clearly outshone the story. I’ve never noticed Jurgens being a particularly great artist, so I have to believe that the great George Perez doing the inking has elevated the art here quite a bit. Grade: B+

Overall grade: B-. This book is just nothing special so far. I’ll continue to give Krul the benefit of the doubt, but there is no need to rush out and jump on this series so far.

Hawk and Dove #1

Creative team: Sterling Gates (writer) and Rob Liefeld (Pencils)

Story so far: Dear god, the dialogue in this book is bad. The story was basically the set up for a new villain combined with an origin story. It doesn’t appear much has changed for Hawk and Dove with the new continuity, but to be honest, I don’t know how anybody would notice if it did. Dove is still in a relationship with Deadman, which at least gives a small glimmer of hope for this book moving forward. Grade: D

Art: My hatred of Rob Liefeld is well documented. Grade: F-

Overall grade: F+. This book is a piece of crap that somehow escaped the 90s and showed up here.

Swamp Thing

Creative team: Scott Snyder (writer) and Yanick Paquette (pencils)

Story so far: This issue picks up right where Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing left off prior to the New 52. Swamp Thing is now free of the imprint of Dr. Alec Holland, and thanks to the White Lantern, Alec Holland is alive and (mostly) well. At this point, this book is really about Holland, with Swampy only showing up in the last panel. There are spooky/weird happenings occurring across the globe. This issue also features a guest appearance by Superman with cameos by Batman and Aquaman, helping to establish that it does indeed occur in regular DC canon. Scott Snyder has a beautiful way with words that has quickly vaulted him to one of my favorite current writers. Grade: A+

Art: When I think of Swamp Thing art, I usually think of gritty, unclean pencils and heavy inks. That is not the case here, but due to the migration from Vertigo to DC, it makes sense to give this a more mainstream treatment. As always, I enjoy Paquette’s pencils, even in the face of it not being the type of art I expect on this book. Grade: B+

Overall grade: A. As expected (which is why I saved it for last), this book looks to be a great read. With the potential to involve the rest of the DCU as needed, the sky is the limit for Swamp Thing.

And that’s all for Week 1, folks. Now I’ll get cracking on the thirteen new books I picked up today for Week 2! Stay tuned…

The New 52: Week 1: Part 1

With 13 new #1s this week, I'm going to break this review up into two parts. The only relevance of the order is that this is the order I have read them in. The other seven books are forthcoming as soon as I read them, and with Week 2 coming out tomorrow, you can bet I'll be busy over the next few days trying to get these out to you all!

Batgirl #1

Creative Team: Gail Simone (Writer) and Ardian Syaf (Pencils); Cover by Adam Hughes (AH!)

Story so far: My biggest worry about this book was that if Barbara Gordon was Batgirl again, that meant the Killing Joke by Alan Moore couldn’t have happened, right? Right? Wrong. Here we are witness to Babs’ first night back in the costume after three long years in a wheelchair. At this point, Batgirl’s status in the Bat-Family is unknown, but she doesn’t appear to be part of the “in-crowd,” which could make for some interesting interactions further down the road. Also, there is no mention of her time as Oracle, so it’s hard to tell if that role was lost with the recon. Does this mean no Birds of Prey? I won’t spoil too much, but the psychological trauma to Babs is executed brilliantly, making this book a true page-turner. Grade: A+

Art: I’ll be perfectly honest with you: I didn’t pay very much attention to the art the first time through because I was so absorbed in the story-telling. It wasn’t bad, but it certainly wasn’t memorable. The cover by Hughes, on the flip side, is destined to decorate walls across the country. I know I’ll be trying to score a signed print of it at the next con I go to! Grade: B+ (brought up on the strength of the cover).

Overall Grade: A. An excellent book, cover to cover. Plenty of intrigue revolving around a new villain, mixed deftly with Babs’ past to make for one of the best books in this weeks’ batch. GO BUY THIS BOOK.

Stormwatch #1

Creative team: Paul Cornell (Writer) and Miguel Sepulveda (Pencils)

Story so far: While the concept of superheroes is only five years old in the new DCU, Stormwatch has been around for centuries. This is the first of the new books to integrate the Wildstorm Universe into the regular DC canon, and the integration leaves something to be desired so far. We see Stormwatch/Authority mainstays such as The Engineer, Jack Hawksmore and Jenny Quantum already with Stormwatch, as well as a handful of characters I don’t recognize. Of note, Martian Manhunter is with them. He acknowledges having spent time with the Justice League, but it is clear this is the team he feels he belongs on. Stormwatch is seen trying to recruit Apollo (another Wildstorm mainstay), and at the end he is joined by the Midnighter. It appears this is the first time in the new continuity that they have met, meaning they aren’t currently lovers like they were previously, leaving the big question of whether that aspect of the characters will be abandoned. If it is, this book is seemingly looking for ways to lose readers. The dialog is well written in a very familiar Wildstorm style, but the story has done nothing to hook me yet. Grade: C-

Art: I flat out hated the art in this book. There were a few isolated panels that were well done (see the first time Apollo is called Apollo), but overall the art was a complete turn-off for me. It’s hard to put my finger on it, but I think it was too clean and at the same time too busy, if that makes sense to anybody but me. Also, the updated costumes are awful. Grade: F

Overall Grade: D. Far and away the biggest disappointment so far for me. I have been a huge fan of the Wildstorm books over the years and was really expecting greatness here. I won’t write the book off yet, because I am eternally hopeful they will be able to correct the course, but there is no reason to rush out and buy this book unless you have a need to own anything Wildstorm related.

Action Comics #1

Creative team: Grant Morrison (writer) and Rags Morales (pencils); variant cover by Jim Lee

Story so far: This is the second of the new DCU books looking into the past. Here we see a young Superman, six months from his debut. A few interesting notes for this point in his career include the fact that his powers seem to still be developing (no references to flight yet… still leaping tall buildings in a single bound), a return to the social consciousness of the early Superman books (taking on the upper class criminals and reprimanding the police for not having already done it) and a new, more ruthless attitude (throws a wife beater out a window into the river, breaking both his hips and some ribs). This is not your grandfather’s Superman; at least not yet. It will be interesting to see if these changes stick with him, or if by the present day he has become the Big Blue Boy Scout, perhaps due to some event in the flashback. Definitely a strong debut for America’s most iconic comic book title. Grade: A

Art: I haven’t yet had a bad thing to say about Rags Morales’ artwork, and see no reason to start here. The art was beautiful, cover to cover. The current Superman costume is brilliant in its simplicity: Blue jeans and a Superman t-shirt with a cape. I expect to see him surrounded by dock workers lecturing on union rights in the near future. Of course we know from Justice League that eventually he will switch to a more traditional “superhero” costume. Grade: A

Overall Grade: A. If you’re a Superman traditionalist, you’ll probably hate this book, but if you keep an open mind, it is a very well put together story, establishing the new status quo for Clark and the crew. I highly recommend this book.

Men of War #1

Creative team (1^st Story): Ivan Brandon (writer) and Tom Derenick (Pencils)

Creative team (2^nd Story): Jonathan Vankin (writer) and Phil Winslade (Pencils)

Stories so far: Men of War is a throwback to the old DC tradition of war comics, such as Star Spangled War Stories and G.I. Combat among others. Set up as an anthology book, we are treated to two different stories, the first of which features Corporal Joseph Rock, the grandson of the classic Sergeant Frank Rock of G.I. Combat fame. The most interesting twist to the story is that it is not only set in modern day (the battlefield seems likely to be Afghanistan) but also in regular DCU continuity, which means the world is populated by super powered beings. The appearance of two of these “capes” causes quite an interesting disruption to the war and leaves me wanting more! The second story is about a Navy SEAL team in a black ops mission, ending with a very traditional war comic style cliffhanger. It is clear that the Rock stories will be the driving force behind this series, but the backup stories have the potential to throw some interesting stories our way. Also of note, the writers did an excellent job capturing legitimate military lingo, making me wonder if they have prior experience in the military. Grade: B+

Art: Derenick’s art for the Rock story was far superior to that of Winslade’s SEAL story. That being said, both art styles felt like a good fit for their respective stories. Both felt like an older art style, helping these books stay true to tradition, but somehow Derenick’s art was more vibrant. That might be attributed to a better colorist or inker. Grade: B

Overall Grade: B+. I came into this book not really knowing what to expect. I am unfamiliar with both creative teams, so to say I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. If you have any interest in military stories, go out and buy this book quickly, before it disappears as people start to realize it for the sleeper it is.

Detective Comics #1

Creative team: Tony S. Daniel (writer and pencils)

Story so far: If there were ever a formula for a standard, run-of-the-mill Batman story, this is it. Batman hunts Joker, nearly catches him and is foiled by Gotham’s Finest. He confers with Commissioner Gordon, finds out a new location, confronts Joker, kicks his ass while fighting off Joker Gas and drops him off at Arkham. I’m not saying it’s a bad way to go, but it didn’t really jump off the page either. There is some intrigue created by a mysterious character known as Dollmaker that Joker is colluding with in Arkham, and I won’t spoil the final splash page here. We do see the return of Bruce’s often-failing playboy life and a more down-to-business Alfred here, but no mention of other members of the Bat-Family leaves one wondering where everybody else is at. Grade: C+

Art: Daniel is pulling double duty on this book, and sadly, it shows. Some of the pages show the high level of art Daniel is capable of, while others show that perhaps he doesn’t have time to take the proper care with every page equally. The entire scene of Joker in Arkham looked like it was rushed. Grade: C-

Overall Grade: C. I’m sad to report that this book was a disappointment so far, despite what the amazing cover suggested. If you’re a Batman fan, it’s a must have, of course, but if you’re so-so on Bruce, then wait for Batman #1, which shows much more promise. Also, when considered that 11 of the 52 new titles are Batman related, it wouldn’t surprise me if this was the 11^th best.

Animal Man #1

Creative team: Jeff Lemire (writer) and Travel Forman (pencils)

Story so far: The classic Vertigo vibe of this book is inescapable. Animal Man is portrayed as a part-time superhero, part time actor and full time animal rights activist. If you are picking this book up thinking it is a superhero book, you are in for a shock. From dinner table talk to prophetic dreams; from a villain you sympathize with to primal forces you can’t possibly understand (yet), this book is an ensemble of what made writers like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman into living legends. Just wait until you get to the final, revelatory page: it will take your breath away! Grade: A+

Art: As with most classic Vertigo books, I don’t much care for the art style. I respect that it is probably doing many things that my simple mind cannot comprehend, but to me it just looks sloppy, much like the majority of Sandman looked sloppy to me. The prophetic dream sequence art worked quite well, however. This style seems to work very well when you’re dealing with acid trip-like story components. Grade: C+ (on the merit of that one sequence)

Overall Grade: B+. If you’re looking for this generations’ classic mature-audience tale, I think we’ve found it. Fasten your seatbelts for this one, gang, because it’s likely to be a bumpy, existential ride!

The New DC 52: Week 0 Review

As I'm sure most of you are aware by now, DC Comics is restarting their entire line of comics with all new #1 issues. While this is an incredibly controversial move on the part of the publisher, it has thus far met with ASTOUNDING commercial success. As these new #1s come out, I'll be putting some brief reviews up here to help my readers decide which new titles they want to pick up following. I'm already pulling all 52, so I feel like it's my duty! Without further ado, Week 0 started with a single release, the flagship title Justice League #1. Here's the skinny.

Creative Team: Geoff Johns (writer) and Jim Lee (art... duh)

Story so far: Of the new 52, 50 titles start out at present day, which is said to be five years into the new continuity. The other two titles (Justice League and Action Comics) begin retrospectively looking at Year One for the DCU. This first issue of Justice League is strictly a setup story. We see the first meeting of Batman and Green Lantern (and hilarity ensues as the two establish what will be a mutual hatred), Vic Stone as a high school football star without his future Cyborg upgrades and talk of a mysterious Superman in Metropolis. Of note is the battle between Bruce and Hal and a parademon, setting up Darkseid to be the first task of the soon-to-be-formed Justice League. Being mostly set up, the story wasn't all that compelling, but shows a capacity for great potential.
Grade: B+

Art: Those of you that are Jim Lee fans, expect more of the same from the seminal artist. Those of you that hate Jim Lee... sorry. Looking at the art for some of the other books on the horizon takes a lot of the flare out the art for this issue in my opinion. It is certainly solid, consistent work; it's just nothing special.
Grade B-

Overall Grade: B

This is a solid issue all around, but difficult to get overly excited about so far. It teases a fight between Superman and Batman next month, so maybe it will hit it's stride earlier rather than later. Time will tell.

Next week will see a full schedule of releases, thirteen in all. I have them sitting next to me, so once they're read, expect the reviews shortly following (hopefully tomorrow!). 'Till next time...