It has been a LONG time since I've done a comic report. The industry had become stagnant, sales were showing it, and negativity raged all over message boards. I'm not going into the details of DC's relaunch of their entire line because every other comics news site has done it to death, but I will give my opionion on the titles!
Let's back this up with the very last day of August, which I will term DCnU Week Zero. Only two books were released; FLASHPOINT #5 and JUSTICE LEAGUE #1. FLASHPOINT ended more with a whimper than a bang, but that's okay as it lightly led us into the new DC Universe, which was evident by Flash's and Batman's costume changes. It had an ending of emotional resonance, giving Batman something he yearned for all his life. It was beautiful. So then DC saw fit to jump us right into the new JUSTICE LEAGUE, three weeks earlier than the planned release date. The book is a winner, and how could it not be? It's written by Geoff Johns and drawn by the incomparable Jim Lee. I've seen people criticize the book because the new JL wasn't formed on the outset, concentrating mainly on Batman and Green Lantern, with Superman showing up at the end. Frankly, I'm more than okay with the slow build to the team formation. It allowed for some great characterization and interplay between a younger than now Batman and GL. The art was dynamic, moving, detailed. Indeed this book will be the Flagship of the DCnU.
Now to week #1: I bought 8 out of 13 new #1's. Here's the thing; for the most part I love superhero comics above all other types of comics because Superheroes are indiginous to the comics medium. That's where they originated and therefore that's what I'm drawn to, the unique character ideal that was created solely in the comic book medium. Oh sure, other types of stories existed in comics before the costumed adventurer showed up, but those other types of stories existed in other places, and yes they do have merit in any medium including comics. However, it's the Superhero idea I'm drawn to, which is why I forewent the non- Superhero titles of DC's relaunch... for the most part.
ACTION COMICS #1- How cool is it to actually say "I bought the first issue of ACTION COMICS?" Writer Grant Morrison, who I've publicly maligned as being way overrated, toned down his pretentious storytelling and actually crafted a story with fantastic straightforward action and presented a young Superman who is relatable, not yet SO powerful, and even a little cocky while truly fighting the idea of injustice, and not necessarily within the law. It's a refreshing change to a hero that we know so well and who quite frankly ceased to be relevant to the comic reading public. This new interpretation marks a familiar character, but makes you like him and view him in a way that may not have been obvious in decades. Rags Morales on art is at the top of his game. There's flow and emotion to his work that I haven't seen from him before. This book is one of the ones to watch.
DETECTIVE COMICS #1- Writer/Artist Tony Daniel gets grief from fans, and it's hard to see why here. His art is gorgeous, moody, and gritty, which befits Batman and Gotham City. Read the story carefully, and you'll see evidence of a younger Batman who makes a few mistakes, to say nothing of a very obvious de-aged Commisioner Gordon with red hair. Storywise, Daniel managed to write the beginning of a Joker story that has never been done before, leaving us with the most chilling last page (to be continued...) that I've read in some time. This will creep you out. Batman's updated armored looking costume has all the classic Batman elements and just makes plain sense given what he does. It's so great to have a Bruce Wayne as a sole Batman book again... the first of others to come.
BATGIRL #1- I'm not going to get into the contraversy of the once-Batgirl-turned paraplegic Oracle- turned into the walking fighting Batgirl again. I'm just going to deal with what we've been given. Writer Gail Simone has grown so much as a writer. I used to think of her as all flash and no substance, but she's clearly at home here and loving writing the adventures of Barbara Gordon, and it shows. There's a fun joy to the book, which somehow actually works considering the darker tone that a Bat-centric character should take, but then that's the point. Batgirl isn't Batman. Barbara is loving her mobility again, but she is clearly getting over past trauma and Simone hasn't shyed away from writing it. Artist Adrian Syaf is perfect for the book. Barbara and Batgirl both look hot (hey- comics are a fantasy)
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1- Considering that the main JL book will be set 5 years in the past for its first arc, there's a slight confusion to the need for this team, despite the explanation in the book. JLI is clearly one of those books which serves as an excuse to create a team of heroes that maybe had no other home in the DCnU. The book had little characterization and what it did have was forced and sterotypical. Aaron Lopresti's artwork was a bit inconsistent for me. Don't get me wrong, he's very good, but some pages were hyper detailed and then others not enough, and quite frankly the coloring in the book is a little too light for me, as it seemed to lack gravity. I'll be picking up at least one more issue to see where it goes and hopefully it fares better, but I haven't found the hook here yet.
GREEN ARROW #1- I have never liked GA/Oliver Queen, but this is a completely new interpretation of the man, complete with a new look and attitude in both his identities. Modern, more "hip," younger would be apt terms. I liked the book and will buy the next issue, but this opening salvo really was just standard yet adequate costumed hero fare.
STORMWATCH#1- Much to say here and "curious" may be the best word to describe this first issue. First off, there's an impending sense of something important happening and coming that leaves you wanting more, but not yet enough is revealed. There's a bit of disjointed storytelling, stemming from a writer and artist who are very good independently, but may not mesh well together. Paul Cornell is a very good writer and Miguel Sepulveda is an equally talented artist, but I get the sense that the artist may not have exactly understood what the writer was going for. Stormwatch is a team of formerly non-DC Universe members that have been folded into the post-FLASHPOINT timeline, but now with the very DC Universe Martian Manhunter as part of the organization. It's odd because you instantly think that MM is there just for the sake of having a familiar presence in this book, but he doesn't really seem like the Martian that we know. Acknowledgment is made that he was part of the Justice League, but no explanation of that is given considering the new JL origin doesn't include him. Still, if you read the final issue of FLASHPOINT and noticed that the mysterious hooded women there (who has also shown up and will continue to in all issues of the new titles in the backgrounds), you know that something big is eventually coming and STORMWATCH looks like it's going to be the central book of whatever that is.
SWAMP THING#1- The only real non-Superhero book I bought this week, but at least Superman cameos in it. I have fond memories of many excellent Swamp Thing stories, so I had to see what happens here. Intriguing to say the least. Great set-up of a story that leaves me wanting more and the exqusite layouts of artist Yanick Paquette is something to behold. Writer Scott Snyder weirded me out with a group of people in the book who do something grotesquely horrific to themselves, further accented by the talented Paquette. Defintiely a keeper for more issues!
ANIMAL MAN #1- It starts out as a superhero book with a clear emphasis on family dynamics, and then turns into a horror book. Much has been made about this book and its ending, but even while being well written by Jeff Lemire, the art by Travel Forman is scratchy and abysmally bad. And no, even with the ending, it still doesn't have enough to hook me into buying the next issue.
So, join me next week for my next set of reviews of DC's New 52!
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