Post by ryokowerx on Sept 28, 2011 16:25:53 GMT -5
(cross-posted from my Facebook account. I hadn't originally intended on picking up all the new #1s but the 50% off deal at DCBS turned out to be too good to pass up. Feel free to discuss, agree or disagree)
So what the hell is this? I'm going to try to write a review of each of the new #1 issues put out by DC Comics. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, DC Comics (home of Superman, Batman, etc.) is completely restarting most* of the history they have established with their comic books since 1939. (* some continuity remains but all events that remain are considered to have happened within a five year span of time) If you're still confused, think of it as everything being set back to square one and all these superheroes are new things to show up rather than a given part of the world.
Anything I say from this point on is my opinion and reflects only my feelings. Please take your nerd rage elsewhere if you disagree or at least be civil in your disagreement.
NOTE: I have not read Flashpoint #5 which kicks off this new history so I'm going to try to approach these issues as if someone completely new to comics were picking them up for the first time. If you're interested in what I have to say, I'd encourage you to go to your local comic book shop (if you have one) or you can buy them digitally at Comixology (http://www.comixology.com).
PLOT SUMMARY:
In a Green Lantern sector house, two Lanterns serving as jail guards are brutally cut in half by a mysterious invisible attacker. Back on Earth, Guy Gardner, one of the four Lanterns assigned to Earth, is turned down at a job interview to coach sports because of he liability it would put on the school. Meanwhile, John Stewart, another Lantern, is having a argument with clients of his architecture company who don't want to pay the money to super-reinforce a building. He intimidates them by dropping them in a energy elevator shaft and flies off. On the planet Nerro, a disaster happens. In orbit around Earth, Guy and John commiserate over how much their lives have become difficult and they decide to visit Oa for awhile. They arrive just in time as reports come back about the death of the team sent to investigate the deaths of the two Lanterns and the incident on Nerro. John and Guy decide to gather up a group of Lanterns and investigate. They arrive at Nerro to find the former water world bone dry and millions of Nerrons dead.
THE ART:
Fernando Pasarin is the artist for the comic and, while I'm unfamiliar with his work, it is a good fit. His faces might err on the side of cartoons a bit (especially with Guy) but it isn't anything that kills the story. His alien designs, technology and environments are very well done and highly detailed... almost European in their style of drawing. The only knock that I can level against the finished product is that the colorist, Gabe Eltaeb, has a heavy hand with dark colors and sometimes it is very overwhelming and strips the scene of some of it's visual impact if the color choices hadn't been so dark.
THE STORY:
Peter J. Tomasi is the writer and, if you liked his previous work on Green Lantern, you'll find a lot to like here. I never really followed the Lanterns faithfully but there isn't anything in here that is going to deter a new reader. It can easily be picked up and understood. I like the mystery they're building with the Lantern killer and why the water from a entire planet was stolen. Also enjoyable was the banter between Guy and John and it's nice to see Guy not being a complete jerk as he has been written sometimes in the past. And I'm always happy to see John Stewart get some time in the spotlight - he's my favorite Lantern after Kyle.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Green Lantern Corps can be picked up for $2.99 and, while I can't say that it makes me want to jump into the whole GL mythos, it is a pretty decent comic. You could do worse. The art is good and the story is off to a intriguing start. I would certainly pick this up over the Green Lantern title if I was a new reader because it requires no knowledge of past history to get into. I'll probably be picking this one up in trade paperback once the first story arc is finished.
NEXT WEEK:
Blue Beetle #1, DC Universe Presents #1 and Nightwing #1
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1
So what the hell is this? I'm going to try to write a review of each of the new #1 issues put out by DC Comics. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, DC Comics (home of Superman, Batman, etc.) is completely restarting most* of the history they have established with their comic books since 1939. (* some continuity remains but all events that remain are considered to have happened within a five year span of time) If you're still confused, think of it as everything being set back to square one and all these superheroes are new things to show up rather than a given part of the world.
Anything I say from this point on is my opinion and reflects only my feelings. Please take your nerd rage elsewhere if you disagree or at least be civil in your disagreement.
NOTE: I have not read Flashpoint #5 which kicks off this new history so I'm going to try to approach these issues as if someone completely new to comics were picking them up for the first time. If you're interested in what I have to say, I'd encourage you to go to your local comic book shop (if you have one) or you can buy them digitally at Comixology (http://www.comixology.com).
WARNING! SPOILERS OFF THE PORT BOW CAP'N!
PLOT SUMMARY:
In a Green Lantern sector house, two Lanterns serving as jail guards are brutally cut in half by a mysterious invisible attacker. Back on Earth, Guy Gardner, one of the four Lanterns assigned to Earth, is turned down at a job interview to coach sports because of he liability it would put on the school. Meanwhile, John Stewart, another Lantern, is having a argument with clients of his architecture company who don't want to pay the money to super-reinforce a building. He intimidates them by dropping them in a energy elevator shaft and flies off. On the planet Nerro, a disaster happens. In orbit around Earth, Guy and John commiserate over how much their lives have become difficult and they decide to visit Oa for awhile. They arrive just in time as reports come back about the death of the team sent to investigate the deaths of the two Lanterns and the incident on Nerro. John and Guy decide to gather up a group of Lanterns and investigate. They arrive at Nerro to find the former water world bone dry and millions of Nerrons dead.
THE ART:
Fernando Pasarin is the artist for the comic and, while I'm unfamiliar with his work, it is a good fit. His faces might err on the side of cartoons a bit (especially with Guy) but it isn't anything that kills the story. His alien designs, technology and environments are very well done and highly detailed... almost European in their style of drawing. The only knock that I can level against the finished product is that the colorist, Gabe Eltaeb, has a heavy hand with dark colors and sometimes it is very overwhelming and strips the scene of some of it's visual impact if the color choices hadn't been so dark.
THE STORY:
Peter J. Tomasi is the writer and, if you liked his previous work on Green Lantern, you'll find a lot to like here. I never really followed the Lanterns faithfully but there isn't anything in here that is going to deter a new reader. It can easily be picked up and understood. I like the mystery they're building with the Lantern killer and why the water from a entire planet was stolen. Also enjoyable was the banter between Guy and John and it's nice to see Guy not being a complete jerk as he has been written sometimes in the past. And I'm always happy to see John Stewart get some time in the spotlight - he's my favorite Lantern after Kyle.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Green Lantern Corps can be picked up for $2.99 and, while I can't say that it makes me want to jump into the whole GL mythos, it is a pretty decent comic. You could do worse. The art is good and the story is off to a intriguing start. I would certainly pick this up over the Green Lantern title if I was a new reader because it requires no knowledge of past history to get into. I'll probably be picking this one up in trade paperback once the first story arc is finished.
NEXT WEEK:
Blue Beetle #1, DC Universe Presents #1 and Nightwing #1