Post by ryokowerx on Sept 9, 2011 18:26:59 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:[/b]
Buddy Baker, Animal Man, has the power to assume characteristics of animals. The issue starts with Buddy and his wife discussing a magazine interview that he had done while dealing with his young daughter's pleas to have a real pet. A crisis intervenes as his son alerts him to a situation going on at the hospital. Buddy suits up as Animal Man and makes it there only to discover that the problem is a deranged and distraught man holding the cancer ward hostage until they give him his daughter back, who died there three weeks prior. Animal Man goes in to reason with the man only to have him shoot at him. Buddy quickly takes him down only to have the police alert him to the fact that his eyes are gushing blood. He returns home to have a horrible dream only to wake up and a even greater shock when he finds his daughter in the backyard with her new "friends."
THE ART:
Travel Foreman is the artist. I'm not familiar with his work but it could use some work. Linework is sketchy and details are very sparse. That all changes for about five pages once he enters the dream and the art becomes exceptional, moody and downright creepy. Either the artist just really put his best effort into what appealed to him or the "real life" art was done the way it was to possibly blur the distinction between what was real and what was not (more on this later under the story section). Art takes a hit here but those few pages where Foreman is hitting on all cylinders is exceptional.
THE STORY:
Jeff Lemire is the writer and I'm a big fan of his previous work although my exposure to the character of Animal Man has been limited to his stint in Justice League Europe many, many years ago and the more recent Last Days of Animal Man mini-series. Buddy is quickly given what we need to know about him: he's a family man who is in a period of transition in his life in regards to his career now that he has "retired" from being a superhero. At least until the weirdness kicks in. We are introduced to "the red," which seems to be the life force composed of all living beings. This could be a direct opposite of "the green," the force of plant life. There is definitely more of a story developing here than in last week's Justice League #1 and it's damned interesting especially given the events surrounding his daughter.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
The printed comic will set you back $2.99 for 22 pages. If you want to buy it only as digital file, you're still going to pay $2.99 but I'd recommend waiting 30 days and then buying it from Comixology because they drop the price by $1 once it becomes a month old. The art is bipolar ranging from bad to drop your jaw good. The story isn't anything groundbreaking through the first 3/4th of the comic but then things take a left turn and things get cool. This one is worth your money, just barely. However, the groundwork has been laid for what could be a incredible story arc and stands to possibly be the seminal run for this character. This is one that is going on my monthly pull list.
UPCOMING REVIEWS:
Action Comics #1, Batgirl #1, Batwing #1, Detective Comics #1, Green Arrow #1, Hawk and Dove #1, Justice League International #1, Men of War #1, O.M.A.C. #1, Static Shock #1, Stormwatch #1 and Swamp Thing #1.
ANIMAL MAN #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:[/b]
Buddy Baker, Animal Man, has the power to assume characteristics of animals. The issue starts with Buddy and his wife discussing a magazine interview that he had done while dealing with his young daughter's pleas to have a real pet. A crisis intervenes as his son alerts him to a situation going on at the hospital. Buddy suits up as Animal Man and makes it there only to discover that the problem is a deranged and distraught man holding the cancer ward hostage until they give him his daughter back, who died there three weeks prior. Animal Man goes in to reason with the man only to have him shoot at him. Buddy quickly takes him down only to have the police alert him to the fact that his eyes are gushing blood. He returns home to have a horrible dream only to wake up and a even greater shock when he finds his daughter in the backyard with her new "friends."
THE ART:
Travel Foreman is the artist. I'm not familiar with his work but it could use some work. Linework is sketchy and details are very sparse. That all changes for about five pages once he enters the dream and the art becomes exceptional, moody and downright creepy. Either the artist just really put his best effort into what appealed to him or the "real life" art was done the way it was to possibly blur the distinction between what was real and what was not (more on this later under the story section). Art takes a hit here but those few pages where Foreman is hitting on all cylinders is exceptional.
THE STORY:
Jeff Lemire is the writer and I'm a big fan of his previous work although my exposure to the character of Animal Man has been limited to his stint in Justice League Europe many, many years ago and the more recent Last Days of Animal Man mini-series. Buddy is quickly given what we need to know about him: he's a family man who is in a period of transition in his life in regards to his career now that he has "retired" from being a superhero. At least until the weirdness kicks in. We are introduced to "the red," which seems to be the life force composed of all living beings. This could be a direct opposite of "the green," the force of plant life. There is definitely more of a story developing here than in last week's Justice League #1 and it's damned interesting especially given the events surrounding his daughter.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
The printed comic will set you back $2.99 for 22 pages. If you want to buy it only as digital file, you're still going to pay $2.99 but I'd recommend waiting 30 days and then buying it from Comixology because they drop the price by $1 once it becomes a month old. The art is bipolar ranging from bad to drop your jaw good. The story isn't anything groundbreaking through the first 3/4th of the comic but then things take a left turn and things get cool. This one is worth your money, just barely. However, the groundwork has been laid for what could be a incredible story arc and stands to possibly be the seminal run for this character. This is one that is going on my monthly pull list.
UPCOMING REVIEWS:
Action Comics #1, Batgirl #1, Batwing #1, Detective Comics #1, Green Arrow #1, Hawk and Dove #1, Justice League International #1, Men of War #1, O.M.A.C. #1, Static Shock #1, Stormwatch #1 and Swamp Thing #1.