Post by ryokowerx on Sept 16, 2011 16:50:30 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 Moscow, a burly man in a Bat suit (presumably a member of Batman Inc.) is beaten unconscious by a invisible attacker. In Gotham, Bruce Wayne takes his son Damian, the current Robin, to Crime Alley and makes a vow to change his cycle of pain. While there Alfred calls them about a crime in progress at Gotham University's research reactor. They arrive to find a group of criminals in the process of stealing irradiated fuel. As they fight, several of them steal the Bat-Gyro and attempt to escape. Damian jumps on it and disables the gyro causing the vehicle to crash and the irradiated fuel in the criminals tanks to rupture and kill them. While this is happening, Batman seals the reactor's containment wall and drains the swimming pool above the reactor down onto it to cool of the exposed rods. Batman gives Damian a strong talking too about trust. Back in Moscow, the invisible attacker (who has a red bat symbol on his chest) gives the now awake Moscow Batman a acid bath.
THE ART:
Patrick Gleason is the artist on this title. I'm not familiar with his work but it is well suited to a Batman comic. A special mention needs to be made to the inker, Mick Gray. His work with shadows really make for some excellent scenes and compliment some of the lighting effects done by the colorist. Batman and Robin is just one of those titles without a superstar artist but the combination of pencils, ink and color just work so well together that the end result is greater than its individual parts.
THE STORY:
The writing duty is handled by Peter J. Tomasi. Unfortunately, while the art is quite good, the writing is only mediocre. The implication of a possible killer from Batman Inc. or just someone who likes wearing the bat symbol is interesting but isn't really in the issue enough to make it compelling. Instead we get Batman lecture Damian about earning trust after going off on his own and not following orders and a symbolic gesture by Bruce that might have been more effective if a better writer had gotten the job to write this comic. I've heard other people who really liked the Crime Alley scene but it just didn't resonate with me.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
$2.99 will get you a copy of Batman and Robin and, if you're a Batman fan, it's probably a given that you''re going to buy this. It's not a bad comic - it's just not a great comic either. It's middle of the road. New readers won't have any problems jumping on this title as there isn't anything advanced knowledge that you need. I'm kind of intrigued with the mystery killer but not enough to buy the monthly. It will probably be either a future trade paperback purchase or I'll just read it from the public library.
NEXT WEEK:
Batwoman #1, Demon Knights #1, Frankenstein: Agent Of Shade #1, Grifter #1, Mister Terrific #1, Resurrection Man #1, and Suicide Squad #1.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #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 Moscow, a burly man in a Bat suit (presumably a member of Batman Inc.) is beaten unconscious by a invisible attacker. In Gotham, Bruce Wayne takes his son Damian, the current Robin, to Crime Alley and makes a vow to change his cycle of pain. While there Alfred calls them about a crime in progress at Gotham University's research reactor. They arrive to find a group of criminals in the process of stealing irradiated fuel. As they fight, several of them steal the Bat-Gyro and attempt to escape. Damian jumps on it and disables the gyro causing the vehicle to crash and the irradiated fuel in the criminals tanks to rupture and kill them. While this is happening, Batman seals the reactor's containment wall and drains the swimming pool above the reactor down onto it to cool of the exposed rods. Batman gives Damian a strong talking too about trust. Back in Moscow, the invisible attacker (who has a red bat symbol on his chest) gives the now awake Moscow Batman a acid bath.
THE ART:
Patrick Gleason is the artist on this title. I'm not familiar with his work but it is well suited to a Batman comic. A special mention needs to be made to the inker, Mick Gray. His work with shadows really make for some excellent scenes and compliment some of the lighting effects done by the colorist. Batman and Robin is just one of those titles without a superstar artist but the combination of pencils, ink and color just work so well together that the end result is greater than its individual parts.
THE STORY:
The writing duty is handled by Peter J. Tomasi. Unfortunately, while the art is quite good, the writing is only mediocre. The implication of a possible killer from Batman Inc. or just someone who likes wearing the bat symbol is interesting but isn't really in the issue enough to make it compelling. Instead we get Batman lecture Damian about earning trust after going off on his own and not following orders and a symbolic gesture by Bruce that might have been more effective if a better writer had gotten the job to write this comic. I've heard other people who really liked the Crime Alley scene but it just didn't resonate with me.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
$2.99 will get you a copy of Batman and Robin and, if you're a Batman fan, it's probably a given that you''re going to buy this. It's not a bad comic - it's just not a great comic either. It's middle of the road. New readers won't have any problems jumping on this title as there isn't anything advanced knowledge that you need. I'm kind of intrigued with the mystery killer but not enough to buy the monthly. It will probably be either a future trade paperback purchase or I'll just read it from the public library.
NEXT WEEK:
Batwoman #1, Demon Knights #1, Frankenstein: Agent Of Shade #1, Grifter #1, Mister Terrific #1, Resurrection Man #1, and Suicide Squad #1.