Post by ryokowerx on Sept 19, 2011 18:33:28 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 London, Mister Terrific has gotten into trouble with his investigation of Dalton Industries development of battle armor. He manages to disable the suit against a ferris wheel. We then get a flashback to Michael Holt's past and his wife's death and the mysterious appearance of his son from what might be the future or another dimension. Coming back from the flashback, we find that Michael currently has a "friends with benefits" relationship with Karen Starr and he invites her to a fundraiser at his Conscientia Institute. At a diner, one of the people there hears a strange sound, insults the waitress and then attacks a homeless guy in the parking lot. At the police station, Mister Terrific is called in because the guy is writing advanced scientific formula that he shouldn't know. At the fundraiser, Karen and Aleeka have a bit of a showdown over Michael while he is showing Senator Gonzalez a device that absorbs kinetic energy to help prevent earthquakes. Then that same strange noise that got the guy at the diner gets Michael Holt and he turns the device against the senator and threatens to kill him.
THE ART:
Gianluca Gugliotta handles the art for this issue. Sadly, the interior art does not live up to the promise of the excellent cover by J. G. Jones. In some ways the interior art is a bit lazy. There were several panels in which Michael Holt looked different and the flat coloring of the figures didn't do the art any favors.
THE STORY:
I was hoping to get more than I got but this is, at its core, a setup issue. There are several plot hooks laid out there and I think they have the potential to become interesting stories later. I'm wondering if Mister Terrific's own dimensional experiments and the appearance of his son has something to do with the mysterious sound that is attacking people and driving them mad. The only thing that got slightly annoying was the repetition of the "I'm a black man" and "I'm the third smartest guy on the planet" theme that kept on getting repeated. We got it the first time. Not an amazing story but one that I'd like to stick around to see the payoff for.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Mister Terrific is one of the $2.99 titles and, as such, it is only okay. I was hoping for so much more but I'm also willing to stick around to see if it gets better. It is also one of the few of the new #1s that I've seen so far that is completely new reader friendly. I'll stick around for a few more issues and hope this grabs me because it does have merit.
NEXT WEEK:
Demon Knights #1 and Frankenstein: Agent Of Shade #1.
MISTER TERRIFIC #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 London, Mister Terrific has gotten into trouble with his investigation of Dalton Industries development of battle armor. He manages to disable the suit against a ferris wheel. We then get a flashback to Michael Holt's past and his wife's death and the mysterious appearance of his son from what might be the future or another dimension. Coming back from the flashback, we find that Michael currently has a "friends with benefits" relationship with Karen Starr and he invites her to a fundraiser at his Conscientia Institute. At a diner, one of the people there hears a strange sound, insults the waitress and then attacks a homeless guy in the parking lot. At the police station, Mister Terrific is called in because the guy is writing advanced scientific formula that he shouldn't know. At the fundraiser, Karen and Aleeka have a bit of a showdown over Michael while he is showing Senator Gonzalez a device that absorbs kinetic energy to help prevent earthquakes. Then that same strange noise that got the guy at the diner gets Michael Holt and he turns the device against the senator and threatens to kill him.
THE ART:
Gianluca Gugliotta handles the art for this issue. Sadly, the interior art does not live up to the promise of the excellent cover by J. G. Jones. In some ways the interior art is a bit lazy. There were several panels in which Michael Holt looked different and the flat coloring of the figures didn't do the art any favors.
THE STORY:
I was hoping to get more than I got but this is, at its core, a setup issue. There are several plot hooks laid out there and I think they have the potential to become interesting stories later. I'm wondering if Mister Terrific's own dimensional experiments and the appearance of his son has something to do with the mysterious sound that is attacking people and driving them mad. The only thing that got slightly annoying was the repetition of the "I'm a black man" and "I'm the third smartest guy on the planet" theme that kept on getting repeated. We got it the first time. Not an amazing story but one that I'd like to stick around to see the payoff for.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Mister Terrific is one of the $2.99 titles and, as such, it is only okay. I was hoping for so much more but I'm also willing to stick around to see if it gets better. It is also one of the few of the new #1s that I've seen so far that is completely new reader friendly. I'll stick around for a few more issues and hope this grabs me because it does have merit.
NEXT WEEK:
Demon Knights #1 and Frankenstein: Agent Of Shade #1.