Post by ryokowerx on Sept 20, 2011 19:56:32 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 Bone Lake, Washington, a fisherman and his dog are killed by monsters that appear out of nowhere. Super-Agent Frankenstein arrives at S.H.A.D.E. headquarters, a micro-miniaturized city flying 2,000 miles above Manhattan. Inside, Frankenstein meets Father Time, the director of the city, along with Ray Palmer from the United Nations and the synthetic humanoids that populate the city. Father Time informs Frankenstein that the monsters invaded a nearby town and his wife had been sent in to deal with the problem until they lost contact with her. He is to go in, locate her and put down the monster uprising. The town has been walled in by S.H.A.D.E. and Frankenstein is introduced to the Creature Commandos who will assist him. They enter the city and fight tons of monsters, finally locating survivors inside a church but they aren't very happy to see more monsters.
THE ART:
Alberto Ponticelli seems to be trying to channel his inner Jeff Lemire but is only partially successful. The art isn't bad but I can't help but feel that it might have been better served by Ponticelli sticking with his own style. Still, you can count on a unique look to the title really matched only by the real Jeff Lemire's work on Animal Man. The thin, spidery linework just doesn't seem like a good fit for a horror superhero book. On the other hand, J. G. Jones' cover is just awesome.
THE STORY:
I was hoping for a bit more than I got but, to play my own Devil's Advocate, my expectations for this title was very high. There is plenty of action and I like the new Creature Commandos but it isn't really anything that we haven't seen done in Dark Horse Comic's Hellboy or B.P.R.D. The comic also goes into rapid fire idea mode at the beginning and it comes very close to overwhelming the reader with weirdness: synthetic biodegradable humanoids who fuel the flying headquarters, Father Time inhabiting the body of a ten-year-old Japanese schoolgirl, A miniaturized city with a population over 9,000 shrunk down by Ray Palmer and it keeps on going. Neat cool things but don't shoot your wad all at one go - save some awesomeness for later.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Frankenstein can be had for $2.99 and, despite its uneven start, I'll be there, cash in hand, for #2. I like the characters and I'm hoping that things get really cool and that we get a bit more background and development of ol' Frankie and the new Commandos. A new reader can jump onto this title but should evaluate how well they can just roll with rapid-fire concepts flying at them. I'm just really hoping that Lemire has the same passion and a cool story planned for Frankenstein that he seems to have for Animal Man.
NEXT WEEK:
Demon Knights #1
FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #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 Bone Lake, Washington, a fisherman and his dog are killed by monsters that appear out of nowhere. Super-Agent Frankenstein arrives at S.H.A.D.E. headquarters, a micro-miniaturized city flying 2,000 miles above Manhattan. Inside, Frankenstein meets Father Time, the director of the city, along with Ray Palmer from the United Nations and the synthetic humanoids that populate the city. Father Time informs Frankenstein that the monsters invaded a nearby town and his wife had been sent in to deal with the problem until they lost contact with her. He is to go in, locate her and put down the monster uprising. The town has been walled in by S.H.A.D.E. and Frankenstein is introduced to the Creature Commandos who will assist him. They enter the city and fight tons of monsters, finally locating survivors inside a church but they aren't very happy to see more monsters.
THE ART:
Alberto Ponticelli seems to be trying to channel his inner Jeff Lemire but is only partially successful. The art isn't bad but I can't help but feel that it might have been better served by Ponticelli sticking with his own style. Still, you can count on a unique look to the title really matched only by the real Jeff Lemire's work on Animal Man. The thin, spidery linework just doesn't seem like a good fit for a horror superhero book. On the other hand, J. G. Jones' cover is just awesome.
THE STORY:
I was hoping for a bit more than I got but, to play my own Devil's Advocate, my expectations for this title was very high. There is plenty of action and I like the new Creature Commandos but it isn't really anything that we haven't seen done in Dark Horse Comic's Hellboy or B.P.R.D. The comic also goes into rapid fire idea mode at the beginning and it comes very close to overwhelming the reader with weirdness: synthetic biodegradable humanoids who fuel the flying headquarters, Father Time inhabiting the body of a ten-year-old Japanese schoolgirl, A miniaturized city with a population over 9,000 shrunk down by Ray Palmer and it keeps on going. Neat cool things but don't shoot your wad all at one go - save some awesomeness for later.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Frankenstein can be had for $2.99 and, despite its uneven start, I'll be there, cash in hand, for #2. I like the characters and I'm hoping that things get really cool and that we get a bit more background and development of ol' Frankie and the new Commandos. A new reader can jump onto this title but should evaluate how well they can just roll with rapid-fire concepts flying at them. I'm just really hoping that Lemire has the same passion and a cool story planned for Frankenstein that he seems to have for Animal Man.
NEXT WEEK:
Demon Knights #1