Post by ryokowerx on Sept 21, 2011 11:16:31 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:
We open with the fall of Camelot and the taking away of King Arthur. A young Madame Xanadu deserts her sisters and dives in after Excalibur after it is thrown back into the lake. At the same time, Merlin binds the demon Etrigan to a young man named Jason Blood. Time progresses to the Dark Ages and the horde of the Questing Queen is rampaging across the land. Her sorcerer, Mordru, summons a evil force into a infant and gets information before the child explodes. At the town of Little Spring, Madame Xanadu and Jason Blood enter just in time to witness Vandal Savage bust his way into a closed inn. Inside the inn, we met Al Jabr, a merchant of exotic mechanisms, and Exoristos, who I presume to be a Amazon, getting in a argument with the innkeeper as Blood, Savage and Xanadu meet The Shining Knight. Just as everyone is getting going, outriders from the Questing Queen break in and demand to confiscate the food and drink from the inn. This doesn't go over well and a fight breaks out with Jason Blood releasing Etrigan to cause havoc. Unfortunately, this magical power released draws the attention of Mordru and he releases dragons against the inn.
THE ART:
After a week of releases plagued by mediocre artwork (with a few exceptions), it was a absolute pleasure to see Diogenes Neves artwork in this. This is what I'm looking for in this book. The art is great, character's expressions are spot on, there's some visual humor and lots of action. Big thumbs up for the artwork. Everything is good with the ink complimenting the pencils and the coloring work superb.
THE STORY:
I'll admit that I'm biased on this title. This was one of the must buys when DC originally announced the relaunch of their books. I'm a total sucker for period and fantasy comics and this was just hitting all the right buttons. I've seen some criticism leveled against the story in here that it is confusing and disjointed. It is. But I believe that is intentional. These characters are getting thrown into a situation that none of them were prepared for. The only people who know what is going on is Mordru and the Queen and neither of them strike me as the type to gloat about their plans. Paul Cornell is the writer and I have every faith in him to develop this story at the pace it needs to, doling out reveals when it makes sense for the reader to know them.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Demon Knights is $2.99 and I'm loving it. I love the premise and the characters. The artwork is excellent. I will be buying this every month and I'm sure that I'll pick up the trade paperbacks as well so that I can have good quality bound copies to put on my bookshelf. Great work all around and ranks right up there with Batwoman and Red Lanterns as my favorite comic of this week.
NEXT WEEK:
Batman #1, Birds of Prey #1, Blue Beetle #1, Captain Atom #1, Catwoman #1, DC Universe Presents #1, Green Lantern Corps #1, Legion of Super-Heroes #1, Nightwing #1, Red Hood and The Outlaws #1, Supergirl #1 and Wonder Woman #1.
DEMON KNIGHTS #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:
We open with the fall of Camelot and the taking away of King Arthur. A young Madame Xanadu deserts her sisters and dives in after Excalibur after it is thrown back into the lake. At the same time, Merlin binds the demon Etrigan to a young man named Jason Blood. Time progresses to the Dark Ages and the horde of the Questing Queen is rampaging across the land. Her sorcerer, Mordru, summons a evil force into a infant and gets information before the child explodes. At the town of Little Spring, Madame Xanadu and Jason Blood enter just in time to witness Vandal Savage bust his way into a closed inn. Inside the inn, we met Al Jabr, a merchant of exotic mechanisms, and Exoristos, who I presume to be a Amazon, getting in a argument with the innkeeper as Blood, Savage and Xanadu meet The Shining Knight. Just as everyone is getting going, outriders from the Questing Queen break in and demand to confiscate the food and drink from the inn. This doesn't go over well and a fight breaks out with Jason Blood releasing Etrigan to cause havoc. Unfortunately, this magical power released draws the attention of Mordru and he releases dragons against the inn.
THE ART:
After a week of releases plagued by mediocre artwork (with a few exceptions), it was a absolute pleasure to see Diogenes Neves artwork in this. This is what I'm looking for in this book. The art is great, character's expressions are spot on, there's some visual humor and lots of action. Big thumbs up for the artwork. Everything is good with the ink complimenting the pencils and the coloring work superb.
THE STORY:
I'll admit that I'm biased on this title. This was one of the must buys when DC originally announced the relaunch of their books. I'm a total sucker for period and fantasy comics and this was just hitting all the right buttons. I've seen some criticism leveled against the story in here that it is confusing and disjointed. It is. But I believe that is intentional. These characters are getting thrown into a situation that none of them were prepared for. The only people who know what is going on is Mordru and the Queen and neither of them strike me as the type to gloat about their plans. Paul Cornell is the writer and I have every faith in him to develop this story at the pace it needs to, doling out reveals when it makes sense for the reader to know them.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Demon Knights is $2.99 and I'm loving it. I love the premise and the characters. The artwork is excellent. I will be buying this every month and I'm sure that I'll pick up the trade paperbacks as well so that I can have good quality bound copies to put on my bookshelf. Great work all around and ranks right up there with Batwoman and Red Lanterns as my favorite comic of this week.
NEXT WEEK:
Batman #1, Birds of Prey #1, Blue Beetle #1, Captain Atom #1, Catwoman #1, DC Universe Presents #1, Green Lantern Corps #1, Legion of Super-Heroes #1, Nightwing #1, Red Hood and The Outlaws #1, Supergirl #1 and Wonder Woman #1.
