Post by ryokowerx on Sept 26, 2011 17:49:55 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).
WARNING! SPOILERS OFF THE PORT BOW CAP'N![/center]
PLOT SUMMARY:
The issue opens with Selina Kyle hurriedly getting into her catwoman outfit as someone is breaking down the door to her apartment. She bails out the window as they finally bust in. She gets away only to have them blow her place up. She makes her way to one of her few friends who acts as a source of information. Selina manages to gain access to a penthouse apartment for two weeks while the owners are away and a lead on a job involving the Russian mob. Selina takes the place of a bartender at the party and overhears a bit of information about a worthless painting that is considered a heirloom by a family and she figures that someone would be a good bit of money to get it back after she steals it. Just as she is making plans she catches sight of a man who brutalized her in the past, a man who should be in jail. She catches him in the bathroom and savagely beats him. Selina costumes up into her Catwoman persona and beats up a bunch of mobsters as she makes her escape. As she is in the penthouse, Batman shows up. They have sex.
THE ART:
Guillem March is the artist and he does a great job. His style is super detailed and the stark color choices by the colorist, Tomeu Morey, really make details pop. March was the perfect choice for Catwoman because of his ability to really render realistic expressions on female faces. This is important given Selina's past of really being a bit two-dimensional as a character.
THE STORY:
Judd Winick is the writer and I might as well get this out of the way first. There has been a outcry on the internet about the sex scene at the end of the comic. Honestly? I don't get it. This is not the Batman of the past. This is the Batman of Batman and Robin who has decided to let go of the deaths of his parents and instead concentrate on their the goodness of their lives. Selina is not a sex toy nor does she rape Batman as others have said. It was consensual and, given the events of the issue, Selina was in a pretty fragile state from being alone and reliving the trauma of her past. The desire to not be alone is a strong one. These two have played out the sexual tension in previous comics for years. Things advance. Things happen. Life isn't predictable. I look forward to see where this is going.
With that out of the way, the story itself isn't really anything amazing. Selina on the run from someone she crossed. Gets a job to steal something and has to deal with it when things go badly. It's a tried and true plot for crime comics since time immortal. The real hook is the ending that has everyone talking and counts on people being intrigued enough to come back to see what happens when the light of dawn comes around. I'm hoping that things fall out from the Russian mob angle and we get something from that but I'm not sure what will happen. I could see several angles that could be pursued.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Catwoman is $2.99 and it's a pretty decent value for your money. It wouldn't be one that I would buy to read immediately but, if I had extra money, I could see myself picking this up as a secondary title. This is probably one that I will allow to play out the first story arc and buy the trade paperback. However, if you are a big fan of the Bat titles, this is probably one that you'll want to pick up as Bruce's relationship (or soon lack thereof) to Selina is going to be explored.
NEXT WEEK:
Birds of Prey #1, Blue Beetle #1, DC Universe Presents #1, Green Lantern Corps #1, Nightwing #1, Supergirl #1 and Wonder Woman #1.
CATWOMAN #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:
The issue opens with Selina Kyle hurriedly getting into her catwoman outfit as someone is breaking down the door to her apartment. She bails out the window as they finally bust in. She gets away only to have them blow her place up. She makes her way to one of her few friends who acts as a source of information. Selina manages to gain access to a penthouse apartment for two weeks while the owners are away and a lead on a job involving the Russian mob. Selina takes the place of a bartender at the party and overhears a bit of information about a worthless painting that is considered a heirloom by a family and she figures that someone would be a good bit of money to get it back after she steals it. Just as she is making plans she catches sight of a man who brutalized her in the past, a man who should be in jail. She catches him in the bathroom and savagely beats him. Selina costumes up into her Catwoman persona and beats up a bunch of mobsters as she makes her escape. As she is in the penthouse, Batman shows up. They have sex.
THE ART:
Guillem March is the artist and he does a great job. His style is super detailed and the stark color choices by the colorist, Tomeu Morey, really make details pop. March was the perfect choice for Catwoman because of his ability to really render realistic expressions on female faces. This is important given Selina's past of really being a bit two-dimensional as a character.
THE STORY:
Judd Winick is the writer and I might as well get this out of the way first. There has been a outcry on the internet about the sex scene at the end of the comic. Honestly? I don't get it. This is not the Batman of the past. This is the Batman of Batman and Robin who has decided to let go of the deaths of his parents and instead concentrate on their the goodness of their lives. Selina is not a sex toy nor does she rape Batman as others have said. It was consensual and, given the events of the issue, Selina was in a pretty fragile state from being alone and reliving the trauma of her past. The desire to not be alone is a strong one. These two have played out the sexual tension in previous comics for years. Things advance. Things happen. Life isn't predictable. I look forward to see where this is going.
With that out of the way, the story itself isn't really anything amazing. Selina on the run from someone she crossed. Gets a job to steal something and has to deal with it when things go badly. It's a tried and true plot for crime comics since time immortal. The real hook is the ending that has everyone talking and counts on people being intrigued enough to come back to see what happens when the light of dawn comes around. I'm hoping that things fall out from the Russian mob angle and we get something from that but I'm not sure what will happen. I could see several angles that could be pursued.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Catwoman is $2.99 and it's a pretty decent value for your money. It wouldn't be one that I would buy to read immediately but, if I had extra money, I could see myself picking this up as a secondary title. This is probably one that I will allow to play out the first story arc and buy the trade paperback. However, if you are a big fan of the Bat titles, this is probably one that you'll want to pick up as Bruce's relationship (or soon lack thereof) to Selina is going to be explored.
NEXT WEEK:
Birds of Prey #1, Blue Beetle #1, DC Universe Presents #1, Green Lantern Corps #1, Nightwing #1, Supergirl #1 and Wonder Woman #1.