Post by ryokowerx on Oct 2, 2011 16:52:46 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:
At the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, a bunch of piranha-esque humanoids emerge and go towards the surface. In Boston, a bunch of robbers in a stolen armored truck flee from the police when Aquaman lands in the street in front of them. Nobody, criminals or police, take his arrival seriously before he flips the truck with his trident and shrugs off the robber's bullets. He leaves and goes to a seafood restaurant to eat and gets disbelieving looks and a apologetic waitress. After being hassled by a blogger during a unwelcome interview as he is waiting for his food, he leaves but not before giving the waitress two doubloons. Later that evening at Amnesty Bay, Aquaman thinks back on his childhood and renounces his throne in Atlantis and vows to make a new life with Mera on the surface. Meanwhile, a fishing boat is attacked by the piranha people who discover that people is good eatin'.
THE ART:
Ivan Reis does the artwork and anyone who is familiar with comic book art knows why this is awesome. As with a lot of the established characters after the universe reboot, Aquaman is younger version of his previous self and outside of the collar on his uniform, doesn't really differ too much from his old costume. I'm a big fan of Reis and his ability to do such expressive faces and the determined look on his face after being shot is probably my favorite of the book. Seriously, art is just gangbusters from cover to cover. There has been very few times in my long time of reading comics that you looked at Aquaman and thought "cool" - this is one of them.
THE STORY:
Geoff Johns handles the writing and, even though a lot of people have been singling it out as wishy-washy online, I like where this is headed. He considers himself more human than Atlantean but his time away from the surface has resulted in him being viewed as a joke. He decides to correct this. Being a joke and put down, shouldn't make his decision seem odd. If nothing else, it'd make him determined to prove them wrong. I kind of like the piranha people as villains but so far they're pretty mindless eating machines. I hope there is more to them than just that. Still, I like how Aquaman is being explored and what could be in store for him in the future. This issue is worth the cost just for the time in the seafood restaurant itself.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
$2.99 for a well-written Aquaman comic with kickass art? Sign me up. This is also pretty darn new reader friendly. If you even vaguely remember Aquaman from the old Super Friends cartoon, you'll do fine here. I really can't say enough about this one other than to go out and buy it.
NEXT WEEK:
All Star Western #1, Batman The Dark Knight #1, Blackhawks #1, Flash #1, Fury Of Firestorm #1, Green Lantern New Guardians #1, I Vampire #1, Justice League Dark #1, Savage Hawkman #1, Superman #1, Teen Titans #1, Voodoo #1
AQUAMAN #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:
At the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, a bunch of piranha-esque humanoids emerge and go towards the surface. In Boston, a bunch of robbers in a stolen armored truck flee from the police when Aquaman lands in the street in front of them. Nobody, criminals or police, take his arrival seriously before he flips the truck with his trident and shrugs off the robber's bullets. He leaves and goes to a seafood restaurant to eat and gets disbelieving looks and a apologetic waitress. After being hassled by a blogger during a unwelcome interview as he is waiting for his food, he leaves but not before giving the waitress two doubloons. Later that evening at Amnesty Bay, Aquaman thinks back on his childhood and renounces his throne in Atlantis and vows to make a new life with Mera on the surface. Meanwhile, a fishing boat is attacked by the piranha people who discover that people is good eatin'.
THE ART:
Ivan Reis does the artwork and anyone who is familiar with comic book art knows why this is awesome. As with a lot of the established characters after the universe reboot, Aquaman is younger version of his previous self and outside of the collar on his uniform, doesn't really differ too much from his old costume. I'm a big fan of Reis and his ability to do such expressive faces and the determined look on his face after being shot is probably my favorite of the book. Seriously, art is just gangbusters from cover to cover. There has been very few times in my long time of reading comics that you looked at Aquaman and thought "cool" - this is one of them.
THE STORY:
Geoff Johns handles the writing and, even though a lot of people have been singling it out as wishy-washy online, I like where this is headed. He considers himself more human than Atlantean but his time away from the surface has resulted in him being viewed as a joke. He decides to correct this. Being a joke and put down, shouldn't make his decision seem odd. If nothing else, it'd make him determined to prove them wrong. I kind of like the piranha people as villains but so far they're pretty mindless eating machines. I hope there is more to them than just that. Still, I like how Aquaman is being explored and what could be in store for him in the future. This issue is worth the cost just for the time in the seafood restaurant itself.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
$2.99 for a well-written Aquaman comic with kickass art? Sign me up. This is also pretty darn new reader friendly. If you even vaguely remember Aquaman from the old Super Friends cartoon, you'll do fine here. I really can't say enough about this one other than to go out and buy it.
NEXT WEEK:
All Star Western #1, Batman The Dark Knight #1, Blackhawks #1, Flash #1, Fury Of Firestorm #1, Green Lantern New Guardians #1, I Vampire #1, Justice League Dark #1, Savage Hawkman #1, Superman #1, Teen Titans #1, Voodoo #1
