Post by ryokowerx on Oct 2, 2011 18:27:22 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:
The issue opens with Carter Hall driving out into the country and dousing his suit of hawkman armor with booze and shooting it (presumably with a flare gun because it catches on fire). Except the fire assumes the form of a giant hawk and envelops him. We cut to a Professor Ziegler on a oceangoing research and salvage ship that is bringing up what he believes is alien shipwrecks. Carter missed the trip and the professor sends a colleague named Terrance to bring Carter back to the lab. Carter awakens in his room, naked and with no idea how he got there. Terrance brings him back to the lab where he is just in time to see a x-ray of what looks to be a alien mummy. However, when a sample of a alien liquid gets near the body, it busts from it's tube and takes over the two lab assistants in the chamber with it. As Cater fights them, the Nth metal hawkman armor comes out of his skin and covers him as he attacks the alien leader, Morphicius, who starts to absorb the energy from the Nth metal.
THE ART:
The watercolor-esque painting style of Philip Tan is unique and brings a different look to Hawkman. Sadly, I'm not sure it's the right one. It looks fantastic and, for the first part of the book, is appropriate as Carter is unsure as to what is real and not but, when things go crazy in the lab, the style tends to clash a bit with the feel. It's not helped by having humanoid blob-like aliens as a enemy. Still, if you primarily buy comics for the artwork, this is probably a worthwhile purchase for you.
THE STORY:
Meh. I can take it or leave it. Tony S. Daniel does the writing and it just didn't do anything to really engage me. We get Carter Hall trying to destroy his armor (presumably as his depression over loosing Hawkgirl in Brightest Day?) only to have it come back later from underneath his skin and he fights some aliens. No real developments character-wise at all. Sadly, a complete miss when you have a comic called "The SAVAGE Hawkman" but he is already on his knees in front of the big bad within a short time of the fight breaking out.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Hawkman was always one of those characters that get the short end of the stick. Unfortunately, that looks like it is going to continue under Daniel. Some (or all) of the messy continuity issues might have been resolved only to be replaced by boring stories. I won't be back for the second issue and don't consider it a good value for $2.99.
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, Superman #1, and Teen Titans #1.
THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #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 Carter Hall driving out into the country and dousing his suit of hawkman armor with booze and shooting it (presumably with a flare gun because it catches on fire). Except the fire assumes the form of a giant hawk and envelops him. We cut to a Professor Ziegler on a oceangoing research and salvage ship that is bringing up what he believes is alien shipwrecks. Carter missed the trip and the professor sends a colleague named Terrance to bring Carter back to the lab. Carter awakens in his room, naked and with no idea how he got there. Terrance brings him back to the lab where he is just in time to see a x-ray of what looks to be a alien mummy. However, when a sample of a alien liquid gets near the body, it busts from it's tube and takes over the two lab assistants in the chamber with it. As Cater fights them, the Nth metal hawkman armor comes out of his skin and covers him as he attacks the alien leader, Morphicius, who starts to absorb the energy from the Nth metal.
THE ART:
The watercolor-esque painting style of Philip Tan is unique and brings a different look to Hawkman. Sadly, I'm not sure it's the right one. It looks fantastic and, for the first part of the book, is appropriate as Carter is unsure as to what is real and not but, when things go crazy in the lab, the style tends to clash a bit with the feel. It's not helped by having humanoid blob-like aliens as a enemy. Still, if you primarily buy comics for the artwork, this is probably a worthwhile purchase for you.
THE STORY:
Meh. I can take it or leave it. Tony S. Daniel does the writing and it just didn't do anything to really engage me. We get Carter Hall trying to destroy his armor (presumably as his depression over loosing Hawkgirl in Brightest Day?) only to have it come back later from underneath his skin and he fights some aliens. No real developments character-wise at all. Sadly, a complete miss when you have a comic called "The SAVAGE Hawkman" but he is already on his knees in front of the big bad within a short time of the fight breaking out.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
Hawkman was always one of those characters that get the short end of the stick. Unfortunately, that looks like it is going to continue under Daniel. Some (or all) of the messy continuity issues might have been resolved only to be replaced by boring stories. I won't be back for the second issue and don't consider it a good value for $2.99.
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, Superman #1, and Teen Titans #1.
