Post by ryokowerx on Oct 4, 2011 13:52:08 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 a very inexperienced Kid Flash trying to help with a house fire and inadvertently causing what was a small blaze to become a inferno. We cut to Red Robin who is watching a news report about the incident while viewing other reports about teenaged superheroes. Red Robin then gets soldiers from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. (Remember them from Superboy?) along with the mysterious man from that very same issue busting in. He offers Robin clemency if he joins him but Robin says he's going to bring him down and dives out the window before warning them that the penthouse is wired with explosives. As Red Robin flies off in his retractable jet pack and wings, the place blows. Shortly after, we get Cassie Sandsmark driving in a stolen sports car before she is pulled over by a "cop." She tries to bluff her way out of it but it is obvious the man isn't a real officer. Robin shows up and knocks him out before a armed helicopter shows up. Robin calls her bluff on her claims on not having powers. She changes into Wonder Girl and rips the helicopter apart. Back at N.O.W.H.E.R.E., the mysterious man browbeats "Red" into releasing Superboy into his custody and he plans to use him against Red Robin.
THE ART:
Brett Booth does the art. If you're familiar with his work, you know that it is either that you love it or you hate it. I don't mind it. It borders on cartoon like but with enough realism thrown in to give it a odd mix. It's like a hybrid between Japanese manga and traditional American comic book illustration. There are also some strangeness sometimes with muscles on characters that don't seem right or even if there should be a extra muscle on that part of the body. It's not bad artwork so I just kind of roll with it. It's average to slightly below average comic book work and you might rank it higher if you're a fan of Booth's work.
THE STORY:
Scott Lobdell (of the slutty Starfire fame) does the writing. Except, again, like a lot of these new comics, we get a pretty weak story. At least this one is relatively smart enough to put in action instead of characters talking in a effort to make it at least appear that stuff happened. It's not a total waste but you get the feeling that a lot of what happened that was substantial in this comic could have just been a extra three or four pages in Superboy. Younger readers will probably be satisfied with the action but longtime readers are going to miss any real character interaction and team building.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
It's a mediocre value for $2.99. I'm not completely willing to discount this comic just yet. I really like the Teen Titans and I'm desperately hoping that Lobdell can get his writing chops in order to give me something that I'll enjoy. As it stands now, things are just too fragmented and partial to make any kind of real judgement on its long-term quality. I'll give it a few more issues and then re-evaluate it.
NEXT WEEK:
All Star Western #1, Green Lantern New Guardians #1, I Vampire #1, and Justice League Dark #1.
TEEN TITANS #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 a very inexperienced Kid Flash trying to help with a house fire and inadvertently causing what was a small blaze to become a inferno. We cut to Red Robin who is watching a news report about the incident while viewing other reports about teenaged superheroes. Red Robin then gets soldiers from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. (Remember them from Superboy?) along with the mysterious man from that very same issue busting in. He offers Robin clemency if he joins him but Robin says he's going to bring him down and dives out the window before warning them that the penthouse is wired with explosives. As Red Robin flies off in his retractable jet pack and wings, the place blows. Shortly after, we get Cassie Sandsmark driving in a stolen sports car before she is pulled over by a "cop." She tries to bluff her way out of it but it is obvious the man isn't a real officer. Robin shows up and knocks him out before a armed helicopter shows up. Robin calls her bluff on her claims on not having powers. She changes into Wonder Girl and rips the helicopter apart. Back at N.O.W.H.E.R.E., the mysterious man browbeats "Red" into releasing Superboy into his custody and he plans to use him against Red Robin.
THE ART:
Brett Booth does the art. If you're familiar with his work, you know that it is either that you love it or you hate it. I don't mind it. It borders on cartoon like but with enough realism thrown in to give it a odd mix. It's like a hybrid between Japanese manga and traditional American comic book illustration. There are also some strangeness sometimes with muscles on characters that don't seem right or even if there should be a extra muscle on that part of the body. It's not bad artwork so I just kind of roll with it. It's average to slightly below average comic book work and you might rank it higher if you're a fan of Booth's work.
THE STORY:
Scott Lobdell (of the slutty Starfire fame) does the writing. Except, again, like a lot of these new comics, we get a pretty weak story. At least this one is relatively smart enough to put in action instead of characters talking in a effort to make it at least appear that stuff happened. It's not a total waste but you get the feeling that a lot of what happened that was substantial in this comic could have just been a extra three or four pages in Superboy. Younger readers will probably be satisfied with the action but longtime readers are going to miss any real character interaction and team building.
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY:
It's a mediocre value for $2.99. I'm not completely willing to discount this comic just yet. I really like the Teen Titans and I'm desperately hoping that Lobdell can get his writing chops in order to give me something that I'll enjoy. As it stands now, things are just too fragmented and partial to make any kind of real judgement on its long-term quality. I'll give it a few more issues and then re-evaluate it.
NEXT WEEK:
All Star Western #1, Green Lantern New Guardians #1, I Vampire #1, and Justice League Dark #1.
