Doug reviews the DC New 52
Sept 11, 2011 11:20:19 GMT -5
Post by Doug on Sept 11, 2011 11:20:19 GMT -5
As a long time comic fan that had stopped reading for several years, I have decided to give the new DC reboot a try. I plan on reviewing each issue in brief on the Sundays after release, so keep an eye out for my opinions both positive and negative in this thread, and feel free to compare your opinions with mine.
Justice League #1
Let's start with the positives, the art. Jim Lee's work looks amazing, as he does characters in movement really well. The costume redesigns work as well, as they retain enough of the iconic look while still being modernized. Also, the dialog feels natural. The characters sound real, like you would expect them to act in these situations.
Now the Negatives. First off it does not feel like the Justice League, but reads more like an issue of the Brave and the Bold. To be a big new issue, nothing happens, and the plot moves rather slowly. I am also not fond of the fact that half the team does not even make an appearance. It was the Hal and Bruce show for the most part.
Overall, I enjoyed the issue, even if it felt slow. Perhaps they should have saved the origin tale for the second arc as a flashback, and started with the team in some kind of epic encounter. To be the Justice League, it fell a little flat, but I am willing to keep reading to see if it improves.
Action Comics #1
Positives: Superman seems fun in this issue. The stuffy truth, justice, American way type of superman seems to be taking a backseat to the doing what is right for the everyday guy. Also, Luthor seems back to being a right nice bastard which I approve of.
Negatives: The outfit. I get it's early in his career, but it just looks ridiculous. Also, at times the dialog between superman and the police made it feel more like I was reading SuperBatman, rather than superman. At this point, Superman is a cultural icon, so I'm not sure telling his early days really works for me anymore, as his history is pretty well known.
Overall: Not a bad issue. The art was good, and Morrison has a unique spin on the character. It's a good way to introduce a new style to an old character, but I hope it jumps back to the present time sooner rather than later.
Animal Man #1
Positives: I really like seeing the family dynamic they play in this issue. Too many times heroes end up not being allowed to have successful relationships, so it's nice to see someone being both "super" and "man".
Negative: The art seems inconsistent throughout the issue. At times it seems crisp, then other times the proportions seem off. I'm not sure if that is intentional or not, but it was noticeable to me.
Overall: I like Buddy Baker, so I hope this does well. It seemed to be setting up some rather intriguing things with the character, I just hope they don't ruin the good family dynamic it has going on.
Batgirl #1
Positives: The art is not bad.
Negatives: Of all the issues I have read so far, this one ranks near the bottom. I really do not care for Babs being back in the Batgirl costume, as it really feels like a step back for a great character. The fact that she had been given multiple opportunities to regain her ability to walk that she passed on, only for her to suddenly have it back rings false. Hopefully they will have a good reason, but so far the story just did not speak to me at all.
Overall: Obviously, I don't care for it. Your Mileage will probably vary.
Batwing #1
Positives: The art is great, the color work especially gives it a painted feel that works. The character is a nice spin on the batmotif, and works better than I would have thought. They also don't pull punches, and show a much harsher environment then what we normally get in superhero books.
Negatives: I really don't have anything that stood out as bad in this issue.
Overall: I really liked this one. I have not read any of the Batman Inc. stuff, but I did not feel like I had too reading this issue. The last page shock panel also took me off guard, which was nice and has me excited for the next issue.
Detective Comics #1
Positives: Joker is completely loony again. The art was really crisp, and the plot was fairly easy to follow as a result. The personality of not just the characters, but of the setting really shone.
Negatives: Not sure I like the cops not working well with Batman again. Unless this is another flashback story, it feels forced as too much has happened for them to be that antagonistic towards him. If it is a flashback story, they did not make that easily known.
Overall: Not a bad issue, and I'm curious to see what this "Dollmaker" character is all about. A pretty solid issue, if somewhat strange at times.
Green Arrow #1
Positives: I like the proactive approach they are taking with GA, and him actively tracking villains down. Using his company to front his work, and having his employees in on it is a nice touch.
Negatives: I don't care for the costume redesign. He looks too much like the Conner Hawke GA. He just looks too young for the role they are putting him in.
Overall: Not a bad issue, and they have set the stage for some good storyline potentials. Not one of my favs, but not bad either. A middle of the pack issue.
Hawk and Dove #1
Positives: They continued the Dove/Deadman pairing from brightest day. I am glad of that, as I enjoyed seeing those two interact.
Negatives: Rob Liefield. Why does this man continue to get work? His proportions are not as bad as his heroes reborn stuff, but still pretty horrible. Every character looks like they are begging for pouches and guns.
Overall: Unless Liefield has a huge cult following, I can't see this lasting. The characters are not really interesting, and the art to me is not very good. One of my least favorites so far.
Justice League International #1
Positives: The story makes sense, and flowed naturally. The character interactions where enjoyable, and had some nice nods to previous events, without banging you over the head with them.
Negatives: Some more information on some of the lesser known characters like Godiva and August General in Iron would have been nice. Some more humor being tossed in would be nice as well.
Overall: I really enjoyed this issue. Near the top of my favorites so far. Everything felt natural. I just hope they keep Guy and ditch Batman, as I feel the team dynamic will work better without one of the "big guns" around.
Men of War #1
Positives: An interesting take on modern warfare in a superhero filled world. The art was pretty solid, if a little dark at times.
Negatives: Storywise, the characters don't really appeal to me. This is definitely something that will be an acquired taste for people.
Overall: Not a bad comic, but I can't see it lasting. It will appeal to fans of the old Sgt. Rock or Nam series, but it's just not really my thing.
O.M.A.C. #1
Positives: Ummmmmmmm ......... Nope I got nothing.
Negatives: Where to begin? The art looked horrible to me. It felt like someone trying to mimic Jack Kirby poorly. Also the coloring made it seem like things where melting into each other at times. Storyline wise, I am just not hooked. The Brother Eye thing does not intrigue me, and the main character seems like a hulk light in terms of man/monster dynamic.
Overall: I was not impressed. This was my least favorite issue of them all. I can not see this lasting.
Static Shock #1
Positives: It was not a kiddie title like I expected. I guess I was expecting it to be more "cartoony" and it was not. The art was well done, and the new costume design is really sleek. I like that New York was shown as not being hero heavy to play on the fact that Metropolis and Gotham are the main cities of the DC America.
Negatives: A little more background info on the main characters like Static and Hardware would have been nice. I get these where Milestone characters, but to bring in new readers, a little something more about their motivations would have been appreciated.
Overall: I liked this issue. It was not great, but it was solid. Hopefully they will expand on it some more, as right now it has potential.
Stormwatch #1
Positives: It is nice that the authority are not being dismissed to comic book limbo. The story of the stormwatch team being behind the scenes has potential.
Negatives: The art could be improved, and the redesign of Apollo's and Midnighters costumes are horrible. Also, I don't think I like the Wildstorm characters being in the DC universe, as it feels like they will have to be watered down greatly to fit. Also, Martian Manhunter felt out of place in the issue, like he was just there to be the DC guy on the team.
Overall: Not a horrible issue, but it felt like I was reading the Authority light, time will tell whether that is a good thing or not.
Swamp Thing #1
Positives: Getting to see Superman actually checking in on a guy after a big story is kind of nice. It helps to remind you of why he is the role model for all the other heroes. The art was crisp and had lots of little details happening.
Negatives: It was slow, really slow.
Overall: I think this series may have worked better as a vertigo title rather than a mainstream DC one. It looks like it may be tying into the events of Animal Man, so I will wait and see if they can make it work, but right now I don't see it lasting.
There you have it, my opinions of the first week of the New 52. I plan on giving each series at least one arc before I stop reading them. I will try to post my opinions on Sunday of each week for anyone who is interested, and will probably end up being pretty spoilerific as a warning to those who wait on trades.
Justice League #1
Let's start with the positives, the art. Jim Lee's work looks amazing, as he does characters in movement really well. The costume redesigns work as well, as they retain enough of the iconic look while still being modernized. Also, the dialog feels natural. The characters sound real, like you would expect them to act in these situations.
Now the Negatives. First off it does not feel like the Justice League, but reads more like an issue of the Brave and the Bold. To be a big new issue, nothing happens, and the plot moves rather slowly. I am also not fond of the fact that half the team does not even make an appearance. It was the Hal and Bruce show for the most part.
Overall, I enjoyed the issue, even if it felt slow. Perhaps they should have saved the origin tale for the second arc as a flashback, and started with the team in some kind of epic encounter. To be the Justice League, it fell a little flat, but I am willing to keep reading to see if it improves.
Action Comics #1
Positives: Superman seems fun in this issue. The stuffy truth, justice, American way type of superman seems to be taking a backseat to the doing what is right for the everyday guy. Also, Luthor seems back to being a right nice bastard which I approve of.
Negatives: The outfit. I get it's early in his career, but it just looks ridiculous. Also, at times the dialog between superman and the police made it feel more like I was reading SuperBatman, rather than superman. At this point, Superman is a cultural icon, so I'm not sure telling his early days really works for me anymore, as his history is pretty well known.
Overall: Not a bad issue. The art was good, and Morrison has a unique spin on the character. It's a good way to introduce a new style to an old character, but I hope it jumps back to the present time sooner rather than later.
Animal Man #1
Positives: I really like seeing the family dynamic they play in this issue. Too many times heroes end up not being allowed to have successful relationships, so it's nice to see someone being both "super" and "man".
Negative: The art seems inconsistent throughout the issue. At times it seems crisp, then other times the proportions seem off. I'm not sure if that is intentional or not, but it was noticeable to me.
Overall: I like Buddy Baker, so I hope this does well. It seemed to be setting up some rather intriguing things with the character, I just hope they don't ruin the good family dynamic it has going on.
Batgirl #1
Positives: The art is not bad.
Negatives: Of all the issues I have read so far, this one ranks near the bottom. I really do not care for Babs being back in the Batgirl costume, as it really feels like a step back for a great character. The fact that she had been given multiple opportunities to regain her ability to walk that she passed on, only for her to suddenly have it back rings false. Hopefully they will have a good reason, but so far the story just did not speak to me at all.
Overall: Obviously, I don't care for it. Your Mileage will probably vary.
Batwing #1
Positives: The art is great, the color work especially gives it a painted feel that works. The character is a nice spin on the batmotif, and works better than I would have thought. They also don't pull punches, and show a much harsher environment then what we normally get in superhero books.
Negatives: I really don't have anything that stood out as bad in this issue.
Overall: I really liked this one. I have not read any of the Batman Inc. stuff, but I did not feel like I had too reading this issue. The last page shock panel also took me off guard, which was nice and has me excited for the next issue.
Detective Comics #1
Positives: Joker is completely loony again. The art was really crisp, and the plot was fairly easy to follow as a result. The personality of not just the characters, but of the setting really shone.
Negatives: Not sure I like the cops not working well with Batman again. Unless this is another flashback story, it feels forced as too much has happened for them to be that antagonistic towards him. If it is a flashback story, they did not make that easily known.
Overall: Not a bad issue, and I'm curious to see what this "Dollmaker" character is all about. A pretty solid issue, if somewhat strange at times.
Green Arrow #1
Positives: I like the proactive approach they are taking with GA, and him actively tracking villains down. Using his company to front his work, and having his employees in on it is a nice touch.
Negatives: I don't care for the costume redesign. He looks too much like the Conner Hawke GA. He just looks too young for the role they are putting him in.
Overall: Not a bad issue, and they have set the stage for some good storyline potentials. Not one of my favs, but not bad either. A middle of the pack issue.
Hawk and Dove #1
Positives: They continued the Dove/Deadman pairing from brightest day. I am glad of that, as I enjoyed seeing those two interact.
Negatives: Rob Liefield. Why does this man continue to get work? His proportions are not as bad as his heroes reborn stuff, but still pretty horrible. Every character looks like they are begging for pouches and guns.
Overall: Unless Liefield has a huge cult following, I can't see this lasting. The characters are not really interesting, and the art to me is not very good. One of my least favorites so far.
Justice League International #1
Positives: The story makes sense, and flowed naturally. The character interactions where enjoyable, and had some nice nods to previous events, without banging you over the head with them.
Negatives: Some more information on some of the lesser known characters like Godiva and August General in Iron would have been nice. Some more humor being tossed in would be nice as well.
Overall: I really enjoyed this issue. Near the top of my favorites so far. Everything felt natural. I just hope they keep Guy and ditch Batman, as I feel the team dynamic will work better without one of the "big guns" around.
Men of War #1
Positives: An interesting take on modern warfare in a superhero filled world. The art was pretty solid, if a little dark at times.
Negatives: Storywise, the characters don't really appeal to me. This is definitely something that will be an acquired taste for people.
Overall: Not a bad comic, but I can't see it lasting. It will appeal to fans of the old Sgt. Rock or Nam series, but it's just not really my thing.
O.M.A.C. #1
Positives: Ummmmmmmm ......... Nope I got nothing.
Negatives: Where to begin? The art looked horrible to me. It felt like someone trying to mimic Jack Kirby poorly. Also the coloring made it seem like things where melting into each other at times. Storyline wise, I am just not hooked. The Brother Eye thing does not intrigue me, and the main character seems like a hulk light in terms of man/monster dynamic.
Overall: I was not impressed. This was my least favorite issue of them all. I can not see this lasting.
Static Shock #1
Positives: It was not a kiddie title like I expected. I guess I was expecting it to be more "cartoony" and it was not. The art was well done, and the new costume design is really sleek. I like that New York was shown as not being hero heavy to play on the fact that Metropolis and Gotham are the main cities of the DC America.
Negatives: A little more background info on the main characters like Static and Hardware would have been nice. I get these where Milestone characters, but to bring in new readers, a little something more about their motivations would have been appreciated.
Overall: I liked this issue. It was not great, but it was solid. Hopefully they will expand on it some more, as right now it has potential.
Stormwatch #1
Positives: It is nice that the authority are not being dismissed to comic book limbo. The story of the stormwatch team being behind the scenes has potential.
Negatives: The art could be improved, and the redesign of Apollo's and Midnighters costumes are horrible. Also, I don't think I like the Wildstorm characters being in the DC universe, as it feels like they will have to be watered down greatly to fit. Also, Martian Manhunter felt out of place in the issue, like he was just there to be the DC guy on the team.
Overall: Not a horrible issue, but it felt like I was reading the Authority light, time will tell whether that is a good thing or not.
Swamp Thing #1
Positives: Getting to see Superman actually checking in on a guy after a big story is kind of nice. It helps to remind you of why he is the role model for all the other heroes. The art was crisp and had lots of little details happening.
Negatives: It was slow, really slow.
Overall: I think this series may have worked better as a vertigo title rather than a mainstream DC one. It looks like it may be tying into the events of Animal Man, so I will wait and see if they can make it work, but right now I don't see it lasting.
There you have it, my opinions of the first week of the New 52. I plan on giving each series at least one arc before I stop reading them. I will try to post my opinions on Sunday of each week for anyone who is interested, and will probably end up being pretty spoilerific as a warning to those who wait on trades.