Last Call

So the first month of the rest of DC's life is done. I'm sure the comic fans are about as tired reading reviews as I am writing them. So this is it on DC for the time being. Anyhow, from what I read, quality exceeded my expectations. Apart from that, it showed that you can still gather some interest in a print industry. Whether this is a turnaround point or the last spasms of the industry's corpse remain to be seen.

Blackhawks
The main reason I picked this book up was because the titular characters share a name with my favorite hockey team. Aside from that, I wanted to check out some non-capes-and-tights stuff by creators I'm unfamiliar with. This is kind of GI Joeish and although it's not a great start, and I'll likely pick up issue two. These are a lot of completely new characters that Costa introduced which is always tough to do in 20 pages. I'm interested enough to see what he's doing and will stick around a little more.

Superman
This had a good story and stellar artwork, but I had a little problem with the script being too wordy. Not that I don't like reading, but I feel that Perez hasn't adapted to modern comicbook storytelling. A lot of the text is unnecessary and can be told through the art. I won't pick up the next few issues, but will be back for issue seven when Giffen takes over writing duties. So I guess that's something.





Anyway, those are the twelve comics I bought this month. Here's the final tally as to what I liked:

I'm in for good:
Resurrection Man
Wonder Woman

I'm in for issue two:
OMAC
Swamp Thing
Blackhawks

Maybe (but probably not):
Action
Deathstroke
Frankenstein
Batman
Penguin

I'm Out:
Justice League
Red Lanterns
Superman

A Whole New World

Batman
This is another pretty enjoyable issue that probably won't make the cut for me next month. I think I figured out why I don't love comics like this and Action (although this is a bit better than Action) as much as everyone else seems to. While Snyder nailed the essence of what Batman is in this story, as someone who's read many a Batman stories, this doesn't bring really anything new to the table that captures my attention (except maybe the Capullo's brilliant art and some pretty new character designs). I even kind of groaned at the cliffhanger. There's no way that anyone thinks that the evidence is really what it seems. I'd really like to see some new stories, which brings me to...

Wonder Woman
which is probably my favorite comic that I've read this month. I haven't read enough Wonder Woman to come right out and say that these are totally new stories, but they are totally different than the little I have read. Azzarello and Chiang are amazing, and until everyone on the internet started mentioning it this past week, I totally forgot  they did that great Dr 13 backup a few years ago. The one thing I want to mention is that I really wouldn't describe this as a horror comic as many people are. Although there are several horrifically grotesque things in there, it's way to fast paced to be called horror. A lot happens and a lot of characters and concepts are introduced. And it really doesn't get too wordy or convoluted. Great start. I'm completely on board with this series.

A Whole New World

OK. So we're halfway into September, and I've bought about two thirds of the books I plan on getting. Surprisingly, none of them have been bad. While there are obviously some I liked more than others, there haven't been any that I flat out didn't enjoy. I probably would check out second issues on all of these if not for the fact that I don't want to be adding 12 monthly titles to my list at once. Therefore, out of these books, it's likely that the only issue two I will buy is Resurrection Man:

Deathstroke
I picked this up solely based on the awesome Simon Bisley cover. I was previously unfamiliar with the creative team. It's a solid issue. It's a standalone (though laying out groundwork) story that sets the title character strongly not as an anti-hero but as a badass criminal. And right from the first panel there is is plenty of badass.

Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE
Another solid start. It's a little slow and maybe begins with too much exposition when all I really want to see is monsters. There is some really cool artwork and good use of Universal Monsters.

Red Lanterns
Not a bad issue, but there are a couple things I don't really like. Atrocitus is made into a sympathetic character, which I guess is something you have to do. It's why generally spinoffs featuring villains don't work. The reason I like the Red Lanterns are because they're crazy over-the-top killing machines. I'm not interested too much in depth. But my biggest problem I think is that they spend way too long recapping the origin. There's only like 20 pages of story. I know it's important to go over Atrocitus for new readers, but there's a lot you don't need right now. So while its interesting enough, there's not enough to get a a sense of where the story's going.

Resurrection Man
Adversely, a lot happens in this issue. SPOILERS: It starts with a resurrection. It briefly explains the character within the story (no flashbacks). A fight where he dies. A reintroduction of the Body Doubles. Another interlude to setup where the story's headed. And another resurrection. I never read a lot of the original series and I'm glad DC's bringing back some more obscure characters.

A Whole New World

So this is the big week. The first real wave of new 52 books. The first Sunday as opposed to the Thursday night football game tonight if you will. This is what I got:

Action Comics
Action focuses on a young Superman who's kind of dumb and violent. Kind of like the new Star Trek, it's modernizes something that isn't really popular with the younger generation. I guess it could go either way. It could be interesting to see Superman grow into the iconic hero that he is, or it could be a Spider-man ripoff which is the tone the first issue set. He's a single young kid (drawn like a teenager actually) living alone in Metropolis trying to working for a newspaper. It's a decent first issue that introduces all the main characters. Not sure if I'll be back next month. It is Grant Morrison, so I may give him a couple more issues.

OMAC
This was my favorite book that I read all week. It's Giffen penciling Kirby-era weirdness with all-new OMAC Kevin Kho.This issue's pretty light on story and character. There's maybe two pages of setup. The bulk of the book is action and some really crazy fucking things. Then maybe another two pages of exposition and a setup for the series. Not necessarily bad for a first issue. What I'm hoping for in subsequent issues: (a) a little more story and character development if its quality or (b) stories focusing around batshit action. Could that get boring? Maybe. But probably not for me. I'm a sucker for any Kirby-styled retro.

Swamp Thing
This series brings Alec Holland back into the DC universe proper. This issue is very character-based and shows where Alec Holland stands in the new status quo. This is not a reboot and takes place after all Vertigo series. There's a conversation with Superman that reminds us that even though this is a horror book, it takes place in the DC universe. The B story is where the real horror lies, and Yanick Paquette's art really shines on these pages. I will definitely pick up the next issue.

A Whole New World

It's been three months since the announcement, and DC's new universe has officially begun. A couple months back, I listed the seven comics I would try out, so I figured I'd follow that up this month with reviews for those (and any others I decide to buy).

First off, I'm not sure exactly, but from reading the last few pages of Flashpoint 5 at the comicbook store, it seems that the Flash merged several alternate timelines together to start a new timeline where some previous continuity happened and some didn't. Easy enough, right? Here's my first review (spoilers):


Justice League
 I have to admit the only reason I bought this was because it's the first new title out, and I was curious to see what DC was doing. Although both Geoff Johns and Jim Lee have produced work that I like, I'm not too big a fan of either.

Before I give you my verdict, I'd like to make a point that I'm in my thirties. To roughly explain my tastes: I loved Tree of Life and thought Captain America was expensive-looking garbage. That is to say, I like what DC's doing although I didn't really enjoy the comic itself. I think that 20 years ago I would have loved this. This is a great comic to generate newer, younger readers. Not that mature readers won't enjoy it, but that's just not where I am right now.

Anyway, this issue centers around Batman and focuses primarily on his first encounter with Green Lantern. Some chasing and fighting but not really any plot except for some Darkseid foreshadowing. A few pages are dedicated to Victor Stone (not yet Cyborg). I think this is a good choice. New readers have seen a cartoon or movie and are likely familiar with the big heroes origins. It's good that they're established that far, and not too much is retreaded. However I don't even know anything about Cyborg. Redoing his origin isn't too gratuitous.

One theme that's been going on for a while now is that all heroes are chumps, and only Batman has any discipline. The new universe takes this even further by making the characters younger and more arrogant. Green Lantern makes several blunders throughout the issue, and Superman is introduced on the last page beating up Green Lantern and picking a fight with Batman.

The other three team members don't appear in this issue. So I guess my biggest complaint is that there's very little substance. I realize that some stories need time to build but with serialized storytelling, I feel the first issue should give readers a solid story and a good grip on what the series is about. This is mostly a prelude to a fight. There is absolutely nothing that gives me a curiosity to pick up the next one.

A Whole New World

Well hello there. It's been a while since I've posted, and it's been a really long time since I've actually written anything here. It's not that I haven't had any ideas. I just haven't had any time. Well as of two days ago the NHL playoffs and the job I was working ended. So I have nothing but time, and I plan to get back on this site. And since YDLH originally started as a comicbook blog, I'm going to kick it off with a comicbook post.

News broke a couple weeks back, but if any of you don't read comics, DC decided to reboot their entire line this September with 52 first issues (which, a friend pointed out, means there will be 52 number twos in October). As far as I know, DC hasn't stated whether the old series will continue or if everything's starting over. As with anything, a lot of people are pretty upset by this. But let's be honest: This will make things better.

Hear me out. I know there's a long tradition with a lot of these titles. A couple months back, I was talking about how cool it was that Action Comics reached its 900th issue without any renumbering or gimmicks. But let's face it: This is a business. A struggling business. Sales boosts are good. The more books sell, the longer DC will publish them. And really the big two are really only putting out books as something to sell when the movies come out. Although there is some really quality stuff coming out that I enjoy quite a bit, it's hardly art.

I think my only problem with what they're doing is that all 52 books are coming out in one month. That's a strain on the wallet. There's a lot of interesting-looking stuff coming out at once, and I'll have to pick and choose. As of now, there are seven books that I think I'll be picking up in September.

Action Comics
All-Star Superman is the best Superman and just one of the best comics ever. I'm very excited to see Grant Morrison writing Superman again. Although this series will be in continuity, and Frank Quietly is replaced by artist Rags Morales, I have high hopes for this series.

OMAC
Although this title looks so awful that I might pick it in a DCNU deadpool to be the first comic cancelled, it's a reworked Kirby character co-written and co-penciled by Keith Giffen, and for that I will give it a chance.

Swamp Thing
Although I'm not as in love with his Detective as everyone else seems to be, Scott Snyder's American Vampire (or AmVamp I feel should be the official brev) is a very solid book. It's cool that they're bringing these characters back since Vertigo isn't really using them.

Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE
I've never read anything Jeff Lemaire has written, but I'm a sucker for anything with Frankenstein except for the Mary Shelley novel where he hides in a hovel the whole time crying and learning to speak. Boring.

Red Lanterns
I'm not a big fan of Peter Milligan's mainstream work, but I do love the Red Lanterns. They're fueled by rage, come from Sector 666, and vomit a napalm-like blood on their enemies. What's more metal than that?

Resurrection Man
This is the one comic in the batch that I'd stake my reputation on. Abnett and Lanning returning to a character they created. This should be really great.

Wonder Woman
I don't think I've ever really read much Wonder Woman, but the creative team of Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang is pretty stellar. I'm curious.