As promised in the last entry I am back with my thoughts on the last week of the 1st issues of DC's New 52.
First off all the comics I past on:
For some reason I don't remember seeing many of the this weeks books out at the store I went to. But I found that in weeks past that it mostly likely I just didn't see them. 2 books I didn't see but wouldn't mind looking through are Aquaman #1 & Superman #1 just to see what's up with the books. Others I didn't see but am less likely to look though are Batman: The Dark Knight #1, Blackhawks #1, Green Lantern: The New Guardians #1, The Savage Hawkman #1 & I, Vampire #1. Why am I less likely to look through them? just not interested.
I did look through Teen Titans #1 & Voodoo #1. TT like I thought is tied somewhat into the Superboy book & like the Justice League book they didn't show the whole team in the book. As for the rest of the book: wasn't really interested. I did see that Miss Martian exists in this New Universe (a picture of her was on a screen so she might be a future member of the group) Voodoo took place almost entirely in a strip club & our main character is a stripper. And she is also some sort of shape shifting monster thingy.
On to the 3 books I did buy: Justice League Dark #1, The Flash #1 & All Star Western #1.
When I heard about this book & as I have noted here on this blog in the past, I just don't really like the title of the book. It's kinda clunky & I sure hope the group doesn't actually call themselves that in the book. I'd let it be mentioned in the book if only as a joke i.e What do we call our group Justice League Dark?"
So my expectations were low for the book but I was open to trying it. I never read much of DC's magic characters & had very few preconceived notions to the groups members. I had heard of most of them, some more then others (Madame Xanadu, Shade the Changing Man, Enchantress, Zatanna, John Constantine, Deadman) but wouldn't say I was a big fan of any of them.
What did I think of it? I thought was good. Maybe one of the better things I read of the month. I would come back for Issue #2. They introduced everyone but not the group yet which I didn't mind (At least everyone from the group was in the book unlike in Justice League). There was also a problem set up that the normal Justice League couldn't handle. With this book Batman has been in all 3 League titles this month but this was just a cameo appearance not like in JL & JLI where he'll be a member of both teams. I do wonder how this team will work with the main Justice League team. But since the team was not yet set up here in this issue, hopefully this will be brought up in a future issue.
I wouldn't have minded if Zatanna had kept her previous "Stage Magician" costume, I quite liked that costume. It worked both for both of her jobs and it would be something new readers might of recognized since it was the one used in her appearances in the "Smallvile" TV show. But maybe in this timeline she never had that one. I sure hope the blue & white costume with those ugly red "Z" earrings & whatever that red thing she had on her head doesn't show up again. I do not like that one.
I do sort of wonder how he relates to the the Kid Flash over in the Teen Titans book since there was not mention in the this issue of there being a connection but I would assume there would be one.
1 change from Pre-Flashpoint to Post-Flashpoint Flash: he is no longer/never was married to Iris West but she is still in the book. So, they could still get (back) together. Her appearance does bring up something: Where is Wally West? It has been recently confirmed that he is around. But much like with Stephanie Brown (the last Pre-New 52 Batgirl) I have not heard where these 2 characters will end up & what they'll be doing. But with all these it is only the first issue & not every question can be answered. Because then there would be no reason to come back for Issue #2.
What did I think? I thought it was ok. Maybe even good but there was just something about the book that just didn't draw me like other books have. There is an interesting story there in the book. It's presents it's world well. The art by Moritat is good. It fits the era & feel I think they were going for.
But I just wasn't all that interested in the book. I still wouldn't mind find out how the story turns out. So, I might not read it monthly but I would definitely think about buying the the trade paperback of this storyline when it comes out.
And that's it for the New 52! At least the 1st issues of the New 52.
So what did I think? There was some good stuff, ok stuff & could get better stuff. I didn't find anything that I thought was truly bad. But that's my own opinion. I know from reading stuff elsewhere on the 'net that some people that DC had put out some bad stuff.
One thing I was sad to not see was anything truly new. Everyone of the 52 books that came out was a reboot/relaunch/rehash of something that DC already had. I would have liked to see something new, something I hadn't seen before. Sure, I found some stuff I had read before or something I hadn't read much of. But where was the New in the New 52?
We could have done with 1 or 2 less Batman, 1 or 2 less Green Lantern books, maybe just 1 Legion of Super-Heroes book? Maybe some of the series could have just been miniseries (since I think some won't get beyond the first story arc)? If they had done that, they could have freed up some space for new stuff. But that might of been to much of a risk?
Then what was the point of the New 52 if it was to not take a risk? They could have done much of what they are doing in the old timeline with only minor changes not the wholesale changes they've made. They have done that before. Changes are made every couple of years.
The way DC is now will not how it will be in a year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years. They have proven this to be true.
I'll be back soon with which of the 15 DC books I picked up in September that I'll be reading in October.
Until then: Stay Jazzy!
- Brian
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