I'm not quite halfway through reading the first batch of New 52 comics. I'm reading Issues #1-5 of the first 52 before I start reading Issue #6 of any of the comics I've already read. It'll be awhile yet before I catch up to the current issues.
But I thought I'd put some minor reviews together on the comics I've read so far. Very minor and very brief. Mostly because I look at the 20 rankings over on the side and I don't think it gives a really clear picture of how I feel about the comics I've been reading. In general, it's a good way to see what I like and don't like. But there are a bunch in the middle that I think could really be placed together.
First off, the comics I think are must reads if you're a DC Comics fan. That part of the list is easily read and the comics among the top five are probably interchangeable depending on your bias toward the heroes. Now, I wouldn't normally expect my favorite comics so far to be members of the Justice League. I never really followed these heroes very closely. But it makes sense so far because I've only read Justice League, Superman, and Batman related comic books!
The top four must reads are Batman, Action Comics, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. The Deadman story was great but since it's in a DC Universe Presents format, I have no idea what the quality of the next storyline will be (I believe it's a Challengers of the Unknown story). These books are all very well written with thought out plots and good characterization of the title heroes.
The next three on my list, Flash, Batwoman, and Mister Terrific are comics that I think are very high quality. They're definite must reads if you enjoy those characters. I think Mister Terrific is possibly the weakest here because the character isn't really one I would think could handle his own title (although I guess the same could be said for Batwoman!). And Mister Terrific might not be a favorite for logic nerds and the anti-camp camp. I liked it a lot because of some of its preposterous things being said. If Eric Wallace wasn't a black man himself, I might have called much of the comic racist! I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't cut him some slack just because of that. But I think a lot of things can and/or need to be said by people within the community. Like Aaron McGruder's Boondocks. A fucking fantastic work that many, many, many people in varying camps will proclaim is racist and NOT-HELPING! And whether it is or isn't, it is still pure genius.
Now Mister Terrific isn't pure genius. But it is fun and Eric Wallace is having fun writing it. That goes a long way toward a good comic book read.
The Flash I was on the fence about for a few issues just because of the heavy focus on Mob Rule (a name I despise). But it all came together quite well at the end of its first five issue story arc. And I love the art. Manapul and Buccellato are doing a great job over there.
Batwoman looks pretty good as well. It sort of flip flops between thick lined cartoony (sort of Mike Allred looking but less flat) and sweeping painting-like panels. The story relied quite a bit on past universe continuity but there's no reason that Batwoman's life can't be exactly the same in each continuity. I think because she was created in the 52 Maxi-Series, she's really retained all of her baggage since then. Except, of course, where that baggage changes the other characters as well. Like Dick Grayson being Batman after Batman died. Things like that! I think this comic has a ton of potential and it's working really well in the first five issues.
The next three are as high as they are because they're doing a lot of things well. But they're also filled with some cliche crap and some awkward story telling, so they haven't made the top cut. While I think a lot of DC fans would put Batwoman beneath these comics, I think Williams and Blackman (Batwoman creative team) have a much tighter control of the story they're telling than the creative team of these three comics.
Superman is packed full of information and characterization. I like this aspect of it. It's working well on all the Clark Kent levels. But the Superman story is confusing and, possibly, relying on knowledge of the old Universe. I can't be sure of this because I don't have this knowledge. But I'm suspecting that the Fire and Ice Supermen in this have some relation to the red and blue Supermen that appeared after Superman's death in the nineties. They do seem to be of some Kryptonian origin and let loose after Superman disappeared. I thought maybe Superman floating in space at the end of Issue #5 was because he was there after bringing the fire one into space to stop it. But I began to suspect afterward that perhaps we don't know why Superman was in space. And that he was there at the beginning of this comic which is why a bunch of people continually mention Superman's absence. It's a bit confusing and everytime the Aliens spoke the alien language, it was nonsense or, literally, 'gibberish'. I think that could have been done better as well.
Firestorm just has too much action right now when they need to establish the characters better. Jason and Ronnie fight too much just because the comic needs them to be rivals of some sort. It never feels natural. But I'm having fun reading it, so it remains high up the list. Although most of the fun might be on my side of things. And my infatuation with Ronnie's possibly racist mother.
Justice League International I have a soft spot for. I like that this is and will continue to be a light-hearted comic book. But it's difficult to write scenes with this many people in the fight all of the time. The fight's tend to end up being throw one guy at the bad guy at a time which is stupid if you have a group fighting a foe. I think they can do a lot more with this comic. The initial storyline was too cliche to give this title a really good ranking. New and very powerful bad guy appears and wins every fight for four issues before finally being driven out of the solar system by the team finally using team work and everybody showing their strengths. Plus, a good portion of the Earth was ripped apart and no major consequences.
The next five comics I think people will continue to read only if they like the title character. Tony Daniel's take on Batman is just cliche crap, mostly. But I like that the story was set up like a detective story. Like the title suggests! But people sympathizing with The Joker when he is plainly just a homicidal lunatic is painful. Setting up the Mayor as Batman's main rival should have potential down the line, especially if every bust Batman makes, the Mayor can reverse as he sees fit. If it helps his career. I imagine putting Gotham at too much risk won't really help his career. But he definitely wants Batman and Gordon out. So that has potential. But with Snyder's Batman comic being so well done, who needs this one?
Teen Titans and Superboy basically go hand in hand. And I do like that they're using characters from Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol with the Men from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and Danny the Street. I mean, Danny the Street! Seriously? Who would even recognize that Kid Flash was saved by Danny the Street unless you were a huge fan of Morrison's Doom Patrol? Just fantastic. But not fantastic enough to be a good book! The new Titans aren't interesting yet at all. Skitter? A character that couldn't even join the big Superboy fight because she had to go cocoon up? And then when she is Skitter, she'll indiscriminately attack whoever! And I can't even remember the name of the smoky black girl. Oh, Solstice! Not entertaining yet. I guess Bunker may end up being fun if his powers weren't so stupid. And Tim Drake as Red Robin? Who thought up that name? And since it's a Reboot, can't we change it since it sucks?
Justice League I imagine will get better. Once they get the group situated and they stop having to learn about each other with the introductions, I'm hoping it'll take off. The same with Supergirl. I think there is a ton of potential in this comic. The writing shows signs of being a decent comic and the art is good. But it's done in five issues what really should have been two at the most. Someone needs to recompress the fuck out of this book.
The last four just suck. These are four that should have been cancelled. I think the first wave of canceled books in DC's New 52 were mainly low sales due to the title character not being interesting enough. When I first saw the 52 titles, I told my girlfriend that I normally would not pick up Mister Terrific, Blackhawks, Static Shock, Men of War, and OMAC! (I probably included Batwing because WHO? And Catwoman because it was being written by Judd Winnick (total bias on my part. Maybe I'll learn he's a good writer when I get to Batwing and Catwoman)). But I nailed five of the six issues that were canceled before I'd read any title except Suicide Squad! That's not precognition on my part! I'm pretty sure most other DC fans felt the same way. Blackhawks and Men of War? Boring! (Although when I made that statement about which books I wouldn't have picked up, I didn't know Men of War was a Sgt. Rock book! I would have given it a decent chance just for that). Static Shock? Never interested in the cartoon. Mister Terrific? HORRIBLE NAME! And O.M.A.C.? Again, what? One Man Army Crouton? Although knowing Giffen is on the creative team now, I would have given it a shot.
But those were my first instincts and five of them were canceled. DC might have done well to run these titles past some fans.
Oh yeah! Back to the four titles I've read so far that should have been canceled. Captain Atom, apparently, was the 7th worst selling title. Just missed the cancellation cut-off! That book was shit. It had one moment at the beginning of Issue #3 that I thought it could work. Issue #3 should have been issue #1 and J.T. Krul should have followed the line he was on with Captain Atom having survivor's guilt and questioning the meaning and purpose of the himself and the universe. It could have worked.
And Green Arrow? Fuck. Again, J.T. Krul. Horrible concept on this title. Green Arrow is going after people with super powers who party too hard. Just because he has a problem with them being famous. This Green Arrow garners no sympathy and was completely unlikable. He's already turning around with Giffen writing him (at least he's likable even if the story is still crap). And he's getting a new creative team in Issue #7. So there's hope.
And Savage Hawkman (written by Tony Daniel whose Detective Comics really could be cancelled as well! Although I don't see Detective Comics ever being canceled! They'll just replace the creative team) is just a confusing mess about an uninteresting character. Although, again, this one COULD have been interesting! I guess it still can be. But get back to how it started! Why was Hall trying to destroy the Hawkman gear? Why did it fuse with him? There is potential here if it isn't ignored or canceled soon.
Batman: The Dark Knight. This is my favorite of the titles I think suck. I'm really enjoying writing about it. But it's just crap trying to be profound. It's crap trying to show us an aspect of Batman that you rarely see: his fear. But it's coming off so poorly. Scarecrow knows too much about Batman too! Batman's bravado in the first two issues is seen as just that. We see Batman does have some fears. But it plays as if he's being affected by fear toxin when, I guess, he really hasn't been (until issue #5. But issue #4, he seems affected when he shouldn't be). And what was that Deathstroke bit? Perhaps it'll all be explained when The White Rabbit is explained. But until then, it's just cliche crap parading around in a masquerade mask trying to act profound.
So that's pretty much it. The top batch are good. The bottom batch suck. And the ones in the middle are sometimes entertaining and sometimes awful! But I love reading the awful ones just as much as the good ones! I'd be pissed off though if I were spending $3 on a shitty ass comic and just reading it across five minutes. I understand why I'm going to keep buying Captain Atom. But I can't understand why anyone just reading comics to enjoy them would keep plunking down cash for that colostomy bag.
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