I’m always running behind. Time to catch up with some brief looks at some comics from the past month.
All-Star Batman and Robin #1
I’m a big Dick Grayson fan. Always have been, always will be. I bought this comic with the hopes that it would be something fun. After all, the title was a re-imagining of the Batman and Robin team, free from previous continuity. It had Frank Miller writing, for god’s sake. How could it be bad?
Nevertheless, it is probably the worst comic I’ve read this year. I’m not sure anything actually works: the writing, the art, the plot, nothing. It’s grim and gritty and dark and boring. Arbitrary changes are made in Robin’s origin that add nothing to the mythos. Batman comes across as a stalker of children, Vicki Vale is recycled into a vampish Lois Lane, and Dick Grayson barely registers.
Avoid this comic at all costs.
Defenders #1
Holy crap, I’m buying a Marvel comic.
Normally, I’m pretty much a DC guy. Marvel has never really interested me (though I did buy a good number of Marvel comics in the 80s and 90s: my rule was “Okay, I’ll buy this until I’m forced to buy another comic to complete a storyline.” As a result, I would stop buying after about 4 issues). But when you toss the same creative team that just gave us one of the best single issues of a comic this year, I’m going to buy it.
And I’m glad I did. Giffen and company inject some welcome humor into one of the most humorless superhero groups around. Dr. Strange, the Hulk, the Silver Surfer, and Namor, the Sub-Mariner, are all given the Justice League treatment. And it works. There’s a decent threat, amusing banter, and excellent art. As long as this doesn’t cross over into the House of M stupidness, I’ll be picking up the whole mini-series.
Son of Vulcan #2
Another good issue. Scott Beatty and Keron Grant are delivering a nice, solid superhero story. It reminds me a lot of early issues of Impulse, actually, with great, kinetic art that owes a lot to anime/manga and an interesting premise for a hero. I’m enjoying it very very much.
Neverwhere #2
Should have been titled “Nevermind.”
I just can’t get into this version of the story, mainly because of the character design. The script isn’t helping much, either. I bet it’ll work better as a trade paperback, though.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 27th, 2005 at 9:00 pm and is filed under DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Reviews, Vertigo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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