I finally decided that in order to keep up with all comics coming out, my only option would be to simply get all my reviews out for every title I wanted to talk about here. This includes the first and second weeks of DC's new line of 52 #1 issues. Hope this gives you all some insight about what's worth looking into (as trust me, there are titles worth looking into).
WEEK 1:
Action Comics #1 - This one is a little tough to review right off the bat, because as any readers of Grant Morrison's stories can tell you, he is a very unpredictable writer. His run on Batman demonstrated how far a direction for a character can be taken, despite whether it will garner positive reviews or not by comic readers. That said, his run on All-Star Superman was completely classy and true-to-form through and through. I enjoy both of those general directions that Morrison tends to follow. So far, he's featured a Superman very much like that of the 30's. Not only does this Superman jump far instead of fly like his golden-age days, but he captures, beats up, and intimidates criminals in order to get what he wants out of them. Many are theorizing Morrison is concocting sort of a re-imagined origin story, and I think I would be inclined to agree. Whether or not Morrison takes this story into more a of a psychedelic direction like some other stories of his past, I'm game for finding out where this is all going. 8.5/10
Detective Comics #1 - What started out seemingly average to me (almost to the point of too average) after the plot began to unfold, suddenly opened itself to be something more than the obvious cliches we've been subjected to for the past 75 or so years. The story began with the usual quips and inner-monologues we've come to expect from the title, and the Joker being as seemingly psychotic as ever. I can happily say that it is what happens on the last two pages that finally breaks the conventional mold that I was afraid this title was doomed to follow. Because of this sudden shift, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in the follow up. 8/10
Justice League International #1 - ... I think I will start by saying that a wide majority of people are going to hate this #1, and rightfully so. If you've read just about any of the past installments of the series, you'll see that this first issue really didn't encapsulate anything that made the original stories so great in the first place. The jokes were a bit juvenile, as were the characterizations. Still developing or not; this was not a pretty sight. As a fan of Booster Gold, it also hurts to see the character we saw developed so highly after 52 and his own self-titled book, reduced to going back as if none of it ever happened. This is exactly the kind of thing I was afraid of when DC announced this reboot in the first place. Many of the other #1's have shown that you don't have to re-start a series in order to re-vamp it. This one should take note. 5/10
Animal Man #1 - The artwork may not quite be to everyone's tastes, but this ended up being one of the better titles for me this month. I came out very impressed by Jeff Lemire's way of getting readers up to speed with the character at hand, and throwing us right into the tension immediately following. It's basically the perfect way to introduce the character, while also finding new ways to keep fans of Grant Morrison's run on the book interested in the hinted scenarios to come. The cliffhanger for this one hit hard, and I can't wait to see where it goes next. 8.5/10
Batgirl #1 - Gail Simone has officially done the impossible. She not only managed to bring Barbara Gordon back from the wheelchair after over 20 years of permanent paralysis (courtesy of Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke"),Barbara is free to roam once more. I think one of the factors I enjoyed the most was that Simone didn't try to pretend The Killing Joke story never happened; quite the contrary, she made The Killing Joke an important part of what helps to craft the story, as well as Barbara's inner struggles and (mental) recovery. It still has not been explained exactly how Barbara came to such a miraculous recovery, but I'm sure finding out will be half of the fun. The status quo, new characters, new settings, and new general personality and outlook for Barbara have made this one of the best new titles to come from this reboot. 9/10
Static Shock #1 - Whether you're a fan of the cartoon or the original comic book series, I think there's just about something for everyone here to like. Vergil is still as spontaneous and wisecracking a hero as ever, and still goes through the stages of teen life and making adult decisions in the end. In that sense, and with the overall quick set up, this issue sets the stage for good things to come, though it's hard to give it a great rating on its own as is. I'll give it a fair score for now while I look forward to seeing more development in the future. 7/10
Swamp Thing #1 - Scott Snyder continues to prove he is completely awesome with this new beginning for Swamp Thing. It's hard to say much of anything without giving any spoilers, but I can happily say that Snyder's usage of dark imagery is at full force here, and it lays down its effects on the reader perfectly. He's already provided twists not yet used before, and left us all guessing where this book is going to go next. The artwork only seals the deal even further. Without a doubt (and to my own astonishment), this is the best title to come out of DC's new 52 for me, and from what I can tell, many others as well. 10/10
WEEK 2:
Batman and Robin #1 - The book's tone has slightly changed, but that doesn't stop this from being any more enjoyable. Batman and Damian working side-by-side has created for an interesting dynamic, showing just how different it is when Bruce is working the show, instead of Dick. Damian quickly tires of listening to the words of yet another Batman, when he felt he did enough in order to gain the trust of one. Tomasi and Gleason still have a hit on their hands and it doesn't look like this title will be letting up any time soon. I think just about everyone coming from this title will find something to like. It's spins like these that keep the Bat-titles interesting after these years. 8/10
Superboy #1 - A very promising start. Were are given everything we need to be in order to enjoy this one. The character's backstory and overall beginning development are what makes this so catchy from the start. The supporting cast only makes that development even better. This is not another Superman, and Scott Lobdell shows that to the reader perfectly. Very interested in the future of this title. 8/10
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1 - From the moment I started reading Frankenstein's tie-in mini-series for Flashpoint (which I happened to think was the most entertaining Flashpoint tie-in of all), I knew I was going to want to pick this issue up, and I wasn't disappointed. Once again, the art is going to be a mixed bag for some, but I felt it adequately help set the stage for the events taking place, and while being fed all of the details we need to know to understand these criminally over-looked cast, we are also thrown plenty of twists, and an ending already leaving you wanting for more. Stories like this remind me of what attracted me to comic books in the first place (well-crafted story, fun characters and development, and crazy action to top it all off). This is one that most will miss, but shouldn't. 8.5/10
Green Lantern #1 - The first thing that surprised me about this issue #1, is that instead of crafting a story for new readers to really pick up with, Geoff Johns has simply chosen to continue his last story, per the aftermath of War of the Lanterns, and keep things going at full throttle. I think this is a great thing, as I was originally very worried about the status quo of Green Lantern after the announcement of this reboot. My fears are now at rest and I'm very happy with the issue crafted, as the new developments with Sinestro and Hal are more than enough to grab me on board. New readers may not feel too welcome with the title, but that won't stop me from giving it a great score that I feel it deserved for continuing to once again be engaging without conforming to the standards of others. 8.5/10
And there you have it! My reviews for all of the DC #1's I decided to grab so far! More to follow (as this month is only halfway through(. Expect more reviews soon and hope you all enjoyed. Thanks for reading!
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