Ok, so this took me 3-4 days long to get around to writing, but here it is…Part 2 of my short review of all 52 #1 issues of DC Comics’ “soft” reboot! So far the New 52 has been better than average but nothing all that special. To be honest this reboot has gotten me to read a ton of books I would not have checked out otherwise, but I’m not sure the content is relaly that much better than before. Why go to all the trouble of creating a whole new universe and hyping it beyond belief to the mainstream media if the final product is not leaps and bounds better than before? All you’re going to do is drive away the fans you just brought back through all this media attention. Oh well…someone at DC has to know what they’re doing, right? Right…hmm, never mind.
Batman #1 – This was the first Batman book I read of the New 52 and I have to say, I loved it! Scott Snyder is an excellent writer and Greg Capullo’s work was beautiful. My only issue with this book is the age of Dick, Tim and Damian. It seemed like Dick especially was much younger than his appearance in Nightwing. I thought there would be more continuity within the reboot, at least in this early stage of it. Let me just say, this is the first book I did not plan on continuing past issue #1 with that was so good it is forcing me to pick up issue #2 (which is really the whole point of this reboot right?). This is a definite must read. Grade: A
Detective Comics #1 – This book was good but I must be the only person in the world who is not in love with Tony Daniel’s artwork. It’s good but it def doesn’t blow me away. Another issue I had with this book is that the ending was spoiled for me, which normally would not be a big deal, but it had me wanting to get to the end faster to find out what really happened. Ultimately I thought it was more shock value than actual intrigue, which is disappointing. I expected more from this book and maybe issue #2 will give us more…I just won’t be around to find out. Grade: B
Batman: The Dark Knight #1 – The book looked great but the story was a pretty formulaic Batman tale. Throw in the fact that this was the third Batman solo book I read and the weakest of the three and it pushed down the book’s grade probably a little lower than it should have. Oh well, them’s the breaks. Grade: B-
Batman and Robin #1 – Batman and Robin is the only Batman comic I’ve been reading the past two years. I had dropped all of them but started reading this one for two reasons: I love Dick Grayson and was excited for him to take over as Batman, and I think Damian as Robin is a brilliant idea. But What really made the book work was how different Dick and Damian are and the personal relationship they built working together. What I found out by reading this issue is that Bruce and Damian are just too similar…everything that made Dick and Damian so great is what made Bruce and Damian kinda boring. I’m over this one. Grade: B-
Nightwing #1 – Dick Grayson has always been one of my favorite characters, and it’s always bothered me how bad the Nightwing book had gotten before Dick took over as Batman. I loved that he finally became the Dark Knight and led the Justice League, if only for a short while. Thankfully he’s front and center again in his own book and Kyle Higgins is evidently a popular writer. This issue did nothing for me, but it wasn’t bad by any means. It just didn’t draw me in. I’ll give it a second issue because of my fondness for the character but it needs to pick up the pace ASAP. Grade: B-
Batgirl #1 – Another book I was anxious to read was Batgirl because of my fondness for Gail Simone and Barbara Gordon. I hated that they retconned Oracle out of existence and turned Barbara back into Batgirl. It really doesn’t make sense because it’s not like the general public has any idea who Batgirl really is. Maybe when the original live action television show was still on, but definitely not any more. I had heard most people were kind of let down by this issue, and I think that helped lower my expectations. I thought it was a fine issue, explained a lot and set up a new storyline. Before this came out I thought it’d be one of the books I’d 100% be reading on an ongoing basis, now it’s 50/50. Grade: B
Birds of Prey #1 – I really didn’t want to like this book. The Birds of Prey without Barbara Gordon as Oracle and written by Gail Simone is just wrong. Then I read the book and actually liked it. Surprises happen every day! The story was interesting, the art was good and it was a first issue that actually had some action (what a lot of these books have been missing). Throw in some lingering questions I’m actually intrigued by and you’ve got yourself a keeper. Grade: B+
Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 – This book is complete garbage and my guess is it’ll be canceled in six months. The art was confusing, the story was confusing and nothing about it made me care about or interested in the characters. And don’t even get me started on Starfire! Don’t both picking this up. Grade: D
Justice League Dark #1 – This was one of the books I was really looking forward to. Peter Milligan in the DC Universe writing Zatanna, Constantine, Deadman and Shade: The Changing Man! What more could you ask for? I really like most of these characters, which makes what I’m about to type even harder…I did not enjoy this book. Everyone has been raving over, it but it did nothing for me. I also hated that the Justice League appeared in it even though these characters haven’t even appeared in the main Justice League book yet. Will pick up issue #2 in the hope that the book turns around but this one is on a very short leash. Grade: C-
Suicide Squad #1 – Let me just say Suicide Squad is one of my all time favorite books and this was on the top of my must read of the New 52. I think John Ostrander's Suicide Squad book from the late ‘80s is one of the best comics of all time and its sister book, Secret Six by Gail Simone, is one of the few DC books I’ve read religiously over the past few years. Because of all this, my heart sank when the reviews first started coming in and this book was completely annihilated by critics and fans alike. I think part of that was because the book was viewed as a replacement for the much beloved Secret Six and I think the other problem was DC’s idiotic redesign of Amanda Waller. By the time I finally read the Suicide Squad #1 my expectations were at their lowest yet, but guess what…I loved it! I think the bad reviews had a lot to do with that for sure, but I’m a sucker for all things Deadshot. If there was one thing I would change it would be the team’s roster. Where’s Bronze Tiger, Count Vertigo, Captain Boomerang and Nightshade!?! Personally, I’d rather see Enchantress and Shade in this book over JL: Dark any day. Grade: B+
