In an attempt to attract new
readers, create more diversity, and streamline continuity,
DC Comics decided to
close the chapter on the universe thus far and re-launch titles new and old with
new premiere issues. Some characters remain practically the same (
Batman) while
others are changed drastically (
Superman). It’s not very groundbreaking as far
as comic books go, especially DC, but it sure has gotten a lot of readers’
panties in an uproar. Originally solicited for the third week of September,
Justice
League was bumped to the last week of August, a week prior to the
DC new
Universe (or
DCnU) re-launch coinciding with the finale to the comic whose
storyline created this very mess (
Flashpoint).
For the past week the internet has
been aflutter with glowing reviews. Even those that pointed out the missteps,
of which there are many, managed to give JL a rating of B or higher. I was damn
near ready to abandon my review of JL #1 until I read an early review of the 13
titles dropping today. Reading about the excitement of the new titles reminded
me that, Hey, Justice League really sucked, didn’t it?
Being primarily a graphic design
blog, let’s focus on the art. Jim Lee’s pencils are, well, they’re good, given his
usual sketchy style. He must have put in some long nights ensuring every
available space is filled with lines, lines! We need more lines! What’s worse
is the lines have risen from the shading and found placement upon the
characters themselves. Who can tell what’s muscle and what’s piping on Batman
anymore? He’s like a Barcalounger on steroids. The costumes don’t look as bad
in action as in teasers these past months, but JL does nothing to sell me on
the weird gills bookending Batman’s chest emblem or the fey belt (Accessorize,
accessorize, accessorize!) Superman appears to be strutting.
Based upon the DCnU Green Lantern
one would never guess writer Geoff Johns redefined DC’s heretofore golden boy.
Hal Jordan comes off as an ass of the utmost character, even speaking in third
person. Sure, the events occur five years into the past at the dawn of the superhero
and he’s sure to have matured, but even the apprentice protector of our “space
sector” should show more humility than this. Batman is perhaps a little
underwritten, but he’s short-tempered and takes every opportunity to one-up the
superhuman, so he’s good enough for me. Bats also provides most of the action:
leaping rooftops, firing improbable gadgets, and riding the crest of one
explosion after another. Green Lantern hovers.
The dialogue reads at a fifth grade
level, and that’s coming from a fan of the children’s animated series. The
notion of the inheritor of a magic ring powered by a cosmic lantern being astounded
by the existence of a grown ass man in a bat costume fighting crime displays some
sleepy writing. And the dialogue fares no better, let’s hope they’ve filled
their quota of you-show-me-yours, I’ll-show-you-mine powers flexing. “So, what
can you do?”
Meanwhile, the events of the issue
itself seem to span all of five minutes, from the meeting of our two heroes, a
high school football game, and the road trip to go beat up
Superman because he’s
an alien and aliens are bad, even though
Green Lantern’s powers are -- oh,
nevermind. Meanwhile
the tone of the
DCnU universe is jocking
X-Men’s “fear and hatred” of superheroes so hard, a
Wolverine cameo seems inevitable. Hell, the
variant cover to Action Comics #2 even
features
Sentinels.
Maybe it’s just all in the timing,
but the forerunner of the DC stimulus plan shouldn’t look so tired and clumsy. If
JL had arrived as scheduled and DC’s first impression was the increasingly
solid sounding Batgirl or the offbeat and creative Animal Man and Swamp Thing, this
issue might have seemed fun and whimsical, but as it stands it is definitely
not DC’s best foot forward.
Having been raised on pioneer indie publishers Image Comics and Dark Horse, Sam Keith's psychological head-fuck the Maxx and Mike Mignola's brimstone bruiser Hellboy were my two watershed influences. It only makes sense I would seek out similarly unique and non-editorially shackled books. Luckily Image has become an increasingly popular presence in the industry—arguably on the back of the Walking Dead's success—and has been pumping out creator owneds and this December sees the return of Mignola on story and art with Hellboy In Hell. All I asked was a jumping on point on one or two indie titles and I've been given a cornucopia.
