DC Comics: The New 52 Reviews, Week 2

First week's reviews here

Batwoman #1

Goddammit, this is one gorgeous comic book. Seriously, if this issue consisted of nothing but J.H. Williams III drawing Batwoman reading the phone book, I suspect I'd have still enjoyed it. Luckily, there's a great plot to go along with it. Not that there's a great sample size so far, but between Williams and Greg Rucka, Batwoman's rogues gallery is really shaping up.

The weird thing about my liking this issue so much is that I'm not sure if I even like Batwoman. For one thing, there are too many Bat-people running around in the first place. For another, Kate Kane isn't always the easiest the character to like. But throw in a great story, Bette Kane as a resentful sidekick, and Chase, Mr. Bones and the DEO, and you have a comic I'm genuinely excited about.

Grade: A-


Deathstroke #1

I've always preferred Deathstroke as a mercenary more than a supervillain, as he's been portrayed in recent years. So apparent return to his pre-Johns portrayal was a nice surprise. I also like the concept of Slade Wilson being seen as over-the-hill, and having to prove to prospective employers that he still has it. (Speaking of, it seemed like there'd be a lot of fun in future issues, contrasting Deathstroke's old-school style to the group of young mercenaries gathered to back him up in the first issue. That's obviously not going to happen now, but "I think there is no 'up-and-coming.' There's only competition," was such a great line, I can live with it.)

I do hate the giant sword. It seems like something out of either an early Image comic or a Final Fantasy game, two of my least favorite things in the world. But other than that, great first issue.

Grade: B+


Grifter #1

This issue was a bit different for me in that Grifter is the only established character getting a new series that I have no familiarity with whatsoever. I mean, I know the name and the costume and everything, and have seen him pop up in the few Wildstorm series I used to read, but that's about it.

I'm not sure how much this version is a departure from the original, but I liked it. Most of the first issues that have come out so far have done a lackluster job at setting up the series in general and the next issue in particular. If nothing else, this isn't a problem Grifter suffers from. I'm genuinely interested in seeing what happens next.

Grade: B+


Suicide Squad #1

Last week I said Batgirl was DC's most controversial new series. Who knew Barbara Gordon walking again would be eclipsed by the online reaction to Amanda Waller going from fat to skinny?

Suicide Squad was one of the great series of the late '80s, a stand-out even among a lot of great series. Most of it can be credited to John Ostrander, who managed to give personalities to a bunch of supervillains who up until then had just been costumes. Other writers have tried to replicate Ostrander's success, but mostly failed. I'm not sure if Adam Glass will succeed, but I like what I've seen so far. This first issue is nothing groundbreaking, and you can see the twist coming a mile away. But it was a nice start.

All my problems with the issue are visual. Harley Quinn's new outfit? Awful. Deadshot's new costume? Terrible. (Seriously, I see why DC wanted to revamp some costumes, but pretty much all of them? Why?) As for Amanda Waller's new look...it's just dumb. In Ostrander's run, Waller was a poor, middle-age black woman who rose up from nothing to run a top secret government agency. That's undeniably cool. Here, she looks like a supermodel. Whether it's a costume or a waistline, change simply for the sake of change is almost always a bad idea.

Grade: B


Resurrection Man #1

I read a few issues of the original series back in the '90s, when DC was apparently greenlighting every single wacky idea for a series that they were pitched (what, there's no room for Major Bummer, Vext or Young Heroes in Love in the New 52?), but it never really did anything for me. This issue has me intrigued, though. I don't remember if the people (demons, entities, whatever) trying to kill Mitch were part of the original mythology, but either way, I like what Andy Lanning Dan Abnett came up with.

I'm less wild about the new and apparently much less fun costumes for the Body Doubles. But it's a minor complaint.

Grade: B


Demon Knights #1

This feels more like one of those old Elseworlds books where a bunch of characters with similar themes get tossed into a story together. Which is fine for a one-shot or mini-series, but are people really going to want to follow the historical adventures of the Demon, Madame Xanadu, Vandal Savage and the Shining Knight on an ongoing basis?

That's not to say I didn't like the first issue. But it feels like the Demon in name only. No rhyming. No mayhem. It's basically a medieval Incredible Hulk. I'll stick with it a bit, but add this to the list of new series that probably don't need to be.

Grade: B-


Superboy #1

I'm really not a Scott Lobdell fan, although more so for stupid things he's said in the past, as opposed to his writing. So I was predisposed to dislike this series. But I have to admit, I kind of dug it.

I've also never been a big fan of the character of Superboy. But a few years ago, DC hit upon a cool idea. Rather than just be a teenage clone of Superman, what if he was a clone made from the DNA of both Superman and Lex Luthor? As far as twists go, that's a pretty awesome one, and thankfully, it's one that Lobdell seems interested in exploring. Using Rose Wilson and Caitlin Fairchild in the supporting cast is also a pretty inspired choice. I'm surprised to say this, but I'm on board.

Grade: B-


Red Lantern #1

I've never been enthusiastic about the multiple Lantern Corps. For one storyline, sure. But having Blue Lanterns, Red Lanterns, Orange Lanterns, etc., dilutes what makes the Green Lantern Corps, one of my favorite comic book concepts, so special. But I went into this with an open mind, and there's some interesting stuff here. I'm not sure if Atrocitus is a character I really want to keep up with on a regular basis, but I do like the idea of someone with a Lantern's powers not interested in keeping order or instilling fear, but just getting revenge on bad guys.

In the very least, it's earned a second issue.

Grade: C+


Mister Terrific #1

I like Mister Terrific. He's one of the few characters created fairly recently who feels like he can credibly be considered a big gun of the DC Universe. That said, he works much, much better on a team book like JSA or Checkmate, because at the end of the day, he's basically a sci-fi version of Batman in terms of both secret identity (rich industrialist) and his motivation to fight crime due to personal tragedy (his wife being murdered). So I'm not sure how necessary this series is.

The new version doesn't really do the character any favors, either. His old costume, which has always been one of my favorites, has been replaced with an ugly sleeveless outfit. Since I really dug the issue of The Spectre where Holt was introduced, I'm not wild about the change to his origin, either, even though I can see why it was necessary. On the other hand, the new version appears to be banging Power Girl. So there's that.

Grade: C


Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1

It's a bit difficult to look at some of the great comics that were cancelled due to the relaunch--Zatanna, Secret Six, etc.--and not wonder how DC justifies replacing them with new series that, frankly, no one was clamoring for and have little chance of success. Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.? Maybe the poster child for this.

Last week, Jeff Lemire's work on Animal Man blew me away. Frankenstein isn't nearly as good, but you have to admire Lemire's ability to take lesser-known characters and do interesting stuff with them. I won't be buying the second issue, but I do like the book's ambition.

Grade: C-

Green Lantern #1
Batman & Robin #1

With these two books, we arrive at the biggest problem with DC's relaunch. Certain books, DC had no problem cancelling or rebooting. Which is fine. That's the whole point of starting over with all new first issues. But other books, because they sold well or because the writer was influential enough not to have their stories yanked out from under them, are being allowed to continue on as if nothing happened. Batman & Robin and Green Lantern are two such books.

It's easy to picture someone picking up these, thinking they were getting actual first issues, only to be surprised to learn that Batman has a son and that Hal Jordan is a deadbeat who's no longer Green Lantern, and that they were being dropped into a storyline halfway through with no idea what was going on. These aren't bad comics, but nor should they be called first issues.

Grade: C-


Legion Lost #1

I have, at best, a cursory knowledge of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Like the New Gods or the Silver Surfer, it's one of those concepts that I love, but have never quite been able to embrace when it comes to reading the actual comics. Every now and then, DC does some sort of big reboot/jumping-on point for new readers, and I give it a shot, only to lose interest before too long.

This issue may be a reboot, but it sure as hell isn't a jumping-on point. I was pretty much confused from start to finish. More to the point, I didn't really have much desire to try and figure it out, either. It also didn't help that my favorite Legionnaire apparently bites it in this issue.

Grade: D-

New 52 Report Card

Animal Man: A+
Batwoman: A-
Deathstroke: B+
Grifter: B+
Detective Comics: B+
Men of War: B
Suicide Squad: B
Resurrection Man: B
Demon Knights: B-
Hawk & Dove: B-
Superboy: B-
Red Lantern: C+
Swamp Thing: C
Batgirl: C
Static Shock: C
Justice League International: C
Mister Terrific: C
Justice League: C
Batwing: C-
Batman & Robin: C-
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.: C-
Green Lantern: C-
Action Comics: D+
O.M.A.C.: D
Green Arrow: D
Legion Lost: D-
Stormwatch: F

Next week: Batman, Birds of Prey, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Catwoman, DC Universe Presents, Green Lantern Corps, Legion of Super-Heroes, Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Supergirl and Wonder Woman.

Panel of the Week

From Suicide Squad #1:

Play It Grand

When I was a kid, there was a short-lived sitcom called Grand. The only reason it caught my attention in the first place was because it starred the guy from Clue and Short Circuit 2, and the kid who played the asshole with the Power Glove in The Wizard. I don't recall much about the show itself. Not even if it was any good. I'm guessing not, though. It only lasted two half-seasons.

But I definitely remembered one thing about the show: It had a great theme song. Like, one of the all-time best I've ever heard.

A while back, I found a website that had hundreds of TV show themes available for download, and sure enough, it was on there. But when I tried to find video of the opening credits, I wasn't able to. Fast forward to last week. I checked YouTube on a whim, and sure enough, someone had posted it earlier this year.

As it turns out, there were not one, but two versions of the credits.

Here's the opening from the first season:

Pretty awesome, right?

Now, before I show you the second season's opening, a little backstory. I'd forgotten all about this until I checked the show's Wikipedia entry, but in between the first and second seasons, Michael McKean left the show, meaning they had to completely redo the credits. So I don't begrudge NBC's decision to go with a different visual concept.

But holy shit, what were they thinking when it came to the theme song?!?

How can even the least creative producer or network executive take the fantastic, soulful performance from the first credits and replace it with that awful, bland--and you know what? I'm even going to use the word jive--rendition? Did some focus group like it? Did the person who made the change hate music? I doubt any American Idol contestant has ever butchered a song worse.

I really hate the recent trend of new TV shows to forego opening credits. Granted, most weren't anything special, but every now and then, a great theme song would sneak through. Of course, even then, all it takes is one guy in a suit to screw it up.

DC Comics: The New 52 Reviews, Week 1

Technically, it's Week 2, given the release of Justice League #1 officially kicked off the DC Comics reboot/relaunch/whatever. Further complicating matters, I'm posting this in what's technically Week 3. Just go with it.

Anyway, I'm still on the fence about this whole thing, but I figure the only way to give it a fair shake is to read every single first issue DC is releasing this month. Yes, all 52. And because I have a blog, I obviously must share my opinions. No, I really don't have anything better to do. Yes, I'm grateful that I'm able to read some of these for free at Barnes & Noble so I don't go broke.

Animal Man #1

Whoa. Did not see this coming. This was fantastic. Animal Man has never been an especially compelling character, even when Grant Morrison was writing him. So to see Jeff Lemire come in an immediately not only make Buddy Baker interesting, but lay the groundwork for what seems to be a compelling mystery, caught be completely off-guard. Travel Foreman's artwork is exceptional, especially a really freaky last page. Granted, it's only been one issue, but this could easily surpass even Morrison's run. It's that damn good.

Grade: A+


Detective Comics #1

Overall, pretty solid. Tony Daniel has always been a better artist than a writer, and that trend doesn't change here. But he's come up with a better-than-average Joker story, which is impressive given the glut of Joker stories over the past few years. The dynamic of the relaunched DC Universe, where the stories take place earlier in the characters' careers, is used to good effect here, with Batman still trying to figure the Joker out and vice versa. But this still would have just been another run-of-the-mill Batman vs. Joker story, except that Daniel introduces a new villain with some potential, who by the end of the issue, has left the Joker in a fairly uncomfortable position.

I've always been a sucker for Batman stories that are narrated by Batman, which were big in the '80s, but less so recently. The danger with this device, though, is that it's really easy to go from dramatic to laughably melodramatic, as evidenced in this very issue: "I hold my breath, but the toxin penetrates my pores. Dizzy in seconds. But I can take it. I'm Batman." Yuck. I think Daniel will do well on this book, but he needs someone who can tell him to dial it back a notch.

Grade: B+


Men of War #1

I really wasn't expecting to like this. War comics, whether they're set in the cartoonish world of superheroes or something like Garth Ennis's Vertigo stuff, have never been my thing. But this wasn't bad. The idea of making Sgt. Rock's grandson the main character was an inspired choice, and I've always liked comics about people with no super powers coping with those who do.

So surprisingly, I'm on board for this one. My only concern is that the series stays at least somewhat grounded in reality. (You know, relatively speaking.) No sci-fi weapons. No trips to alien planets. Just soldiers with machine guns figuring out how to take out supervillains. No need to be a second-rate Suicide Squad or Checkmate.

Grade: B


Hawk & Dove #1

Hawk and Dove was one of my all-time favorite series, because I loved the characters and it's one of the few comics to be set in D.C. And exactly 20 years after the book was cancelled and its characters unceremoniously dispatched--Dove killed, Hawk turned into a time-traveling psycho--the characters are back in their own series.

Sterling Gates--who I like quite a bit--and Rob Liefeld--who I don't--take an odd approach with this issue. It's almost feeks like a retelling of the miniseries from way back in 1988. Hawk's still getting used to the new Dove (which is odd, given that she's been Dove longer than the first one had been when he died), Hawk's father has once again pulled strings to get him into Georgetown (I wonder if the real thing's admissions office is so easily swayed), and Kestrel pops up at the end. Still, it was a great miniseries, so like they say, if you're going to steal, steal from the best.

If I didn't dig the characters so much, I doubt I'd be quite as enthusiastic about this issue. But I do, so I am. Gates and Liefeld would have to really screw up to get me off this book. Gates, I'm not worried about.

Grade: B-


Swamp Thing #1

The problem with launching 52 new series all at once is that there are bound to be some good ones that get lost in the shuffle. Swamp Thing feels like such a series. I liked it well enough, and under normal circumstances--i.e., pre-relaunch--I probably would have given it a couple more issues. But with so many other titles vying for my money, "well enough" isn't quite good enough to stick with it. Hopefully, enough other people feel differently and support it.

Grade: C


Batgirl #1

Easily the most controversial new series DC's releasing due to Barbara Gordon getting up out of the wheelchair she's been in for years, this issue isn't likely to satisfy anyone. Not the people who didn't want her to leave her Oracle identity behind no matter what, nor the people who were fine with it, but were hoping for a better explanation than her legs simply starting to work again.

As for the actual issue, it's your nice, standard Gail Simone-written fare. Good action scenes, nice character bits, and so on. But at the end of the day, it's just another instance of DC hitting the reset button for no good reason. This is actually worse than bringing back Barry Allen or whatever, just because the DC Universe was a richer place with Barbara as Oracle instead of Batgirl.

Grade: C


Static Shock #1

Another fall-through-the-cracks book. I liked it, and I'm a big, big fan of Scott McDaniel's art. I also appreciated that the other Milestone characters will apparently be worked into the title, especially Hardware, who was always my favorite of the line.

Still, you can only read so many teen superhero books before they all start to blend together. At this point, I'm just not looking to add another one.

Grade: C


Justice League International #1

Remember how you felt when you found out there was no Santa Claus? That's about how I felt when I saw the cover for this issue and realized Dan Jurgens, not Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, wrote it. For some reason, I was under the impression the latter were. I don't have anything against Jurgens (although I'd be lying if I said he was one of my favorite writers), and it's not like he does an awful job here or anything, but it just seems like a no-brainer to have the guys who made this title a classic, handle the relaunch.

Grade: C


Batwing #1

Why? There aren't enough Bat-books already without adding another one? Morrison's Batman Incorporated is a great book, but I'm not sure the DC Universe needs multiple Batmen running around the world. They certainly don't need their own series.

That said, I thought the plot was pretty good. And I'm always impressed when Judd Winick can make it through a whole issue without getting political, even if I agree with those politics. But this one isn't for me.

Grade: C-


Action Comics #1

I actually agree with the comic book dealer in North Carolina who's boycotting all Grant Morrison comics because Superman says "GD" in this issue. Not the boycott part. Just that Superman wouldn't say "GD." Or most of the other stuff he says here. Is it fun seeing Superman as a lefty crusader against corporate greed? Sure. Does it really fit in with who Superman is? No, not really.

I don't give John Byrne a lot of credit, but Man of Steel, the '80s series that rebooted Superman for the first time, was damn near perfect. Other writers have fiddled with Superman's origin since then, but not to this degree. Morrison's All-Star Superman is one of the greatest comics I've ever read. At no point while reading it did I think that it could be improved by Superman being a punk kid whose costume consisted of a t-shirt and blue jeans.

Grade: D+


O.M.A.C. #1

I guess one could criticize DC head honcho Dan DiDio for assigning himself a series to write when there are so many actual writers who would have liked the gig. But at least he gave himself the one series that has virtually no chance of succeeding. It could be the best-written comic on the market, but no one is going to buy O.M.A.C. They're just not. Even if I'd loved this issue, I wouldn't buy the second one. I mean...it's fucking O.M.A.C.

My resolve won't be tested here, though, because O.M.A.C. is not anywhere close to the best-written comic on the market. Granted, it's not as terrible as I thought it was going to be. And I did really dig Keith Giffen's Kirby-esque artwork, and would love to see it applied to something else. But there's no getting around the fact that a character no one cares about in a lackluster first issue, is going to be a quick cancellation.

Grade: D


Green Arrow #1

At one point early in the issue, Green Arrow is on a ship fighting supervillains. He shoots an arrow into the ship's control panel, and the special arrowhead allows his hacker sidekick hundreds of miles away to take control and pilot the boat. A moment later, after one of the villains falls into the water, Green Arrow shoots another arrow into the water and freezes him.

And that sort of inanity feels like it'll be the norm here.

Grade: D


Stormwatch #1

This whole issue felt wrong. Shoehorning characters from the Wildstorm Universe into the new DC Universe will likely go down as the biggest blunder in this whole endeavour. What's the point of characters based on Superman and Batman in a universe that actually contains Superman and Batman? Why combine characters from stories aimed at mature readers with characters whose primary purpose is to sell lunch boxes and pajamas?

The Authority was one of the best superhero comics of the past decade, and even though its best days were probably behind it regardless, you hate to see great characters reduced to this.

Grade: F

New 52 Report Card

Animal Man: A+
Detective Comics: B+
Men of War: B
Hawk & Dove: B-
Swamp Thing: C
Batgirl: C
Static Shock: C
Justice League International: C
Justice League: C
Batwing: C-
Action Comics: D+
O.M.A.C.: D
Green Arrow: D
Stormwatch: F

Next week: Batman & Robin, Batwoman, Deathstroke, Demon Knights, Frankenstein, Agent of Shield, Green Lantern, Grifter, Legion Lost, Mister Terrific, Red Lanterns, Resurection Man, Suicide Squad and Superboy.

Panel of the Week

From The Boys #58:

Creating jobs Vegas style, baby!

I was in Las Vegas for the first time recently. I came back with less than what I went out there with, but I had a lot of fun and I'm already looking forward to my next trip. The nice thing about Vegas is that the area comprised of the Strip and downtown is so compact, one trip is really all it takes to make you a quasi-expert. A month ago, I didn't even know there was a Planet Hollywood casino. Now, I know enough to recommend which poker rooms to play in, how to use the pubic transportation system, and to look utterly horrified upon finding out someone is considering staying at the Excalibur. I could probably write a dozen blog posts about my time there, but instead I'll focus on one of the most intriguing aspects of the visit.

Walking around my first night, I did what I'm sure every Vegas newbie does: Wander in and out of the various casinos, stop to watch the Bellagio fountains, and dodge dozens upon dozens of people trying to thrust advertisements for strippers and/or prostitutes into my hands.

Now, I wasn't shocked that people were trying to offer me such literature. It's Vegas. I'd be far more surprised if they weren't. But what did take me by surprise was the sheer number of people who seem to be employed by the area's sex industry. It wasn't just one guy on the end of every block. It was three or four guys (and some women) practically every couple of hundred feet, all of them wearing shirts that had a phone number on the front promising a woman could be at your door within 20 minutes. I was tempted to test this bold claim--purely in the name of crusading for truth in advertising, of course--but ultimately decided against it.

Many of these people were Hispanic, and I'm guessing don't speak much English. So instead of talking to you, they'll fold whatever they're trying to get you to take and make loud clicking sounds with it to get your attention. And they're fucking relentless about getting your attention. You ever toss a piece of bread near some birds and watch as they all swarm over it? It's a lot like that, with people walking down the Strip playing the part of the bread. You would think that if one of the solicitors attempted to hand you a flier or a card* and were rebuffed or ignored, the others, seeing this, would take the hint and try someone else. But no. Without fail, even after you've blown off one guy, the others approach you also. As if there's a possibility that between the first offer and the second or third or fourth, you might think, "Well, I didn't really want a hooker, but in the half-second I've had to think it over, it actually sounds like a pretty good idea."

* (These cards are actually kind of cool, just because of how many different ones there seemed to be. Based on what was thrust in my face and the ones that I'd see littered all over the ground each morning, I'd estimate there were at least a couple dozen of them in circulation, all featuring different girls in varying degrees of undress. If people were so inclined, they could assemble a nice collection and trade them like baseball cards.)

I'm not sure what percentage of tourists take advantage of these services, but even if we assume it's as much as, say, 25%, I'm still amazed the industry can support so many employees--even poorly paid part-time ones--whose job it is to spend hours each night trying to get people walking down the Strip laid.

Which got me thinking.

Unemployment in this country is still hovering around 10%. Tonight, President Obama is presenting his jobs plan that will almost certainly go nowhere. Well, what's the one thing in this country that's popular regardless of the economy? Sex! What if there was some way to take the Vegas sex industry model to a macro level? Just imagine, on every street in America, from liberal D.C. to conservative Provo, you would find clusters of newly-employed people trying to force pictures of naked women in your hands. Granted, it would take a massive rewrite of federal, state and city laws, and I'm guessing social conservatives wouldn't be thrilled, but think of all the jobs! I guess while we're at it, we might as well start opening casinos across the country as well. No reason why Vegas, Atlantic City and various Native American reservations should reap all the profits. Are you with me? Can we make this happen and put Americans back to work?

Okay, maybe not. But it is interesting how much money is apparently just waiting to be made off of our various vices. If we can't add manufacturing jobs because companies keep moving them overseas, and we can't add government jobs because Republicans won't allow it, we might as well start adding jobs pushing sex and gambling, because those are always going to be popular. And evidently, very, very profitable, even in tough times.

Of the countless solicitors I saw aggressively working the crowds, not once did I see anyone get upset or annoyed with them. People would either accept their offering or just walk by, seemingly unfazed by having pictures of naked women shoved towards them. The only time I saw someone soliciting on the Strip get yelled at angrily, it was a guy urging people to renounce sin and find God. Apparently, in Vegas, that's what offends people.

Summer Movie Scorecard - Final

Have Seen:

X-Men: First Class: A-
Rise of the Planet of the Apes: B+
Fright Night: B+
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: B
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: B
Thor: B
Super 8: B-
Captain America: The First Avenger: B
The Hangover Part II: C+
Final Destination 5: C+
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: C
Green Lantern: D+

Panel of the Week

From Justice League #1:

Justice League #1

In a way, I feel bad for Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, because there was no way Justice League #1, the launching point of DC Comics's sorta-but-not-really reboot, was going to live up to the hype. Not to say that they get a free pass on what is, at best, a lackluster comic, but they also never really had a shot. So I'm trying to be somewhat sympathetic.

It used to be that the relaunching of this, the company's undisputed flagship title, would be an earth-shattering (by comic book standards, anyway) event, but DC has pulled that rabbit out of the hat so many times, it's lost any thrills that once existed. The '80s Justice League #1 was notable because it was the first time it had really been attempted, and the unexpected comedic tone took everyone by surprise. When Grant Morrison's JLA #1 came out, it had both the benefit of the mystique of a writer known mainly for his Vertigo work, as well as a pretty kick-ass opening story arc. Next was Brad Meltzer's Justice League of America #1, and that's when the wheels started coming off of this particular gimmick. It wasn't bad, but nor was it especially memorable. Giffen and DeMatteis had the League stop a terrorist attack on the UN, and introduced the mystery of Max Lord. Morrison opened with a Martian invasion. Meltzer had Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman sitting around a table, discussing who should be on the team. Well, I guess maybe readers who work in HR found it to be exciting.

Now we have what should be the most ambitious relaunch ever, as Johns and Lee aren't just restarting a title, but the entire DC Universe. And so far, it's off to a slow start.

The benefit of kicking off the new DC Universe with the Justice League is that everyone knows who all the characters are. I mean, these hypothetical new readers, for whose benefit this whole thing is being done in the first place, might not be familiar with all the different types of Kryptonite, or know that a year ago everyone thought Bruce Wayne was dead, or have heard of the Guardians of the Universe, or know what Themyscira is, and so on, but they know the basic concepts behind Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. So there's something to be said for jumping in with both feet and just giving us a balls to the wall opening story featuring all of DC's big guns.

Instead, we get Part 1 of who knows how many, an extended meeting between Batman and Green Lantern as they chase an alien through Gotham. And we meet a soon-to-be-Cyborg Vic Stone in a fairly cliched scene from every high school sports movie ever. And Superman pops up at the very end in his new ugly costume. And...it's all perfectly competent, but this was DC's chance to go big, and instead, they went prologue. There wasn't much stuff for longtime readers (my own initial reaction: "Darkseid? Again?"), and if I were a new one, would I be so intrigued by this issue that I'd want to wait a month to pay $3 to find out who this Darkseid guy is? I'm not sure I would. In these days of comics being produced primarily to fit in a TPB collection, the ability to tell a complete story in one issue is something of a lost skill among comic book writers, but if ever there was a time to rediscover it, this was the time. Speaking for myself, after five months of Flashpoint and James Robinson's seemingly interminable Justice League of America run, I'm not especially enthusiastic about yet another long story arc, which I'm guessing is what we're in for.

The art is also a problem. Don't get me wrong, Jim Lee is one of the best artists in comics. But his stuff is so big and in your face, it can easily overwhelm a comic. To a degree, that's what happened here. I would have rather seen more story and fewer widescreen panels.

To be fair, it wasn't all bad. If Johns had to kick this thing off with just a couple of characters, I'm glad he chose Green Lantern and Batman, as their relationship is a reliably entertaining one between two characters who are constantly trying to prove who has the biggest dick. In particular, Hal's realization that Batman doesn't have any powers and is just a guy in a bat costume, was excellent.

But in the end, the issue seems like style intentionally done at the expense of substance. Which would be acceptable if this were Justice League #357 or whatever, but in an issue specifically designed to lure in readers who have either never read a comic before or been away for a while, it seems like a bit of a letdown. The reaction on Twitter seems fairly positive, but I'm wondering how much of it is genuine and how much is caught up in the excitement of something new. In other words, will people still be as jazzed when Justice League #4 comes out? History would say no, in terms of both sales and enthusiasm.

I'm not any more or less sold on the merits behind the DC Reboot than I was before reading this. In the end, the deciding factors in whether or not this works or not won't be found in Justice League, they'll be found in the smaller series like Fury of Firestorm or Hawk and Dove, where the real departures from the old continuity will be found. But DC definitely could have gotten off to a better start here.