Review – DC’s New 52

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you must have seen that DC Comics has decided to relaunch their entire Comic Book Universe and restart every title at issue 1.

I, like many other morons, decided to pick up each of the new 52 comics to check them out. $160 later, here’s what we have:

First up is…

Justice League #1. Written by Geoff Johns, art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams.

Taking place 5 years ago, during a time when Batman was just starting out and was hunted by the Gotham PD, the story covers the meeting of Batman, Green Lantern and Superman.

Great introduction, though my friend Mike says the meeting of GL and the Bat is a rip off from an older comic from the other Universe. But maybe that was the intent?

Will definitely be picking up issue 2.

 

 

 

Action Comics #1. Written by Grant Morrison, art by Rags Morales and Rick Brant.

Taking place in the new, “current” universe, this story covers a jeans wearing Superman as he is just starting out saving people and stopping crimes in Metropolis. He’s still learning about his powers and getting stronger each day, and of course, Lex Luthor is in the picture trying to shut him down.

I’ll be picking up issue 2, and was a regular reader of Action Comics before the re-boot.

 

 

 

 

Animal Man #1. Written by Jeff Lemire, art by David Foreman, Travel Foreman, and Dan Green.

Most people have never heard of Animal Man, but he was around in the old Universe. Animal Man is a Stunt Man, Superhero, Animal Rights Activist and family man. Animal Man can absorb the strength and powers of animals, and the story follows him as he is just getting back into the world of “heroing” but his powers are going haywire…. Again.

Probably going to skip issue 2, even though the ending was a bit creepy and I am curious as to where it’s going.

 

 

 

Batgirl #1. Written by Gail Simone, art by Ardian Syaf and Vincente Cifuentes.

I was a big fan of Batgirl before the reboot and will definitely be following it now. The new version of Batgirl is actually Barbara Gordon! In the new Universe, she still got shot by the Joker, but instead of ending up in a wheelchair for the rest of her life and becoming Oracle, this Barbara recovered and continued her crime fighting life as Batgirl.

 

 

 

 

 

Batwing #1. Written by Judd Winick, art by Ben Oliver.

Batwing is a crime fighter, fighting crime in Africa! He’s kind of a Franchised Batman. Interesting idea, nice art, but not my thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detective Comics #1. Written by Tony S. Daniel, art by Tony S. Daniel and Ryan Winn.

Ahhh… Batman vs the Joker. It’s good to be home!

Unlike the Justice League Batman, this incarnation has the Bats friendly with the local PD and actively hunting a very gruesome Joker. Very gruesome.

Definitely going for issue 2!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green Arrow #1. Written by JT Krul, art by Dan Jurgens and George Perez.

Green Arrow has always been kind of hit and miss for me. The young version never appealed to me, but I do like him when he’s older and angrier. This story follows the young Oliver Queen who is living the double life of wealthy Corporate Industrialist and Crime Fighter, using a bow and super high-tech arrows to take down his foes.

Interesting, and I may pick up issue 2.

 

 

 

 

Hawk & Dove #1. Written by Sterling Gates, art by Rob Liefeld.

I only know about these characters from Blackest Night in the old Universe. They’re interesting characters, Hawk being all about fighting, and Dove is all about peace. In this issue they fight Zombies and there’s the subplot about the first Dove.

Nice. But I think I’ll skip future issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Justice League International #1. Written by Dan Jurgens, art by Aaron Lopsti and Matt Ryan.

Booster Gold! This comic covers the other Justice League. The one put together in a board room as a PR stunt! Booster is the boss, but Green Lantern Guy Gardener doesn’t want any part of it. The other heroes are kind of new to the whole thing and don’t know what to do. Batman tries to help, but it’s a team of individuals who don’t work well together.

It might be fun to watch them fight and bicker before coming together. I’ll pick up issue 2.

 

 

 

 

Men of War #1. Written by Ivan Brandon, art by Tom Derenick.

Basically, this is Sgt. Rock, set in the modern day Middle East. If you’re into war stories, go for it. I like my Sgt. Rock in WWII.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O.M.A.C. #1. Written by Keith Giffen and Dan Didio, art by Keith Giffen, Dan Didio and Scott Koblish.

Um…. Yeah. I don’t think anyone ever actually made it all the way through this issue. I couldn’t follow it at all.

Pass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Static Shock #1. Written by Scott McDaniel and John Rozum, art by Scott McDaniel, Jonathan Glapion and Le Beau Underwood.

Static Shock has always worked well as a part of the Teen Titans. I don’t know that he’s ready for his own book.

Basically, it’s about a high school student with electrical powers going around stopping crimes. Of course, he’s being targeted and hunted by a villain, blah, blah, blah.

When he joins the Teen Titans, I’ll be happy to read more of his stories there.

 

 

 

Stormwatch #1. Written by Paul Cornell, art by Miguel Sepulveda.

I guess this is the first carry over from Jim Lee’s Stormwatch Comics, which is now being absorbed into the DC Universe.

Hard for me to follow it, but Martian Manhunter is mixed in there somewhere.

No issue 2 for me.

 

 

 

 

 

Swamp Thing #1. Written by Scott Snyder, art by Yanick Paquette.

How long has it been since Swamp Thing had his own book?

Everyone in the comic (Batman, Superman, Aquaman) all seem to know that Dr. Holland is Swamp Thing, but no one ever says how or why.

Ecology is going crazy. Fish dying, birds dying, bats dying, the world going nuts and apparently, Swamp Thing is the only thing that can save everyone.

I wish there was a little more back story. The last thing I remember about Swamp Thing was that movie in the 80’s, so some info on the background would have been nice.

Good, but I don’t know if I’ll be getting issue 2.

 

Ok, That’s it for part 1!  Part 2 soon!

Tags: batman, Comics, DC, Superman