Some first issues of comics that have come out in the last couple of weeks which you'd be doing yourself a favour to check out.
The Escapists #1 (Dark Horse)Writer: Brian K Vaughan
Artists: Philip Bond, Eduardo Barreto
These days anything by Brian Vaughan is worth checking out - you may be familiar with his fantastic work on Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina. But The Escapists still manages to be something special. Based on and growing out of the Michael Chabon novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, the story follows the adventures of Max Roth as he discovers his father's hidden collection of memorabilia from the (fictional) superhero The Escapist, and uses his inheritance to buy the rights to the once glorious character and resurrect it as an indie comic franchise. It's fantastically told, and the art doesn't once let the narrative down. Definitely one of the best single issues I've read for a long time, and well worth your time.
Justice League of America #0 (DC)Writer: Brad Meltzer
Art: Various - a who's who of DC Artists including everyone from George Perez to Jim Lee
The post Infinite Crisis re-launch of the JLA has arrived, and if this issue #0 is anything to go by it may well one of the League's greatest eras. This first issue delivers a moving character story delving into the relationship between Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the League, which stands alone as a fantastic single issue. It's steeped in JLA and DC Universe continuity, so if you've never been to Donna Troy's wedding or been on hand to watch Batman punch Guy Gardner in the face you might not get the full effect, but if you've enjoyed any past incarnation of the Justice League you're likely to be delighted with its new direction.
The All-New Atom #1 (DC)Writer: Gail Simone (from an idea by Grant Morrison)
Art: John Byrne & Trevor Scott
Since the original Silver Age Atom, Ray Palmer, vanished in the events following Identity Crisis, the role of "size changing scientist" has been undermanned in the DC Universe. The new series of the Atom aims to change that. Ryan Choi is an Asian-American child prodigy who's filling Palmer's old teaching job at Ivy University. But when he finds mysterious hidden messages from Palmer written on the heads of needles, and discovers the Atom's shrinking belt hidden in Palmer's old apartment, he finds he may be replacing Ray as more than just a teacher. He's soon embroiled in a battle against a subatomic civilization bent on conquest, while simultaneously juggling romance, employment, and the task of fitting in in a new environment. What makes this incarnation of the Atom a joy to read is the team dynamic - Ryan is aided and abetted on his adventures by a cadre of eccentric academics and lecturers who see the Atom both as an adventure in science and as a way to recapture their youth. Grant Morrison's energetic ideas shine through strongly, but are wisely tempered by Gail Simone's ability to write a coherent story with characterisation and pacing. All in all it makes for a promising re-start for a character that's previously never really interested me.
4 comments:
I really enjoyed JLA #0, which was odd. I reckon Meltzer is going to be a great writer for the JLA, and i'm really interested in seeing the new line-up.
The sneak peek into the future was nice too. Just as long as they don't end up killing Nightwing!
I assumed the "sneak peek into the future" was references to Dark Knight Returns and other Elseworlds-ish stuff set in the future.
That's a good point. Some of those events BETTER happen, though. I mean, i'd love to see a wedding. There hasn't been a wedding for ages! And who would have thunked it was going to be Hal Jordan?
Man, whatever it is, I can't wait for this new event stuff to get underway. As long as DC doesn't burn me again after Infinite Crisis. My love certainly isn't infinite, DC >:(
If you're not reading them already, I strongly recommend Teen Titans and 52, which are probably the best DCU stuff on the go at the moment.
What I'm hanging out for is for them to take this new Doom Patrol they've been teasing us with (including Beast Boy, Bumblebee and Vox, plus the original lineup), and give it its own title.
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