Batwoman
Writers: J. H Williams III & W. Haden Blackman // Pencils: J. H. Williams III
Having already read Batwoman: Elegy this was the only title in the re-launch that I was already familiar with and it’s also one of the few that directly carries on from a pre-New 52 story. I have to say I was a little disappointed to hear that Greg Rucka wouldn’t be staying on as writer but I was relieved to discover that Williams and Blackman were able to step into the role convincingly. Williams’ art continued to give the series a wonderfully distinct look and feel while the story continues in the vein of creepy supernatural that was started in Elegy.
Batwoman also exemplifies DC’s new aim of creating a more diverse range of characters, of moving away from the predominantly white, hetero-normative, phallocentric superheroes that traditionally populate the pages of comic books.
7/10 Buy the second issue? Yes
Resurrection Man
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning // Pencils: Fernando Dagnino
Like Animal Man, Resurrection Man was a complete unknown to me but sounded kind of interesting in theory. The reality was that it was indeed a good concept and a well executed first issue. It’s tough to draw in a reader who has already decided they’re a bit lukewarm about the story but I was sucked in. Unfortunately this one will probably drop off my list of regular purchases just because it’s not really to my taste.
6/10 Buy the second issue? No
Batman
Writer: Scott Snyder // Pencils: Greg Capullo
Batman definitely takes pride of place out of all the New 52 issues I’ve read, it’s at the absolute top. This is just a really great first issue that sucked me in immediately and kept me guessing with a couple of plot points in there that I just did not see coming. I don’t think I’m the first person to notice that Dick Grayson (who is supposed to be a grown man) looks about 12 year old standing next to Bruce in one panel. That bothered me but if that’s all there is to complain about then it’s got to be a near-perfect read!
10/10 Buy the second issue? Yes
Birds of Prey
Writer: Duane Swierczynski // Pencils: Jesus Saiz
Birds of Prey was one of the titles that I had decided well in advance I was going to pick up. I even ordered it in advance. I guess I just like the idea of a group of women working together as a superhero team; it appeals to my feminist inclinations I suppose. Anyway, the first issue didn’t blow me away but did get me interested. It set the scene and laid some bare bones backstory that will no doubt be build upon in later issues. On top of that it had a great ending. ’Nuff said.
7/10 Buy the second issue? Yes
Legion of Superheroes
Writer: Paul Levitz // Pencils: Francis Portela
I was initially quite excited about Legion of Superheroes on account of the upcoming Legion of Superheroes/Star Trek crossover event being produced by IDW this month. Unfortunately, as I started reading this first issue it quickly became apparent that this is one of the titles that is carrying over events from before the re-launch. Consequently, I spent most of the issue completely confused and feeling decidedly at sea. Overall this made it a somewhat disappointing read.
4/10 Buy the second issue? No
Nightwing
Writer: Kyle Higgins // Pencils: Eddy Barrows
Nightwing was good fun and I enjoyed the character’s voice and tone, but unfortunately, with the plethora of Batman-related titles on offer (all of which are shaping up to be very good) I’m afraid that Nightwing will fall off the end of the pull list. Dick Grayson does make a nice counterpoint to Bruce Wayne/Batman’s grim demeanor, in fact this is true of most of Batman’s young protégés. This first issue of Nightwing was a good read but unfortunately it didn’t grab me right away.
5/10 Buy the second issue? No
Wonder Woman
Writer: Brian Azzarello // Pencils: Cliff Chiang
I had some reservations about Wonder Woman: she strikes me as a character who is having some difficulty making the transition into the modern era while holding on to what makes her so iconic. Take the costume, for example: it’s ridiculous, but without it she’s just not Wonder Woman. Anyway, this first issue did show promise but I don’t think Wonder Woman is for me in the long term.
6/10 Buy the second issue? No
Aquaman
Writer: Geoff Johns // Pencils: Ivan Reis
Aquaman was another unknown quantity and turned out to be an unexpected gem. It’s true that, sadly, characters are just more interesting when they’re ‘down’ and Geoff Johns uses this to great effect here. It’s nice to read a hero who has something to prove, something to strive for, and who isn’t held in high esteem by the people he saves. The fact that Aquaman is something of a joke in the story also reflects the fact that he isn’t necessarily the epitome of a superhero, by having him prove himself within the story he was also proving himself to the reader.
8/10 Buy the second issue? Yes
Justice League Dark
Writer: Peter Milligan // Pencils: Mikel Janin
Being a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan I had thought that Justice League Dark would be right up my alley but unfortunately I found the first issue to be somewhat unimpressive. Mikel Janin’s art was good, particularly the last page, but the story itself left me feeling decidedly lukewarm. Overall it was a disappointing read and didn’t live up to my high hopes.
5/10 Buy the second issue? No
Superman
Writer: George Perez // Artist: Jesus Merino
Given the fact that I found Detective Comics to be a bit of a shock, I was prepared to find Superman similarly off-putting but I was wrong. This was a great issue that captured my attention immediately and held it. The worst thing I can say about Superman #1 is the Jimmy Olsen looks suspiciously like Justin Bieber, but otherwise this was a great read. Merino’s art is awesome and Perez’s script sets the stage for what should be a very interesting story.
8/10 Buy the second issue? Yes
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