Month 2 of the New 52s.

I was actually quite surprised by how consistent the quality was between Months 1 & 2. Those I enjoyed initially remained high, and those I had a problem with remained so. That's fairly promising.

Platinum

Action Comics, Batman, Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Flash, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E, Justice League, Justice League Dark, O.M.A.C., Stormwatch, Superman, Swamp Thing, Teen Titans, Voodoo, Wonder Woman.

The one real improvement here was Justice League; I got much more of a sense of what the new DC Universe is about. There's a lot more tension between the heroes, and they're not really that well regarded. The back-up matter was intriguing, with its hints to Wonder Woman's new status quo.

Speaking of Wonder Woman, can I go on record and say her title is the best interpretation of the character I've read in a long while? Good.

Gold

Animal Man, Legion Lost.

Animal Man only misses a Platinum because of the art. It's not bad, but can look quite ugly in places. Legion Lost needs a more exciting premise and to feel less like mini-series fodder.

Iron

Mr. Terrific, Supergirl.

Supergirl is unfortunately stuck in origins mode. It doesn't matter if the origin is new, or revised, I would have preferred that the story started after the fact and filled me in as we go. Mr. Terrific lacked any oomph.

Lead

Demon Knights

I really do want to like this book, but Cornell seems intent on making that not so. I am not engaging with any of the characters yet, and though Cornell seems to be having fun with his dialogue...I'm not.

Mercury

Legion of Super-Heroes

It pains me to say it, but the Legion needs someone other than Levitz. Everything about this is flat, and the art is not up to scratch. And still with those frakkin' caption boxes! Ugh!

Rating the New 52s.

For those too young (or too old and senile to remember) the Metal Men were a team of robots built by Dr. Will Magnus, and given the properties of various metals. The team included Platinum (or Tina), Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury and Tin (and a later robot built by Tin, Nameless). Perfect, I say, for rating the New 52s.

Using a very basic system, I will award points to each comic based on the story and the art:

Good=3

Indifferent=2

Bad=1

Fit only for lining a birdcage=0

So, for instance, Batman may be awarded a 3 for story and a 2 for art giving it a total of 5. On the Metal Men scale (see below), Batman would therefore be rated as Gold.

Platinum = 6 points

Gold=5 points

Iron=4 points

Lead=3 points

Mercury=2 points

Tin=1 point

Nameless=0 points

Everything clear? Good, so let's go rate month 2 of the New 52s!

....and finished!

Teen Titans

Kids today, eh? Brash, reckless and self-absorbed, and they make me wonder why I’m reading a comic about a bunch of teenagers. It wasn’t bad, but I’m positive I’m not in the right demographic to care about these adolescents... so the hook for me is how this re-vamp of the Teen Titans concept fits into the New 52. We’ll see how that pans out.

Justice League Dark

A strong opening for the team that’s going to deal with the darker side of the New 52, with a varied and promising cast of characters; not sure I’m happy to see Enchantress turned mad/evil again, but the inclusion of June Moon gives me hope the two will be reconciled eventually.

Superman

Remember all those words that were missing from Supergirl? Well, this is where they ended up. I’m not complaining though, as I felt totally immersed in the reading experience - and that doesn’t happen a whole lot nowadays. Perez does a fine job establishing the new status quo for Superman and his (expanded) supporting cast, while throwing some decent action into the mix.

Voodoo

This is a strange one; by the end of the first issue the titular character can safely be assumed to be the hostile in a secret government agency/alien invasion mash-up, but the comic still retains enough interest to keep me coming back. It adds a different texture to the New 52 which is appreciated.

The Flash

This was completely charming, and Manapul’s attention to detail with the art and layouts creates a strong identity for the The Flash as a character and a comic book. Miles ahead of the previous Johns re-launch of Barry Allen.

....nearly there...

Wonder Woman

Remember what I once said about putting a writer on Wonder Woman who wasn’t so damn in love with the character (well, I did)? It paid off! Certainly one of the briskest reads so far, but it’s a strong start. I also prefer the silver over the gold (gold is sooo cheap looking) and wish she was wearing the pants; short shorts and boots together looks party girl trashy.

Supergirl

Another brisk read! An intriguing beginning and at least the horrors of the jumbled Loeb origin (and the belly shirt) have been wiped. A few more words per page though, please? Words are good, despite what the ADD generation would have us believe.

Birds of Prey

A rock ‘n’ rollin’ kick-ass female-led comic book and nothing like the Gail Simone run (which is a good thing). I already like new character Starling and her interaction with ‘The’ Black Canary, and want the next issue now!

Legion of Super-heroes

Damn distracting info boxes (still!). The Legion book really could have benefitted from the New 52 refresh, but this just felt stodgy and re-heated. I don’t think if I wasn't historically invested in the Legion that I would continue past this opening salvo, because I am really not feeling it. It was a lost opportunity and a shame.

Batman

This read like an absolute dream; Snyder has confidently taken the reins of leading Bat writer (as Morrisson slowly eases out of the top spot) with a deft ear for dialogue and sure plotting; one of the best New 52s so far.

...and some more...

Legion Lost

Much like the Legion members crash-landing in the 21^st Century, the story starts with a bang and doesn’t slow down. The seven time-stranded members are name-checked and their powers adequately explained, and the set-up, with all its inherent drama, is nicely defined. The only niggle is it reads like the first issue of a mini-series, not an ongoing.

Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E

A delightful mash-up of old monster movie types and mad comic-book science, but what has Lemire got against pets (see Animal Man and the opening scene here)?

Demon Knights

Disjointed much? There was some fun dialogue (and some that grated to be honest), but trying to introduce seven leads in such a haphazard manner didn’t result in an entirely satisfying read. Can do better, and I hope Cornell will in future issues.

Batwoman

A visually arresting comic-book that showcases William III’s skill with different artistic styles and imaginative layouts; Batwoman inhabits a Gotham tonally reminiscent of Batman’s spooky adventures during the 70s, which sets it apart from the other Bat books and helps to establish an identity for Batwoman distinct from the rest of the Batman family.

Mister Terrific

Very intriguing; a nice, dense, read with some insightful character work mixed in with the requisite action. The script doesn’t shy away from introducing some controversial topics and the dialogue is only a tad heavy-handed. A nice start to a fresh series featuring the third smartest man in the world.

....and then I read some more...

O.M.A.C

Kudos to Giffen and Didio for an entertaining comic-book, with balls-to-the-wall action throughout; re-mixed Kirby Koncepts are difficult to get right, but this was a mean, lean and punching re-imagining that begs further reading.

Action Comics

An exhilarating re-vamp of Superman which, while taking its cue from the Superman of 1938, is absolutely modern... and fresher than John Byrne’s re-vamp of the mid 80s.

Swamp Thing

Very creepy and disturbing, and Snyder wisely takes his time to build the character of Alec Holland with an atmosphere reminiscent of Moore’s seminal run. Nice.

Animal Man

That ending fucking freaked me out, but in a good way. Lemire expertly crafted an underlying tension to the veneer of Buddy’s happy family life, so that final page was like a kick in the gut. I don’t want to think about dead pets, I don’t want to think about dead pets, I don’t wan....!

I didn't read 52 comics, but I read some...

I’ve only just received my New 52s, but I’d already decided I wasn’t going to review them individually, as single issues, but wait until the initial story arcs are completed.

That being said, there’s nowt wrong with boring everyone with my first impressions. It’s not like I’ll be the first.....

So, in order of reading;

Justice League #1

It was OK. I pretty much expect this from a modern team book, especially an origin. I might have expected to see the whole team, if the comic had started in the present, but as it’s an origin of the team spread over a few issues...I’m down with that.

Stormwatch #1

I liked it. Paul Cornell threw Warren Ellis’ Stormwatch and The Authority into the blender, gave it a good sieve, and served up a reader friendly comic about a group of super-powered individuals who are not super-heroes. Each character was introduced by name, and the majority got to show what they do. Add in an intriguing conflict and sub-plot, and I’m happy.

To be continued...