Month Number Two of the DCnU continues with three of four books being considered successes.
In an unsuccessful Fourth Place:
Resurrection Man #2
My loyalty to Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning isn't making this book any more interesting. They're setting up some serious mysteries, but I really don't give a shit. I want to. I really do. But I don't.
I don't even give a shit about The Body Doubles. I should. Because they're hot. But I don't. They seem incredibly out of place in this story. Like a Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez movie spilled on my DC Universe.
The story isn't bad. And Fernando Dagnino has some truly stand-out pages. But I'm not interested. This honestly upsets me.
...sigh... I guess I'll finish out this arc and see where we go from there.
A strong art showing in Third Place:
Superboy #2
I'm a big fan of R.B. Silva's art. Its sharp, clean and has its own design sense that I find aesthetically pleasing. He also creates some interesting panel layouts.
As for the story, its a solid issue. Part of the attraction is waiting to see how the Superboy (a caged lab rat being used by N.O.W.H.E.R.E.) we meet in this book becomes the one we know from the old DCU. Writer Scott Lobdell also writes Teen Titans which I wasn't impressed with. But I like Superboy. Perhaps the characters and plot set up in Superboy offer more for Lobdell to dig into.
Rose Wilson has a larger role in this book and its nice to see her. She was a character I feared would be left out of the New 52. It looks like she has a place to stay in Superboy and, I imagine, Teen Titans in the future.
A strong outing for Superboy holds my interest for week number two.
A drop to Second Place:
Green Lantern #2
In a surprise twist, Green Lantern lands in the #2 spot, falling from its usual #1 finish.
That's not to say this wasn't a good book. It was. And still gave me the same "down home" satisfaction that #1 gave. It's still keeping the pace slower and while there's still quite a bit of action, it still feels like some required down-time for our hero.
Sinestro comes to Earth to offer a way down on his luck Hal Jordan a chance to wear a ring again. The catch is, Sinestro controls how much power the ring has and Hal has to go to Korugar with Sinestro to take it back from the Sinestro Corps.
The creative team of Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke continues to write this title with the class and characterization it deserves. Mankhe does a great job this issue drawing some cinematic movement.
Though its fallen from its accustomed spot at #1, Green Lantern is still a book to beat.
A very successful First Place finish:
Batman and Robin #2
Very interesting. And very good. My instincts to jump back on a Batman title with Pete Tomasi and Patrick Gleason have proven a good bet. Gleason knows how to draw Tomasi, and Tomasi knows how to humanize characters. Make them relateable and likeable. Part of the problem with Grant Morrison taking over the Bat-titles was that he took the characters, Bruce Wayne in particular, away from being a normal guy along with being Batman. Tomasi walks that line masterfully. No, most of us can't relate to a billionare, but we can relate to a person. And that's how Tomasi writes Bruce.
Turns out Bruce knows who the mystery man coming after him in issue #1 is. And it turns out Damien has some serious demons of his own. Part of me wants Tomasi to use Damien's issues to get him out of the Robin costume and out of the Bat-titles. But if I'm going to be honest with you, and myself, Damien creates a damn interesting character to drop in Batman's world.
Gleason's pencils with inks by Mick Gray are top-notch once again. There's a fluidity to each panel that's beautifully unlike most artwork out there these days.
Tomasi and Gleason really set up an atmosphere in this book that makes me eager for more.
Panel of the Week:
Doug Mahnke does a great job showing the animation in these panels.
-Gint
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