I'm one broke-ass comic collector lately. I don't really have anything to complain about; like a lot of the members of family Comicus Collecticus I have shelves full of unread material that my current budgetary restrictions are an open invitation to catch up on. What it has meant, however, is that even if I were inclined to sample some of the DC relaunch titles I would have to pick and choose which ones to buy very carefully. When it comes to comics, I don't do restraint well. And I don't particularly like missing out on the conversation. So what can I do?
Read previews, that's what. Normally, I don't read previews. In this case, it's all I have the chance to read, so read them I shall. This is really an experiment on several levels: reading previews in the first place, and trying books (like Superboy) that I would ordinary have only the slightest interest in.
These "reviews" should be taken with an entire shaker of salt. I don't really believe it's fair to judge or review a book based on 3-5 pages of it. These are my half-baked impressions based on those previews and you should not place any value on them whatsoever. You have been warned.
Superboy: Remember how I just said I had only the slightest interest in this? Oddly enough, this turned out to be perhaps the most intriguing of the previews I've read (spoilers!). I liked the set-up. Art was fine. Kinda want to see where this goes, don't know if I will.
Batman and Robin: The artwork was very nice in a Peter Snejberg kinda way. It felt like a reasonably competent Batman story, of which there are literally thousands, but I didn't get the impression it had the potential to rise above that.
O.M.A.C.: Kill me now, cause I do not worship at the feet of Mr. Kirby. I didn't grow up with his work, and it is not the sort of thing that calls to me now. I do have his 2001 series, and some of the early FF stuff. I say all that to point out that nostalgia does not factor into my enjoyment (or lack thereof) of this comic. On its own merits, though, I dug it. It was brisk and bold and fun. Nice touches abound, even in the few pages I was able to read.
Hawk and Dove: The art was better than the writing...in a book Rob Liefeld drew. Let that sink in for a moment.
Stormwatch: So-so. Not really seeing (from these pages at least) why all the negative reaction to the art. Didn't hook me, didn't make me gag.
Batwing: I like the idea of incorporating the African setting. I really like the artwork with its Jae-Lee-on-Dark-Tower airbrushed style. This preview intrigued me a itty-bitty bit, but being an action scene, I didn't get any sense of where this was going, or how it would distinguish itself from other Batman books.
Green Arrow: Dan Jurgens has a clean, classic style; the same style, in fact, that he's been using for roughly a billion years. It's not my cuppa. Some of it looks downright ugly. I was thinking for 3 of the 4 pages that the script was bland but not obnoxious. Then I hit page 4, where we get such expository gems as "But that will bring the police as well. They'll just as likely shoot you, even though you're on their side." Okay, the writer thinks I'm a dolt. Pass.
Demon Knights: A lot of the new #1 issues have suffered from trying to explain too much, too fast, often in clunky, old school ways. This felt a bit rushed in that way, but this was otherwise solid. I liked the artwork. If I hear good things about the next couple of issues I might give this a second look.
JLI: Not much to say about this one. I read it a week or so ago and I don't remember anything about it except that Guy Gardner was annoyed or something. I do remember that Batman's cameo seemed forced and stupid to me. Everything about this screamed mediocrity.
Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE: The zoomed in view of the online preview didn't do the noodly artwork many favors so it's hard to judge. It looked better to me at normal size. The last page was pretty cool, though. Man, this is probably the hardest one to get a handle on...it didn't do much for me but I have the sense that it might improve once it gets going. One of several books to introduce characters/powers/etc. one after another after another, very awkwardly.
JL: Couldn't bring myself to finish the preview. 'Nuff said.
Action Comics: Not much to say about this either. Another one that didn't inspire or offend. The artwork was impressive.
Legion Lost: The premise for this sounded appealing to me but the pages I read didn't capitalize on it. Another four pages of nothing but character introduction. Don't writers have more interesting ways of showing us abilities than the characters simply spelling them out to people who would already know about them? "Let me just erect my force field around you. That should protect you against kinetic energy. Just be careful; it's useless against fire and bee spit." Aaaargh!
Alright, I think that's it. There was a Suicide Squad preview but the font was tiny; enlarging the image made the text unreadably blurry. Oh, well.
I also read Detective Comics, but with that one I actually read the whole thing. Good last two pages, poor 20 preceding pages. Lastly, Swamp Thing is one of the few titles I was optimistic enough about to purchase, so I must wait for next month's DCBS order to arrive to read it. I'm looking forward to that.
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