The New 52

Please note these reviews are not in depth and any history contained is extremely abridged. If you want more detailed information use Wikipedia like a normal person.

Two weeks ago DC re-launched there universe with Justice League #1. With a story by Geoff Johns and art by the fantastic Jim Lee this book that was to be the backbone to DC's new universe was sure to be amazing. Unfortunately it wasn't...at all. Don't get me wrong it’s not that the story was bad; the problem was it was average…painfully average. For something that had a lot of hype and two of the best creators DC has to offer working on it, I should have been wowed and I wasn’t. After all the trash and whining and moaning about what DC was doing I had hoped they would prove me wrong and they didn’t.

Honestly I didn’t want to be right I want the best from my comics. Then came last week and everything became …brighter. The first comic I read was Static Shock #1 and Scott McDaniel knocks it out the park.  I was worried about this book because Static means a lot to me. There are few African American heroes, fewer still that I actually truly become invested in. So as a kid when we get a young African American hero, one who is a bit of a science dork I was sold. I learned to use a VCR (what we used before DVD and DVR) to record episodes of Static Shock. So it was good to not only have Virgil back, but being completely awesome, lets just say I was smiling all through this book. 

Next up was Hawk and Dove, which I promptly dropped like it was on fire and sending anthrax through my system. I have no idea what went on in this book or if the story was good because as soon as I saw Rob Liefeld’s art I went into a seizure. Talking about Liefeld is not something I want to get into but I don’t understand how he still gets work. He can’t still be coasting by because of Cable and Deadpool can he? Whenever I see Liefeld’s art only one thing comes to mind:

Batgirl. This is probably the most controversial book in DC’s new 52. They took Barbra Gordon who had been in a wheelchair and acting as Oracle for years, and gave her back the ability to walk and put her back in the cape and cowl. Putting aside the fact that DC just lowered their diversity level again; I think Barbara was a better character as Oracle. Good thing for us the writer wading through this quagmire is Gail Simone. Thinks to Ms Simone’s excellent writing we pull through this, and while the reason for Barbara Walking again is glossed over as a miracle; the sharp writing, excellent characterization, and accurate portrayal of someone who has suffered a trauma made this something I will continue to pick up.

Batwing #1 By Judd Winnack was excellent. It really felt good to follow relatively new hero David Zavimbe as he fights corruption as a cop and  finds his way as Batman’s agent in Tinasha (which is a City in the democratic Republic of Congo). David is fierce and intuitive but also soft spoken. I don’t have the best grip on his character at the moment but I am guaranteed to find out more, because if this were a normal top pick post, this would be at the top. I’m can’t wait for this to continue.

As this new universe continues and we get more and more triumph (and occasional stumbles) I know that I still have excellent stories in front of me. Its too bad the flagship wasn’t better but I think it suffers from the fact that just about everything coming from this new universe is being built up from that book. I hope that once it catches up to the rest of the new universe (everything in Justice League happens 5 years before everything else) that it will start being awesome.

Journey to Mystery 626.1

Before I get into the review check out below this post for my honorable mentions.

My top pick this week was Journey into Mystery #626.1.  If you're confused by the the weird numbering its because Marvel wanted to give readers a chance to jump onto a series they haven't been reading. The .1 usually aren't part of the current storyline or is separated in some way to catch readers up on what the story is about. For the most prat this works and this issue just does it well it gives us exposition of the story, but does so as a character study of who Loki is now and it doesn't talk down to us gives us some nuance and lets us make our decisions about Loki.

A little back story  first, yes these are the Norse gods from mythology, only difference is their is more history now thanks to being a comic icon since 1949. Recently Loki died trying to protect Asgard from a calamity of his own making. Because of a deal he made with Hela to strike his name from the book of the dead breaking his cycle of death and rebirth. Thor found his brothers soul and brought him to life only now he is a child without out his years of villainy weighing him down. A child that does not understand why everyone seems to hate him. 

So in an attempt to understand every one's thoughts about him he summons a eldritch creature called a teller.  And one by one he listen in to the whispered conversations about him. From the warriors three who had celebrated Loki's downfall and lament Thor's decision to return Asgard's bane among them especially when Thor has suffered at his hands more than anyone. It is the conversation between lady Sif and Brunhilde (also known as Valkyrie) that raises the question about Loki we all should be asking:

Why is Loki still here? It is what bothers readers we're wondering if this is all one big scheme of Loki's another of his manipulations. Rodi, the writer of this comic, has kept things ambiguous about Loki.  We do not know his motivations. The fact that he is a kid now gnaws at my heart strings (I love Kid Loki) and I want to believe that he really has good intentions, he's still Loki mater of the long game (unless of course he's not anymore). Coming up he hears a conversation between Odin and Heimdall on what to do with Loki when Odin insists that he will not abandon any of his children despite Loki is not of his blood.

The teller now asks Loki if he wishes to hear what Thor says about him and Loki replies:

I love this scene look at Loki's face everyone has been talking bad about him bad his back and he's afraid of what Thor actually thinks about him. After this things quickly degenerate as the Teller seeks his payment some complicated metaphysics crap about taking Loki's story before it comes to pass. As the Teller attacks him Loki calls out for Thor who quickly arrives (he was on his way already) and banishes the creature. The comic ends with a touching scene between the two siblings where Thor tells Loki that he has to be patient, that trust and even affection will come from the rest of Asgard and that he'll protect him till it does.

This really was the top comic this week, I really love child Loki and the direction they are taking with the character and the question of can you trust someone who has lied their entire life? Can you really get a second chance to be better than you were? I think the panel were Loki is worrying over what Thor thinks of him is very telling and I love how the artist makes it clear that Loki isn't speaking the truth. The adult Loki would have spun a silver tale that we would only figure out at the last moment. This Loki doesn't have that experience he isn't a liar and a villain. Clever? yes. A trickster? yes. Is he hiding things from us? Oh yea. However that's in his nature as the kind of god he is I don't think he can help being secretive, but there is uncertainty there and so much love for his brother and I fear the time when adult Loki comes back because I love the dynamics of this character. So till next time this is the geeksplorer signing off.

This weeks honorable mentions

Before I get to the review proper this week let me give out some Honorable mentions first goes to Amazing Spider-Man #688. Dan Slott is continuing to rock his run on spider-man with this event. Basically everyone in Manhattan is developing spider powers and every two-bit street criminal is donning a spider-man costume and causing havoc. Since Peter can't be spider-man at the moment without running the risk of his Avenger teammates knocking him out he puts out the call to his fellow New Yorkers to be heroes and boy do they respond.

The next honorable mention goes to New Mutants #30. Theres no nice way to put this the new mutants have gone to hell. This was a good issue especially for a comic that I resented for existing when it first started. One of the new mutants teammates Danni Moonstar went to Hel (note the one L its important)  to seek the help of the Death Goddess Hela because of stuff happening in another comic. The reason I giving this a good rating is because of Mephisto. 

Seriously I like that he is so Affably Evil (or is that Evilly Affable) instead of a Complete Monster that I laughed every time he was the focus this comic is worth the price of admission. Next up the winner for my top pic this week  Journey to Mystery 626.1