The "New 52": Week Two.....(Review)

As "Revamp" Month continues, another week of great titles has been shipped!  This week I picked up a few, and enjoyed them all.....though some more than others.

My LCS was sold out of Green Lantern #1, and OMAC #1 (which I'd heard good things about and wanted to pick up from the previous week).....but here are the ones I purchased and here is my favorite quote of the week.....

"I think there is no 'up-and-coming'. There's only competition. And I don't work with it."

Deathstroke #1
Citizen's Grade: Awesome.


I was completely blown away by this issue! I hadn't originally planned on picking it up, and had never really followed or cared to follow Deathstroke....but as I stood in the comic shop perusing titles, I was drawn to the cover art by Simon Bisley.  I opened it up to the first splash page of Deathstroke beheading Russians....and I was hooked!!


Slade Wilson is contracted as an assassin & sometimes bodyguard, but on this latest job, his "employer" insists on a "team" to help with the next target. What Deathstroke doesn't know is that they are young and inexperienced (One of the youngsters refers to Deathstroke as "Lovetap"; which I thought was hilarious....but you knew that he was going die for saying it! lol). They prove their worth while Wilson uncovers the lie and mystery of his latest target.....then gets rid of some competition.


The issue ends with Deathstroke out to prove he's still the best assassin, and uncover the mystery that's inside the briefcase.  Kyle Higgins does a great job writing this issue, with the awesome swerve at the end!  But this issue is more about the artwork.....and Joe Bennett delivers an awesome Deathstroke!!


I wasn't planning on collecting this title....but plans change...

Mister Terrific #1.
Citizen's Grade: Sigh....

I was excited about this title, and thought it was great that Mister Terrific was given the chance he deserved.  I was still optimistic even when DC announced the relatively unknown writer and artist....and I'm still somewhat optimistic after the first issue.

I think everyone familiar with the DC Universe is aware that Mr.T is considered one of it's smartest heroes....in fact, he's the 3rd Smartest Man in the World.  If you have trouble remembering that...don't worry, they'll repeat it several more times.  It became a little annoying.  Writer Eric Wallace gives some background to show how Michael Holt became Mr.T, and I love the "secret lab" in the 9th Dimension.  I'm assuming that Mr.T is part of the Earth 2 Universe? Flying on T-Spheres is cool as well.

The problems occur; however, with the other fact (oh wait, did I mention that he's the World's 3rd smartest man?)  that Wallace tries to beat us over the head with.....Mister Terrific is a black Man. Really? I was unaware from all my years of reading Justice Society....or, if I was a new reader....FROM THE COVER!!  Wallace goes too far; in my opinion, with pushing the stereotype and even in one instance....reverse-racism?  If all this title has going for it is that Mister Terrific is the World's 3rd Smartest Man & he's black.....then it's not going to be around long.

Eric Wallace's writing didn't impress, though if he actually builds this into a decent story it might be good.  Gianluca Gugliotta does o.k. on art, but overall this creative team needs to improve.  Mister Terrific is a great character, who deserves his own monthly, and doesn't need to get by based on his ethnicity.....but the way Wallace writes him, you could insert Jefferson Pierce or John Sterwart and you wouldn't know the difference....it does injustice to DC Comic's long history of Ethnic diversity in it's heroes.

Red Lanterns #1
Citizen's Grade: Awesome.


I love everything about this issue!  Peter Milligan's writing is perfect for this kind of title....he's been hit or miss with me in the past, but this is a definite hit!  What is great about this #1 is that the die-hard Green Lantern fans will love it because they know all the background, and brand new readers will love it because the Red Lanterns are awesome & it's written in a way that a new reader gets all the background needed to jump right in and enjoy the Lanterns of Rage!!


Ed Benes' artwork is superb as usual, and I love the "classic" Corps copy-cover!  I really don't see how any comic book fan could pass that cover on the shelf without giving it a look!


Let me say right from the get go.....DexStarr is my favorite character in this book! The Kitty of Rage is in the first few pages unleashing punishment on some sadists, and just as he gets into trouble....Atrocitus arrives and asks, "What are you doing to my cat?"  Awesome!  After pouring out rage on those deserving it, Atrocitus & DexStarr return to the Red Lantern home planet and Atrocitus begins soul-searching.  "Where has all the rage gone?", he ponders, as he stands over the body of Krona (feeling robbed of his vengeance, since it wasn't him who killed the rogue Guardian) .....is that why his rage isn't seething? What of his fellow Red Lanterns?  Using Krona's dead blood, Atrocitus calls upon the universe to show him the future.....and as he sees in his divination all the suffering and pain in the universe, his rage is re-ignited and his purpose clear:  Punishment for the guilty! Rage for those who cause pain and suffering!!


An Awesome book with an Awesome creative team!  Hopefully this will be a huge hit for years!!