I think Rick Remender has a problem on his hands.

While I’ve enjoyed the hell out of this book in the first two issues, which looked at the typical superhero archetypes turned on their head and then deep fried in steaming vats of hatred, I was completely lost and bored with this issue.  After the events of last issue, you would think that the story would continue to unfold and move along at the brisk pace that’s been present.  Sure, there’s lots of text in the first two issues, but pace was fast and you felt pulled through the story.  The problem that Rick Remender has with this series is timing, and in comics, timing is everything.

Part of my problem with this issue was that it’s been over two months since the last one.  I can’t remember a damn thing that happened.  And while there is a “Previously in…” story synopsis on the back of the front cover, it doesn’t help clarify who any of these people are.  I was so confused about the Joker looking villain and the guy he was talking to.  I thought, “Who are these people and what the hell are they talking about?”  Also, the main villain in the book spends time talking to Astonishman’s girlfriend, but I don’t remember there ever being a girlfriend in the series so far.  And then the stuff with the other heroes as they try and figure out what to do is just kind of boring because they stand around and talk about what they are going to do instead of just doing it.

I know that this is a bi-monthly series, but this is written as if it were monthly. I don’t remember what’s happening in each issue and Remender doesn’t do a solid enough job reminding me just what the hell is going on.  Add to that the fact that NOTHING happens in this issue and I’m left wondering what he hopes to accomplish in this bi-monthly book when the characters don’t really do anything.  It just makes it a snore to read.

Bromme’s art is very solid in this issue as it has been in others, but I’m left wondering if it’s worth having this bi-monthly schedule for his pencils if the story could be made to flow better.  Personally, I’d take story over art any day.

So the question is: Am I off this book?  No, I’m still with it.  I’m interested in the concept enough to stick with it, and I trust Remender as a writer.  If this is just one bad issue among many, then I can’t really complain, but this was just a giant disappointment this week.