Wood

September 29, 2011 12:02 pm Nice review Ron. It strikes me as we all digest these 52 issues in such a short period of time how much our personal preferences play into things. For me, not being a "Flash" guy, this book didn't resonate. I recognize it as a perfectly well crafted book. I have no issues with the dialog or the art (which was particularly striking), but ultimately a "good" Flash book isn't going to get me coming back to the well. It would be akin the the way you feel about Superman, perhaps. Whereas I readily admit I read 7 or 8 books a month that feature Wolverine -- and that works for me. My point is to reiterate that DC has given us a lot to try this month, and I love that not all of it is being judged/received in the same way. Speaks to the diversity we were hoping for. Well done.

September 23, 2011 12:16 am Not Chang's best work, unfortunately.

September 22, 2011 11:03 am Paul, well said on Red Hood. Last night on 11OC, I said that Red Hood appealed to the 16-year old in me who relished any opportunity to glimpse boobies. It's a purely sophomoric, visceral reaction and I can't argue with anyone that questions the point of turning Kori into an sex bombombombomb. BUT, I thought Lobdell's approach of making her COMPLETELY alien was a great touch to offset the obvious T&A appeal. The fact she WAS a Titan, DID have a relationship with Dick, yet now can't recall any of it fascinates. She's not a human girl with orange skin, she's an ALIEN with a completely different way of perceiving emotions, relationships, the passage of time, memory, etc... Where I think the book lost me was the introduction of Essence and the All Caste. Lobdell was treating this like we should know some of the history, and yet that fails for both long-time DC readers AND new readers. I had no Earthly idea what any of that meant, and didn't feel they gave us enough to make me stick around to find out. I'll keep buying this book BECAUSE of Kori. Guilty pleasure? You bet, But Rocafort's art combined with Lobdell's homage to Weird Science (I liked your analogy), works for me. At least for a few more issues.

September 22, 2011 10:50 am Well put review Josh. I too would not consider myself a "Wonder Woman" fan in so much that I've tried her individual title a few times but never stuck around for long. But the combination of Chiang and Azz made this a book I had high expectations for -- and it delivered. There are times when we read comics, particularly if you read as many as we do, that you can get caught up in the mundane. While I certainly don't have the chops to ever be a comic book artist, I do think every now and then we need to be reminded of the difference between stellar cartooning and basic sequential linework. Chiang is a story-teller. He has such a fantastic sense of graphic design and expression, and combining those two skills with the requisite ability to pace a sequential action piece is a rare thing. I adored Chiang's choices in this book. As you said, he makes Diana BIG, but clearly beautiful. He gives her a bit of an angular nose and implies (subtly) a more Mediterranean quality. Making Hermes look like the classic "Area 51" alien was razor smart, too. It would make sense that the mythos of aliens and UFOs might in fact be people encountering the God of Speed. Where I credit Azzarello is his refusal to pander to his audience. He assumes that readers are capable of more than being spoon fed every plot point. He challenges readers to dig a bit for the nuances, to project themselves into the narrative and think about what's to come. That's a great trait in a writer, and why he's among my favorite in the business. But it's also a bold choice for a mainstream superhero relaunch. I'll be VERY curious to see if our enthusiasm for this work is echoed by the majority. I certainly hope it will, it might renew my faith in humanity. But hey, who needs humans when was have Amazonians and Greek deities?

September 22, 2011 10:37 am My time with the Green Lantern Corps has come to a close, it seems. But it was one great run that started with Rebirth and lasted through the Sinestro Corps War and into Blackest Night. But it's time for a bit of a break from this group of characters.

September 22, 2011 10:35 am A completely forgettable issue, for me. The art was fine, albeit nothing that I think would set this book apart on the crowded store shelves. The story though? Just by the numbers from start to finish. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but at a time when we're being asked to experience 52 new books and separate the wheat from the chaff as we re-build our pull lists, this just didn't leave enough of a mark for keep me coming back.

September 22, 2011 10:32 am This was bad fanfic. I could say that Winnick is better than this, but that's a given.

September 22, 2011 10:27 am Cliff's art was terrific. Wow. He always pushes himself in new ways and the way he played with a more minimal line at times, and overstated some of the depth in panels to convey more motion and momentum was awesome to behold. I loved how huge he made Diana, she actually felt like a 7-foot Amazon. I'm an enormous fan of Azz, and this was exactly the kind of book I can sink my teeth into. Where I think Azz gets in trouble sometimes is that he refuses to pander to his audience. I love that about him, but that can be problematic when the project is supposed to appeal to the lowest common denominator -- which a "Trinity" book like Wonder Woman should. I'm along for the ride, but I'm expecting this to be a MUCH more divisive book than say, Batman, which was more straightforward in its execution.

September 22, 2011 10:24 am An absolutely stunning, perfectly executed first issue. This was everything a 1st issue should be. We're introduced to all the major characters, we're given as sense of how they fit into Bruce's life, we meet the rogue, it's not heavy handed, and it's wonderfully paced. Capullo has always been a STELLAR cartoonist, but I fear far too few people realize that because of so much of his career being outside the Big 2. People will now see the difference between drawing pictures in a panel grid and being a CARTOONIST. Exceptionally well done on all levels.

September 9, 2011 6:15 pm Dang iPad autocorrect. Ahem, the fuzzy typewriter has lost a few BUTTONS it seems.