I was really looking forward to this book – I am probably one of the few Doc Savage fans left in the world and would basically pick up anything featuring Doc. I loved the first couple of First Wave books, I loved Paul Malmont’s novel, “The Chinatown Deathcloud Peril”, and I also loved the old Justice Inc mini-series by Andy Helfer and Kyle Baker many moons ago, so my hopes were high. And in some respects I did enjoy it – the main feature was fast paced and action-packed, barely pausing for breath in its 20 pages, and the Justice Inc co-feature was both well written and beautifully drawn (Scott Hampton’s art would rate at least a 4). Certainly enough to keep me coming back for future issues.

My big complaint however, the thing that made my heart sink when I saw the initial solicitations for the series, was Howard porter’s art. I remember Porter as the artist who ruined Grant Morrisson’s JLA for me, and his work certainly has not improved. In fact some pages look like Porter drew them with his feet. I know that a book starring characters from the pulp era probably has very little chance of surviving beyond its first arc in the present over-crowded marketplace, but I can’t help but feel this might have had a better chance at success had DC assigned a more competent artist. Sure, Doc may not be the biggest draw in the world, but surely he could have been treated with a little more respect than this. If the series tanks, and Doc disappears from comic shops once again, I think it will be a real shame.

All in all, though, the story Malmont has set up here will keep me reading, and I’m sure that the pace will slow down enough for the characters and plot to be more fully fleshed out as the arc progresses.

Oh, and I totally agree with the writer who asked for a revival of The Shadow! The gun-toting version of Batman we’ve seen so far just seems like he’s been crammed into the First Wave universe as a replacement for The Shadow anyway!