Honestly? I'm enjoying it.
I didn't buy everything from the first 3 weeks, just what seemed to appeal to me as I was browsing. Sidenote: Looking around on comixology just pales in comparison to going into the comic book store.
I've bought 13 titles so far and borrowed 3 from a friend to read. There are 7 that I'll be back for the second issue for sure, 4 that I seem to be on the fence about, 3 that I'll flip through at the comic book store and 2 that I'm fairly sure I won't be buying. Not bad numbers for DC, right? Note: I'm missing one book in this shot, Demon Knights, and I'd probably lump that with the second on-the-fence row. I've categorized the books in this photo:
I've noticed that a majority of the people reviewing these books are mostly fanboys (makes sense). I've read and listened to a few reviews that have absolutely infuriated me because their basis for why they didn't like it was so... unsubstantiated. One didn't like superboy, because they couldn't get around buying a book that had "superboy" in the title. One just felt like the definition for the 'reboot' meant bringing in new readers but not really rebooting the character (yeah that one was odd). One just HATES anything Grant Morrison writes (and I'm not a fan either, but Action Comics has so far been the strongest and gutsiest of the bunch). Anyhow everybody's entitled to their opinion, and I'm entitled to not read or listen to them. And for my blog, here's my opinion:
I like that DC's trying out some different approaches to revitalize their sales. I like that the effect of their hype machine has been positive and drawing more customers back into the stores. I like the marketing hype their doing to get the word out, I believe the comic book industry really needs to reach out to a broader audience to survive. Some books will succeed, and quite a few will fail, but at least they're trying something different. I'm hoping that there will be alot of books in the 52 that I'm turned off by but completely appeals to the younger audience. In my twisted logic, it would mean that DC is succeeding.
Why? Because I don't think the target market for comic books should JUST be me anymore. I should be a small part of the target market. When Morrison is throwing in some modern age slang into the books, it totally flew over my head. I actually had to look it up. I thought that was good! Why should I know the nerdy in-joke? These books shouldn't be aimed at me! This industry I love is dying because it's growing up with me... and more to the point, it's not reaching to anybody else. Kids nowadays would rather plunk down 99 cents for angry birds than a 2.99 digital copy of a comic book. It's sad, but I can't really blame 'em.
The title that the Nu52 is missing? An all ages book.
Anyhow. Better stop the rant. I wonder how the masses who don't blog or write reviews feel about the 52?
I didn't buy everything from the first 3 weeks, just what seemed to appeal to me as I was browsing. Sidenote: Looking around on comixology just pales in comparison to going into the comic book store.
I've bought 13 titles so far and borrowed 3 from a friend to read. There are 7 that I'll be back for the second issue for sure, 4 that I seem to be on the fence about, 3 that I'll flip through at the comic book store and 2 that I'm fairly sure I won't be buying. Not bad numbers for DC, right? Note: I'm missing one book in this shot, Demon Knights, and I'd probably lump that with the second on-the-fence row. I've categorized the books in this photo:
Top row (I'll buy the second issue): Justice League, Action Comics, O.M.A.C., Swamp Thing, Animal Man, and Resurrection man. Action comics was the strongest for me, putting a spin to Superman that's polarizing fans, but to me, seems pretty true to his spirit. I'm not a fan of Grant Morrisons writing as he dissappointed me with Seven Soldiers and Final Crisis by any stretch, but I've enjoyed his All-Star Superman run. He seems to keep in good form with Action Comics.
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| Action Comics #1 |
O.M.A.C. was a fun throwback book for me. A lot of awesome kirby-esque action with Kieth Giffen supplying some great storytelling. I was a little nervous with Dan Didio being co-writer on the book as I wasn't fond of his Wednesday Comics Metal Men run. But it turns out, O.M.A.C is one of my top pics for the 52. I'm not sure how new readers will respond to it, but I'm definitely eating it up.
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| O.M.A.C. #1 |
Justice League was a good intro book. Plenty of great action, and some good art from Jim Lee. The story is easy enough to follow, and it takes it's time introducing new readers to a few characters. People complain that the whole League isn't there, but I think Geoff Johns is going the right way with this. A few team books in the 52 line up threw every character at the reader and it makes for a confusing read. Demon Knights, Legion Lost and the Authority are examples of this. Where the team intros are done pretty well, I think are in Jeff Lemier's Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Anyhow, I enjoyed the Justice League, and I remember reading and re-reading it multiple times. It was fun.
Swamp Thing, Animal Man and Ressurection man I'll lump up together. I enjoyed them because they were in this interesting horror/superhero category. I've read a few vertigo books that do this, but to have these type of books exist in the the DC universe is pretty refreshing.
Second Row (I'll peek at these at the store, and lean towards buying #2 if budget allows): Green Lantern and Batwoman were pretty solid and fairly new reader friendly. but I think because I know the type of books these are, and I know fans will eat it up, I might pass them up just to help support the other genres coming out this month. Men of War didn't kick my butt but shows some pretty good potential. I haven't read a war book in a long time, so this title while not having an amazing first issue, might get me to buy #2 if it starts picking up. Demon Knights is also a cool book, but I feel there were so many characters being introduced, it never totally grabbed me. Again, the Swords and Sorcery genre being tackled here is intriguing so I might be back.
Third Row (titles I probably won't pick up again): Mister Terrific was actually entertaining, but I don't think the character grabbed me enough to make me come back for it. It wasn't anything bad, but compared to the others, it's not as strong. Deathstroke was actually kinda fun, like a super-villain crime book. Pretty solid story, but it's rare for me to go for books with the bad guy as the main character. Still, I'd say it's a pretty solid entry into this 'genre'. Legion Lost I felt threw new readers under the bus. There were too many characters, it was hard to relate to any of them. I liked the art, but there was too much story crammed into it, it just got to be too much.
Fourth Row (I definitely won't be reading these): I always felt like the Authority and Stormwatch were these cheap knock-offs of the Justice League (well, Midnighter and Apollo especially). I feel like those books capitalize on what a nerd like me loves about Batman and Superman and puts a gritty spin to it. And now with the DC reboots it becomes more apparent to me how much of a copy they are. The first issue didn't really do much to bring me on board. Batgirl everybody seems to be loving, but I felt like it was a very standard super-hero story. And this is probably fine to some, and a good starter for those not used to the genre, but I felt like this book could easily be part of the old DC line-up. I didn't feel like Batgirl's voice was quite as strong as what I've enjoyed from the past Oracle stories or from the awesome Batgirl: Year one series. This new Batgirl isn't for me.
I like that DC's trying out some different approaches to revitalize their sales. I like that the effect of their hype machine has been positive and drawing more customers back into the stores. I like the marketing hype their doing to get the word out, I believe the comic book industry really needs to reach out to a broader audience to survive. Some books will succeed, and quite a few will fail, but at least they're trying something different. I'm hoping that there will be alot of books in the 52 that I'm turned off by but completely appeals to the younger audience. In my twisted logic, it would mean that DC is succeeding.
Why? Because I don't think the target market for comic books should JUST be me anymore. I should be a small part of the target market. When Morrison is throwing in some modern age slang into the books, it totally flew over my head. I actually had to look it up. I thought that was good! Why should I know the nerdy in-joke? These books shouldn't be aimed at me! This industry I love is dying because it's growing up with me... and more to the point, it's not reaching to anybody else. Kids nowadays would rather plunk down 99 cents for angry birds than a 2.99 digital copy of a comic book. It's sad, but I can't really blame 'em.
The title that the Nu52 is missing? An all ages book.
Anyhow. Better stop the rant. I wonder how the masses who don't blog or write reviews feel about the 52?
