DCâs latest relaunch is here, and we at ComicsXF love nothing more than judging things. (Wait, hold on, my editor is telling me itâs called critique.)
Well, CXFâs regular DC columnists Tony Thornley, Armaan Babu and Matt Lazorwitz decided to take a look at the releases so far and grade them.
One note, we are only going to take a look at new series launches. That means existing series taking up the Dawn of DC branding, like Action Comics and Batman, wonât count. With that, letâs get to it!
Superman by Joshua Williamson, Jamal Campbell and Ariana Maher
Tony Thornley: Three issues into this one already, and the flagship of the initiative might be dropping off. It started strong and had some really good character beats. But the plot is pretty standard, which drags it down quite a bit. The art is absolutely stunning though, and makes it worth picking up alone.
Tonyâs Grade: B-
Armaan Babu: This book is silly, and itâs only getting sillier. Itâs fun silly, however, and itâs being drawn gorgeously. I am fascinated by the Superman-Lex Luthor relationship, and seeing them trying to figure out how to work together would ordinarily be the draw, but thereâs no substance to that here. Instead, we get old enemies coming back in new and interesting ways, and new villains popping up with wild new anti-Superman inventions, all of it stunningly rendered across the page. You canât look away from it, and from this book? I donât need a lot more.
Armaanâs Grade: B
Matt Lazorwitz: Jamal Campbell is one of my two favorite artists in superhero comics right now (more on the other later), and this book is being carried by Campbell. Iâm not anti-Joshua Williamson or anything, but this is a pretty paint-by-numbers book, made more than average by Campbellâs amazing art.
Mattâs Grade: B
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire and Wes Abbott
Tony: This isnât just a continuation of Taylorâs Son of Kal-El (though it is that, too), which I respect. If we were grading only first issues, I would grade it higher, though. The second issue ends on a twist that completely upends the initial concept of the book. If the intent was just to put Jon into Injustice, it could have been done in a much more elegant way. Henryâs art is generally solid, with some really exceptional character beats, and strong as always colors from Bellaire.
Tonyâs Grade: C
Armaan: I am a huge fan of Injustice, despite its many (many) flaws, and Iâm excited to see that universe explored again. When the writing gets out of its own way, thereâs a lot to be enjoyed here. The bookâs characters are as earnest as they are quippy. Thereâs just enough to enjoy here to make some of the more convoluted choices worth it.
Armaanâs Grade: C+
Matt: This is ⌠fine. Taylor tends to be at his best doing character beats and crazy, alternate universe stuff, so this is playing to his strengths, and itâs nice seeing the Earth-2 characters again. And the final moment of issue #2 got me, despite it (I canât imagine unintentionally) echoing a key line from a book series about a boy wizard from a fairly disgraced novelist. But I donât feel hooked by it yet. Maybe as we get more into Jon on Earth-Injustice (does it have a number yet? I donât think so), interacting with the different versions of his friends and allies, it will grab me more.
Mattâs Grade: C
Unstoppable Doom Patrol by Dennis Culver, Chris Burnham, Brian Reber and Pat Brosseau
Armaan: I might enjoy this comic a lot more if the weight of its past wasnât on it, if there wasnât a much better show currently running on TV with the same characters. On the other hand, I might not be reading this book at all. This book is fun, no doubt, but also extremely forgettable. The weird concepts introduced so far arenât ones that draw me in. By #3, Iâve already forgotten whatâs popped up in #1. Thereâs a charm here, though, and itâs clearly a book that respects its own history, even if it doesnât do a lot to live up to it.
Armaanâs Grade: C-
Matt: Doom Patrol is a concept that I have always liked a lot more in theory than in practice. Iâve read and enjoyed the Morrison and Pollack runs, but every attempt to bring them back into the DCU proper after fell pretty flat. The Byrne era was a revisionist nightmare, like every time John Byrne does his back-to-basics thing, and I didnât feel for the Giffen run either. The Young Animals run was fascinating, but not exactly deep in the DC Universe. But Iâve really enjoyed these first two issues. We have the classic Patrol, plus some Morrison characters, plus some new characters. We have fallout from Lazarus Planet, and some machinations from some old allies and new enemies. Itâs fun, weird superhero comics, and I dig it.
Mattâs Grade: B+
Superboy: Man of Tomorrow by Kenny Porter, Jahnoy Lindsay and Lucas Gattoni
Tony: I liked this book, but it wasnât spectacular. The plot is a bit standard (a mixture of forgotten â90s âclassicâ Superboy & the Ravers and the recent Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow), but the characterization is really strong. Having it set before Action Comics #1,051 really only serves to make Conner feel alienated from the family, and thereâs a few continuity hiccups. But the art is really good, and captures the energetic feel that Connerâs stories should always have. I just hope Conner gets a series thatâs good without qualifiers someday.
Tonyâs Grade: B-
Armaan: This is a comfort read. Teenage-led book, Superboy clashing with other teens, and art that feels exciting, wild and as out of control as the plot is meant to make young Connor feel. With the relaunch of the whole Super-line, I am enjoying Connerâs attempt to carve out a place for himself in the universe â following the ideals of Superman, but bringing his own style to things. Itâs just a really fun read, for me.
Armaanâs Grade: B+
Matt:The generation of heroes that were Young Justice have been forgotten and sidelined for much of the past decade. And I have a deep affection for all of them, so itâs good to see any of them getting a spotlight. Connerâs intergalactic adventure gets off to a solid start here, in a story with some great nods to the wider cosmic DC Universe. Itâs not central to the new DCU, as we know where Conner ends up, but if you like the character itâs well worth your time.
Mattâs Grade: B
Green Arrow by Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Troy Peteri
Tony: By hell, I liked this first issue. Ollie and family usually go on relatively grounded adventures, but adding a sci-fi element makes it feel really fresh. It is pretty heavily centered on Dark Crisis, but I didnât feel like I had to know more than the basics to be in the loop. The new identity for a longtime supporting cast member was very welcome as well. I also really dug the art, which is dynamic. Itâs a Queen family book in the same way Action Comics has become a Kent family book, and thatâs a great angle for the future of Oliver Queen.
Tonyâs Grade: B+
Armaan: The art in this book is great. Vibrant, intense, exciting. A beautiful sense of motion for the characters. The lettering is not as great, to the point of distraction. Itâs crumbly and clumsy, as if written by a child â and indeed, Green Arrow is being written as one. Itâs fun seeing the, uh, Arrow family in action together, and the reunion of Lian and Roy Harper warms my heart. However, the book itself feels laden with the kind of convoluted weirdness and continuity that can make Williamson exhausting to read, and Iâm not sure thereâs a lot here thatâs going to appeal to me as the series continues.
Armaanâs Grade: C-
Matt: This book is deeply entrenched in DC lore, and while I agree you didn’t need to read Dark Crisis to get most of this, it felt a bit dense in general. Iâm not sure a reader off the street or one who might have watched Arrow and stumbled across this would be able to parse all the events. The ending especially seems to pay off the tease at the end of Dark Crisis, so my fear is that this is going to be the book that sets up the next big event rather than a story in its own right. Thatâs a lot of negatives for a comic I did actually enjoy. The art is good, and Williamson has all the voices of this large cast down pat. The fact that heâs finally paying off the Cheshire Cat plot that has been threaded through Catwoman for a couple years helps, and I am there for anything with Connor Hawke.
Mattâs Grade: B
Shazam! by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sanchez and Troy Peteri
Tony: This might be my favorite launch of the initiative to date. Waid and Mora have created a take on Billy Batson that feels timeless and modern, which is starting to become a cliche, but it’s absolutely the truth here. Itâs a great synthesis of the Golden Age, Bronze Age and modern. Itâs gorgeous as well, with several splash pages that are eye popping, and some unique layouts that are completely immersive. This is what Billy and his family have needed for years, and Iâm glad weâve finally got it.
Tonyâs Grade: A
Armaan: Mark Waid is someone who Iâve come to comfortably rely on for enjoyable superhero stories. The charm of a childish Billy Batson here mingles with the loneliness of responsibility, a hero who doesnât quite know where he stands and is about to be clobbered for it. The way the characters are written appeals to me, and if they didnât, the book would be an easy sell on the strength of the artwork alone.
Armaanâs Grade: A
Matt: Mark Waid is in a renaissance with his work on Worldâs Finest with Dan Mora, who might be my favorite artist working in comics right now. And this is no different. It blends the classic Shazam mythology with the New 52-era Johns-crafted universe without denying either, plays off the recent events of Lazarus Planet without making someone feel like they had to read all that, and is just genuinely charming. A definite highlight.
Mattâs Grade:Â A
Matt Lazorwitz read his first comic at the age of five. It was Who's Who in the DC Universe #2, featuring characters whose names begin with B, which explains so much about his Batman obsession. He writes about comics he loves, and co-hosts the creator interview podcast WMQ&A with Dan Grote.
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. Heâs also very humble.
