Hey my brothers and sisters!!
Guess who's back! It T-E-X, with a rapid-fire review of more of DC's Rebirth with Salvo 4!!
Let's skin this smoke-wagon:
1. "Teen Titans: Rebirth" #1 - Tim Drake is dead. After the events in "Detective Comics" #940, the Teen Titans are on their own. Beast Boy is partying hard in Hollywood, Starfire and Wally West are trying to get on with their lives, defining themselves by continuing their vigilante work, and Raven is emotionally lost, trying to find herself, hoping she's not the monster that her father, Trigon, is. What they don't know is that each of them is being taken down, one by one, by a shadowy figure that has his own plans for them.
Ben Percy writes this cool little comic that basically all about putting the band back together, and not much else. In the process, Percy gives us some really cool insight into the inner working of each of the Titans. It is an effective (re?) introduction to each character. Jonboy Meyers' dainty pencils and Jim Charalampidis' make this a really pretty book.
RATING: 7.5 out of 10.
2. "Cyborg: Rebirth" and "DC Universe Rebirth: Cyborg" #1 - A powerful, dangerous new enemy lurks in the shadows of Cyborgs life, testing him from the shadows, waiting for the chance to help Vic evolve into everything that he could be...If not for that pesky human side of him. While the enemy seeks to dispossess Cyborg of his human weaknesses, Cyborg struggles to find his own humanity after discovering data that questions the very nature of his existence...Data kept secret by his very own father!
John Semper, Jr. retells Cyborg's origin story, introduces a chilling new villain, and re-kindles Cyborg's search for his own humanity all in just two comics. That's just good writing - good writing backed up by Paul Pelletier's ability to draw insane action sequences. I was partial to the Ultimate-Spider-Man-like slow burn David F. Walker's and Ivan Reis' run - and time will tell if this will be just as good - however, Semper is starting off on a good track; hopefully, Cyborg won't lose the ability to return to human form that Walker and Reis gave him.
RATING: 8 out of 10.
3. "DC Universe Trinity: Rebirth" #1 - Since the death of the New 52 Superman, both Batman and Wonder Woman have struggled to deal with his loss in their own unique ways, and the appearance of the Post-Crisis Superman on their world has made things even more challenging. It doesn't help that this new Superman is cautious, feeling his way in this new world with a bit of trepidation - he not only has to protect his secret identity, but the lives of his wife, Lois Lane, and their young son, Jon, whose Kryptonian powers have begun to emerge. Lois steps up to try to bridge the gap between the three super-allies - allies who seem to be worlds apart. Can the Trinity be rebuilt, or is it a bridge too far?
Francis Manapul does triple duty on the script, art and cover, of this really fascinating character study of the DCU's Trinity - Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Manapul does a great job of revealing their inner workings, as well as that of Lois Lane, whose insights drive the story, narrating from the caption boxes with brilliant observations on her family, and on life. Tender and open dialogue also drive this book - you can feel the bond begin to form within this new Trinity, and it seems like Lois and Jon may be the ties that bind them, carrying the Trinity past the line from friends to family. Apart from a masterful job of writing a character-driven first issue, Manapul provides art that is elegant, and simple, yet powerful. It takes one hell of a writer, to make a character study feel like it's action-packed. I love this book.
RATING: 10 out of 10.
4. "Batman Beyond: Rebirth" #1 - Terry McGinnis is back from the dead, and freed from the mind control of Spellbinder (see "Batman Beyond" vol 5 #16). He has tried to restart his his life, raising his little brother Matt, and re-taking the Mantle of the Bat. But Terry has avoided revealing his resurrection to some of the people that he most cared about, one being his high-school sweetheart, Dana Tan. When Dana is taken prisoner by The Jokerz, Gotham's own murderous misfits inspired by the memory of the Clown Prince of Crime, it looks as if a reunion between Terry and Dana is unavoidable. Also unavoidable is a showdown with one of McGinnis' old foes, Terminal, who is attempting to resurrect the greatest enemy that Batman has ever faced: the original Joker!
In "Batman Beyond: Rebirth" #1 Dan Jurgens is doing what Dan Jurgens does: writing entertaining comic book stories for people of all ages. The story is fast-paced, action-packed, and still manages to give us glimpses into the mind of the protagonist, his struggles, and a succinct, but good, retelling of his origin story...Not to mention, the the threat of the return of the Joker! McGinnis has got his hands full. Ryan Sook goes wild with the art here, giving us great action scenes, a very cool, explosive spread, and some lovely panels that are often quite busy. It looks like this series is starting off with a bang!
RATING: 8.5 out of 10.
All in all, this salvo of DC Rebirth first issues was a LOT better than the last!
Well, that's it for today comics fans! Please hit like if you enjoyed the reviews and PLEASE comment and let me know if you agree or disagree with my reviews. Hey, you just might learn me sumthin'! And feel free to share my page with your friends!
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