Comic Reviews by Walt

I picked up Damage #1 last Wednesday. Partly for being a #1, partly starting this "New Age of DC Heroes," partly hype, partly the vertical-tri-fold-front-cover, and largely because despite being a #1, a new launch, not part of what was known as "Rebirth," it was "only" $2.99…so of course I "should" support it, the way I grouse about Marvel‘s constant $3.99-at-the-lowest pricing.

Unfortunately, the thing was more flash than substance for me. I put it on top of my stack to read, but when I went to read it…after several pages, I just started kinda skimming and flipping on through. "Oh, look…the Suicide Squad…goodie!" and nothing remotely resembling the Damage character I’d expected (with SOMETHING related to the ’90s title…)

Maybe I’m just THAT far outta the loop, behind on reading my Metal books. But I don’t remember the last time a new (as opposed to years-old-back-issue) comic actually had me zoning out and turning pages without interest enough to READ them.

Having no idea who this "new" character was, or motivation; a look reminding me somehow of Valiant‘s Shadowman (not positive points with Valiant on my personal crap-list for the last 2 1/2 years) and nothing really grabbing me to ENGAGE with any characters, it was NOT a good #1, to me.

A "good #1" is one that I can have zero knowledge about, zero reliance upon some other comic/event/series, and the issue by itself, all by its lonesome, pulls me in and leaves me actively interested in the next issue (a GREAT #1 has me emailing the comic shop immediately to add the book to my pull list…).

The "trifold" cover gimmick is FAR from being anywhere near as "cool" as I’m sure they were going for. "Wraparound" covers–the "double-panel"/"wide" layouts work well for the "widescreen" action, but this just looks odd, and to me, really look like they’d be three different covers!

While Damage (2018) #1 may end up being a good series, and a better, engaging story in collected/binge format (with more than JUST this one issue to go on), the first issue failed to grab me or engage me, and as the kickoff of this new line, has actually damaged the "brand" a bit, where I no longer have the "enthusiasm" for the "whole line" that I’d had. Now I figure I’ll try The Terrifics since I’d already planned to, and maybe see if/what else grabs me.  

As usual, while I’m often quite "down" on Marvel, I try to still get stuff here or there, IF ONLY to have some bit of "informed" knowledge of stuff. I bought the Legacy one-shot, so I can comment on not seeing how any of that’s come to play YET in any books, particularly Wolverine actually being back.

And where I’ve had ZERO INTEREST in umpteen different Avengers titles, since I AM interested in AN Avengers book, I decided to bite the bullet and try this No Surrender thing. I would absolutely NOT be on-board for an indefinite weekly $3.99 book. But as a contained 16-week thing, I got/read the first issue, and went ahead and picked up the second this past week.

I really don’t know what TO think of it so far…it does not feel like any Avengers book I’m familiar with. I liked Rogue on the cover of 675, but not sure where I am with her inside the book…I’ve obviously missed quite a bit over the past 5+ years and Uncanny Avengers and whatnot.

But I’m willing to "support" a single title in place of numerous different Avengers titles. Heck, do like the old Superman comics did, and have a weekly overall narrative…but each creative team can "focus" more heavily on some plot-thread or another according to their interest, while moving an overall "main" narrative forward each week.

As a 16-issue story, though, this will be ripe for an "omnibus" (because heaven forbid a single, complete story marketing as a single, complete story should ever be put out in a single, complete volume as a story rather than premium-high-priced Omnibus branding), so I’m still a bit cautious. Yet with Marvel‘s constant over-pricing of stuff, I figure the 16-issue (even if first and final chapters are double-length) "single volume edition" will be at minimum a $75 cover price (compared to ~$66 for the singles) and more likely $100ish ($5/issue would be $80, but being Marvel, I’d see them more likely to jump up to the next major price point of the $100 mark just because hey, people will pay it!).

I’ll probably check out the third issue this coming Wednesday, if only to give the singular, weekly thing a bit more of a chance…and go from there.

Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts | Tagged: avengers, Dark Knights Metal, Dark Nights, Dark Nights Metal, DC, DC Comics, MARVEL, metal, New Age, New Age of DC Heroes, New Age of Heroes, No Surrender |