BATMAN ETERNAL #1
Hmm. It feels like an appetizer heading into a main course. It doesn’t feel like the whole kit and caboodle. It just feels like, the start.
The weekly series, Eternal, is supposed to give us a widening view of what the entirety of the DC universe and Batman’s role in it all. This issue gives us quite a few things and quite a few little tidbits, but the majority of it plays out like a quick episode of the Beware the Batman cartoon, only amped up for older audiences.
Jim Gordon is a main character here, as is the introduction of Jason Bard, and we get glimpses at a lot of characters in the MCU at Gotham PD.
The big problem is, like I said, not much happens. If Batman: Eternal is going to be a big event series, big things should happen. One major thing happens, I suppose; but no one in their right mind reading this book would ever think that it is going to stick. How they’re going to find a way out of this mess is framed from the get-go, with Jason Bard the seeming work around.
Avoiding spoilers obviously. But it begs the question: Is that all? Is that really everything?
An appearance by the worst villain this side of Magpie or Orca, Professor Pyg, and the issue is over before it even begins.
For a starting point, Eternal sure lacks a lot of meat. Some may feel inclined to keep trying this buffet, but I’m gonna have to yelp a not so great write-up.
ALL-NEW ULTIMATES #1
What an incredibly bizarre book this is. I’m going to be honest and say that I haven’t read anything in the Ultimate Marvel Universe in a very, very long time. Peter Parker’s death was the last thing I read, I think. Too many revamps, relaunches, and restarts to make me care one way or the other.
I’ve attempted to dip my toe back in, thinking I was good and ready to give a try to one of the comic universes I loved reading so much.. starting back in 2000 with Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men. Those comics were seriously my jam. But after the fifth reboot or relaunch of the universe, it just felt pointless. At this point, Ultimate Marvel has been around long enough that there should be an Ultimate Ultimate Marvel Universe.
But I digress. The book at hand, All-New Ultimates, earns its title. That’s for damn sure. Michel Fiffe (COPRA) and Amilcar Pinna (Green Lantern: New Guardians) have reinvigorated this comic into something completely different from what’s it ever been.
I mean, it’s been an Avengers book the entire time it’s existed. Now? It’s a punk rock New Warriors, basically, mixed with high octane and overly weird manga styling. It’s bizarre. It’s refreshing. And it has Styx and frickin Stone in it from the old 90s-era Spidey comics. How cool is that? Oh and the Serpent Society (I think that’s who it’s going to end up being) are a part of this universe now.
See, this is what we’re talking about. This is how you relaunch. Instead of just rearranging the deck, you shuffle it, get rid of the wasted ideas, and start anew. This is a new vibe on an old comic.
Do I like it? A whole lot. It takes a bit of getting used to at first, but Michel Fiffe gives each character a defined voice.
Do I love it? Not yet. It has some growing on me to do. I will say, once I figured out the premise and the plan and the idea that was being presented, I liked it a lot more than when I started reading and just didn’t know what to expect.
One final word: Amilcar is like a mix of Igor Kordey and Steve McNiven. I’m not sure the art will be to everyone’s liking, but I definitely enjoyed it. Again, a different vibe for the standard Ultimate Marvel Universe.
(Flip the page for 2 bonus reviews, including one from The Apostle!)