The credits for this series are as follows; Alex Ross: Plot, Covers and Art Direction, Jim Krueger: Plot and Script, Carlos Paul: Interior Art, Simon Bowland: Lettering, and Debora Carita: Colors.
Then there are the usual management designations for Dynamite's President, Chief Operating Officer, Director of Marketing, Creative Director, and Graphic Designer.
What is glaringly absent here is an effective editor.
Three issues (counting the "0" issue) into this reimagined series and the most painfully apparent thing to me is that, despite the participation of Ross & Krueger, this series needed to be polished a hell of alot more than it actually received. Despite any other more lenient reviews which you may read, Carlos Paul does NOT possess the talent necessary to sustain this book beyond its overall glossy sheen. The lovely Alex Ross covers and few interior character designs in each issue, do not justify the utter mess of the overall artwork of Mr. Paul. In fact, his pencilling is so amateurish that Ms. Carita's color palette attempts to compensate for his serious shortcomings as an illustrator.
Shoddy artwork aside, the storyline also fails to measure up and this falls squarely onto the shoulders of Mr. Krueger. There are at least three moments when the action of the issue simply - leaps elsewhere - with no preamble whatsoever. I do get that the captured heroes seem to have been released back into the world with the shattering of Pandora's Box last issue, and that they are scattered throughout the entire globe, but they are jumbled together with other heroes who were not imprisoned by Bruce Carter and perhaps even one new hero using the name of another old Nedor hero.
I believe that the creators actually had their "series" bible in mind when producing this issue, but that doesn't help the readers who may be in the dark about what's going on. Significantly missing back story does not make for a successful series!
I WANTED to like this book and I'm a huge fan of many of the golden ager's who are present here (particularly the Better/Standard/Nedor gang), but damn fellas - - - they all deserve a better effort than this. Spray-painting a nice coating of Alex Ross art over the top of this steaming cowpie just wasn't fair.
I am very ambivalent about investing more time, energy and money on this book.
1 comment:
I had to pass on this one too Chuck, not sure what it was exactly but flipping through #1 when it first came out I sensed the invading aroma of steaming cowpie already filling my nostrils somehow while still standing in the comic shop.
Glad to know I'm not completely crazy.
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