DC Universe Legacies #1 (of 10)

Writer - Len Wein. Pencilers - Andy Kubert, Scott Kolins, J.G. Jones. Inkers - Joe Kubert, J. G. Jones. DC Comics.

I suppose one could write a couple thousand worlds about the appeal of writing Golden Age heroes. Let’s just skip that and say they’re colorful but uncomplicated, and so they’re very suitable for a stand-alone story like this one. After a two-page framing device drawn by Kolins that I’m guessing was a late addition by a nervous editor, we’re back in the ’40s, with two young street kids trying to make a buck. One, Paul, isn’t very happy about his petty crimes, while the other has no qualms. Seeing Crimson Avenger, Sandman and the Atom bust up their bosses endeavors eventually wakes Paul up. Wein’s script is competent, but who was looking for one more story where a delinquent is set on the right path by the well-timed interest of a superhero? It would have been intriguing if we had a peek at young Atom or Sandman perhaps not so confident, at least about dispensing advice to children not much younger than them.

The charm here comes primarily from the father and son Kubert team on the art. There’s your legacy right there. There’s also a backup with Jones on art—not sure when I’ve ever seen him do something so…small? He does a pretty nice job with the period details but it’s hardly a story—a reporter recounts a case of The Spectre and some bits about other heroes, all of whom he thinks are frauds. I’m guessing there will be more stories where this guy comes to change his mind on that, which is fine, but I wish they’d just started with an actual story. Hey, d’ya think the fact this is a 10 and not 12 issue miniseries has something to do with the economy? I’m sure, given the choice, Wein could squeeze out another pair of issues, right?

Garrison #1

Writer - Jeff Mariott. Artist - Francesco Francavilla. Wildstorm Comics

Mariotte’s best-known work is probably his series of Desperadoes Western comics, so it makes sense that he brings a bit of mysterious stranger cowboy flare to this modern book. I suppose you’d call it an espionage book, but there’s not a lot of that going on yet. Garrison is a snake-tattooed, Stetson-wearing serial killer, dropping somewhere around 150 stiffs in the past nine weeks. N.B.S. (National Bureau of Surveillance) analyst Jillian has been studying him from security camera videos but doesn’t have any answers. She begins sharing what little she knows with a H.I.A. (Homeland Intelligence Agency) agent who was secretly her boyfriend, when who shows up outside headquarters but Garrison, who kills the agent and tells Jillian the guy would have killed her in a few weeks. Obviously there’s some sort of conspiracy behind this, and Garrison doesn’t seem like such a bad guy besides all the murdering, and there are hints later on that he may not be acting completely on his own volition. A decent start, though I have to say Francavilla’s work is really dull. He doesn’t do anything wrong as far as anatomy, perspective, etc., but this would be a case where one would prefer a more flawed but also much more distinctive stylist.

Zatanna #1

Writer - Paul Dini. Penciler - Stephane Roux. Inker - Karl Story. DC Comics.

Presumably, the writer of a series starring a decades-old second-or-third-string superhero character does their best to make their version commercially viable and creatively fresh. But if it doesn’t work out, well, what’s the big deal? Eventually there will be another attempt, since the trademark has to be serviced, and with a well-known, acclaimed writer like Dini, he can always move onto another project.

Still, it is nice when everyone’s trying. Perhaps due in part to his wife being a professional magician, Dini has long had an interest in Zatanna, and as not many others have, he’s emerged as her primary chronicler in the past decade. 

This issue begins a story arc where Zatanna is called to assist the police (specifically a handsome young detective who will likely provide romantic interest later) with the investigation of several murders that resulted in people being turned into giant frogs, pigs and such. In addition to her charmingly silly deus ex machina of her every wish coming true if she speaks the words backwards, she apparently also can see people’s memories if she puts her hands on their ears and, I guess, suck them out of their brains. This puts them on the trail of San Francisco underworld (the mystical kind) boss Brother Night. With magic at one’s service, who needs strategy, so she just goes and confronts him and tells him to leave humans alone, dispatching his creepy helpers in the process. He gets irritated and goes off to appeal to another evil type for help.

Dini’s wit is sparing here, and the plotting very basic. I did like Brother Night’s underlings, especially the cloaked on, Romalthi, with the blank white mask that changes to the shape of whatever animal she’s changing you into. There’s a lot of visual zing to that gimmick. As far as characterization, Zatanna is a little bland here. Grant Morrison got a good deal more out of her in his Seven Soldiers-related miniseries, where Zatanna was a mentor to a teenage witch. There aren’t many scenes with the detective or anyone else to help fill in what she’s about. 

I’m not familiar with Roux’s work, but as you can see here, his Adam Hughesian creamy contours are a good fit for a book with a comely female lead. There’s an awkward panel or two, but he does alternate angles and try to keep the page compositions interesting if not innovative. 

—Christopher Allen