So, I recently found myself with an overabundance of free time, and decided to do something borderline constructive with it. So, comic reviews it is!. Please keep in mind this is the first time I’ve done this, so comments and criticism wanted muchly. Ta. On to the review!
so what exactly is 52? Well, there’s a problem right there. The series is set after 'Infinite Crisis’ and before 'one year later' as a way of 'filling in the gaps' between the two series, and no, you don’t need to have read either to enjoy this series (I didn't). it stands on its own. However, I tend to be fine with going on a wiki-walk if there are characters I don't recognise, or references I don't get; but I know there are plenty of people who don't want to bother with all that.
“A year without Superman; a year without Batman; a year without Wonder Woman...but not a year without heroes.”
to cut a long and convoluted story short: after infinite crisis, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman dropped off the map, due to one reason or another. So the series is focused on various groups of more minor characters in the DCU, over the course of 52 issues, told in 'real-time' over a year, one issue a week.
Got all that? goodo.
As I mentioned before, there are a whole lot of characters in the series, some issues focusing on one group, and the next week on others. the groups of writers managed to balance this really well, especially as the year draws to a close, and all the threads of the separate plotlines begin to mix, and for that I really have to give them credit, especially on such a tight deadline.
What kind of plotlines? Here’s a brief description of some of the fun going on:
There’s Renee Montoya, who at the start of the series is self-medicating through booze (vast amounts of booze) over the death of her partner, leading her to a meeting with The Question and Intergangs 'plans for Gotham.
Three heroes, Adam Strange, Starfire and Animal Man are stranded in space after the events of infinite crisis, with not much fuel, a damaged spaceship, and their pilot has lost his eyes. and Lobo becomes space pope. To a interplanetary pacifist religion. Yes, really.
Doctor Will Magnus, the genius inventor behind the Metal Men is kidnapped and taken to an island paradise, populated by other kidnapped mad scientists, and given an unlimited budget to create weapons of mass destruction. Confiscating his psych medicine does not help matters.
And that’s only half of what happens. And through some kind of miracle, each storyline turned out fantastic. The art, pacing and writing is top notch throughout, and if you do end up reading the Trade paperback editions, each issue has a end page with notes from the creative team, on how they planned the whole thing.
The downside is, as I mentioned before, is that its pretty heavy in references, side-mentions and mentions of characters and events that might be pretty unclear to people who haven't really read much DC stuff, so I can't really recommend it as a real 'jumping on' point for the DCU, which is a real shame. That problem aside, 52 really is one of the better things to come out of DC in a while. Especially for a project this ambitious. And for an infamous example of this kind of project going horribly wrong, there’s the 'sequel' series Countdown, which is... not as well regarded as 52, to say the least, But I don’t want to end on a sour note, so I won’t go in depth.
So overall, it really is a damn good series, but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone totally unfamiliar with the DCU. But if you don’t mind that, it’s a hell of a good read.
so what exactly is 52? Well, there’s a problem right there. The series is set after 'Infinite Crisis’ and before 'one year later' as a way of 'filling in the gaps' between the two series, and no, you don’t need to have read either to enjoy this series (I didn't). it stands on its own. However, I tend to be fine with going on a wiki-walk if there are characters I don't recognise, or references I don't get; but I know there are plenty of people who don't want to bother with all that.
“A year without Superman; a year without Batman; a year without Wonder Woman...but not a year without heroes.”
to cut a long and convoluted story short: after infinite crisis, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman dropped off the map, due to one reason or another. So the series is focused on various groups of more minor characters in the DCU, over the course of 52 issues, told in 'real-time' over a year, one issue a week.
Got all that? goodo.
As I mentioned before, there are a whole lot of characters in the series, some issues focusing on one group, and the next week on others. the groups of writers managed to balance this really well, especially as the year draws to a close, and all the threads of the separate plotlines begin to mix, and for that I really have to give them credit, especially on such a tight deadline.
What kind of plotlines? Here’s a brief description of some of the fun going on:
There’s Renee Montoya, who at the start of the series is self-medicating through booze (vast amounts of booze) over the death of her partner, leading her to a meeting with The Question and Intergangs 'plans for Gotham.
Three heroes, Adam Strange, Starfire and Animal Man are stranded in space after the events of infinite crisis, with not much fuel, a damaged spaceship, and their pilot has lost his eyes. and Lobo becomes space pope. To a interplanetary pacifist religion. Yes, really.
Doctor Will Magnus, the genius inventor behind the Metal Men is kidnapped and taken to an island paradise, populated by other kidnapped mad scientists, and given an unlimited budget to create weapons of mass destruction. Confiscating his psych medicine does not help matters.
And that’s only half of what happens. And through some kind of miracle, each storyline turned out fantastic. The art, pacing and writing is top notch throughout, and if you do end up reading the Trade paperback editions, each issue has a end page with notes from the creative team, on how they planned the whole thing.
The downside is, as I mentioned before, is that its pretty heavy in references, side-mentions and mentions of characters and events that might be pretty unclear to people who haven't really read much DC stuff, so I can't really recommend it as a real 'jumping on' point for the DCU, which is a real shame. That problem aside, 52 really is one of the better things to come out of DC in a while. Especially for a project this ambitious. And for an infamous example of this kind of project going horribly wrong, there’s the 'sequel' series Countdown, which is... not as well regarded as 52, to say the least, But I don’t want to end on a sour note, so I won’t go in depth.
So overall, it really is a damn good series, but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone totally unfamiliar with the DCU. But if you don’t mind that, it’s a hell of a good read.
