DC New 52 Issue Zeroes Reviews

Does anyone still have fresh memories of the time Hal Jordan broke from character, went ostensibly insane, and attempted to revamp the DC Universe with the maxi-crossover Zero Hour? It was  a means to extend the aging franchise of various half-century old properties, revitalize storylines, and pique interests anew in the 1990's... coming out of the era which stated "Change is Necessity" the origins of the various characters did not shift considerably, whereas the troublesome Golden Age heroes either died or underwent an apotheosis. The one-billionth incarnation of the Legion of Super Heroes emerged.  

During the Q and A a few months ago, there came the question of whether or not DC would commit to issue zeroes for the DC New 52, and sure enough, that was just what they had in store.

Some of the ones that came out this Wednesday are noted below in a "Top 5 of the Week" format. 

BATMAN AND ROBIN #0

Written by: 

Peter J. Tomasi

Art by: 

Patrick Gleason

Mick Gray

Cover by: 

Patrick Gleason

Mick Gray

Since the arrival of Damian, Batman's son by way of Ra's Al Ghul's daughter, we've seen the tumultuous ride unfold in topsy-turvy plot collisions and a terribly disappointing resurrection deflation.  The titles all warped once more with the arrival of The New 52, but interestingly, outside of the retconning of Batgirl/woman and the addition of Talons and Owls into the Dark Knight's mythos, the main series remained fundamentally intact.  What Batman and Robin #0 provides is a perspective into the oft-referenced training that Damian Wayne received practically from birth.  We see the role of his father as symbol of worth, and his troubling relationship with his mother.  This issue is executed flawlessly, giving it a perfect score, nearly impossible in this neck of the woods.

10/10

Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #0

Writer: Matt Kindt

Artist: Alberto Ponticelli

Inker: Wayne Faucher

Letterer: Patrick Brosseau

Colorist: Jose Villarrubia

Editor: Joey Cavalieri

Publisher: DC Comics

When Frankenstein was first conceived as a miniseries during the Seven Soldiers of Victory esoterica during DC's "Let Grant Morrison steer a bizarre vessel through the mainstream" days, it was by far the most successful and strictly speaking stand-out title of the bunch.  A lumbering behemoth of science, the ill-gotten monster of a Modern Prometheus, taking his creator's name as his own, spouting parables from the Bible and Shakespeare while cleaving monsters in twain, was a brilliant concept.  When Flashpoint ran through stores to make way for The New 52, Frankenstein was again given a limited series, this time with his fellow Scary Movie Golden Age Archetypes, textured versions of the Wolfman, Vampire, Black Lagoon Monster, etc. all given reign of the classic World War 2 Squadron motif.  This carried over into the new universe, but established within the framework of Father Time's S.H.A.D.E. operation (hearkening to an interesting time when Uncle Sam was pertinent to the DCU Mainstream with his Freedom Fighters).  For Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #0, we get a straightforward origin story, crafted to fill in details of the monster's life and describe his motivations within the organization that he has served for so long.  It delivers precisely what it claims to, and a little more to boot, with (un)naturalized characters and fittingly descriptive art. 

9.5/10

RESURRECTION MAN #0

Written by: 

Dan Abnett

Andy Lanning

Art by: 

Jesús Saíz

Cover by: 

Francesco Francavilla

One of the certainties of the Resurrection Man series was always that it would never get very far.  A certain apathy comes to casual readers with a character like Mitch Shelley, though admirably the story laid out in the series was linear and catchy enough to snag some loyalists, myself included.  Announcements regarding the cancellation of the series are sad enough. With Issue #0, our hero, who resurrects with new powers every time he dies, discovers the truth of who he is, who he was, and who he will be.  The plot-threads playing themselves out up to this point seem less slap-dash now that certain pieces have been put into place, although some knots didn't need as much unraveling as they received.  The series as a whole has had a Fugitive feel to it, and it's understandable that without that driving force, the series could have gone stale much more quickly.  It's been a long strange trip with only a few bumps and snags, but this issue answers a lot of questions and is a microcosm testament to the strengths and weaknesses of the series as a whole.

8.5/10

STORMWATCH #0

Written by: 

Peter Milligan

Art by: 

Ignacio Calero

Sean Parsons

Cover by: 

Tyler Kirkham

Batt

From Stormwatch came The Authority (and from that the Monarchy and Meritocracy and Establishment and Planetary) and from The Authority came Stormwatch.  The New 52 proposes Stormwatch as a centuries-old organization of superhumans of all sorts coming together with the common cause of warding off alien menaces.  Integrated into the calling is our teenage Century Baby (The Doctor meets Cultural/Industrial Zeitgeist personafied) Jenny Quantum, being trained by Adam One (former leader of Stormwatch, stuck in a Death Hole or somesuch now) in this issue #0, ostensibly situated within the current order of events of the standard plot.  Perhaps owing the most of its existence to the merging of properties out of all New 52 titles, it has shown the most competent superhero team on the planet, and also the most secretive.  Peter Milligan has smartly adopted the history of this expansive and ancient organization to reveal only a bit at a time.  This issue seems a tad heavy on the exposition, which lags some areas, but is essential to hints of Jenny's "history" with the group throughout the ages.         

8.5/10

DEMON KNIGHTS #0

Written by:
Paul Cornell
Art by:
Bernard Chang
Cover by:
Bernard Chang

Another title that seems to owe its existence to the propositions of those that seek to add an actual air of historicity to the New 52 Universe. Demon Knights #0 is another example of a take on the origin story motif, though this one focuses exclusively on the dichotomy of Jason Blood and Etrigan the demon, both upstarts reaching for ambitions well beyond their grasps, leading to their ultimately being bound together, though they never precisely overlap.  Therein lies the intrigue, with Merlin and Arthur playing as prominent roles in young hotheaded Jason Blood's life as Lucifer does in Etrigan's, entertaining petty and pointless rebellions to stave off the boredom.  Pacing is a mild problem with this issue, and in certain places feels pinched or rushed, but to be fair, it is an origin story, and stands in interesting contrast to the Demon #0 released after Zero Hour, so long ago, hitting buttons of the oddest nostalgia, yet not quite fulfilling expectations.  However, intrigue and interest has been triggered, as this is a solid and serviceable read, especially next to releases so dreadful they shall not be reviewed or even named here.

8.5/10