Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Talent Caldwell (p), Matt Banning (i), Carrie Strachan
(colors)
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm
I was at least mildly looking forward to this title, and with this first issue, I must admit I was pretty disappointed.
Issue #1 introduces the main characters: five teenagers from different parts of the country, living fairly unhappy lives, some worse than others. But there is an organization that seems to have some sort of remote control over these kids, each of whom seem to have some sort of special abilities, and all at once said organization begins to “activate” each of the kids. Each teenager’s parents or guardians (although, as we find out, none of them are actually the kids’ blood relations) have to either give up the kids or be killed by the troops that this organization has sent to retrieve the teenagers. It appears that it’s going to be up to the kids to break free of their captors, despite the fact that they don’t understand what this is all about.
It’s a good premise, but I just don't feel it’s executed well. Throughout the book, I felt confused; it was difficult to tell what was going on about half the time, if not more. The pacing is staggered, rarely flowing from one event to the next. Especially in the first third of the issue, I felt completely lost, and kept wondering when it was all going to make sense. I still hadn’t quite figured it all out by the end.
I don’t expect for a monthly comic to tie up all its ends in each issue, especially in a first issue, but I do expect for it to be coherent. I refuse to pay $3 for the creators, or the editors, to take for granted that some of us have never read Gen13 in the past (although that shouldn't matter since this book is a re-boot of previous incarnations), that we don’t know who these characters are, and that just because I bought the first issue does not necessarily mean I will buy the rest. It can sometimes feel insulting; it’s as if they (the creators, or editors, or both) are saying, “Just hang in there! I promise it’ll be good five issues in!” Have they forgotten that we’re paying for this right now?
The characterization of the kids is fairly enjoyable, though; I especially enjoyed Roxy, the chain-smoking “bad” girl, and Bobby, because they seem the most like real kids to me so far. They’re all likeable enough so far, but I didn’t feel compelled to know what was going to happen to them at the end of the issue; there just wasn’t enough time spent with them, with their characterization, for me to feel that concerned. The focus of the story just jumped around too much.
The art, conversely, was great overall. Mr. Caldwell’s pencils are always fun and appealing, and he really brings these kids to life, complete with naturalistic facial expressions and body language. His work has a slight manga influence, and it works well on this book. The only complaint I have regarding the art is that the colors were sometimes too dark, on the first few pages, especially. Early in the comic there are panels showing a computer chat screen and each line of typed sentences is in a different color, which is fine, but because of the dark background, several of the lines are difficult to read.
I may occasionally flip through an upcoming issue of this title to see if it looks good enough to pick up, but I am not convinced that will happen very often. It’s too bad, because I think this could be a very good ongoing comic.
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!