Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Jim Lee (p), Scott Williams (i), Alex Sinclair (colors)
Publisher: DC Comics/Wildstorm
Now this is a good way to start off a series.
I’ve never read any Wildcats comics before, and I felt a bit confused as I first began to read this issue (which is why it doesn’t receive a higher rating from me). I didn’t know who any of the characters were, or what kind of world this was set in, but I just continued to read with the faith that it would all begin to make more sense. It did. Granted, at the end of the book, I still didn’t fully understand everything, but it made enough sense so that I felt somewhat invested in the storyline, and I cared enough to feel that I’d like to buy issue #2.
The narration states that this piece of the story occurs before something called Worldstorm, and it gives us little pieces of what seems to be a larger puzzle. How they connect, and what that larger puzzle really is, are still yet to be seen; but in the meantime, it is revealed that one billionaire member of the Wildcats, Hadrian, is preparing to put the team back together, although he states that it’s going to be different this time around. We are shown several of the characters, caught up in their own lives for the most part. There is something strange and potentially disastrous happening in the universe, which I’m assuming has to do with the upcoming Worldstorm, and about which I’m sure the Wildcats will be called upon for help.
The storyline in this comic, so far, is not necessarily new and extraordinary; in fact, Mr. Morrison utilizes a few types of characterization that are typically viewed as clichéd, but it works well here. One character, Grifter, is your stereotypical tough guy superhero, but he was my absolute favorite character in this issue. Why does this character work so well here? Because the creators know how to bend the character to become the very reason for that idea or style being a cliché. They made Grifter so enjoyable and so original in feel that you either don’t notice, or don’t care, that this character is so commonplace.
The dialogue is always natural, but is slightly less distinctive than is typical for Mr. Morrison. This may be a positive or negative for different readers; for me it is a slight negative, simply because I thoroughly enjoy his often wacky dialogue. But I really don’t mind that he seems to be tackling this title with a somewhat different approach and feel. The bottom line is he makes it work, and the result is a lot of fun.
Mr. Lee’s pencils are outstanding; they convey so much detail and so much beauty in each panel that they would persuade you to keep turning each page even if the script wasn’t great. (In essence, he more than holds up his end of the collaboration in the comic.) The colors are a fantastic addition to the pencils and the script, helping to pull me even more into the story. This entire creative team is superb.
I will definitely check out Wildcats #2, and I am confident that this title will become one of the best books on the shelf.
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!