Friday, May 7, 2010

One Good Thing And One Bad Thing About Brightest Day #1



GOOD THING: For the first time in a long while, somebody realizes just how awesome Aquaman SHOULD be. Between his timely choice of targets (Somali pirates/slavers), the fact that he is teamed up with Mera as a partner in this fight and that fact that Johns/Tomasi actually acknowledge just how dangerous Aquaman SHOULD be (able to swim anywhere at any pressure = enhanced strength, endurance and bullet-proof skin)... yeah.

When this is over, I want Johns/Tomasi/Reis on an Aquaman book.






BAD THING: Apart from the scene with Martian Manhunter, nothing else in the issue is as interesting - much less as awesome - as the scenes with Aquaman and Mera. Even that Hawkman/Hawkgirl scenes are sort of anti-climactic in comparison to the revelation at the end of the Aquaman story.

And what is worst of all... before, I was indifferent to Ronnie Raymond, but now I actively want to see this idiot die. Again. Not only does he have the poor taste to show up at a funeral of someone he killed (indirectly, but still) in jeans and a T-shirt... NOW he has the nerve to complain about just wanting to hang out with his friends to the guy whose girlfriend he killed AND the guy who was trying to make an honest go of being a superhero before this.





The Final Verdict: The book starts out awesome and quickly goes downhill from there. Most of the scenes are not bad but the book just can't maintain the momentum established by the awesome opening with Aquaman and Mera. And Ronnie Raymond needs to die. Horribly. Again. Soon.

4 comments:

  1. I don't think his skin is bulletproof. The bullets are bouncing off of his armor/clothing but the head shot drew some blood. Maybe bullet resistant would be a better word.

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  2. I thought the Aquaman shocker at the end was pretty interesting. (And I have to admit, not an Aquaman fan. I don't know if he's boring by default or if like you said, he's just not been written well.) Perhaps the returnees are still "broken" a little.
    The only thing that I would add to this is that I am interested in seeing where "Dead"man goes from here.

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  3. He still gets shot in the head and it doesn't do more than cut him. That's pretty damn cool!

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  4. Too true on the Deadman.
    And... well, Aquaman has been jacked around about as badly as Green Arrow. Worse, really.
    First, there was the Peter David "hook-hand" days.
    Then there was the Arthurian "magic water hand" days.
    Then there was the "all-new, son of Aquaman, Conan underwater" Kurt Busiek days.
    And now... the original is back. With both hands. And wearing the orange chain shirt.

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