Resurrection Man #7-9 - A Review

As I noted before, the original Resurrection Man title was one of the great lost treasures of late 90s DC Comics and the current series, through the first six issues at least, was proving to be a worthy successor to that legacy.  No small surprise given that the new series was written by the same creative duo as before - authors Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.  Have the issues since then continued the trend of excellence?  For the most part, yes.




 Issue #7, much like Issue #6, is a perfect jumping on point for new readers.  The opening pages not only establish the setting but also explain Mitch Shelley's circumstances and powers. In brief, Shelley is amnesic and remembers very little of his life.  What little he has started to remember suggests he wasn't a very nice person. In addition to his inability to die permanently and his ability to be reborn with a new superpower every time he does die,  Mitch Shelley has also developed a sixth-sense that seems to be guiding him to places where a hero is needed .  In this case, the sense has guided him to Metropolis, where he quickly finds himself stuck in a fire-fight between a MPD SWAT team and Intergang - an organized criminal group who use advanced technology in their crimes.


You couldn't ask for a better one-shot superhero story than this issue.  Abnett and Lanning quickly establish Mitch as a likeable protagonist and a man of principle. Despite his confusion over his past and his desire to get back his life, Mitch is equally determined to be a good man in his new life no matter what he might have been in the past. 

The artwork by Fernando Dagnino matches the story thematically.  Mitch's world is a dark one and the artwork reflects this.  Dagnino's pencils offer many fine details that are brought into sharp relief by the shadowy inks, while still being somewhat obscured in darkness, like Mitch Shelley's memories.



Issue #8 is another good jumping-on issue, with the opening once again reiterating Mitch's amnesia, his powers and his desire to find out who he was and how he became what he is.  The action centers upon two new players - a necromancer/bounty hunter called The Butcher and a clairvoyant detective named Kim Rebecki.  Both of them seek Mitch Shelley, having been apparently hired by separate parties for differing ends.  By issue's end, Mitch has almost formed an uneasy alliance with Rebecki, who seems to know more of Mitch's past than he does.and has come to the conclusion that he isn't the man he once was.



The quality dips a little bit with Issue #9, in which the Body Doubles catch up with Mitch shortly after he is brought down by The Suicide Squad and hilarity ensues.  While Abnett and Lanning's script is strong as ever, the narrative flow is ultimately ruined by the artwork provided by two pencilers and three inkers.- all of whom have completely different and conflicting styles.  Of the two guest artists, Jesus Saiz is by far the least offensive.  His pencils aren't bad but the heavy inks used on his pages do not do his particular style any justice.


More problematic is Andres Guinaldo's pencils, which are under-inked to the point of sketchiness at times.  What is more maddening is that the colorist (surprisingly, there is only one) seems unable to decide on a consistent skin-tone for Kim Rebecki from page to page.  What is worse, he's elected to depict Amanda Waller with a shade of skin that is more orange than brown.  Perhaps, not having read the new Suicide Squad book since the first issue, I have missed out on something?  Did Amanda Waller have some sort of accident with a Cheeto-bomb?  Or was she perhaps bitten by a vampire carrot?   I want to know!

 

In the end, Resurrection Man is still one of the best books DC Comics has to offer.  It is much better when it is depicted a single artist but even the worst issue of this series has proven to be better than most.  Highly recommended.  Pick up Issue #7 or #8 if you want a good place to jump in.

52 Catch-Up: Resurrection Man #1 - 6

The original Resurrection Man series was a lost treasure of DC Comics. When I heard that a new Resurrection Man series would be part of the New 52 I was both excited and fearful - Excited because I was glad to see such a wonderful concept being revived and given a second chance and fearful because I was certain the series would be one of the first to be canceled. But somehow, Mitch Shelley has beaten the odds and remains to fight another day. For now.





The first issue seemed to have changed very little of the base concept of the original series. Mitch Shelley is a man with a unique gift, even in a world where magical is real and men fly. Not only is Mitch immortal, being continually resurrected no matter how serious his injuries but every time he comes back to life he is reborn with a unique superpower. He is continually pursued by two assassins known as The Body Doubles - a pair of women as dangerous as they are beautiful.





The first issue only revealed one major change from the original series but it was a big one - in addition to The Body Doubles, the forces of Heaven and Hell are hunting after Mitch as well. Why? Good question. But they want Mitch bad enough to risk attacking him overtly on an airplane and to send formless demons and angels who look like Lady Gaga after him.





The reason why I feared this book was an early cancellation risk is because good as it is, this is a very quirky book. There's a lot of high-concept ideas apart from the main theme of the book.





One of the cooler concepts is the introduction of The Transhuman - a retired super-villain who lived in the same rest home as Mitch's dad, who quickly comes to Mitch's defense when The Body Doubles show up looking for him. The true story behind his origin however, is worth of its' own series.





As the series has continued, we've gotten more and more hints as to just how things are different in the New DC Universe, making things new again for old fans. For instance, The Body Doubles have healing factors now - a change that has made them more formidable adversaries and taken them further away from the Danger Girl parodies they eventually devolved into once the original Resurrection Man series ended. Issue #5 also offers us a flashback sequence, which suggest a much deeper connection between all the characters this time around.





Issue #6 is a solid stand-alone issue and a good jumping on point if you can't get the first five issues. In it, Mitch finds himself confined within Arkham Asylum. Naturally they don't believe his story about having superpowers, keep him so doped up he can't use his current power set to escape and are quick to stop any of his attempts to kill himself or goad another inmate or guard into doing the job for him. It's a glorious bit of dark comedy but also a suspenseful thriller.





Every issue so far has been gloriously illustrated by Fernando Dagnino. I can't say enough good things about Dagnino's style, so I shan't bother. Just look at the page scans above and revel in their splendor. And once you're done with that, head to your local comic bookstore and pick up the back issues of this series. You'll be glad you did!

52 Pick-Up - Week Two, Part Two

GRIFTER #2 - Cole Cash tries (and fails) to explain about his alien abduction and the aliens in disguise all around them. After getting attacked by the aliens again and digging himself in deeper, Cole escapes only to be attacked by his own brother, who has been sent by the federal government to kill him. This one is falling back to "Wait For The Trade" Status. It is very well written and the art is good but it's paced like a marathon and I like my monthly books to have a little more speed to them.


MISTER TERRIFIC #2 - This issue is hard for me to summarize because so much happens in it. Seriously, I don't think any book in the New 52 manages to throw out as many interesting concepts and ideas as this one. It's very much like a good Doctor Who episode. The art is a little bit sloppier this time around but it's not bad. And while Power Girl fans may be disappointed that Karen Starr doesn't have any super-powers (yet) she still proves herself to be intelligent and a cool-hand in a difficult situation. Also, the new baddy - Brainstorm - is a close second to The Mirror as the best new villain of the New 52 line. Definitely on the pull list.


RESURRECTION MAN #2 - As with the original Resurrection Man series, this issue focuses upon an amnesiac Mitch Shellley as he's trying to remember who he was. He's tracked down by two super-powered female assassins, who call themselves "Body Doubles", who apparently know who Mitch is and have some previous relationship with him. This is a change from the original series, where the Body Doubles were just two ordinary women turned assassin who took the job to track down and capture Mitch Shelley. These changes are academic, however, and this is another solid title that is definitely going on my pull list.

Resurrection Man #1 - A Review

Resurrection Man #1 is everything a first issue should be. For newcomers, it is a wonderful introduction to one of the most underrated books DC Comics ever published. For fans of the original series written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning over a decade ago, it is a homecoming. Yet there are a few twists and turns to keep them on their toes.

Mitch Shelley is a man without a past and an uncertain future. Possessing a unique ability to die and return from the dead repeatedly, being reborn with a new superpower every time he is brought back, Mitch also has a sense of where he is needed and uses his “gift” to help others as best he can. But the forces of good and evil – The Upstairs and Downstairs departments – are both angling for Mitch’s soul and a mysterious duo of beautiful, but deadly killers has apparently targeted Mitch for some reason…

While it would be a horrible pun to say that Abnett & Lanning have brought their creation back from the dead, it would be an accurate statement. While long-time fans may not be happy about the supernatural element added into the new book, there were plenty of hints in the original series (including a throw-away line by The Phantom Stranger that there was more to Mitch’s power than met the eye. Regardless, this book does a wonderful job of setting up the core concept for old and new readers alike.

Artist Fernando Dagnino proves an able replacement for Jackson Guice, who drew the original Resurrection Man series. Fernando’s style is dark and atmospheric – appropriately spooky for the subject matter, with heavy inks that leave many scenes with heavy shadows that only serve to add to the aura of mystery about the book. The ultimate effect of this is art that looks like it belongs to a classic horror comic but with the feel of a modern-day superhero book as well.

I found myself pleasantly surprised to find that everything old is new again with this title. I remembered the old Resurrection Man series fondly but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book, except a guess that it would be good. It was. And you can expect to see me reading this book again next month and in the months to come.