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rebus's review
1.75
Ho hum, Black Adam as the personification of Islamic evil--as if they could ever compete with the US doing 1000s of times more harm to the world--and some Hilary Clinton style fascist posturing against China, portraying them as backwards, insular and superstitious. They apologized for a somewhat quiet issue after the particularly bloody one featuring Adam, but the last few issues after that were a violent, action packed, incoherent mess that tied things up rather too neatly (though they did box themselves in). Geoff Johns is clearly one of the worst writers in comic history.
They also perpetrate the myth of a multiverse, something all writers need to get over (yes, it's wholly fabricated from whole cloth and the math doesn't back it up).
Giffen hit the nail on the head when he said that the cover artist made them look better than they had a right to look. That material was great, while the interiors were way below average, hack work at best.
They also perpetrate the myth of a multiverse, something all writers need to get over (yes, it's wholly fabricated from whole cloth and the math doesn't back it up).
Giffen hit the nail on the head when he said that the cover artist made them look better than they had a right to look. That material was great, while the interiors were way below average, hack work at best.
crookedtreehouse's review
3.0
The task of putting together such a massive, complex series as a weekly comic must have been a daunting nightmare. That five of the top tier DC writers/artists: [a:Geoff Johns|10305|Geoff Johns|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1403679910p2/10305.jpg], [a:Mark Waid|5363|Mark Waid|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1281876586p2/5363.jpg], [a:Grant Morrison|12732|Grant Morrison|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1650391302p2/12732.jpg], [a:Greg Rucka|18327|Greg Rucka|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1192549912p2/18327.jpg], and [a:Keith Giffen|32598|Keith Giffen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1249308668p2/32598.jpg] came so close is impressive. But it started to fall apart in volume three, and it never quite recovered.
The pacing of this volume didn't work for me. Interesting storylines were ended too quickly while what seemed like filler stories: mainly the Animal Man in space, and the JSA's involvement, were stretched out as though they had been the focus of the series. It was pretty boring.
I spent the last six issues of the series just waiting for it to be over, and I wasn't shocked to discover the end was simultaneously melodramatic and underwhelming.
I do enjoy that 52 is a series that comes directly after the seismically rebooting Infinite Crisis, and right around the 3/4 mark of the Very First Year after that reboot, they're already plugging Final Crisis, the next seismically rebooting event. It must have been so tough to be a talented writer working with 21st century DC editorial, as they all appear to be hacky, short-sighted garbage.
While it had a paromising start, and it's nowhere near as bad as [b:Countdown to Final Crisis, Vol. 1|2217622|Countdown to Final Crisis, Vol. 1|Paul Dini|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348759615l/2217622._SY75_.jpg|2223412], no one who isn't a DC continuity buff should go anywhere near this series. Again, it's not awful, but there are just so many great stories out there, why bother reading such a long story that, isn't aprticularly interesting, and ultimately doesn't even matter to continuity.
The pacing of this volume didn't work for me. Interesting storylines were ended too quickly while what seemed like filler stories: mainly the Animal Man in space, and the JSA's involvement, were stretched out as though they had been the focus of the series. It was pretty boring.
I spent the last six issues of the series just waiting for it to be over, and I wasn't shocked to discover the end was simultaneously melodramatic and underwhelming.
I do enjoy that 52 is a series that comes directly after the seismically rebooting Infinite Crisis, and right around the 3/4 mark of the Very First Year after that reboot, they're already plugging Final Crisis, the next seismically rebooting event. It must have been so tough to be a talented writer working with 21st century DC editorial, as they all appear to be hacky, short-sighted garbage.
While it had a paromising start, and it's nowhere near as bad as [b:Countdown to Final Crisis, Vol. 1|2217622|Countdown to Final Crisis, Vol. 1|Paul Dini|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348759615l/2217622._SY75_.jpg|2223412], no one who isn't a DC continuity buff should go anywhere near this series. Again, it's not awful, but there are just so many great stories out there, why bother reading such a long story that, isn't aprticularly interesting, and ultimately doesn't even matter to continuity.
gohawks's review
3.0
The conclusion for Ralph Dibney was somewhat unsatisfying to me, but Animal Man's homecoming was more genuine and heartfelt than most story lines. Booster Gold was actually the most fascinating character which is surprising for me, since I usually hate most of that Multiverse splitting the time stream bs. Montoya loses some of her appeal after she loses her partner.
sharlynnshida's review
3.0
Overall the series was enjoyable. I picked this up under recommendation of a friend as it focuses on the VERY minor characters of the DC-verse. Two of which being my favorite: Elongated Man and Booster Gold. Four volumes of 13-issues later I realized I only enjoyed their stories. I found the other stories boring and dull because I couldn't care about the other characters and what was going on with them. I suppose the Titans being in for a bit was cool, but The Marvel's and Black Adam, The Question and lesbian love with Batwoman, John Henry and his niece, Starfire and Animal man?... just didn't care.
At least now 52-Pick Up: Booster Gold makes a lot more sense to me .
At least now 52-Pick Up: Booster Gold makes a lot more sense to me .
sherpawhale's review
5.0
One of my favorite DC series. Even though I only originally started reading for more of Greg Rucka's Renee Montoya and Booster Gold, I came to really get a broad education of the DCU at large.
I loved the Question. Loved Steel. Loved the Metal Men and Dr. Magnus. Heh, I especially loved his "breakdown." I laughed and sent the picture to several friends, actually. Seeing Ralph and Sue together as the ghost detectives was bittersweet.
I would recommend this series to anybody looking for something more in- depth into the verse.
I loved the Question. Loved Steel. Loved the Metal Men and Dr. Magnus. Heh, I especially loved his "breakdown." I laughed and sent the picture to several friends, actually. Seeing Ralph and Sue together as the ghost detectives was bittersweet.
I would recommend this series to anybody looking for something more in- depth into the verse.
amck's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
theartolater's review
3.0
An interesting way to end it, for sure - I'm not sure if my overall lack of knowledge about the DC Universe hurt my enjoyment of this finale or not, but I didn't find the way it ended to be great. I expected something else, I guess, but given how relatively different this was anyway, perhaps that's not a problem.
amalelmohtar's review
4.0
Summing up all 4 volumes as follows:
The amount of teamwork and organization that went into this is truly staggering, and the star rating reflects how impressed I was by its density and inventiveness. However it did feel like I was reading 12 different competent books simultaneously, and enjoying some a lot more than others. Everything that was IN SPAAACE bored me (I'm just bemused by Lobo), but other plots annoyed me in their beginnings but paid off in their ends (Booster Gold, Everyman project, Dibny) while others were interesting to me at first and then ended on a sour note (Black Adam & family, Renee & the Question).
I loved reading the creators' commentary after each issue, though, especially when they were affectionately snarking at each other or outright condemning a turn the narrative took. It was a really neat behind-the-scenes experience to have.
The amount of teamwork and organization that went into this is truly staggering, and the star rating reflects how impressed I was by its density and inventiveness. However it did feel like I was reading 12 different competent books simultaneously, and enjoying some a lot more than others. Everything that was IN SPAAACE bored me (I'm just bemused by Lobo), but other plots annoyed me in their beginnings but paid off in their ends (Booster Gold, Everyman project, Dibny) while others were interesting to me at first and then ended on a sour note (Black Adam & family, Renee & the Question).
I loved reading the creators' commentary after each issue, though, especially when they were affectionately snarking at each other or outright condemning a turn the narrative took. It was a really neat behind-the-scenes experience to have.
the_graylien's review
4.0
Again, guys... If you're reading my reviews on these volumes, this is going to kind of pick up where I left off on the first three volumes.
This book wrapped up nicely the plot threads that were hanging in the first three volumes. All the fantastic, seldom used characters are still here, along with the tales from the premiere creators in comics, all of them great fun to read.
As with the other volumes, the art was nice and solid, employing it's own host of fantastic talent.
Again, as with the first three volumes, I recommend this to fans of the lesser used characters of the DCU and those who love sprawling superhero epics.
This book wrapped up nicely the plot threads that were hanging in the first three volumes. All the fantastic, seldom used characters are still here, along with the tales from the premiere creators in comics, all of them great fun to read.
As with the other volumes, the art was nice and solid, employing it's own host of fantastic talent.
Again, as with the first three volumes, I recommend this to fans of the lesser used characters of the DCU and those who love sprawling superhero epics.
francomega's review
3.0
I wasn't sure about this series as it intentionally focused on more supporting characters in the DC Universe (no Batman or Superman)in the year following the events of Infinite Crisis. However, the characters they selected proved complex and their storylines compelling. Unfortunately, like almost all of these special events, nothing ultimately happens or at least nothing really changes that can't be unchanged to suit writers' needs/lack of imagination.