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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
This book is so beautiful. Its story is simple, one could even say banal, but it draws the reader so much. There's no need, I think, to dwell upon the drawings. Alex Ross is just a certainty.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not a massive superhero reader, and I find that this series relies a bit on you knowing who these people are for the emotional impact. That's fine for Supes and Batman, but I've somehow gone my entire life without reading or watching a piece of media featuring Captain Marvel, a major character here, blunting the impact somewhat.
That said, it does what it does very well. Alex Ross does a phenomenal job as an illustrator. I'm not saying I need every superhero comic to be painted in gouache, but the grounded, realistic designs really work. Not every character gets the spotlight, but the way that Flash, Hawkman, and a few others are basically portrayed as utterly devoid of humanity also really works, and the Flash just silently going around being a silent, naked god who is omnipresent and omniscient especially unnerves me.
That said, it does what it does very well. Alex Ross does a phenomenal job as an illustrator. I'm not saying I need every superhero comic to be painted in gouache, but the grounded, realistic designs really work. Not every character gets the spotlight, but the way that Flash, Hawkman, and a few others are basically portrayed as utterly devoid of humanity also really works, and the Flash just silently going around being a silent, naked god who is omnipresent and omniscient especially unnerves me.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Damn that book was GAS. I’ve never been a Superman guy but this book was really good. I love the story and how simple but elegant it is. Metaphors up the wazoo and good god Alex Ross is just absolutely insane
11/10. What an incredible story. Who says Superman is boring?
This may be blasphemous but Waid's writing and Ross' art are both incredible on their own, but they don’t match up for me here. It’s a grand and epic story to be sure and befitting of Alex Ross' painterly grandeur. But the art and writing butt heads. Ross is better in beautiful large panels where the images doing the talking. The wordiness here (although great) detracts and distracts here, and vice versa. It’s highly influential and probably at the time ground breaking. But as a first time reading it, I found it hard.
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
I get why this is considered a classic but it’s definitely not my favorite. Forgive me for potentially sounding silly, but the narrative device used irritate me at times, there was no pay off with what was happening with that POV character. I would have enjoyed it more if it was just following JLA.
Comics switch location all the time and I don’t think we needed the man getting visited by an angel. Besides that it’s good. It reminds me of the gritty DC movies as we follow an old and jaded Justice League.
I like the end and tbh didn’t mind the stuff with them raising a kid in the future. Also Superman having a gulag fit in my mind with his stubbornness and ignorance at times a la Red Son.
This however is what I like about DC’s world, grappling with gods walking the earth and doing what they please poses interesting questions.
Also, I love captain marvel and like how important he was to the story. Wish it had more Wonder Woman but this wasn’t really her comic so that’s not a critique more of a personal thing.
Comics switch location all the time and I don’t think we needed the man getting visited by an angel. Besides that it’s good. It reminds me of the gritty DC movies as we follow an old and jaded Justice League.
I like the end and tbh didn’t mind the stuff with them raising a kid in the future. Also Superman having a gulag fit in my mind with his stubbornness and ignorance at times a la Red Son.
This however is what I like about DC’s world, grappling with gods walking the earth and doing what they please poses interesting questions.
Also, I love captain marvel and like how important he was to the story. Wish it had more Wonder Woman but this wasn’t really her comic so that’s not a critique more of a personal thing.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
3.5. An interesting future for DC that seems really plausible, with beautiful art, and a great use of Captain Marvel. It felt like Marvel's Civil War, but more refined.
adventurous
dark
inspiring
fast-paced