52 and Brave New World
The other day I asked for topics to write on and Jeremy requested I give my thoughts on Booster Gold in 52. Well, I think I can do that plus. So I decided to give my thoughts on the series now that we are 8 weeks into it as well as what my opinion is of the Brave New World book that came out today. There might be some spoilers if you haven’t read up through issue 8 of 52 or Brand New World so be warned.
I was very excited at the start of 52 and it still is on the top of my read pile most weeks, but I have to say that so far it seems like very little has happened. John Henry/Steel seems to be going through a mid-life crisis while Lex infected him with the metagene, Ralph is on some mystery quest, Rene Montoya is on a mystery quest, and Booster Gold is just being an ass. It would be impossible to guess at everything that’s going on because unlike in most mystery movies, we are actually looking at what could be multiple mysteries… the resurrection cult, the wound in time, the aliens on Kane Street and the metagene... oh and lets not forget the Super Nova guy that just popped up. Now it is possible that all of these things are related but that would be a HUGE mystery and I just don’t see them pulling it off. What we have here isn’t really a mystery because they’re not giving us the clues to solve anything. We just have a story that’s unfolding.
Now, on to Booster Gold; this is all speculation but my guess would be that he is some kind of time paradox. He went home at the end of the Crisis Prelude and then showed up acting like he just got here to show Batman how to stop Brother Eye. It is possible that the Booster Gold we see now is not the same Booster we’ve seen in the past. He is a time traveler so there could be two of him out there and we just don’t know it. I think he is here twice and has caused a wound in time that will eventually destroy the planet. The scientists who are disappearing are probably the only ones who can fix it… so that means that someone else knows what’s happening and wants it to happen. Since Dr. Morrow and Magnus are the only ones not taken would make me think that it’s Morrow. But again I’m just guessing. But Booster should come out of this as a ‘true hero’.
I’m enjoying the Question/Montoya story but would like to see more of the Question. I tend to speed past the Steel/Luthor and the Black Adam bits. I’m following the Ralph Dinby parts but really would like to see him do something more than just walk around and talk to people. Let’s see what the next four weeks will bring.
And my short review of Brave New World: best story is hands down The Creeper by Niles and Justiano. The art is great, the story is great, and the concept is great. Looking forward to more of this. Second would be the Martian Manhunter: interesting concept with good art. I will probably pick this up. Third, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters: I liked the art in the beginning but now I just find it annoying. I like the Freedom Fighters but this will be a tough one to pick up. Fourth is the Atom: a character I really like but I have no idea what they are trying to do here and Byrne just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Fifth would be the OMAC thing… that’s how I felt about it… a thing. And sixth, being the worst one in the book, The Trial of Shazam containing art that I truly dislike and horrible writing about characters I have zero interest in. And I have no idea what they were doing on the last couple pages of the book with all the Monitors. So it looks like The Creeper and Martian Manhunter will be it for me.
But if DC can get the average reader to pick up two of these titles each, then I think it would be considered a success. The trick will be which two or will it be so diverse that none of them really do well?
The other day I asked for topics to write on and Jeremy requested I give my thoughts on Booster Gold in 52. Well, I think I can do that plus. So I decided to give my thoughts on the series now that we are 8 weeks into it as well as what my opinion is of the Brave New World book that came out today. There might be some spoilers if you haven’t read up through issue 8 of 52 or Brand New World so be warned.
I was very excited at the start of 52 and it still is on the top of my read pile most weeks, but I have to say that so far it seems like very little has happened. John Henry/Steel seems to be going through a mid-life crisis while Lex infected him with the metagene, Ralph is on some mystery quest, Rene Montoya is on a mystery quest, and Booster Gold is just being an ass. It would be impossible to guess at everything that’s going on because unlike in most mystery movies, we are actually looking at what could be multiple mysteries… the resurrection cult, the wound in time, the aliens on Kane Street and the metagene... oh and lets not forget the Super Nova guy that just popped up. Now it is possible that all of these things are related but that would be a HUGE mystery and I just don’t see them pulling it off. What we have here isn’t really a mystery because they’re not giving us the clues to solve anything. We just have a story that’s unfolding.
Now, on to Booster Gold; this is all speculation but my guess would be that he is some kind of time paradox. He went home at the end of the Crisis Prelude and then showed up acting like he just got here to show Batman how to stop Brother Eye. It is possible that the Booster Gold we see now is not the same Booster we’ve seen in the past. He is a time traveler so there could be two of him out there and we just don’t know it. I think he is here twice and has caused a wound in time that will eventually destroy the planet. The scientists who are disappearing are probably the only ones who can fix it… so that means that someone else knows what’s happening and wants it to happen. Since Dr. Morrow and Magnus are the only ones not taken would make me think that it’s Morrow. But again I’m just guessing. But Booster should come out of this as a ‘true hero’.
I’m enjoying the Question/Montoya story but would like to see more of the Question. I tend to speed past the Steel/Luthor and the Black Adam bits. I’m following the Ralph Dinby parts but really would like to see him do something more than just walk around and talk to people. Let’s see what the next four weeks will bring.
And my short review of Brave New World: best story is hands down The Creeper by Niles and Justiano. The art is great, the story is great, and the concept is great. Looking forward to more of this. Second would be the Martian Manhunter: interesting concept with good art. I will probably pick this up. Third, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters: I liked the art in the beginning but now I just find it annoying. I like the Freedom Fighters but this will be a tough one to pick up. Fourth is the Atom: a character I really like but I have no idea what they are trying to do here and Byrne just doesn’t do it for me anymore. Fifth would be the OMAC thing… that’s how I felt about it… a thing. And sixth, being the worst one in the book, The Trial of Shazam containing art that I truly dislike and horrible writing about characters I have zero interest in. And I have no idea what they were doing on the last couple pages of the book with all the Monitors. So it looks like The Creeper and Martian Manhunter will be it for me.
But if DC can get the average reader to pick up two of these titles each, then I think it would be considered a success. The trick will be which two or will it be so diverse that none of them really do well?
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