DCU Comic Book Reviews

STRANGE ADVENTURES #1

Starting Over

May 2009

Written by Jim Starlin

Pencils by Manuel Garcia

Inks by Al Milgrom

Covers by Jim Starlin and Ed Benes

Synopsis

On Old Rann, Adam Strange leads a team to retrieve items they might need for New Rann (formerly ThroneWorld) before they set explosives to destroy whatever is left behind.  On New Rann, an inquest is convened to determine if Adam Strange should be punished for the destruction of Rann.  Prince Gavyn provides support for Adam Strange, telling the inquest Adam had no other option.  On Hardcore Station, Comet is confronted by the Mortician, who wants the information that Comet promised.  However, Comet doesn’t have it.  Mortician then tells his thugs to attack.  Comet manages to teleport away.  High above old Rann, Thanagarians notice the planet has been leveled, but they don’t notice the Weird.  Meanwhile, space pirates descend on Throneworld, believing it is deserted.  Adam Strange and Prince Gavyn convince them otherwise.  After they leave, Adam Strange notices missing stars in the solar system.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

If Starlin were writing an ongoing series, then I think this would have been a great issue, but as the beginning of an 8-issue mini-series, I think the issue fails.  The opening to a mini-series needs to have a major hook to get the reader to start reading in the first place.  Then, when you reach the end of the first issue, you toss in a cliffhanger than makes you rethink the initial premise and keep you hooked to find out what will happen.  The problem with this issue is that there is no beginning hook.  Really, this issue picks up from then end of the Rann/Thanagar Holy War and builds upon those plot lines.  This is a transition issue, getting us from here to there.  For someone like me, who has read the previous mini-series, it worked perfectly fine.  But for someone who hasn’t read the previous series, it will come across flat and uninteresting, lacking a hook to keep them reading.  Starlin has spent significant amount of time writing Comet, creating a striking character.  What happens here builds on that characterization, yet nothing happens that is particularly noteworthy, meaning Comet’s plight is not much of a hook for a new reader.  In fact, not much happens here that would lend itself to a mini-series.  Most of the other events, such as the defense of Throne World, Comet’s financial troubles, seem more suited for long-term planning that could be afforded in an ongoing story.  In contrast, a mini-series should contain a plot that is introduced and can be resolved.  And while there is a plot introduced (the missing stars) it is at the end of the story, not at the beginning where it should be.  In fact, if Starlin jumps on this plot point, then I would suggest the next issue would be more fitting for the opener. 

A Minor Incident…

Written by Jim Starlin

Art by Jim Starlin and Rob Hunter

Synopsis

Deacon Dark attempts to cast a spell top learn more about Hawkman, one of the Aberrant Six, but Coriolis accidentally disrupts the spell.  Elsewhere, Bizarro learns that due to interruption of the time flow, he has been replaced in the Aberrant Six by another.  Bizarro is told that he can become more than he is, with a little help.  Bizarro refuses.  Meanwhile, Deacon Dark tells Coriolis to retrieve Hawkman. 

Review

I didn’t quite understand what happened in this brief story.  I took a quick look around the interweb thingy and it seems most people think Deacon Dark is trying to get Bizarro to replace Hawkman as one of the Aberrant Six, but that is not the impression I got.  But who knows really.  Regardless, it was confusing.  Not that it really mattered.  These back-ups (I think) are not meant to really tell a story so much as to reveal the identity of the Aberrant Six, a plot point that was first revealed in the previous mini-series. 

 

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