DCU Comic Book Reviews

VIGILANTE #1

Vigilante

February 2009

Written by Marv Wolfman

Pencils by Rick Leonardi

Inks by John Stanisci

Covers by Walt Simonson and Andrew Robinson

Synopsis

In the subway, the Vigilante follows two street-level thugs, who discuss the lack of jobs since the Election Bombings.  When the thugs get a tip they are being followed, Vigilante jumps them to get more information.  All he gets is a name, Brandon something, before the Vigilante needs to leave when the police arrive.  Later, Vigilante checks on an informant, who has been killed.  Vigilante then checks on the informant’s boss, Eddie Huang, who is also dead.  However, Vigilante searches Eddie’s computer and learns that a super hero may have gone rogue.  At the Dark Side Club, three thugs, including Vigilante in the disguise of “Joe Flynn”, learn that Tobias Whale is searching for help.  They all agree to check it out.  Meanwhile, Vigilante sidekick JJ learns the identity of Brandon, a former cop serving time at Stryker’s Island for selling secrets.  Elsewhere, Whale hires a dozen or so thugs, including Flynn.  Whale orders them to steal records from Eddie Huang.  As the thugs search, Joe Flynn disappears and Vigilante appears to take down the thugs.  When the cops arrive, Vigilante flees, but Joe Flynn stays behind to be caught and sent to Stryker’s Island.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This is a curious book.  Usually, whenever DC decides to launch a new book, it either comes out of a big event, such as a Crisis or whatever, or there is an attempt to capitalize on a character’s sudden rise of popularity or increased visibility within the DC universe.  The Vigilante doesn’t fall into either character.  So, where exactly, is the demand for either this character or this book?  I can’t really imagine that this book will generate enough interest to last that long.  Don’t get me wrong, Wolfman is a strong, veteran craftsman who knows how to write a comic book.  This is a well-paced story with an interesting plot and decent dialogue.  The problem is that the comic doesn’t ascend to above average.  There is nothing about Vigilante that will get the average comic reader excited to tell others to make sure they pick up to read.  It just kind sits there, recycling ideas and plots from other comics (most notably the Punisher).  And to add to the problem, the main character is really a cipher, a generic Punisher rip-off.  We know nothing about this character, other than the fact he kills people, wears a mask, has a sidekick to help him, and a second identity to infiltrate those he wants to take down.  Kinda reads like Batman and the Punisher mixed into one character.  Maybe there will be more in the issues to come, but by then it may be too late to save the book. 

Comic Connection

Vigilante encountered Nightwing and Eddie Huang in Nightwing, beginning with issue #133.  Tobias Whale was last seen in the mini-series Gotham Underground, in which Vigilante also made an appearance.  It is difficult to judge when this story takes place (before or after) in relation to that mini-series.