REVIEWS: Daredevil #1, Man and Superman, The Wrong Earth #6, & Star Wars: Age of Republic - Anak

In general, I am not a fan of recaps, expansions, or retcons of origin stories as they serve as page fillers at best or, at worst, plot points that only serve the stories in the same issues and are ignored in subsequent retellings. I understand it makes sense with other versions - movie, TV, prose, etc. - but if a writer can't tell a story without changing the parameters in place since the beginning, maybe they should leave those characters alone. (This is one of the reasons I won't pick up a Batman book - too many creators have relied on the character's origin as a crutch.) Two of the three books I picked up this week rely heavily on the early years of the characters' history. I suspected that would happen in one, and expected it to happen in the other.

(Side note: All-Star Superman had the best origin recap I've ever seen - one page, four panels, and eight words said everything that needed to be said.)

Daredevil #1

Daredevil is always on my radar but it's a comic that, for one reason or another, I have rarely purchased. In my younger years I (erroneously) perceived it as "Spider-Man Lite," and in later years creators trying to emulate Frank Miller made it too bleak and "angsty" (Spider-Man Dark?) for my taste. I did read and enjoy most of the recent issues written by Mark Waid and Charles Soule, but didn't add them to my collection as I felt no urge to REread them.

So why did I take a gamble ordering this book, which picks up almost directly following the events of the final issues of the previous volume, when it was solicited without a description or images? The combination of the character and the creative team involved. I've never read anything by Chip Zdarsky that I didn't like (granted, I've deliberately avoided a couple of his more controversial stories), and a quick web search for "Marco Checchetto art" showed me everything I needed to know to take a chance.

As I suspected it would, this new #1 recapped the origin of Daredevil, outlined recent events, and flashed back to no less than three different points in Daredevil/Matt Murdock's history. But it did it seamlessly, making it a perfect for new readers. However, for me this was an excellent version of well-trodden ground with just enough of a cliff-hanger to keep me interested. I will finish the first story arc, but if I don't see the promise of something new I will drop it from my pull list.

Man and Superman #1

"This is the best Superman story I've ever written." -- Marv Wolfman The full name is technically Man and Superman 100-Page Super Spectacular #1. Too much hype in my mind, but at least the latter portion is stuck in the upper right corner and not blocking even more of the fantastic cover image with an ugly logo. (Side note: I'd buy a poster of the images sans text.)

With that (relatively minor) gripe out of the way...

Originally intended to be part of the now-cancelled Superman Confidential* series, this one-shot written by Wolfman and drawn by Claudio Castellini explores the earliest days of Clark Kent in Metropolis. I never like to see a series get cancelled, however this story absolutely deserved to be on its own. While reading it I couldn’t help but wonder if, a couple of decades ago, this wouldn’t have started as a hardcover book and then a trade paperback. While I wish it had, my wallet is glad it didn’t.

In my opinion this the best version of Superman’s earliest days EVER, regardless of medium. To paraphrase Wolfman's statement, it is one of the best Superman stories ever written, and the art is second-to-none. I can't wait to reread it and spend more time checking out the details in the art I missed the first time around.It is almost criminal that this sat in a file somewhere for over a decade. (I can't help but wonder if Castellini would be more well-known now had this been published shortly after it was completed.)

If pressed to find something I don't like about it (and this is being VERY nit-picky) - Lois Lane is presented as an elegant, savvy reporter, but a few of the shots make her look like an air-headed damsel in distress. This is a must-have for fans of Superman, and a should-read for everyone else.

(* From Wikipedia: “Superman Confidential featured Superman stories set in the early years of the character’s career…key moments in the character’s past such as first meetings, critical decisions, alliances, confrontations, and events that shaped him into the character he is today.”)

The Wrong Earth #6

From my review of issue #5 - "In short - I LOVE THIS BOOK! So much so that I’m not going to spoil anything about [it] that hasn’t been part of the solicitations or promotional materials."

After reading #6, I can now state that I love this book EVEN MORE! This is one of those very rare instances where I will be buying the collected edition, breaking my own rule of not having more than one version of something in my comic collection. It's that good! I've been a bit of a pest and requested an annotated version via Twitter a time or ten that includes stuff like this:

https://13thdimension.com/how-jamal-igle-created-the-covers-for-the-wrong-earth )

I thought for sure I knew how this issue would end, but NOPE! And then when I was about halfway through reading it and THOUGHT for sure I knew where it was going...NOPE!

Tom Peyer, Jamal Igle, Juan Castro, and Andy Troy have created something remarkably special with this series, and deserve all of the accolades they have been receiving.

And the best part?

Now…the first ever GUEST REVIEW by my oldest son!

Star Wars: Age of Republic - Anakin Skywalker: The Sacrifice

This issue starts out in the Coviar Sector with Anakin and a squadron of Republic Y-Wings and V-19 Torrents blasting through the CIS droid starfighter, clearing a path for his capital ship The Resolute. While onboard he talks with Admiral Yularen regarding the scout reports about the droid factory on Kudo 3. The Kudon were previously neutral, but now are believed by the Republic to be aligned with the CIS.

Anakin walks through his ship thinking about the current situation. He and Obi-Wan sit down, and Obi-Wan jokes about the food and tells him to trust his feelings. Soon after he takes off in his starfighter and goes to Kudo 3, noting that it looks as if there are no signs of life. He enters the factory leaving, his starfighter under the capable control of R2-D2. As he goes inside, he senses that the workers aren’t workers…they’re slaves. He is confronted by, and quickly disposes of, a small group of droids, then learns that the CIS has tricked the Kudon into working for them by saying that the Republic would come and kill them. He then rallies the Kudon to rise up and escape, and Kudon remain neutral after they are freed. Back on the bridge or the Resolute, Admiral Yularen, Anakin, and Obi-Wan converse, stating that the factory was a setup for the republic to attack and that they would have been to blame.

My thoughts:

I have been thoroughly enjoying the Age of Republic one-shot stories but I feel like the issues all fall to the same problem…they are just too short. I feel like this issue could have been longer, such as showing the battle between the droids and Kudon, and more of the battle where Anakin and his clone detachment fight through the droids starfighters. The art is fantastic, as is the dialogue. The story is a fun adventure, and stayed consistent with the character of Anakin Skywalker.

Rating: 9/10

As stated above, the story is a fun adventure, the art is great, and I really enjoyed the issue. The only downside for me thought is how short it felt while reading it.