Action Comics #978 (June, 2017)
"The New World, Part 2"
Writer - Dan Jurgens
Pencils - Carlo Barberi
Inks - Matt Santorelli
Color - Hi-Fi
Letters - Rob Leigh
Associate Editor - Paul Kaminski
Editor - Mike Cotton
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
It's not terribly often that I cover two brand-new issues back to back... in fact, this might just be the first time. Guess it's not all that often that more than one book per week really call out to me like they have this week.
Wanted to cover this so we might continue to parse the somewhat-new, somewhat-different streamlined origin of the Man of Steel. What's missing? What's been added? Let's find out together...
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We open with some archival footage. It's Clark Kent's first day at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is plummeting from a helicopter to the ground below, when a never-before-seen man in a blue costume and red cape swoops in to save her life. The next day, Lois names him "Superman" in the Daily Planet's cover story. In the present, back at the Fortress, Superman confirms that the records jive with his memories... but he still feels like there's something not quite right.
He is bothered by a strange whispering voice... same as last issue. He asks Kelex to continue... which takes him to his second day working for the Planet, when Lois "rescued" him from one of Steve Lombard's immature pranks. It was at this point he knew he had feelings for his eventually-to-be wife. His secret origin continues to unfold... we see his rogues gallery, including Imperiex (from Our Worlds At War), Manchester Black, and even post-Zero Hour baddie, Conduit. We see various costumes he he had worn, including his gladiator-type suit from Exile, and Electric Blue. Then, we look on as he both proposes to Lois... and tells her the secret. Both occur pretty much like they did back in 1991. This is a great two pages.
We shift scenes for a moment, to the Moon. The Matrix-y Man from last issue uncovers the Eradicator, repairs him, and suggests they work together against their common foe. At first the Eradicator ain't feeling it... but he eventually comes around.
Back at the Fortress, Kelex continues Superman's tour of his own past... with his death at the hands of Doomsday. It continues through to the Reign of the Supermen... however, only shows Steel, Cyborg, and Eradicator as the "replacements". Looks like poor Kon-El might not be joining us. Of particular interest, there is mention of Coast City's destruction. The two pages end with Lois and Clark's wedding. I'm going to discuss the art with greater detail below, but I wanna say that Barberi's aping of the classic panels is really great. Definitely scratching where I itch.
We next learn that Clark's parents, Jonathan and Martha had passed away before he ever met Lois... which really sucks. I enjoyed Lois' relationship with the Kents, especially during Funeral for a Friend. Those were some highly emotional scenes, and it's a shame they never happened. We continue along to Lois telling Clark that they are expecting! Which doesn't occur in Gotham City under a dome. Fair enough.
Young Jon's birth also doesn't occur in Gotham City, but at the Fortress of Solitude. Wonder Woman and Batman are on hand to ensure the event isn't interrupted. Worth mentioning that Superman is wearing his collared New-52! duds during this bit. After Jon's arrival, the Kents took a sabbatical from the Daily Planet and moved house to California.
Superman went underground (wearing the black Lois & Clark costume), and Lois published books under the name Author X. Superman would eventually return to the public eye to battle Ulysses from the Geoff Johns/John Romita, Jr. arc. In the present, Superman reveals that his history is just as he remembers it... and posits that they might need to dig deeper for whatever it was that fractured reality. I think we're going to need some of Rip Hunter's blackboards.
Suddenly the visage of Mr. Oz shows itself. He warns that Superman knows not the forces with whom he is dealing... then blasts the statues of Ma and Pa Kent. Superman considers that he might need help... in the form of the slew of folks who currently wear the "S". It should go without saying that he is also pretty concerned Oz was able to enter the Fortress.
We wrap up with the arrival of Metallo and Blanque to the Moon. They initially do not seem pleased to have been drawn there... especially by someone with an S on his chest. The Matrix-y Man arrives to settle everybody's tea kettles... reveals himself to be Hank Henshaw... then christens their group as the All-New Superman Revenge Squad!
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Well... gotta say, between The Button and Superman Reborn... DC is doing some amazing continuity-dredging. Now, don't get me wrong... I love it, and am greatly enjoying these stories... but, it's crazy to consider that six years ago these stories would just "be". There wouldn't have to be any mental and narrative gymnastics to make them work... they would just be an understood part of the characters' histories. That's probably not worth mentioning... but I can't help myself. It feels like the New-52! was just such a misguided concept... and right now they're fighting just to get back to "zero".
On to the issue... let's discuss some of the retcons. First, the death of the Kents. It isn't outright said how they died... and I really can't remember how they wrote them out for the New-52!. I guess we can just assume (for now) that they were taken out by a tropical disease while Clark was away at College. That's how it went down in the Silver Age, right? I wrote above that I find it disappointing that Ma and Pa never met Lois... I really think that's too bad. As it is, Lois really has nobody she can confide in, or vent to about her husband's dual-life. I think the Kents were just as important to Lois as they were to Clark, and it's definitely a shame they won't be sharing in young Jon's childhood.
I think about turn of the century Amazing Spider-Man when Aunt May learned about Peter's secret. When Mary Jane found out that May knew... it was like she was hit with a wave of relief. Finally, there was someone she could talk to about Spider-Man. They became a little support group unto themselves, and the Spider family became richer for it. I guess I'm taking the scenic route here just to say... I'd definitely prefer the Kents to be alive. Or hell, just gimme Ma.
Another character I wish got a mention was Kon-El. I guess with the new Superboy they may not want to muddy the waters by introducing the clone... but, if we're playing fast and loose with continuity anyway... we could just have him stay dead after Infinite Crisis. Of course, that would involve the introduction of yet another Superboy (Prime)... so, okay... maybe they were right to leave him out... for now. I still have a sneaking suspicion he might be locked in one of Mr. Oz's pods... I guess time will tell.
The reveal that the Matrix Man was Hank Henshaw... was a bit of a letdown. With the mention of Cyborg Superman during the flashback, I wasn't sure if they were going to use Henshaw for that... or if they were going to use the Supergirl's dad version. Still not sure, actually. I think hopes were high that this character had something to do with the Watchmen plot... I thought for a moment it was Dr. Manhattan (not that I had any real reason to). I guess when hopes are that high, just about anything can be viewed as a disappointment. That said, I am hopeful for the Revenge Squad... and look forward to seeing Superman crack some heads.
Now, the art. Gotta admit, when I cracked this open and saw Carlo Barberi listed as artist, I felt a bit disappointed... I'd have really liked to see Patch Zircher on this. That being said, I think Barberi knocked this one out of the park! The panel layouts and use of splashes was great... his aping of classic panels was damn near spot-on. Really top notch work here. His style has matured greatly since his days on Impulse.
Overall, Action Comics is one of my top books at the moment... and continues to deliver bi-week after bi-week. I mentioned during our discussion of The Button that I am so grateful that DC is not going the route of Marvel in over-hyping and over-pricing these important "events". I would figure that Superman Reborn would have been a six... then seven issue miniseries (plus tie-ins) that took 14 months to come out had it been done over at Marvel. Oh, and every issue would be at least five bucks too. I'm very happy that this is being contained in Superman's own books... and at Superman's own shipping schedule and price-point. Highly recommended.
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Flash (vol.5) #21 (June, 2017)
"The Button, Part Two"
Script - Joshua Williamson
Art - Howard Porter
Colors - Hi-Fi
Letters - Steve Wands
Assistant Editor - Amedeo Turturro
Editor - Brian Cunningham
Special Thanks - Geoff Johns & Tom King
Cover Price: $2.99
It isn't often these days where I am tempted to "double dip" on any issue in particular. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned a time or two that I order my books from Discount Comic Book Services... a great way of getting my books, however... with shipping, comes delay.
I was actually quite tempted to pick this one up off the racks to ensure I wasn't spoiled... plus, I've been chomping at the bit to read it regardless! Guess that speaks to the quality of what came before!
So, does The Button keep with the quality? Let's find out...
***SPOILERS FOLLOW***
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The issue opens with Johnny Thunder standing on the roof of his retirement home during a thunderstorm. He is calling out "Cei-U"... when the orderlies arrive to escort him back to his roof, he panics... shouting that it's his fault the Justice Society is lost. We shift to the Batcave, where the Flash has set up a crime scene around the burnt corpse of Thawne. He thinks to himself that his mother's murder has been avenged... he then wonders why it doesn't feel as satisfying as perhaps it should.
He conducts a scan of the corpse, and is shocked to learn that it is covered in his (Barry's) own unique energy signature. He wonders if he is somehow responsible... or if perhaps he will be. Barry checks in with Alfred before heading upstairs to chat with Bruce. They discuss the event... Before Thawne went to pieces, he claimed to have seen God (with a capital G). They then discuss the blood smear on the Button... and how it doesn't match any of the Alphabet-Agencies' records.
Barry asks for some clarification on the reaction between the Button and Psycho Pirate's Medusa Mask... Bruce tells him about briefly seeing his father. Flash is skeptical, but willing to give his partner the benefit of the doubt. We learn that the Button is now missing... and Flash mentions recently receiving a vision of a Helmet of Mercury. He then heads off to investigate some more.
All the way to the Justice League's Watchtower... and into it's bad-ass Lost and Found. Now I am always a sucker for panels like this. There's just so much to pore over... that "everything matters" tone really resonates in images such as this.
Barry thinks back to the night Wally West (the real one) returned, and the discussion they had about their unseen threat. He runs past some more lost 'n found stuff... including costumes for Justice Society members, Star-Spangled Kid and Hourman. Hmm, thought they never existed? Anyhoo, he decides his best bet might just be traveling through time. And so, he yanks a tarp which reveals... the Cosmic Treadmill! Heyyy, that's a pretty cool name for... something.
Just as he's about to mount and run, he is interrupted by a staggering Batman. He won't let Barry go alone... and Barry begrudgingly agrees to take him along. What follows is... well, really amazing for longtime DC Comics fans. We see "alternate realities" such as the origin of the Justice League... the real origin, of the real Justice League... Martian Manhunter and all. We get a scene which was revealed to us during Identity Crisis in which Zatanna mindwipes Batman. We also see a take on Barry's death during Crisis on Infinite Earths. Every. Thing. Matters.
They continue to run... until they are suddenly blasted by a bolt of lightning! They manage to hold onto the Treadmill and are ultimately dropped... back in the Batcave? Well, technically... yeah. But this ain't your daddy's Batcave... it's actually Bruce's daddy's Batcave! Welcome to the Flashpoint Universe, hope we survive the experience!
--
Well, damn. I loved this.
Before we go into the story, I really want to express my happiness regarding the format this story is being released in. Having it just be Batman and Flash crossing over, without a whole lot of hoopla... really makes me glad to be a fan of DC Comics. If something like this was put out by Marvel, you could be assured we'd be paying at least five-dollars per issue... and we'd have to buy about a half-dozen crossover issues each month to get it all. We'd have the Uncanny Button, the Unworthy Button, the Astonishing Button... friggin' Occupy Button, and so on.
With that out of the way... let's get down to unpacking. Starting at the beginning, it's really nice seeing the Johnny Thunder/Justice Society plot being picked up again. It's pretty much a certainty that they'll be back sooner than later... and I really can't wait. Whenever the JSA comes up, I can't help but to mention that they really help the DC heroes feel like a family. They always have such heart... and I love the idea of their being an entire generation of heroes that even people like Superman and Batman look at with awe and respect. Can't wait!
I really dug Barry setting up the Batcave as a crime scene. It shows that he is more than just a guy who runs real fast. This is important to fans, such as myself, who grew up with Wally West (the real one) as their Flash. We would hear mention of Barry... Saint Barry, rather, but he always felt so dull when compared with Wally. At least to me, anyway. Showing Barry as a forensic scientist and superhero simultaneously shows me that he can offer things that Wally couldn't.
Barry's discovery of his own energy signature on Thawne is surely something we will be revisiting... especially in light of how he kept it from Batman. I can't tell if Batman already knows Barry's keeping something from him... but it wouldn't surprise me.
During their chat, Batman says something... it's almost a throwaway... but it's wildly intriguing. He posits that "... whatever messed with time was doing so long before the Flashpoint." That gives me a tickle in the continuity lobe in my brain. I gotta wonder how far back they're going to dredge for discrepancies and "anomalies" to suit this narrative. I love the idea... and really hope that it's leading to something.
Speaking of dredging... how about that Hall of Lost and Found, eh? So many neat things from DC's past show up here... Skeets, the Dial H for Hero dial, Jack Knight's Cosmic Rod... such a great panel, which totally should have been stretched to a two-page spread.
It's always cool to have a Cosmic Treadmill sighting, right? And, the ride... ooh boy, we saw some stuff. Martian Manhunter as a founding member of the League... Superman in his trunks... Identity Crisis... I definitely wasn't expecting to see that!
The "surprise cliffhanger", which had been long spoiled by the cover to the next issue of Batman, was okay. I guess seeing Thomas and Bruce face-to-face would have been a bit cooler, had they not met during Convergence. Even if Convergence "never happened", we've already seen it. I'm sure they'll make it work... and I'm also pretty sure that I'll be captivated with each turn of the page. Despite my aversion to all things Flashpoint, I'm still looking forward to it.
I'm not sure I ever shared my idea for the ending of Flashpoint. Suppose I might as well. I thought it would be really cool if, while all the Universes were imploding and intertwining, Thomas Wayne was somehow able to meet with and talk to our Batman. He could tell him how proud he is... how much he loves him... how much he treasures the few moments they have as everything goes all New-52. The scene would end, and our Batman would unmask... and it would be Dick Grayson, who was one of the cape and cowl types back then. What happens after that? I didn't really give it much thought. Ehh, it sounded more poignant in my head.
I probably ought to mention the art. I was very pleased to see that Howard Porter would be a part of this, I've always enjoyed his work... especially when paired with Hi-Fi Colors! Porter and Hi-Fi are/were the best part of the Scooby Apocalypse series, and they bring their top quality work to this tale.
Anyhoo... overall, The Button still comes highly recommended. Even though this isn't an overpriced, bloated "event" series, it feels incredibly important to the DC Universe going forward. Questions are being answered... and more questions are being raised. There is an eye to the future, while not ignoring the past. Everything matters, and it's pretty great. Books like this make me happy to be a comic book fan.
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Lenticular Cover:
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Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #13 (November, 1983)
"Echoes of Times Gone By"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Penciller - Carmine Infantino
Inker - Bob Oksner
Letterer - Ben Oda
Colorist - Tom Ziuko
Editor - Julius Schwartz
Cover Price: $0.60
Now here's a book I've been a bit worried about covering. Not due to the (admittedly controversial) subject matter, but for the title of the book.
As you might see, this book bears the logo which simply reads Supergirl... however, if we were to flip past the cover... the indicia still refers to the volumes as The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl. So, how do I label it here on the humble blog?
Believe it or not, these are the things I worry about! This is the reason why I have been so hesitant to cover the Mike Grell volume of Green Arrow here. I mean, is it volume one... or is the four-issue miniseries volume one? Yes... these are the things that keep me awake at night. Perhaps some experts might chime in to help assuage my worry...
I decided today to just pick a lane... and the lane I picked was the one writ in the indicia. We're going "Daring New" this time out... hope that works for everyone!
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Our story opens with Superman returning to the Fortress of Solitude. Upon entry, he finds the entire joint has turned into a ramshakle mess. He wonders aloud who might be responsible... and is surprised to learn the culprit is none other than his cousin Kara... in her brand-spankin' new costume! She explains the events of the past few issues which also explains why the Fortress is in such a state. She faced off with miniature clones... their battle wrecked the place, and Supergirl had to resort to using Gold Kryptonite to wipe out the super powers of the diminutive clone army.
Not only does Kara leave Superman with a mess to clean up, she also leaves him with the mess of clones. To be fair, she does offer to help Kal clean... and the clones are in a statis field. Superman says he'll take care of everything... which tells me, he's about to load these doll-sized Karas into a burlap sack, and toss it into the first river he sees.
We shift to Kara/Linda's building in Chicago. The landlady Mrs. Berkowitz is speaking with a woman named Joanie about recent events. It turns out that a swastika had been spraypainted on her door... a crappy thing to happen to anyone, however, Mrs. B. reveals that she is a holocaust survivor to boot. She fears that the horrors she experienced growing up in Poland are about to resurface in the United States.
Speaking of which... we shift over to the offices for the Party For Social Reform, where a couple of hateful jerks discuss their tactics for recruiting new members to their cause. The fella, Byron seems to be a bit turned off by their spraypainting swastikas... reservations which may have been overheard by the (spooky) lady in charge.
Across the country, Supergirl visits her adoptive father Fred Danvers. He's happy to see her, and notices that she's changed her look a bit. This leads to a flashback wherein Linda explains that her costume was battle-damaged, and during a visit with her adoptive mother, designed her new duds.
She finishes her story, lights her Pop's pipe with her heat vision, and retires to her old room with the idea to spend a few days relaxing off the grid. However, she soon learns that just isn't in the cards for her. She sees on the television a report of rampant antisemitism, harassment and vandalism back in Chicago. After seeing her own building on the news, she decides to cut her vacation short.
Heading up to the building, she is a bit puzzled to see her neighbor Johnny O. (John Ostrander) camped out by the mailboxes. She asks him what's up... and he tells her he's standing guard in case the antisemites return... he plans to bust some heads. Linda suggests that perhaps isn't the best course of action to take, and attempts to get a passing-by neighbor Cheryl to take her side. Cheryl, a black woman, ain't havin' it. She knows the score when it comes to blind hatred... she's perfectly fine with Johnny the O. being proactive.
Now a bit peeved, Linda stomps up the steps to talk to Mrs. Berkowitz. She expresses her concern about Johnny and Cheryl "riding shotgun" in the lobby... and much to her surprise, learns that Mrs. B. is just fine with it. Berkowitz attempts to instill in Linda the need to learn from history. She is fearful that this small band of maniacs will grow in size and power... just like another band did during her youth. She shows Linda the front page of the newspaper, which shows that the Reformists will be holding a rally in the park. Linda's visibly angry... though, it isn't clear if it's directed toward her landlady, the situation, or both. Prrrobably the situation.
She returns downstairs and finds that Johnny O. is reading her friend Phil Decker the riot act. He's refusing to let him into the building, fearful that he is one of the radicals. Linda tells him to settle his tea kettle, and she and Phil head out... to the Rally!
At the park, Linda and Phil find that spooky lady from earlier holding court. She is fomenting paranoia and hate... like those kinda folks do. After hearing just a bit too much, Phil tells Linda that it's time they leave... he can't take it anymore. At that very moment, a Jewish man stands up and calls out to the creepy woman. He opens his shirt revealing a Star of David necklace... which causes a riot to begin! Linda sees the commotion, and decides this might just be a job for Supergirl!
The man with the Star of David chain gets restrained and pulled away. When they are out of sight, it is revealed that he is one of the Reformists, posing as a Jewish man to inspire more fear and hatred toward them. He undoes his necklace, drops it... and stomps on it.
On stage, Supergirl has arrived. She faces off with the spooky lady... who opens her coat, revealing herself to be the super villain Blackstarr! Which, I dunno... doesn't really work for me. I'll go in depth below. Anyhoo, she promises that the Universe will tremble before her might!
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Lots to unpack here.
Let's start with the lighter and breezier bits... Kara's new costume. I'd really like to see what a more contemporary reader thinks about this... because, while I appreciate actual explanation and story-centric reasons for wardrobe changes, I'm not sure that kinda thing speaks to the fans of today. I think costumes and character "looks" are important, and so anytime there is an (substantial) alteration to either, it should be addressed and/or explained.
For example, it really bugged me when Carol Danvers became Captain Marvel and nobody seemed to know what her costume looked like or if she had long or short hair... I mean, that went on for years without any consistency. I'm not sure that bothered most fans, but it really did irritate me. It's not like it's rocket surgery or anything.
Anyhoo, guess what I'm trying to say is that I really appreciated the new costume being a story-beat rather than something that just "happened". Admittedly, it may have went a page or two long, but I was still happy to see it.
With that out of the way... let's discuss the heavier topic, antisemitism. That was something I certainly didn't expect to see. I will say that I haven't read anything from this volume yet... so I am unaware if this is a long percolating subplot. To see it here though, was really quite eye-opening... was really expecting this series to be a lighthearted rompy one.
With the unexpected seriousness comes... unexpected depth. Kupperberg does a great job as not making this as black and white as it could be. The disparate reactions of those affected did the story a great service. Kara's attempts at reasoning versus her friend's punch-first-ask-questions-later approach was great to see. It gives this plot added weight and ambiguity.
I mean, if I were among the affected, I cannot say for certain how I would react. I've been lucky enough to never have been in such a situation. Part of me would like to think I'd keep perspective and a level head like Kara... but I definitely see the potential for rage and paranoia to set in... and take over.
The rally scene toward the end was pretty interesting too. Fomenting antisemitism (or anti-anybody) by hiring thugs to pose as rioters seems like one of those tactics that will always work. I mean, they're selling their brand of fear and hatred to those who are the most susceptible to fall for it. If they can see "the enemy" with their own eyes, acting the way in which they are being made to fear... then, that's all the better for the cause.
My only real issue with this is... the leader of the antisemites is... a super villain. I mean, that's where it kinda goes off the rails for me. If it had been an ordinary person, I feel it would have made a bigger impact. I mean, the whole point is that irrational fear and hatred can exist in anyone. It feels kind of reductivist to make it all a grand plot of a super villain. We already know super villains are bad, right?
For another (less important) complaint. I gotta say I was disappointed after seeing the wonderful Ed Hannigan cover... then seeing that Carmine Infantino did the interiors. It might be heresy, but I never really cottoned to Infantino's 1980's work. Never have a problem when I'm seeing his Silver Age stuff, but by the early 80's... it just doesn't look right to me.
Overall, despite my minor quibbles, I'd say this is definitely an issue worthy of being in your comics library. Recently, DC released a Daring New Adventures of Supergirl trade collection which features the first 12 issues. This issue in particular is available digitally, and gives me more vindication for me referring to this issue as "Daring New", because DC Digital does as well! Worth your time... and shouldn't break the bank.
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Sweet Tooth #1 (November, 2009)
"Out of the Deep Woods, Part One"
Story, Art, & Creator - Jeff Lemire
Colors - Jose Villarrubia
Letters - Pat Brosseau
Editors - Brandon Montclare & Bob Schreck
Cover Price: $1.00
I remember kinda giving up on Vertigo in the mid-late 2000's. Right around the time that Y: The Last Man wrapped up I figured I'd be done with imprint. I'd foolishly passed up on Fables a few years earlier, and the next book I tried was unwritten, which really wasn't for me. It wasn't until I came across a nice set (the first half) of Sweet Tooth in a discount bin that I decided to give it another go.
Was it a good idea? Well, I already know that answer, but we'll save it for below the usual spoilery synopsis...
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We open during a dream sequence. A young boy frantically runs through the woods, being chased by someone. He is awakened by his father, who is talking to God. The pair share a set of bunk beds, with the young boy on top. The next morning, the boy heads outside to chop wood. It's here that we learn that his mother had passed away, and that he'd never seen her. As a matter of fact, the only other person he's ever seen... is his father.
The "camera" pulls back, revealing a set of antlers atop the boy's head. Not much of a shock, considering the cover... but fair enough. He mentions that there was an "accident" some time back, and ever since, very few children were born. Those who were born, were "made special by God", in other words... they were humanoid hybrids.
The "camera" moves behind the boy's back, and we see that he is standing before what used to be the Nebraska State Wilderness Sanctuary. On the ground outside the gate, he sees a wrapped Crunchy candy bar. Curious, he reaches for it. A loud cracking sound in the distance grabs his attention, and he heads to the safety of his home.
Back home, he shares a meal with his father... during which, his dad begins coughing up blood. He insists that he's okay. Later the boy practices using his slingshot against a "sinner", in the form of a sorry looking scarecrow. His shooting is interrupted by another loud crack. Between the trees, he spies another Crunchy candy bar. This one, however, he's able to get... and better yet, taste!
Back home, his father is very troubled by the sight of his son eating a candy bar. It means that there are very likely other people around... and with people comes danger. He makes his son, who we now know as Gus, promise to be more careful... especially as he knows his own days are numbered. He has the same sickness Gus' mother died of, and it's not entirely clear what that sickness is... likely cancer, or a cancer analogue. It isn't long before Gus' father succumbs.
Gus waits until Spring so the snow can melt before giving his father a proper burial, right alongside his mother. He hears another loud crack, and finds himself confronted by a large stag... with similar headgear to his own.
Their eyes meet... and a second later, the stag is shot in the head! Gus runs off to hide as two hunters creep up on their kill. They're both disappointed... figuring that they'd just bagged the hybrid child with the antlers, rather than an actual antlered animal. The fellas argue a bit, until they are interrupted by Gus' sad little slingshot.
The hunters spy the odd boy, and immediately give chase. A teary-eyed Gus is making a pretty good getaway, until he trips over a fallen branch. With the boy cornered, the hunters evaluate their prize. The bald hunter appears to be real keen on using his rifle, while the other appears to be having second thoughts. He sees that poor Gus is just a terrified kid, and suggests they simply leave him be. The baldy ain't digging that thought, however, before he can pull his trigger... his head gets blown to bits!
The chapter concludes with the arrival of Gus' savior... who assures us, he is not God.
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Sweet Tooth pretty much restored my faith in the Vertigo line. After reading this, I started dipping my toe back into the line... "discovered" things like Fables, and iZombie which I quite enjoyed as well. I was happy to see that this imprint was still capable of delivering top quality, creative, and wonderfully weird content.
What we get in this opening chapter is, well... a lot of questions. Questions that, based on the strength of the narrative, I am captivated enough to want to learn the answers to. The character of Gus is presented in such a way that we want to learn more about him. What was up with his father? What happened to his mother? Did they succumb to cancer, or something more story-centric? There's just so much tragedy surrounding this scared boy... despite his odd (and perhaps off-putting) appearance, you almost can't help but to feel something for him.
The world of Sweet Tooth also gives us a lot to wonder about. Just what happened? There is talk of an "accident", however, that's all we get for now. We meet hunters, looking for hybrids... what caused there to be hybrids? So many questions... and I remember wanting to know the answers to all of them. That's pretty much all I need in order to say that this was a great first issue. Doesn't hurt that Jeff Lemire provides some great, atmospheric, and appropriate-feeling art as well.
Overall... I'd say Sweet Tooth as a whole comes highly recommended, which is also to say, that Sweet Tooth #1 is most definitely worth snagging. The entire run is available digitally, and has been collected in trade.
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