This is a spoiler-free review, so make yourself comfortable.
We've all heard about the imminent return of BLUE BEETLE & BOOSTER GOLD, yes, the real ones, the pre-New 52 ones (at least the ones I consider to be the "real" ones). They're supposed to appear in Justice League 3000 #12 and I just couldn't help it and had jump into the series from #1.
I remember reading the first issue back when it was first published, but it had a sour aftertaste since Kevin Maguire had been dumped from the book and the entire first issue got pencilled all over again by Howard Porter, who happened to be the one who actually designed these new characters. The creative team that reunited the original writers (Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis) and penciller from the classic 80s-90s Justice League was simply gone. This whole mess turned into a deep dislike of what I read in the first issue at that moment.
Now, with a different perspective in sight, and realizing that the "New 52" tag had been removed from the series starting with issue 9, I had a better vibe towards this book. So, I went on reading. And whoa, what a reading, I enjoyed every bit of it. The characters are dead on and they're definitely not our regular Justice League. From an obnoxious Superman to a bloodthirsty Wonder Woman, and add an ironic Batman, a shy Green Lantern and a tragic Flash, we have quite a set. I mean, I don't love the idea of a bloodthirsty Wonder Woman (I hate her regular book), but this whole thing has a giant joke behind. Yeah, I think they're doing their best to recapture the sense of humor comics these days are so much lacking.
Yeah. Shake in your seats. This book is bringing humor back to the fold.
Who would have thought? After the entire mess of the New 52 that there was this book that was really doing its best to build a different tone, and it was going unnoticed! News and company politics threw most of us out of the door and didn't let us give this book a chance. Well, now it comes with my biggest recommendation.
My only complaint is the pace. Nine issues into the series and the first story-arc is still incomplete. But it will be coming to an end with issue 10, so, I will have to wait just a bit. (There's nothing I can do about the pace since that's the regular thing these days in the comic universe). But at least this is an enjoyable series. I even grew to like Howard Porter's style, which is quite rich and hast its own merit. Comparing it with Kevin Maguire's may be a problem and not exactly fair. DC kinda forced the comparison, too bad.
So, what do you think? Will you give this book a chance? If a DC book from their core line, without the "New 52" tag does succeed, it should mean something, uh? What do you think?
