52, Vol. 1 by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of 52, Vol. 1
Book Review: Best comic ever
Summary: 5 Stars
omg i have never had so much fun reading a comic book. i picked it up not knowing anything about it and after reading the first two pages i was hooked. it a fast paced action packed read that will leave you on the edge of you seat. i can't wait for #4 to come out.Book Review: Confusing at first but rewarding in the end
Summary: 4 Stars
When I first started reading this book I was in a state of confusion. All the characters and names thrown at me were bewildering. I suppose long time fans of DC could make sense of what was going on . I was seriously wondering if I had made a huge mistake buying all four books at once.
The more I read the more things started to fall into place and the more I began to enjoy the book. By the end I couldnt wait to start book 2. The artwork is very good and the discussions between each week a much better than average read.
Summary: A hard book for non DC fans at first but ending up a very enjoyable read. great artwork and paper.
Book Review: DC's second tier stars shine
Summary: 4 Stars
It seems that DC and Marvel have decided that `major events' should happen on a continuous rather than occasional basis thus `Countdown to Crisis' begat `Infinite Crisis' which begat `52' which begat `Countdown' which begat who knows what. Essentially 52 is just a bridge between Infinite Crisis and whatever follows Countdown. It's all becoming very confusing... or exciting... depending on your perspective. The series is somewhat groundbreaking in that it ran every week for exactly one year hence the name 52. Packing 13 issues into one book isn't really the way it was intended to be read. It was meant to be episodic but so be it. The series consists of multiple threads that develop, swerve and occasionally collide.
The storylines revolve around lower level DC characters like Booster Gold, Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man) and The Question with occasional appearances by bigger stars. The pacing is fairly well done although I often found myself wishing they would favor some storylines (e.g. Booster Gold) over others that tend to drag (Black Adam). In some cases a storyline will simply be ignored for several issues. The art is good but not really spectacular. What really drives the series forward is the anticipation of where each storyline will lead. Is Mr. Mind trying to recreate the Monster Society of Evil? Has Booster Gold broken the universes timeline? Will Ralph Dibny really resurrect his wife Sue and what the heck is Luthor plotting?
Alright, I'm hooked. Unfortunately I have to wait more than a month for the next installment. In my opinion 52 pales in comparison to Infinite Crisis although that could change as things progress. It's also inferior to many of the Countdown to Crisis storylines but it's still pretty darn good. Since I don't know how the series ends the jury is still out for me on whether or not it's a success because a few lousy endings will kill it. Its success or failure is all dependent on how they resolve the stories. Here's hoping for the best.
Book Review: Daring, Inventive, Addictive, Amazing: Weekly Comics Experiement Collected!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought each issue of this weekly comics as it came out and now I've shelled out for the trade paper back. Why? Because 52 is an amazing soap opera read and is like NOTHING you've ever read before from DC. It's landmark, genre-fusing, crazy, and one of a kind.
It really reads well when strung together like this: all the foreshadowing, all that hard work by four of the most talented and creative writers in the business, it's all there from issue one, page one. To complain about the odd pacing issue on a book that came out week-in, week-out for fifty-two weeks is churlish, but as you may or may not now, hard core comics fans can be ridiculously cantankerous. Give em Citizen Kane, they'd moan that it is in back and white, give them The Godfather and they'll bitch that it's not as violent as Scarface.
All the blurbs on the book's back jacket, from almost EVERY major press outlet, is there for a reason. 52 is an amazing accomplishment, a bird's-eye view of the DC Universe that takes us through one year in the life of some of its fascinating second and third tier characters.
The commentary section after each issue is a very nice bonus and offers insights into how the story changed from it's original conception, how it took on a life and momentum all its own, and how the writers and editors came up with many off their brilliant ideas.
In terms of mainstream superhero comics, this is THE series of the last ten years, and it sets a standard of achievement and excellence that will be hard to match! So do believe the hype: this is a rolicking, fun, entertaining read.
Book Review: Engrossing serial from DC Comics
Summary: 5 Stars
'52' is a DC Comics series that printed one comic book a week between Mays 2006 and 2007. This volume collects issues #1 -#13 and is the first of an anticipated four books.
Four writers and dozens of artists (led by Keith Giffen's layouts) interwove over ten distinct yet simultaneous plotlines into this massive series. Individual '52' comic books also featured a two page 'Origin' backstory that while not contained herein are readily available on DC Comics' website. These should help readers (like me) that are unfamiliar with the current DC Universe. Along with notes from the creators, the end of each chapter offers an unfinished script or page layout accompanied by a 'compare this to finished Page XX' note.
At nearly 300 pages this book seems ideal for a long plane or train ride. The heft also allows the reader to flip back to previous issues, definitely an asset with a plot this complex. I finished reading this within 2 days and then immediately bought Book 2. Looking forward to Volume 3's release at the end of September.