Randy and Don catch a glimpse of urban cultures old and new, and they meet the fierce, hulking champion of both when they witness the arrival of The Monolith.
Don:
I took a week off in November to visit friends and family, as well as to take in the newly launched Toronto Comicon. Among the guests was Jimmy Palmiotti, who just happened to have a preview of The Monolith, the new DC Universe title he's co-writing with Justin Gray.
Randy:
Don and I don't live anywhere near the same place, but given how taken we both were with previous Palmiotti/Gray projects, we made a special effort here and he mailed me his copy of the preview after giving it a read. It's black and white, but Chris Chuckry is on colors, and he's done some really nice stuff with New X-Men, so I don't have much doubt that it's going to be a nice-looking finished product.
The Monolith #1
written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
illustrated by Phil Winslade
lettered by Nick Napolitano
edited by Joey Cavalieri
published by DC Comics
scheduled for release February 4th
Don:
Brooklyn, 1932. Poverty and corruption are the order of the day, and a tightly-knit immigrant neighborhood finds itself desperate for work and for justice. A rabbi, a seamstress and a Chinese neighbor gather together to try and even the odds, creating a protector and a champion for the masses of the lower class. Brooklyn, 2004. The homeless, drug-addicted granddaughter of that seamstress learns of her inheritance... a house, money and opportunities. But they come with a price, and with a responsibility to guide that long-forgotten protector anew.
Phil Winslade's detailed style and lean figures suits the grounded tone of this first issue quite well. The emphasis here is on real people, survivors from yesteryear and today, not the behemoth of a protagonist referred to in the series title. I was particularly impressed with the panel progressions in the opening sequence as well. Winslade incorporates flashbacks perfectly in an explosive and tragic introduction. The dialogue lets us know that a horrible vision of violence is unfolding, but closeups on characters' hands and the interspersing of flashbacks in an elderly couple's life creates an oddly quiet and slow mood. Tension looms over the scene, but there's an unusual peace and finality at play as well.
Randy:
You're right, this is very much a story about realistic, well-fleshed-out characters as much as it is about a monster with tremendous power. Winslade is an ideal choice for the book on that score, given that his work is very much in the realistic vein. Palmiotti and Gray have gone to a lot of trouble to set this book in a very believable and real New York City, and Winslade does an excellent job of making that portrayal come to life. The detailed buildings, intricately designed interiors and realistic-looking clothes and people all make this book feel like it takes place in a real world setting, rather than the four-color exaggeration that is often the setting for super-hero tales.
Don:
What impresses me most about this debut issue is how Palmiotti and Gray carry the reader into two dark, urban settings. Speaking as someone who lives in a suburban Canadian city, the overt violence and fear that exist in many poor urban neighborhoods are rather alien to me, but the writers bring the harsh environment that Alice lives in -- one she fears but seems to rely upon at the same time -- to life. The other gritty setting is what really grabbed my attention, though. They convincingly tell the reader of life in Depression-era Brooklyn, realistically portraying the cultural mosaic, sense of community and work ethic that continue to represent the American Dream, even in the 21st century.
Randy:
I must confess, as interesting as I found Alice, I'm hoping we'll get more flashbacks to Millie and her life with the golem as well. Even as we see the end of her life, there's a definite strength, courage and human kindness in her, and we see through the references to her battles with the city that kept her house where it was that she maintained that strong will throughout life. Alice makes an interesting contrast with her grandmother, as she's much more cynical and modern, but that core of strength and independence is clear in her as well.
Don:
Another strength is the seemingly dichotomous personality that the title character seems to possess. We don't see much of him in this first issue, but we get a sense of him as an innocent, but also as a ferocious beast. It's clear that he's not just a run-of-the-mill super-hero. The writers seem prepared to explore different ethical territory with these characters, and that should help distinguish this book from other DC Universe titles.
Randy:
The first appearance of the golem is an exceptional scene, very cinematic in its presentation, and I love that the creators keep him off-panel for most of this first issue, showing us only the reactions of others to him. Along with their realistic backdrop and characters, this makes him feel more fantastic, a more interesting element that stands apart from the world that Gray and Palmiotti are writing. This reminds me in all the right ways of the work the pair has done on their unusual super-hero noir story 21 Down, with a good concept, exceptional characterization and terrific artwork to back them up.
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