If there's one thing upon which people -- both within and outside the comics industry and readership -- it's that DC's 52 is an ambitious project, at least when it comes to this medium. From the start, I was impressed that DC was focusing its efforts on a critical DC Universe title without using its better known comics icons, focusing instead of second-tier or even obscure characters as the central cast. After reading the first issue, I'm definitely intrigued by what this quartet of writers has in store over the course of the next year, but I was also surprised to find a couple of missteps in this inaugural issue. The art is solid and capable, but it's rarely really dazzling. I suspect 52 will prove to be a success, though, as anyone picking up the first issue knows that this is a long-haul story. The title even says so.
Booster Gold is excited beyond imagination. He's back in the super-hero and fame game, and he's even got a newfound cash flow, thanks to product endorsements and placements. But the reason this hero from the future is really eager for the next day to dawn is that he knows a new age of super-heroes is upon the world. In the wake of the Infinite Crisis and led by Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, a new Justice League is about to emerge, and it will be the greatest incarnation of the team ever. And Booster Gold will be among the most revered figures in history... but only if history follows the right path. Meanwhile, a depressed and defeated Ralph Dibny receives some disturbing news that reopens fresh wounds but promises to give him new purpose.
Bennett's artwork, based on Giffen's breakdowns, certainly tells the story clearly, and it captures the larger-than-life qualities of the characters. Still, some of the action came off as a little stiff, and I suspect it's more of a product of the pencillers getting used to working from someone else's page layouts and visual storytelling ideas. The art throughout the book is dense. There's a lot going on and a lot of detail poured into each panel. I think a less-is-more approach might have been helpful for key moments to drive home the dramatic impact of certain scenes or revelations.
The script for this book assumes the reader is up on DC lore. It assumes the reader knows what happened in Identity Crisis. In Infinite Crisis. In Superman: The Man of Steel. In Gotham Central. That's part of the book's strength and weakness. These four writers are into the DC Universe, and they're into myth-building. But this book is also meant to appeal to a wider audience, and it would be nice if there was a greater effort toward accessibility.
I also thought that one of the main purposes of Infinite Crisis was to guide the DC Universe from the darker tone it's adopted over the past decade or two into a lighter, more traditional tone reminiscent of the super-hero storytelling of yesteryear. The image of Ralph Dibny with a gun in his mouth certainly doesn't seem in keeping with that philosophy. Actually, the narration, pacing and plotting of this issue put me in mind of Brad Meltzer's script for Identity Crisis.
What was pleased to discover is that this pivotal DCU storyline has a strong foundation in characterization. Ralph's and Renne's despair, Steel's concern and Booster's elation, leading to panic, all really make the characters come alive. There's a palpable tension in the story, one that's not easily explained, but it definitely makes the reader want to know what comes next. I'm also pleased with the variety of characters at the forefront of the story. Furthermore, not all are colorfully clad. Ralph and Renee's everyperson mode help to bring the story down to earth a bit. 6/10
