Batman meets the cloned Superboy of the 1990s in an energetic but ultimately generic super-hero/science-fiction story in Go Boy 7. Readers got a bit of preview of this property in Dark Horse's Free Comic Book Day 2 promotional effort, Rocket Comics: Ignite!. There's plenty of potential in the concept, but the mish-mash of genre fiction elements failed to really grab me. Furthermore, the darker elements in this origin story just don't seem to suit the inherently light tone that's to be found, in part, here and in the FCBD2 short story.
Jonny accompanies his parents to Go Base, the hidden mountain laboratory/fortress of Jonny's reclusive uncle, Professor Nathan Zero. But just as their jet approaches the base, one of the professor's enemies lashes out, and Jonny is critically injured. Though Jett Girl, the professor's secutiry chief, wants to rush her charge to safety, she also pointed out that only the professor's new technology -- Nanoplasm -- has a hope of saving Jonny's life. But Prof. Zero has no idea what long-term effects it might have... and neither does his mysterious, techology-hating arch-nemesis, who has added his own influence into the recuperating boy's system.
Sommariva's artwork is far too exaggerated and cartoony for my taste. I'm reminded of Todd Nauck's style, but Sommariva's work strikes me as being unrestrained. The characters are rendered consistently at all. Still, his style suits the more frenetic and carefree qualities of the title character, and I loved his design for the monster than appears at the issue's cliffhanger.
I loved the playful relationship that Jonny shared with his parents in the opening scene, and though I'm disappointed that we won't be seeing more of it, it does get the reader emotionally involved in Jonny's life in a quick and effective manner. And while I think Jonny's tragedy doesn't really work as part of this property, it does provide a solid means of establishing a connection between Jonny and Jett Girl.
Those more emotional elements work against the more humorous aspects of Go Boy 7, and in this issue, they're all to be found in the bad guy, the Cultist. That scene reminds me more than a little of the kind of humor one can find in the Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League comics, which make a comeback this week with the release of the first issue of the Formerly Known As the Justice League limited series. The Cultist is a twisted but darkly funny figure, and I honestly want to know more about him.
