I can understand why DC is striving to keep Tim Hunter's adventures in magic in publication. After all, that other young magician with the glasses is doing so incredibly well in prose and celluloid. The problem here is the same problem that plagued the previous two incarnations of Tim Hunter's exploits: accessibility. The writers seem to assume that the audience will be familiar with Tim's history. I think it's a mistake. Furthermore, this new series strikes me as being remarkably similar in tone -- conceptually and visually -- to Lucifer, so there's something of a redundancy to it that will interfere with the diehard Vertigo fan's appreciation of the new title.
A war is being waged in the circles of magic. Forces have been gathering on various sides of the supernaturla conflict, waiting for a sign that hostilities are to resume. The key to it all is a young magician named Tim Hunter, but a number of mystical and demonic agents have been searching for him, determined to tip the scales of the battle in their favor. What they don't realize that is Tim's been hidden away in a world where gods and ghosts, dreams and demons don't exist. Tim Hunter, potentiall the most powerful mage to ever live, is mired in a world without magic.
Ormston tells the story clearly, and his gritty style suits the dark, mature tone of the script nicely. But there's nothing in the line art that really blew me away. Little here grabs the reader and demands attention. The resemblance to the overall style of Lucifer is undeniable, but it doesn't come as much of a surprise either. Ormston has done some work on that title, and I would imagine that one of the reasons he was selected for that job was the compatibility of his style with that o Lucifer artist Peter Gross.
It's pretty clear to me why this script, though inventive, fails to capture my imagination and interest, even though Neil Gaiman had a hand in it. The plot revolves around the notion of Tim finding happiness in a lie. The reader knows that happiness is fleeting, that the character will be drawn into the brewing war of magic. This story isn't about who Tim is, but about what he is. Characterization isn't really a driving concern here.
Still, there's a lot to like about the plot as well. The notion of a world in which people dismiss the tiniest bits of magic -- things we not only accept but embrace, such as dreams and faith -- is a fascinating one. Spencer's script also successfully conveys the immensity of the approaching conflict and just how important Tim is from a cosmic standpoint.
