What mysteries await in the unearthed corners of the DC Universe? Your Major Spoilers review of DC Nation #0 awaits!
DC NATION #0
Writer: Tom King/Scott Snyder/James Tynion IV/Joshua Williamson/Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Clay Mann/Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez/Jorge Jimenez
Inker: Dexter Vines
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire/Alex Sinclair/Alejandro Sanchez
Letterer: Clayton Cowles/Josh Reed/Andworld Design
Editor: Jamie S. Rich/Mike Cotton/Rebecca Taylor
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: 25 Cents
Release Date: May 2, 2018
Previously in DC Nation: “Just in time for Free Comic Book Day, this special comic priced at just $0.25 US features three brand-new stories from a lineup of superstar talent – and each tale serves as a prelude to some of the biggest DC events of 2018!”
“THE SUMMER OF EVENTS STARTS NOW!”
This issue features three short stories, each of which serves as a trailer for what is to come: The first interlude features the Joker, who has infiltrated a stranger’s home, awaiting delivery of his invitation to Batman’s wedding. Weirdly, he’s almost charming in his madness until the very end of the story. Tom King’s scripting is okay (albeit with a terrible ending) while Clay Mann really makes me appreciate his work. In the second story, Superman returns to the Daily Planet just in time for Perry White to announce that he’s not going to be accepting any more “Should We Trust Superman?” hot takes. The art in this portion of the issue is superb, the work of Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, and while I’m still not sure about how Bendis Superman will shake down, I’d read a fast food menu if it had Lopez illustrations in it. The story reveals that Lois has left the Daily Planet, but not the how or the why and introduces a new character to take her place in the Planet’s staff and who contractually has to be not what she seems. The final story presages the ‘No Justice’ crossover and features the new status quo for the Justice League(s), including bringing up the rest of the New Teen Titans of yore to join Cyborg in the big leagues…
…I’M NOT SURE I LIKE THE IDEA OF A ‘SUMMER OF EVENTS’
I enjoyed a lot of this issue, but I have two major caveats to that enjoyment: First, the phrase “Summer Of Events” fills me with what I can only describe as dread. Second, this issue is 100% designed to pique your interest without actually revealing anything, making for a comic that reads like a series of movie trailers. I’m psyched about the new take on The League (though I’m going to miss Batman’s weird little team that has been appearing in ‘Justice League Of America’) and this bit of Bendis Superman is much better than the mess we got at the end of Action Comics #1000. Your reaction to this comic is going to be predicated on whether or not you feel like these big jumping-on points are exciting or stupid, and as such, I’m going to reserve much of my over-arching judgement until the comics are available.
BOTTOM LINE: DEPENDS ON HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURE
Thus, we have a simple bit of math to do: 24 pages for 25 cents, multiplied times Garcia Lopez pencils, minus a little fear about Superman’s family getting retconned away… Once you carry the one, DC Nation #0 hits a pretty sweet spot, with nothing overtly awful (although King’s Joker is a fairy eyelash away from becoming a parody of itself) and some really lovely art, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. If you’re despondent about things to come, this won’t be a book that will put any of those fears to rest, but as an overall reading experience, it was pleasant enough (and featured JLA Beast Boy, an idea whose time has truly come.)
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