Good Guys 1.5
Another pretty inniovative concept that sort of hit the wall with its release. It was a fun idea to serialize a comic - and release a few things each month. But when it's gettign released before any of the comics - and fits between a few of the comics that are set to be released in the future - I'm not entirely certain that most readers will really follow along from issue to issue or part to part of the issue.
The comic is presented in multitudes of places for free - so I thought that I would also put it here - and you could easily follow the story and make your own decision about the integrity/seriousness or set of the comic and series here. The first pages of the comic are okay. Perhaps a bit too superficial to be really jumping that far into a life of crime and prostitution, but leading into a comic with no ability to read - it does set up the story and desire quickly - and then is able to in only a few panels right at the end - set the hook to our reader to jump back again in next month. It's also simple enough to remember when I pick up that issue of Previews, too. That guy was looking for kid in the wrong neighborhood. The second installment is nearly a joke. Not certain if they missed a deadline, or were only intending to really include two pages inside the issue - but it really doesn't do much except establish that most people aren't entirely believing this guy and what he's doing. The next installment is shorter (two pages - but more panels and less dialogue) and less happens. Just really bridging the gaps again. The next set does a much better job of filling in gaps - but again is too short. We move forth bit - and it's the first time that I am starting to really get a true feel for the world - and I am feeling like I am back inside of the old Valiant world here. Very reminiscent of early Harbinger comics when not much really happens in the pages - but the character depth and complexity - even from the tiniest turns of phrase and sets really move the story forward. The last section is good. But messy. I don't know entirely the exact order this whole thing was really released - but I do know this. The vast majority of people who found this comic weren't regular readers of anything in the Defiant comics. If that's the case, thrusting the entire team into the issue - six or seven regulars plus the villains, and these tangential - may be focal later characters COULD have been cool - but there was too much to keep track of. Instead, when it hooked me, put the team with one or two great characters - and I will be tempted to buy it. |