STORMWATCH #1

STORMWATCH #1 by gillianhastie

September 13, 2011, 9:59 pm
Filed under: Comic Reviews, DC Comics | Tags: DCNew52, GarthEnnis, GrantMorrison, MiguelSepulveda, PaulCornell, Stormwatch, warrenellis

Stormwatch is an excellent example of a Wildstorm import into the new DCU. The characters and concept are pretty original but go quite well with the existing DC cast, and I reckon incorporating the Martian Manhunter was a good move.  He fits in with the others in manner and mood, and he goes with the colour scheme. Bonus.

The concept is basically this: somewhere in hyperspace, a bunch of super powered individuals are hiding out, protecting the earth in secret.  It’s that last bit I don’t quite get yet – when CK is out and about in his jeans saving the world in full view, why the need for the secrecy?

The artwork is varied, from Minority Report-style tech in neon, through blue lasers in space to an arctic snowstorm.  Some characters hang out aboard the spaceship, some go artefact hunting and one goes up against the surface of the moon (yep, you read that right). He falls through and meets a giant eye, which then tells us a bit of SW’s past. Odd that the eye does this aloud – seems like backstory shoved in for the sake of it.

There’s a good balance of male and female leads, and a lot more going on than I have recounted here, but I really don’t want to spoil it.  As mental as it all is, it’s well worth a read. It’s like Torchwood meets Uncharted, but I don’t think you’d need to like either of those to enjoy it. If you don’t like it, I’ll refund your cash personally. (No, no I won’t. Just in case. I have my own comic habit to feed and my dealer won’t like not getting paid.)

After this first instalment I was curious about SW‘s history and Googled.  It seems Jim Lee created and owned this way back and past writers have included Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis and the Supergod himself, Mr. Grant Morrison.  I’ll no doubt go read some of the old stuff, as well as this new run.  Of the 14 DCnewU books I’ve read so far, this is the most original. I can’t help thinking that with this, if nothing else, DC have achieved what they set out to do: I expect it’s a great read for those trying to find their way into DC books.

And the next time someone asks which superpower I want, I’ll be telling them all about the Projectionist’s wonderful brain, tethered to the Internet.

Gillian @surelyshine

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