Reborn, Red One

Reborn 1-3

I don’t read everything that Mark Millar writes.  Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl were never interesting enough to make their way into my buy pile.  But I usually see the Millar titles that I do buy through to the end, because he’s a good writer and I like his stuff.  Reborn is the rare exception.  I quit buying it at the halfway point.  

The art was more than adequate.  I haven’t really kept up with Greg Capullo since his X-Force  days (where I loved him).  I didn’t read his Spawn, Batman (aside from the Death of the Family arc), or whatever else he worked on.  His art’s evolved a decent amount in that time, but the progression is quite clear.  He’s still good.

Unfortunately, as fantastical as the things he’s drawing are, there’s still something generic about the world he and Millar have created.  Same with the story - People are reincarnated into a fantasy world. Good guys fight the bad guys. Bonnie’s on a quest to find her husband.  Some generic villain is out to kill her. Yawn. Did nothing for me. It’s as ho-hum as I remembered it, not a tough cut.

I’ll say this, though.  Giant dragons with lion heads eating flying elephants is freaking awesome.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine (Cutting)

Red One 1-2

An excuse for Terry Dodson to draw a hot heroine.  He belongs in the same school as Adam Hughes and Frank Cho, and I’m never going to complain about that.

Hughes

Cho

Dodson

The story by Xavier Dorison is an odd one.  Vera is a Russian spy posing as an American superhero in order to kill a Puritanical maniac who’s been murdering gays and porn stars amidst a wave of self-righteous conservative extremism that’s been sweeping the nation.  (I’ve been enjoying these one-sentence run-on summaries.) Vera has the positive enthusiasm of Neil Gaiman’s Death, but with considerably more sexual appetite. It’s a lot of fun.

I stopped buying after it went on extended hiatus after two issues.  Only two issues have come out since. I might pick them up.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice