DC’s Rebirth – cool or not cool? Part 2/2: Justice League and Hellblazer

In part 1 of this two-part review post, I was reluctant to recommend the recently re-launched Flash and Batman comic book series to new readers. Let’s see if Justice League and Hellblazer do better. (Again, I read both with the prequel DC Universe Rebirth #1 in mind.)

Justice League: Rebirth #1

Language: English
Authors: Bryan Hitch (writer/penciller), Daniel Henriques (inker), Alex Sinclair (colourist)
Publisher: DC
Cover date: September 2016
Pages: 20
Price: $2.99
Website: http://www.dccomics.com/comics/justice-league-2016/justice-league-rebirth-1

I picked this book up because I thought it was a continuation of Bryan Hitch’s JLA (apparently officially titled Justice League of America, but on the cover it says JLA, so I’ll stick to that). And I think it was intended this way and will eventually become a sequel to JLA, because the funny thing is, JLA is still being published. Justice League: Rebirth references some events in JLA so it clearly takes place after JLA – a paradoxical situation probably due to JLA having been shipped late for some months. Right now, reading both series is confusing: in Justice League: Rebirth, Superman is dead and Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz are the Green Lanterns, whereas in JLA, Superman is still alive and Hal Jordan is Green Lantern.

Anyway, the story in this comic book is a one-shot about the Justice League fighting some giant alien in New York. There is very little connection to DC Universe Rebirth, except for the sub-plot about a second Superman getting ready to follow in the first one’s footsteps.

Justice League #1

Language: English
Authors: Bryan Hitch (writer), Tony S. Daniel (penciller), Sandu Florea (inker), Tomeu Morey (colourist)
Publisher: DC
Cover date: September 2016
Pages: 24
Price: $2.99
Website: http://www.dccomics.com/comics/justice-league-2016/justice-league-1

Bryan Hitch stays on board as writer while the art team is exchanged completely, and a new story starts that only vaguely builds on Justice League: Rebirth. The characters are the same though. And that’s the problem here: because it’s a superhero team with eight members, we don’t really learn anything about the individual characters. While Superman may still be deliberately kept in the background as a mysterious figure about whom more will be revealed in later issues, it’s frustrating when you keep wondering who these new Green Lanterns are and how they ended up in the Justice League (not to mention what has become of the old one).

Jumping-on point rating: ● ● ○ ○ ○

The Hellblazer: Rebirth #1

Language: English
Authors: Simon Oliver (writer), Moritat (artist), Andre Szymanowicz and Moritat (colourists)
Publisher: DC
Cover date: September 2016
Pages: 20
Price: $2.99
Website: http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-hellblazer-2016/the-hellblazer-rebirth-1

There is only one panel in DC Universe Rebirth that shows John Constantine; in it, he talks with Swamp Thing about Abigail’s disappearance, a plot which is continued in The Hellblazer #1. The Hellblazer: Rebirth, however, is a self-contained story about Constantine outwitting a demon with the help of Mercury, a character apparently introduced in the old Hellblazer series.

Once again I have no idea what the purpose of this Rebirth book is, as it is irrelevant to both DC Universe Rebirth and The Hellblazer.

The Hellblazer #1

Language: English
Authors: Simon Oliver (writer), Moritat (artist), Andre Szymanowicz and Moritat (colourists)
Publisher: DC
Cover date: October 2016
Pages: 20
Price: $2.99
Website: http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-hellblazer-2016/the-hellblazer-1

Constantine takes Swamp Thing to Mercury so that she can help him find his love interest Abigail. Meanwhile, two immortal beings who were present at the assassination of Franz Ferdinand meet again in the present day. Both of these sub-plots are merely set up here and will probably be continued in the following issues, but it is remarkable how they do not build on the Rebirth event at all. At the same time, Mercury is written as if she was supposed to be familiar to the readers (even though she didn’t appear in the pre-Rebirth Justice League Dark, for instance). Furthermore, this book is not a good introduction to the character of John Constantine, as we learn little about his backstory and the exact nature of his powers.

Jumping-on point rating: ● ● ● ○ ○

Summary: So was this whole Rebirth thing a good idea? If the point was to attract new readers, DC could have done much better. Instead of the unnecessary Rebirth issues (which will be collected in the first trade paperbacks of the individual series), they should have started the re-launched series with proper origin stories to fill the readers in on who the protagonists actually are. That would have been helpful for continuing readers too, who have only been left confused by DC Universe Rebirth.

Commercially, Rebirth seems to have worked for DC so far, but it remains to be seen if any noteworthy comics emerge from this mess. At any rate, the concept of continuity in superhero comics remains endangered.

 

 

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