Aquaman, The Flash and with Wonder Woman remain core members of DC Comics’ Justice League even in the DC Rebirth era. They each headline their ongoing twice monthly shipping series.
With their respective DC Universe Rebirth one-shots out of the way, this week we have the launch of Aquaman #1, The Flash #1 and Wonder Woman #1.
Spoilers and review follow for DC Rebirth’s Aquaman #1.
Aquaman and Mera are getting ready to open Atlantis up to the surface world. Their relationship seems string and Black Manta is lurking in the shadows.
Atlanta has an embassy on the land in Massachusetts and journalists and others are invited to it. The cast includes Ray Delane who works for the Daily Planet and British Navy’s Lieutenant Joanna Stubbs, who will be a liaison of sorts of the Atlantean embassy.
Lt. Stubbs is meeting with Atlantis’ Captain Sark for the usual diplomatic and political overtures.
The story gets wild when the reporter munches on a sea slug.
However, it turns out to be a ruse as the Reporter is really the villain of the piece; the real reporter is dead and in the trunk of his car! Here comes…
…Black Manta! Sark is impaled!
Black Manta sabotages the embassy causing water to flood in and threaten the air-breathers / humans!
Mera tries to manipulate the water with her powers, but is skewered by Black Manta. Is she dead?
The story ends with Aquaman and Black Manta going toe-to-toe with Aquaman also stabbed… looks like Black Manta is starting Rebirth off with a bang.
A slow, but decent debut issue story-wise, but with some AMAZING art. I enjoyed the geopolitical aspects of the tale and am eager to see where this all goes.
Spoilers and review follow for DC Rebirth’s The Flash #1.
We open with the quick origin of how Barry Allen was strike by lightning and with chemicals it also struck became the Flash. At the time, we see his friend August Heart was their to help him.
In the modern day, we see August Heart make a delivery to STAR Labs and things go crazy as their convoy is attacked by a militia called the Black Hole.
Flash arrives and during the battle with the Black Hole, it seems August Heart gets injured, but all is not as it seems as this could be the origin of new Flash friend or foe Godspeed?
Is August Heart Godspeed?
A fast-paced action-packed issue, with a slow build for August Heart, and with solid art. An enjoyable first issue.
Spoilers and review follow for DC Rebirth’s Wonder Woman #1.
What I found the most illuminating of this issue was the plot involving Master Chief Steve Trevor and his boss, yes, boss a now classic Amanda Waller modeled Etta Candy. Steve Trevor is in the field with a team chasing a threat who has ravaged a village. Etta Candy has learned Wonder Woman is in the same area and wonders if Steve Trevoe betrayed the team and op by speaking to her. Steve says it must be a coincidence, but he still pines for WW. This plot was really well drawn and the story was impactful and accessible; a mirror to world challenges today.
The other plot in the book involves Wonder Woman on her quest to know the truth about herself and her world. Everything has changed so she seeks out a goddess.
A goddess who was protected by beasts of her own, who Wonder Woman vanquished, but…
…this goddess is powerful in her own right…
…the Cheetah? The Cheetah, a classic Wonder Woman villain, is now a goddess? And, Wonder Woman can’t find her Amazon family or their home on Themyscira.
No word or development on Wonder Woman’s twin brother Jason… yet.
A pretty strong debut issue for this twice monthly shipping ongoing series. An accessible, understandable and very-human subplot involving geopolitics with Etta Candy and Steve Trevor; plus an adventurous, mysterious, mythological quest plot for Wonder Woman. A really well done issue on story and art.