The Gold Standard: Top Five Disappointing New 52 Books Of The DC Comics Relaunch

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In the vein of last weeks list of the five biggest surprises of the Relaunch, I’ve decided to bring you my five biggest disappointments!

5. Legion of Superheroes


Part of me hoped that the relaunch would give Paul Levitz an opportunity to streamline the Legion to the point where they were actually accessible to pick up and read. I mean, I’ve been reading his run since he came back a few years ago, but while it’s been really good at times it tends to just…fall flat. Under a wall of continuity. I had no idea what level of a relaunch would effect this title, and oddly enough, there is none. Now, while that is a bonus in the case of some books, this is a franchise that needed a shot in the arm and instead just got a new number one with some poorly defined academy members from the sister title. It’s not a bad title, it’s just…it isn’t very good.

 

4. Red Hood and the Outlaws


So I wasn’t disappointed with Slutfire’s characterization, or her shaking the goods all over the panel. Those were things I EXPECTED. What disappointed me was Roy being a hollow shell of a character and Jason to have some secret Tibetan past. I just came out of the issue wanting more and feeling like I’d just read an issue of something from early Image. I do love the 90’s, but this just had that entirely hollow feel that kept turning up until the artists started finding writing buddies.

 

3. Green Arrow


I’ve heard people complain that Krul’s dialog is too stiff, but I never really got that feeling in his last Green Arrow run. Despite it being an overly extended loose tie in to Brightest Day (that wound up being all important), it really found strength in characterization and interesting moments. This book didn’t have the same feeling of a strong lead character that Krul had previously handled with Ollie, and really, it just wasn’t nearly as good as I had expected it to be.

 

2. Batman and Robin


This was the central book of the entire Bat line just last September, did you remember that? In the time before Batman Incorporated, Batman and Robin was king. Then it feel into mediocrity with throw away three parters as the announced creative team of Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason kept getting delayed. Well, here they are, and Damian is back to behaving the way he did in the first issue of the last volume. The insolent little jackass who learned respect from Dick Grayson already seems back to square one even going as far as to kill three guys with a gleeful smile, while Bruce Wayne just wants to be happy. Couple it with plots that actually need to be narrated? It’s far less than I expected from the usually great Peter Tomasi.

 

1. Batgirl

I bought it because it was Gail, and I defended it’s averageness initially by saying that she is a full arc kind of a writer and not a first issue one. Then I read the issue a few more times. Then I got out my trades of Bryan Q. Miller’s Batgirl. And then I missed Steph, a lot. To go from something that fun and well written to this with the bad guy from Final Destination and Babs being afraid of guns just feels….like such a waste of a good book. Why was Batgirl my biggest disappointment? Because it’s just not nearly as good as the one we had in August.

 

A lifelong reader and self proclaimed continuity guru, Grey is the Editor in Chief of Comics Nexus. Known for his love of Booster Gold, Spider-Girl (the real one), Stephanie Brown, and The Boys. Don't miss The Gold Standard.