DC seems to think that the best way to popularize characters previously considered lame is to just point out how lame they are. Let’s call this the Aquaman Axiom. The AA is something I never quite understood, nor do I want to spend too much time psychoanalyzing DC’s braintrust, but I get the general idea – you point out your own bucked teeth before someone else can; you can’t fire me, I quit!
But that doesn’t account for one tiny detail – what happens when the product is actually pretty good?
Written by Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns
Illustrated by Pete Woods• No, that’s not a typo. Vibe stars in his own ongoing monthly title, starting with this debut issue cowritten by GEOFF JOHNS!
• One of the most unlikely members of the Justice League of America ever (okay, THE most unlikely) will soon discover he’s one of the most powerful individuals on Earth. But how did Vibe get his abilities? What is the cost to them? And why does the JLA want him on the team so desperately?
• Plus: We’ve seen the Red Room and the Black Room, but what is…the Circus?
In the interest of full disclosure, I picked up this book because I expected to laugh at it; Vibe is a character with a less than stellar history, and everything about this book screamed bad idea. From the cash grab of a title, to the attempt to “serious” up the origin, it seemed like the next quickly cancelled book.
But then, reading it, it becomes clear that co-writer Geoff Johns sees Vibe as a character that can affect the DCnU in many ways, but most importantly from being a key to traveling the Multiverse. His origin has been significantly cleaned up, and tied into the Apokolyptan invasion seen in “Justice League” #1. This is one of the few New 52 origins that makes sense, both from a storytelling and a character building perspective.
Vibe is no longer Paco Ramone but now Cisco Ramon, still a Detroit native who becomes a teenage superhero. Except for the similar name, hometown and basic power set, everything else has changed for Vibe. His powers (being able to tap into vibrational frequencies, both to shake the ground and to shoot concentrated blasts of energy, come from being caught in the crosshairs of a Boom Tube, but he was pulled to safety by his older brother, who was killed in the process. Cisco seems to be a serious guy, shaken by the loss of his brother, and concerned about his family. This issue is a basic origin tale, bringing the reader up to speed on who Cisco is, and his affiliation with the Justice League.
The consistently impressive yet constantly underrated Pete Woods is on pencils, and his character work remains some of the best in the business. He captures little moments within people’s days that most artists would simply ignore and/or make heavy handed. Cisco’s sadness is just beyond his face during most of the issue, but Woods doesn’t dollop on the maudlin. Woods also exceeds at the action sequences, and manages to give a hard to visualize power, vibrating, some real nice moments.
This book is big on continuity, and helping pieces fit together, and the final scene reveals a player that has been teased for over a year now (although we don’t get a real look at them), as well as showing off “the Circus,” which is basically jail cells for metahumans. We get to see a Qwardian Weaponer, as well as other characters who you can’t make out full names of (Cyber – possibly Dr. Cyber, Krakk—, an electric looking creature, etc). The issue also has the New 52 debut, albeit quite briefly, of another Justice League Detroit alum, who seems to have plans going forward.
Although this issue is listed as being co-written by Johns and Kreisberg, this seems like a Johns joint all the way and, in particular, a pre-New 52 Johns joint. Continuity woven through a heartbreaking origin, with a healthy dose of hints of things to come scattered throughout. Between this, “Justice League,” and “Justice League of America” this week, Johns has started to re-mythologize the DC Universe in a way that has been absent since “Flashpoint.” And that is a good thing.
Continued belowWhether this series can carry its momentum past the next issue remains to be seen, but for a book about a joke character, awkwardly titled to make more money, this books feels pretty damn essential to the New 52 and its mythos.
And it stars Vibe. How weird is that?
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy
