Written by Eric Wallace
Illustrated by Gianluca GugliottaThe world’s third-smartest man — and one of its most eligible bachelors — uses his brains and fists against science gone mad in this new series from Eric Wallace (TITANS) and Roger Robinson!
Michael Holt is the head of a successful high-tech corporation and an institute that recruits and encourages the finest minds of the next generation to excel. As Mister Terrific he inhabits a world of amazement few others know exists, let alone can comprehend.
One of the characters that drew me to the Justice Society in recent years was Mister Terrific. A superhero based on intelligence alone is a great concept, and Michael Holt as a character had a compelling origin and fit well into the JSA, where he was the consummate teammate and resource to the entire DCU. When I heard that DC was giving him his own title, I was excited and optimistic, despite the fact that the book was being written by Eric Wallace — a writer that, truth be told, has proven inconsistent over his stay at DC Comics (and some would say that is putting it nicely).
My fears got even worse when reading the original series solicitation, which began: “The world’s smartest man — and one of its most eligible bachelors.” I wondered if Holt was really the character to turn into a playboy — especially because, with Batman, Green Lantern, and Green Arrow still around, the lothario is alive and well in the DC Universe.
So, which book did we get: the mentoring, brilliant, team player, or the man about town who also happens to be a super-genius? Find out after the jump.
We got neither. Instead, we got one of the worst books of 2011.
Boy, oh boy, do I hate this book. I hate the art. I hate what has been changed about Holt’s origin. I hate the dialogue. I hate the unnecessary and heavy-handed racial “issues” brought up. I hate its stereotyping. I hate its characterizations. If it weren’t for JG Jones’s beautiful cover, I would hate every single thing about this issue.
Let’s start with the art — this is, by far, the most inconsistent art of any of the new 52 titles so far. Two different panels on the same page reveal two people of different physical build, facial structure, and age — but the panels happen less than a minute apart in the series timeline, and both people are Michael Holt. Gianluca Gugliotta has a real problem with perspective in this issue — whenever a character is shown at anything lower than eye-level, they have a giant, Jay Leno-ish chin. But when the same character is shown at a different angle, they have a normal sized chin. If this happened once, I could ignore it, but it happens over and over again throughout the issue, with more than one character.
I could excuse the art if the story was decent, but there is nothing appealing about the writing, in dialogue or plotting, either. I was hesitant to criticize Wallace based on his focus on race in his previous work; much of his work was with Tattooed Man, a character who often felt marginalized because of his role as an African American in the DCU. But here, Holt’s race is brought up for needless reasons. In the first action sequence, people are asking Holt’s name, and after he tells them that he is not only called Mister Terrific, but also that “some call me the world’s third smartest man.” When the bystanders ask the logical questions that would come when someone tells you they are the world’s third smartest man, this is what comes out of his mouth: “Actually, a simple ‘thanks, black guy, for saving us from a homicidal lunatic wearing weaponized body armor’ will do.”
Where to begin with that — a statement that tells us everything we need to know about this comic? First of all, would someone that smart so acutely misread this situation? When you present yourself as something, especially something unusual, people will question it. If I gave you a candy bar and said “Enjoy this gift from Brian, New Jersey’s Strong Man and Gymnastics Expert,” and you didn’t ask me to do something to prove it to you, then I would assume something is wrong with you. Secondly, if Holt is so smart, wouldn’t he realize that these people have just witnessed a SUPERHERO FIGHT IN THE SKY, and therefore might not be in their best conversational head space? He can cut them some slack on the questions.
Continued belowBut the most disturbing part is the phrase “black man.” There is nothing even close to racism in this comic; there is nothing even close to tension caused by racial issues. Race isn’t brought up in places that would make sense, like perhaps finding it hard to find respect as a black billionaire in a sea of rich white people. There could be some good stories told in that area. But nothing close to a good reason for race to be brought up happens on the London Eye, when nice people are simply responding to something you told them.
Like I said earlier, this tells us everything about this issue — Holt is an asshole to innocent people, so why should we care?
If you managed to read on past that (and kudos if you could), you would find stereotype junction was stopped at more than once on this trip. Karen Starr, known to many as Power Girl, is used here for no reason whatsoever, except to show off her breasts and be the threatening white woman competing for Michael’s love alongside Aleeka, a woman we have little to no clue about and, therefore, don’t care about. We also have Holt stereotyping both Republicans and Democrats at a fundraiser he is throwing, stereotyping the homeless, stereotyping waitresses in Los Angeles, the list goes on and on.
Plain and simple, this a lazy comic book. It is, of course, easier to go for easy conflict points without telling an actual story, and I can’t tell you how little actual story is here. Holt’s origin is given a tune-up and even though I’m not a fan, I can understand why it was done. That origin, along with the mysterious noise that makes you brilliant and mean (seriously) are the only things in this issue that matters even an iota to the story at large. The rest is all broad characterizations, attempts to be witty that fail miserably, and artwork that seems like it was rushed out without an editor’s guidance or even reference points to make sure everyone looks the same panel to panel.
DC has said numerous times that customers speak with their wallets, and that if books don’t sell, they will be given a very short run before being cancelled. For the good of everyone out there, please, PLEASE, do not buy this comic book. You will make the world a better place by helping to usher this book off to the pasture. I can only hope that Mister Terrific, the character, isn’t forever damaged by this less than terrific take on him.
Final Verdict: 0.0 — Buy under the penalty of snarky comments for the rest of your life
