Huntress and Power Girl are two fan-favorite female characters, so it only makes sense for DC to give them a new team-up book as part of their second wave of new comics. The catch? They’re from Earth 2. The catch to that? They’re from Earth 2, but are now in the post-Flashpoint DC Universe. Is DC already fumbling in their attempt to clear their continuity for the sake of new readers?
Written by Paul Levitz
Illustrated by George Pérez and Kevin Maguire
– New ongoing series featuring POWER GIRL and HUNTRESS of Earth 2!- PAUL LEVITZ teams with amazing artists GEORGE PEREZ and KEVIN MAGUIRE.- Discover why these two heroes are stranded on our Earth — and what it means for the heroes of the DC Universe.
Writer Paul Levitz is clearly having fun with this book. The dialogue is snappy without being obnoxious, and, unlike many other instances of banter in comic books, nearly always comes off as completely natural. The one instances to the contrary is near the end; sure, Helena and Karen are snappy, but it is hard to believe they would be making such quips after the destruction of something so valuable, but that could just be how they are. Otherwise, the two characters are very well fleshed out, especially considering that this is only the first issue. The aforementioned dialogue, along with the two characters’ respective inner monologues, carry most of the weight, but both characters perform minor actions that help the reader see their character just as much as they are “heard.”
This is most impressive with Levitz’s handle on Helena’s character; it can often be difficult for writers to write a character that is reserved without seeming either dark and moody or socially awkward – unless the writer is deliberately going for one of those tired cliches – but Levitz manages to make his Helena seem both quiet and cheerful. When nearly every possible superhero story has been told over and over again, solid characterization is what marks a quality book, and the first issue of “World’s Finest” has that in spades.
What can be said about artists George Pérez and Kevin Maguire that has not been said before? Both artists display their knack for sequential storytelling and their mastery of the human form in this comic. In both sequences, the colorists work with the respective artists ideally: Hi-Fi studios is able to conjure up light gradients that meld with Pérez’s art into a touched-up version of classic 80’s comic art, while Rosemary Cheetham easily handles Kevin Maguire’s thin lines with supplementary gradients that avoid coming off as over-rendered – a common problem in modern coloring. The backgrounds are detailed, the motion is dynamic, and faces are expressive – this is Maguire we are talking about, after all – there is nothing worth complaining about regarding these two masters of their craft.
The continuity involved with this issue is a mark against it. Levitz clearly tries his best to make sure readers do not have to read this week’s “Earth 2” to understand exactly what is going on in this issue, but does not quite hit the nail on the head. The problem is not that there are not enough references to the two heroines’ lives back on Earth 2 to give the reader a solid footing; rather, the information is all technically there, but it is presented through only a few brief snippets of dialogue and a two-page flashback. The references to Earth 2 only serve to confuse the reader, rather than inform, despite Levitz’s efforts. Perhaps if Levitz had pushed a post-Earth 2 scene from this issue into another one, and either lengthened the one scene on Earth 2 or added another one, it would have turned out better. It certainly does not ruin the book, especially if you were going to read “Earth 2” anyway, but those who were only interested in the adventures of Helena and Karen might be a bit frustrated.
“World’s Finest” is not exactly the best book on the stands, but if you are just looking for a fun superhero title starring two interesting female leads, you would be remiss to pick up this first issue – especially if you are already buying “Earth 2.” Not everyone will love it, but it is certainly worth gambling $2.99 to find out if you are one of the many who will enjoy it.
Final Verdict: 7.0 – Buy it!
