Review: "Green Lanterns: Rebirth" #1

Sadly, Green Lanterns: Rebirth doesn't do particularly much to keep its readers invested, even though protagonists Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz are wonderfully complex characters, whose back stories are signified by loss and perseverance in the face of public and private adversity. 

Writers Johns and Humphries, however, don't explore this intriguing potential enough here, but focus half the comic on their uninspired banter and quarrels, before Hal Jordan makes them team up to defend earth. Think of him as some sort of cosmic Edward James Olmos in a buddy cop comic story that you shouldn't already give up on now, but that needs to figure out what it really wants to be and where its strengths ultimately lie.

5/10

Final Thoughts on the "DC Universe Rebirth"

Chapter 4 and epilogue of "Rebirth" see writer Geoff Johns add less new characters into the mix, but rather develop the stories he has already established in the first three chapters. Artists Phil Jimenez and Gary Frank do an absolutely superb job of grasping the nuanced emotions of the two Flashes' reunion, and Johns just masterfully paces Batman's discovery of Rebirth's final (and somewhat expected/heavily hinted at) revelation.

After all, "Rebirth" knows how to prepare its readers for the DC Universe's imminent overhaul, finding the right balance between explanation/exposition and creating some intriguing new mysteries.

8/10

More Thoughts on the "DC Universe Rebirth"

Geoff Johns' methodical approach continues in chapter 3, which again focuses more on Wally West's journey through the Speed Force. Ivan Reis' art is quite uninspiring here, especially since it's so similar to that of Gary Frank's in the first two chapters. Why go with a different penciller at all then!?

It succeeds, however, in creating some much needed story lines that can actually work in their own right (with an end that is absolutely captivating), even if its kitschy tone lets the comic down more than once. 

Some More Thoughts on the "DC Universe Rebirth"

It's good to see that the arrangement into chapters in "Rebirth" actually follows a logical division. While chapter 1 gave us an overview of its central lore, chapter 2 completely focuses on the vast amount of DC characters that are involved. 

From Johnny Thunder, The Atom, Blue Beetle to Aqualad and Doctor Fate, it's refreshing to see some second-tier characters taking central stage here, even though some of them would have needed further evaluation to fit into the bigger picture properly. But even this very methodical approach is able to create some memorable scenes and encounters, as readers will be excited to see what happens in chapter 3.

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First Impressions of the "DC Universe Rebirth"

First Impressions of the "DC Universe Rebirth"

If there's one thing you'd have to give the "DC Universe Rebirth" credit for, it would certainly be its relentless pursuit of something grand. Writer Geoff Johns is aiming high and he knows it, but he's also aware that there's something at stake here, with much more to lose for him and DC Comics than to win. A successful rebirth event might result in a creatively compelling future for a lot of DC's trademark series. If it goes wrong, though, it might take a long time for DC to recover from it.

However, after reading the first chapter, focusing on the Wally West incarnation of The Flash and his struggle to escape the Speed Force, it all looks very promising. Probably its greatest achievement is that "Rebirth" makes complex and complicated matters look easy. If you don't know know what "Flashpoint" is or what happened during "The New 52" era, it all doesn't really matter. Johns impressively manages to pack a lot of coherently presented information in these first few pages. New readers will instantly feel familiarized with something bigger, while seasoned readers might be happy about the little update.

Sure, there is a sense of self-importance that permeates the story, Batman pales beside the strong writing Wally receives, and Gary Frank's and Ethan van Sciver's polished art plays it too safe at times, but all in all this is a more than satisfying first part of DC's ambitious rebirth event.