DC's New 52, Top 5: Week 3

Three quarters of DC's #1s have been released, and the comics show no sign of slowing in their quality. Below is my top 5 list for the third week of The New 52.

#1: Batman

Written by SCOTT SNYDER, Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION, Cover by GREG CAPULLO 

Everyone's heard of Batman. He's beaten his fiercest foes, Joker, Two-Face, etc. countless times. He rules the night and is always a step ahead. Well... not anymore. Change is coming to Gotham. Bruce Wayne is taking pro-active, corporate means to improve it. A new mayor, supporting him, wants to make Gotham a better place. Not everyone's happy, though. Some evil force - woven into the very mythology of Gotham City - has something to say. And they protest loudly and violently.

The artwork is marvelous. Besides the fact it looks incredible, this issue transitions seamlessly between many different tones: violent, calm, insane, friendly, reminiscent, hopeful, horrific, ominous, and shocking. The art compliments the many different events perfectly and helps it flow so smoothly. 

Together, the writing and art of Batman #1 tell a wonderful, new-reader friendly tale that makes you know change is coming. Whether or not it will work out for the best of Gotham and the Bat-family, however, is yet to be seen.

#2: Nightwing

Written by KYLE HIGGINS, Art and cover by EDDY BARROWS and JP MAYER 

Dick Grayson, Nightwing's real name, is an acrobat. He leaps, flies, soars and swings with more grace and speed than perhaps anyone in the DCU. As a result, his fights are exciting, but that's not all that's in this issue. Nightwing, as a person and as a hero, has both a distinct character and story, and his emotions and thoughts are very real and very enjoyable to read. 

Dick Grayson, unlike Bruce Wayne, who trained him, is a happy person. Not only does he want to enjoy life, but he's a genuinely compassionate person full of youthful energy. Unfortunately, as he lives in Gotham, he has to deal with all of the horror the city throws at him, just like Batman does. The wonderful art in this issue deals with that just as much as the story does, if not more. The contrast of light and dark used sends a powerful message. 

Nightwing #1 gets across his history as a circus performer, time as Robin, and even his brief year as Batman in the opening sequence. It doesn't dwell on past events, but instead explains them briefly, allowing for a wonderful balance of understandability and leaving time to get the plot and intense action rolling. 

#3: Wonder Woman

Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO, Art and cover by CLIFF CHIANG

Diana of Themyscira, Wonder Woman, plays in a game of Gods. Wonder Woman #1 returns Diana to her roots of Greek mythology. And, like in Greek mythology, the Gods have their own, selfish agenda, and Wonder Woman is caught smack dab in the middle. 

The tone of this comic is downright dark, and the powerfully severe art drives the point across. It takes into its core the dreary viewpoint of an ancient Greek mortal who felt his life was at the whim of petty beings with infinite power. In Greek Mythology, the Gods were every bit as mighty as they were a reflection of humanity's worst behaviors, and that tradition lives on, as demonstrated by this comic.

The comic is only bad for one reason: it is perhaps the most confusing and requires the most background information of any of The New 52 that I've read. Not of Wonder Woman herself, the character's past isn't mentioned and the Amazon-warrior personality inside of her comes out quite clearly. What the reader must know about is Greek mythology, or the comic is unbearably confusing, and even after that requires a second read through to fully understand it. Besides that, it is a phenomenal comic, and here is a list of factoids about Greek mythology that the book draws upon.

• Zeus is king of the Gods
• Hera, Zeus's wife, is a very jealous woman
• Zeus is very promiscuous
• Peacock feathers are a symbol of Hera
• Apollo, the Sun God, is Zeus's son
• Oracles, soothsayers, spoke in cryptic language, and were priestesses dedicated to Apollo 
• Hermes is the messenger of the Gods and is very fast
• The Gods are always fighting amongst themselves

#4: Catwoman

Written by JUDD WINICK, Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH 

Selina Kyle lives fast and loose, and Catwoman #1 embodies this spirit. Catwoman's personality and the way she views the world as a large playground are explored, and it's the perfect introduction to her character. This is hands down the most fun comic of The New 52 so far.

A quick caveat: this comic is rated T+ for a reason. There is not a lot of violence, but the one scene in which Catwoman exacts revenge on someone who had harmed her friend is very, very bloody. The comic is also very, very sexual. Catwoman is either dressed in very revealing clothing, skin-tight leather, or is removing some amount of clothing. A lot of people find issue with this, but I do not. While the comic is indulgent, it does so to present Selina Kyle as the personification of an adventurous feline. The stunning art is very sensationalist, but it's nothing you wouldn't see in a movie, and is used, especially in the last scene, to take sexuality in comics to a whole new, intimate, and remarkable level.

#5: Supergirl

Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON, Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR

Supergirl #1 does two things perfectly. The first is that it tells a story from someone's point of view. Kara Zor-El, or Supergirl, a Kryptonian, crash lands on Earth. Her thought process, reinforced by the changing mood of the art, is incredibly genuine as her reality begins to dawn on her.

The second bit of perfection is that Supergirl is by far the most new-reader friendly book out of everything I've read so far. You can't have any questions about her past that puts you at a disadvantage to other readers because it starts out at her beginning. Her character and personality also comes across brilliantly through her inner thoughts, and, as such, this issue really is a fantastic introduction.

Honorable Mention: DC Universe Presents Deadman #1 (Written by PAUL JENKINS, Art by BERNARD CHANG, Cover by RYAN SOOK)