Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Stormwatch #1

By Dan Horn
September 8, 2011 - 15:29

Dear Lord, there's a lot going on in this debut issue of Paul Cornell's Stormwatch. Really, there's too much going on.

One of the huge problems here is pace, and the other is its order in the New 52 release queue. The opening page asks its readers to reference the first issue of Superman, which doesn't see a release until September 28! And that reference seems to be what might possibly stitch this entire plot together. So, we've already got very little bearing on the story. We're off to a great start.

This new arc involves several simultaneous and seemingly unrelated crises which the ancient, warrior cabal known as Stormwatch must prevent from destroying the world. The new roster of this rebooted Wildstorm Comics franchise boasts many of the original cast (well, maybe more of the cast from the Authority offshoot) and benefits from the inclusion of DC Comics superhero Martian Manhunter.

Paul Cornell seems to be attempting to grab new readers' attention any way he can here, unfortunately, mucking up his own fantastic story's potential. First we're in hyperspace investigating an anomalous cosmic ram's horn, then we're on the moon fighting its animated surface, then we're on Earth on a recruiting mission, then we're in the Himalayas, then this happens, then that happens. It's almost an overload, especially considering the fact that we don't, as I've already addressed, really know what the hell is going on from a "previous" story slated to launch after the fact.

Cornell's an incredibly talented and accomplished author and needs not prove himself to me, but I'm afraid that his frenetic mish-mash in Stormwatch #1 might be a little too ridiculous to reel in new readership or hold their interest for any longer than one issue. We get very little character development of any of the players here except the Superman-like Apollo, whose only interests seem to be brooding and emoting. However, readers are given an interesting cliffhanger at the end of this issue, which definitely propagates curiosity.

Miguel Sepulveda's artwork is another blow against this book's appeal. A lot the panels in this issue seem to be derived from software templates or to be digitally layered, recycling illustrations from earlier in the book and superimposing them elsewhere. Sepulveda's actual drawings come out looking inelegant and clumsy. There are very few really compelling illustrations in Stormwatch #1, which is a shame. A particular scene inside of the moon really had the potential to ascend to iconic pop-artistry.

Maybe with the opportunity to decompress a bit, and with a different artistic team, this series would flourish, but I'm not so sure readers are going to give it that chance. Stormwatch may be doomed to cancellation yet again.

Rating: 6 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12