52, Vol. 1
by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
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Book Summary Information
Author: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark WaidBrand: DC Comics
Illustrator: Keith Giffen
Illustrator: J.G. Jones
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-05-02
ISBN: 1401213537
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: DC Comics
Book Reviews of 52, Vol. 1
Book Review: best enjoyed on its own terms
Summary: 4 Stars
Other reviewers will invariably take 52 to task for a perceived neglect in achieving what they have taken to be the purported goal of this series. And while there is a certain legitimacy to these gripes, they do a disservice to the series which, on its own terms--which is to say, outside of reader expectations--mostly succeeds in weaving together a diverse collection of narrative threads and character arcs, and eventually coming to some rather clever and exciting, if occasionally confusing, conclusions.
It is true that the extent to which it speaks to the One Year Later stories seems almost an afterthought...but oh well. What it does do is introduce new readers (or reintroduce them to comics veterans) to an assortment of lesser-known but otherwise strong characters from DC's B-list and put into motion events that, by the end, allow each of those characters to shine in a way that a universe dominated by the Big 3 seldom allows. DC never entertained the idea that characters of the ilk of Booster Gold and Elongated Man could someday be A-list headliners of flagship titles. That's just silly. Instead, 52 is an ensemble drama that rewards readers for their attention.
If it has a weakness, it is that the real-time gimmick doesn't always bear out very well, as some plot lines seem absurdly protracted in order to coordinate story and thematic climaxes. But thankfully, this only begins to plague the series about two-thirds of the way in. The first collected volume, which only contains the set-ups, still manages to pack a good deal of narrative punch as it puts all of our protagonists into situations within which they are the decided underdogs:
Booster Gold discovers that he may in some way be responsible for breaking time. Animal Man, Adam Strange, and Starfire are stranded in deep space with a bounty on their heads. John Henry Irons stands as the only moral counterbalance to the hollow promises and Machiavellian intent of Lex Luthor's Everyman program. Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man) is living on borrowed time after a near suicide attempt while he attempts to put his final affairs in order. And so on. You may not care for all of these mysteries or all of these characters, but the chances are good that at least one of these plotlines will suck you in.
At its best, 52 is rousing. At its worst, plodding. Though never particularly bad, in my opinion. And the early installments were all fairly well-paced.
Summary of 52, Vol. 1
After the INFINITE CRISIS, the DC Universe spent a year without Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman -- a year in which those heroes were needed more than ever as the fate of the world hung in the balance.This is 52, a four volume collection of the unprecedented, critically acclaimed weekly series of death, danger, romance, terror and the never-ending search for heroism in the DC Universe's most eventful year ever.
The series features the best and brightest writers from the comic-book field: Geoff Johns (INFINITE CRISIS), Grant Morrison (ALL STAR SUPERMAN), Greg Rucka (WONDER WOMAN) and Mark Waid (KINGDOM COME), working together to tell the tale of a world awakening from a nightmare to face a new day. With their leaders gone, which heroes will stand tall? Who will fail at the most critical moment? Who will live -- and who will die?
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