The Twelve #3 – Review

By J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Chris Weston (pencils), Garry Leach (inks), Chris Chuckry (colors)

Wow, this book is so damn good. In my opinion, The Twelve is J. Michael Straczynski’s best work. The amount of “character study” he’s put into this cast is just staggering. And the way they’ve been acting to their new found lives in the modern age is completely enthralling. I won’t even get into Chris Weston’s art. Talk about being meticulous, Weston draws his heart out with each issue, rendering a world that is so detail oriented, while not feeling “photo referenced”. Inker Garry Leach provides all the support by bringing those pencils to life.

Issue #3 gives us more of the same, as the Twelve try to discover their place in this new world. Phantom Reporter lands a job at the Daily Bugle after a heart-felt speech by Bugle reporter Samuel Kingston. Fiery Mask and The Witness hit up an old bar that still stands, mingling with the new clientele and culture around them. Mister E returns to his wife and son, only to be completely pushed away. Laughing Mask shows us that he may not be entirely a “good guy”. Blue Blade really wants to be Errol Flynn, while Black Widow displays more signs of creepiness. And yes, all these characters are interesting and completely unique.

The way this story is written, it’s completely realized as something you might see on HBO. It’s taking its time – moving in baby steps, but each step is a joy to behold. I love these characters to death; they feel so real – so humanized. Sure, there’s a few psychos among them, but that just adds to the intrigue. Probably the best mini-series you’ll ready this year. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes

The Twelve #2 – Review

By J. Michael Straczynski (writer), Chris Weston (pencils), Garry Leach (inks), Chris Chuckry (colors)

First off, I love the covers of this series. The art, typography, and captions invoke old school stories. And Chris Weston? His interiors are amazing. From the first page of issue #2, I was enthralled with his line work. The interior color is a bit muted and cold compared to the cover art; I wonder if this choice by design to keep it somewhat grounded with Golden Age comics (newsprint loves to suck up the color). Whatever the choice was, this book almost feels like a Vertigo book to me – and that’s not a bad thing.

This issue follows up on The Twelve’s acclimatization into modern society. The team expects a utopia from the novels they’ve read, but instead face a harsh, gritty reality. Each character deals with this struggle in his or her own way and we get to see it first hand. Electro, the robot who was left deactivated in Berlin last issue finally comes home, but we don’t get to see much of him after that. And Blue Blade’s demise? Well, it’s also not touched upon. I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a big build up before we figure out what happened to him.

J. Michael Straczynski is one hell of a wordsmith and he knows how to write for ensemble casts – his character dialogue flows incredibly well. Each is given so much depth and their distinct voices expose the flaws that accompany their personalities. You care about these characters, flaws or not, and despite one or two of them being complete jerks, you also get that they’re a product of their times, not ours. Don’t wait for the trade, buy this book now. It’s the complete package. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes