HOLY GREAT FIRST ISSUE, DICK GRAYSON FANS!!!

I’m an admitted “Marvel Guy” when it comes to the Big 2…and, as a casual reader, I’ve had a very difficult time engaging DC’s New 52 as interest in most of their secondary titles have drifted and a number of their books failed to capture the attention of new and/or young readers.

So, I approached Grayson #1 with a lot of trepidation but I couldn’t resist the work of Tim Seeley combined with the cinematic, sexy artwork of Mikel Janin. I can’t help it. I’m a fan of both of these guys. Seeley’s work on Hack/Slash hooked me years ago and the initial visuals from Janin that DC released regarding Dick Grayson‘s new solo direction piqued my curiosity in the best sort of ways.

So…where was I? Oh yeah…I’m going to type in all caps for emphasis for a second.

(rant)

HOLY %&#@! THIS! DC COMICS, THIS IS WHAT EACH OF YOUR MONTHLY COMIC BOOKS SHOULD BE. EACH AND EVERY MONTH. SEND A COPY OF THIS BOOK TO EACH OF YOUR #$%&ING EDITORS. TO EACH OF YOUR #$%&ING ASSISTANT EDITORS. THIS SORT OF VISION. THIS SORT OF QUALITY, BOTH IN STORYTELLING AND ARTWORK, CAN MAKE YOUR ENTIRE LINE OF BOOKS DOMINANT AGAIN.

(/rant)

Seeley’s writing paired with Tom King as co-plotter sets up Dick’s new situation quite nicely. He is working with Helena Bertenelli and they are working for Mister Minos and Spyral. The conflicted chemistry Dick has with Helena creates a nice tension that runs like a baseline across this opening act that establishes Spyral’s direction as an agent promoting transparency at a cost…I won’t say anything else. It’s very good and it’s setting Grayson up to be an interesting “gray area” story. Mikel Janin’s work is breathtakingly good here and the action sequences are so momentous that I re-read the book three times…once just to enjoy the artwork in a slower sense. Janin’s work is perfectly paired with colorist Jeremy Cox in this book.

In fact, there is so much motion and so much rich color that I nearly rocked backwards out of my chair when I leaned back in awe of how much awesomeness popped off the pages. And then this happened:

Interior Art from Grayson #1

The best part? There is this amazing bit of meta-comics in Grayson when Dick encounters The Midnighter and they go toe-to-toe briefly. If The Midnighter is going to be in the background as a foil to Grayson’s new “man about the globe” you can just pencil me in for the entire ride. Most readers still acknowledge The Midnighter as the “post-modern Meta-Batman”…well, at least I do…and his presence here and his inability to thwart Dick only solidifies a new era for everyone’s favorite boy sidekick who is now all grow’d up. Also, the organ harvesting plot beat is really killer here…and it’s a departure from some of the softball stuff DC has done in the past.

Run…do not walk…to get your hands on a first printing of Grayson #1. It’s THAT good. It’s scoring a 9 out of 10 only because I want to give Seeley, King and Janin something to shoot for. You guys have grabbed my attention and if others feel like I do, I hope this creative team will continue make this book as solid as this first issue. Seriously, DC Comics, take note of this book. Every time I keep revisiting this book, I keep chanting out loud, “THIS. THIS. THIS.” You guys have made me into a Dick Grayson fan; please, keep up the good work.