Justice League #1

[J. Farrell]

Because they didn't write an interim scene where that line could have otherwise gone?

Writing dialogue that is clearly intended for the reader and not the person who is being spoken to in the comic is a clunky, overly expository device that, IMO, doesn't belong in the modern age of comics. It's something that people who don't have much experience with comics make fun of about comics.

I get that GL hasn't met Batman before, but as an adult with normal intelligence, it might be assumed that he's at least heard of vehicles, and would at the very least not assume that Batman fights villains with a deep voice. Batman's deep voice, thanks in no small part to Bale's depiction of the character, has become a running joke in recent years, and this feels like Johns' awkward attempt to invoke it. It's more uninspired and unoriginal than anything.

[Danscomics]

I know I sold out of all copies of the regular and the combo pack in less than 24 hours

How many copies was that?

AND did you sell to people coming in that were not regular customers, or did you sell a lot to people who normally just buy Marvel? (I'm assuming all DC fans would be getting it).

I don't really want to disclose the number of copies, but it was significantly more than what we normally carry. They were sold to completely new customers for the most part, so I don't know if it was because they couldn't find it through normal sources or whether they didn't read DC comics before. I do know that some people bought more than 1 and I would find it hard to believe that they normally do that.

[BobBretall]

Writing dialogue that is clearly intended for the reader and not the person who is being spoken to in the comic is a clunky, overly expository device that, IMO, doesn't belong in the modern age of comics. It's something that people who don't have much experience with comics make fun of about comics.

So far, I've been seeing more positive reaction from people who don't normally read comics, and more picking apart of the story by long time comic readers. But it's still early in the process.

Like with many things, for every person decrying an aspect of the story, there are others who thoroughly enjoyed those same things.

Pieces of entertainment will click with some people and not with others.

Entertainment Weekly (by someone who's not a hard-core comics reader):

Johns’ writing, which is capable of a high degree of complexity in both comics history and emotion, is kept at an intentionally straightforward, almost hard-boiled terseness here. He’s grounding us in the new DC universe in a way that a pre-teen who’s never picked up a comic book will be able to follow. Jim Lee’s art work is characterized by his trademark brawny musculature that in his best panels also achieves a striking degree of fluidity: Few artists make muscle-bound men move so sleekly.

Combine this with an overall tone that mixes sincerity with wisecracks, and this is a very inviting way to reinvest in some of the most familiar superheroes ever created.

New York Times (by 2 self-proclaimed "comic-book fans" on NY Times staff) comes off more negative:

ADAM: Exactly. It’s hard to read this book and imagine that this is the future of the medium. There’s nothing in this first issue that’s innovative, in either the story or the art. Perhaps that’s the point?

GEORGE: That feeling just confirms for me that I – as a long time reader of comic books – am not the target audience for this. This initiative is part of the quest for the fabled “new reader,” which, for the sake of the industry, I hope is found.

The Express-Times (look, I'm just searching for reviews from non-comics sites......)

I picked up "Justice League" No. 1 yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by what I read. The dynamic and back-and-forth banter between Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Batman was terrific.
...
"Justice League" piqued my interest enough that I plan on buying the second issue. It definitely felt like a fresh start. The book had an air of cool and a swagger that hasn't been felt in a long, long time in comics -- lifting the thick cloud of staleness that has choked the fun and wonderment out of most books (that also goes for DC's main competitor, Marvel).

InsidePulse.com

The characterization is the bulk of the issue, and I personally enjoyed it.
...
The issue really does feel like a part one of ___ kind of issue. It has a lot of qualities of a first issue, but at the same time it’s essentially one big Batman/Green Lantern team up that’s bound to lead into the formation of the Justice League.
...
It’s the first issue of the relaunch, the book they felt so strong about that they released it first to make it the cornerstone of everything that they’re doing. It’s not the perfect issue, it’s really enjoyable but not perfect, but it does manage to be exactly what DC wanted out of it. This is our introduction to the new DC Universe, and it succeeds in making me wish that it wasn’t the only New 52 book out this week.

[J. Farrell]

So far, I've been seeing more positive reaction from people who don't normally read comics, and more picking apart of the story by long time comic readers. But it's still early in the process.

My glass-half-full interpretation of that is simple: many people who don't normally read comics have very low expectations of comics. They think they're adolescent power fantasies with two dimensional characterizations and crap dialogue.

Long time comic readers know better. They know that some comics only offer that, but they also know that a ton of them offer a lot more. They see the attention that the "outside world" is lavishing on their favorite hobby and they're uncomfortable that this spotlight is currently shining on JLA#1, which just might not be the finest example of what comics have to offer.

[BobBretall]

My glass-half-full interpretation of that is simple: many people who don't normally read comics have very low expectations of comics. They think they're adolescent power fantasies with two dimensional characterizations and crap dialogue.

I think you're seriously off the mark on what most people would consider "crap dialogue".

There are several examples that I quoted above where people were very positive about what you specifically call out as "crap dialogue".

And seriously, if someone does not want an "adolescent power fantasy" they should really be looking at something other than a super-hero comic, don't you think?

[JasonNewcomb]

I checked all three of my town's stores. One store sold out and specifically told me they ordered deep. I don't know the number but they are the store with the biggest selection of comics so I'm guessing more than 200 probably closer to 300. The other store, which is a gaming store first and comics second but a not negligable competitor to the alpha dog told me he ordered 200 and they looked like they had about 10-15 on the shelf and he said he had some behind the counter. He said they were selling well.

The third store who is a magazine and book store first had 5 copies left but I doubt they ordered more than 50 or so. The manager there is not particularly proactive and the owner is not very interested in comic books.

[J. Farrell]

There are several examples that I quoted above where people were very positive about what you specifically call out as "crap dialogue".

I don't see any specific references to the dialogue exchange I cited in any of those quotes. If they are thinking specifically about that exchange when they write things like "the back and forth banter...was terrific", well, I think they're crazy. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but I doubt I'm the only one who feels that way.

And seriously, if someone does not want an "adolescent power fantasy" they should really be looking at something other than a super-hero comic, don't you think?

Heh, maybe not. I do think anything can be done well and done poorly, though, including superhero comics. If we accept that level of writing as worthy of such a high profile book I think we're setting our standards too low.

[JasonNewcomb]

There are several examples that I quoted above where people were very positive about what you specifically call out as "crap dialogue".

I don't see any specific references to the dialogue exchange I cited in any of those quotes. If they are thinking specifically about that exchange when they write things like "the back and forth banter...was terrific", well, I think they're crazy. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but I doubt I'm the only one who feels that way.

Johns has struggled with dialog before. It's a go-to criticism of reviewers in the online comics community. His strength is lore building. But in this book, his dialog did not appear weak to me. Now, if want to slam the dialog in Flashpoint #5 I'll agree with you. I might even join in.

[J. Farrell]

Johns has struggled with dialog before. It's a go-to criticism of reviewers in the online comics community. His strength is lore building. But in this book, his dialog did not appear weak to me. Now, if want to slam the dialog in Flashpoint #5 I'll agree with you. I might even join in.

I haven't read Flashpoint#5 so I couldn't say, but...ouch. That bad, huh? I don't think I've read anyone's reviews/impressions of that issue that haven't come down hard on loved it or hated it. Nothing in-between.

[HassanT]

There are several examples that I quoted above where people were very positive about what you specifically call out as "crap dialogue".

I don't see any specific references to the dialogue exchange I cited in any of those quotes. If they are thinking specifically about that exchange when they write things like "the back and forth banter...was terrific", well, I think they're crazy. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but I doubt I'm the only one who feels that way.

You say you don't expect everyone to agree with you but if they don't they are crazy. Not very open to other opinions are you? Of course, you are not the only one that doesn't think that. I am sure I could find two people that have two different opinions on a book.

As for not seeing any specific references to the dialogue exchange, when EW mentions "overall tone that mixes sincerity with wisecracks" or the Express-Times mentions "The dynamic and back-and-forth banter between Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Batman was terrific", what are they referring to if not the dialogue?

[HassanT]

My glass-half-full interpretation of that is simple: many people who don't normally read comics have very low expectations of comics. They think they're adolescent power fantasies with two dimensional characterizations and crap dialogue.

I think you're seriously off the mark on what most people would consider "crap dialogue".

There are several examples that I quoted above where people were very positive about what you specifically call out as "crap dialogue".

And seriously, if someone does not want an "adolescent power fantasy" they should really be looking at something other than a super-hero comic, don't you think?

I read a lot of reviews in newspapers and magazines. I never read a review where their opinion is higher because they have lower their expectations. For example, when they review children/young adult novels, they don't dumb down their expectation. I don't see the logic of thinking that the positive reviews did just that.

I agree with Bob overall that it seems that most critical reviews came from comic book fans. That said, ifanboy made it the pick of the week.

[BadDeacon]

I finally read Justice League.

The thing that I noticed most about this issue is that it took eight minutes to read. For Four dollars. That's 50 cents a minute.

By comparison, a typical, $12, 2-hour movie is 10 cents a minute, and a $60 video game I play for 20 hours is 5 cents a minute.

Are comics really that much better than movies and video games to demand such a premium?

As for the issue, it was alright. I kinda liked Batman's and Green Lantern's back and forth, however, witty banter alone does not a story make. I hope this picks up quickly, and starts to tell an actual story.

[BobBretall]

I'm holding off on my "official" review, since we're covering the book on WCS #212 which will go up in a bit over a week.

My teaser review is that while I don't think it's a modern masterpiece, I don't think it was garbage either.

[J. Farrell]

You say you don't expect everyone to agree with you but if they don't they are crazy. Not very open to other opinions are you?

Sure I am. I just think it's a crazy opinion. I can't think of dialogue like that as anything but poor.

As for not seeing any specific references to the dialogue exchange, when EW mentions "overall tone that mixes sincerity with wisecracks" or the Express-Times mentions "The dynamic and back-and-forth banter between Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Batman was terrific", what are they referring to if not the dialogue?

Specific means specific. A specific reference to the Blue spotted Bluejay is not "birds."

[BadDeacon]

After letting this book sit in my thoughts, and hearing some other reviews, I think that I was hoping for something different, but that doesn't mean that this wasn't good.

Justice League was fairly well crafted, I'll give it that. The story that is being told was told well, I just feel like the story that is being told isn't that intriguing yet.

My hope was that DC would start to push away from the decompressed storytelling technique, but that didn't happen in this book. I felt like there was 12 to 14 pages of story in this issue that were drawn out to make a 24 page book.