Brother Voodoo is a character I've always thought was pretty cool, and whose existence I was fond of...yet, I've never really read much of his appearances, let alone purchased them. So yeah, Brother Voodoo kind of rocks, but just like many of us say that about things like Pres, Great Lakes Avengers, etc., how many of us actually buy their stuff? Because proof is in the pudding. When Bendis started to include him in the latest Avengers stories, I was intrigued, and then his new status came as a surprise. At first, I was wary of it, but that was a little unfair. Because:
- nothing of any substance has been done with Brother Voodoo in decades.
- Bendis actually handled the transition of the Sorcerer Supreme moniker and positoin pretty well from Strange to Voodoo. Strange isn't treated as some over the hill idiot; he's actually been given a new outlook and position that could potentially revitalize him a little, particularly with a new miniseries by Mark Waid. Meanwhile, it lets Brother Voodoo gain a whole new series of possibilities.
- He also gains a new name, "Doctor Voodoo" which could irk some of his fans--if they really do exist. But as I just learned, he actually is a real doctor, so that kind of fits too. At the end of the day, I guess Brother Voodoo is just too 1970's; I personally kind of like the name, but if it puts a further hinderance on the sales of the title then I can't really blame Marvel.
So all in all, I'm not too bothered by the new status quo that began in New Avengers.
Now, on the new ongoing title. I originally as going to give it a pass but my CBR guy suggested it and after initially going through pages of the various Deadpool comics and realizing they were a waste of money, I spent it on this title instead. I'm glad I did. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how good the first issue was.
First, the set-up, and what will get me coming back for more. Doctor Voodoo is now the Sorcerer Supreme and he's learning first hand how much responsibility that is. The first issue immediately showcases some of the mystical things he's now involved in that might come back to bite him in the ass: things like the Darkhold and an oncoming grave threat that help put some initial suspense and tension in the series. The first issue also sets the stage of wiping Dormammu off the table for awhile thankfully, since he is woefully overused; it also has Strange & Voodoo parting ways but only after its done on a mutual respect basis that feels right, and after we see some very real differences in personalities. Plus, a great confrontation with Dr. Doom shows Voodoo has a long way to go and make me actually want to see him go there.
Voodoo himself is likable, and my unfamiliarity with the actual details of the character made that even more so. I did not realize he is very similar to Captain Triumph, a DC character (former Quality character) I like a real lot and wish I could see more of (I really loved him in the Golden Age mini). Like said character, Voodoo's dead ghost brother is an equally important part of the basic concept of the character and the dynamic there is one I would like to keep reading about. Plus, Dr. Strange calls them "Brothers Voodoo" which is a cool way to continue the usage of that moniker in a way. This seems like the major dynamic interaction of the series, for the beginning at least, and its unique enough in today's comic book selection to keep my interested.
The rest of the series is still being set-up but I do like the setting in New Orleans. Even pre-Katrina New Orleans was unique enough to carry an ongoing series (comic book or otherwise) and now has an additional depth. Every so often there is a great movie set there, but its odd that so few ongoing forms of entertainment are in New Orleans (and how many are in crappy ol' LA).
Rick Remender provides the writing and he does a good job. He's a bit hit or miss for me lately but here he is definitely hitting it. Both dialogue and pacing are spot on.
Jefte Palo is teh arist, and I'm not familiar with him. He does a good job throughout though he's not 100% consistent. In places his work reminds me a bit of Frank Miller's, which isn't a bad thing, but at other times its a little scratchy. The mood is very dark, as you'd expect with a comic book about magic, and that's well done.
Overall, I thought it was a pretty solid issue and I'll stay on a bit longer to see how it goes. I wonder if I'm the only Legion Worlder who picked this series up? Let me know if you thought about it, or hell, if you've got any past history reading about Brother Voodoo.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
Picked up #2 and it was even better than #1. I wonder if anyone other than Rick Remender's wife and myself are reading this? Posted by Reboot on :
Given that it's ending with #5, probably not.
Posted by Cobalt Kid on :
I didn't know that. I figured it couldn't last that long since no one ever talks about it online, so I'm not too shocked by this. But wow, didn't even make it to a half year! I think that Brother Voodoo just isn't all that big a draw and Marvel certainly didn't go out of their way to try to pull in new readers.
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