posted
I went to the comic book store this morning while (on work time—yay! ) and picked up 5 weeks of comics. So prepare for reviews, Dr. Gym’lls But anyway, while I was in the store I picked up two of the three Green Hornet series released by Dynamite. Anyone who checks the comic book websites knows Dynamite is doing this explosion of Green Hornet titles—something like 5 or 6 ongoings and miniseries; they’re really betting on the character, hoping to capitalize in the coming movie.
Personally, I love what Dynamite has done with Buck Rogers, the Lone Ranger and especially Zorro, and how they’ve carved out a little niche for themselves as the company doing licensed properties and doing them extremely well. I hope Dynamite continues to succeed because almost everything I’ve seen from them has been top quality. I do, however, have to say, I disagree with whoever came up with this current onslaught of Green Hornet titles. Its way too much too quickly and its pretty overwhelming to the casual reader. One, maybe two max, titles would be fine to release; but releasing 5 on a property with no current existing audience is a big mistake in my mind. I think this will hurt them.
The Green Hornet himself is one of those characters I like because of his broad history, but I’m not really all that familiar with the character. I’m way too young for the TV show (and the radio serial ) and I’ve never collected a Green Hornet comic before. I’m not exactly eager to see the Seth Rogen driven movie; but I’m always willing to give a good comic book series a try.
The two series I tried out are:
(1) The Kevin Smith driven Green Hornet series – because this could potentially be a lot of fun and pretty awesome. I used to love Smith’s movies when I was a teenager and college kid but these days I find them to be rather lackluster. However, I do think his comics are sometimes very good. He’s a definite “hit or miss” comic book writer (without even getting into his delayed issue problems), but I did like his Daredevil and Green Arrow stuff a lot. So my plan is to give it a try for 2-3 issues and see if I like it. On a sidenote, the female Kato thing isn’t something that bothers me at all since I’m no longtime fan of the series, and from what I understand, Smith certainly didn’t invent it.
(2) Much more exciting to me is Matt Wanger’s Green Hornet: Year One. Matt Wagner is having a bit of a renaissance these days between Madame Xanadu (which is excellent) and Zorro (which is possibly even better). His reminding me how good writers can tell great comic book stories without falling into the same tropes of the superhero medium. Plus, the series is set in the 1930’s, which is much more appealing to me and opens up all kinds of plot elements for Wagner to use. I suspect anyone who was a fan of Sandman: Mystery Theatre will want to check this out bigtime.
So, anyone else pick these up or any other Green Hornet related stuff? Intend to? And if so, any thoughts on the various titles?
Also—I’ll be glad to hear the thoughts of any longtime Green Hornet fans.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
There was a big splash on the Green Hornet comics in Previews which both attracted and repelled me. I'm not familiar with the character, but it certainly looked interesting. It was just the launch of several books at once that I found overreaching, and suspected there could be more fluff than substance.
However, Matt Wagner is a big draw for me (Kevin Smith less so) and I like the concept, but I'm waiting for some reviews.
posted
Yeah, Dynamite really I think is shooting them in the foot by producing so many Green Hornet titles at once.
I will definitely review the two titles when I read them. The one I have high hopes for is the Matt Wagner one, in which I bought the beautiful John Cassidy cover.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I felt Now Comics made the same mistake just before THEY went belly-up.
Meanwhile, I still remember when Kevin Dooley as editor of GREEN LANTERN decided to expand to 4 books-- and after 2 years of steadily climbing sales, sales sunk on ALL of them. What did he expect? But instead of realizing he'd screwed up, he blamed his writers... and he blamed the CHARACTER! This of course, led to "Emerald Twilight"... and 15 years of insufferable B.S.
Registered: Aug 2003
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Eryk Davis Ester
Created from the Cosmic Legends of the Universe!
posted
The Green Hornet was, of course, the first "legacy" super-hero, being the son of the Lone Ranger's nephew (or something like that)!
I'm curious if they're re-establishing that connection, given that it's tend to be downplayed in recent years.
From: Liberty City | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Even though Dynamite also licenses the Lone Ranger, the fact that the two characters are owned by different people will weigh into it. Dynamite said they would "reference the Lone Ranger's real name", but would not specifically say "Lone Ranger". From what I understand though, there should be Lone Ranger easter eggs spread throughout the titles.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Okay, I've now read the two titles I bought and shall review them. First up, is Green Hornet: Year One, which I thought was the better of the two and was in fact, pretty excellent. I would recommend anyone curious about the Green Hornet or looking for a solid new series to give it a try.
Matt Wagner has done such an amazing job lately (as I stated above) with Zorro and Madame Xanadu (in fact see the entire Vertigo thread for continuous praise for that series) and that continues here: the writing is tight, builds interest in the characters and the story, and paces along excellently. Wagner does a great job introducing the characters firmly so you know exactly who they are, but leaving a large amount of backstory a mystery to whet your appetite for more. He's a master craftsman in that regard. He also balances the story with what is happening in the here and now in 1938, as well as insight into the Green Hornet's history (beyond just his origin, which will be forthcoming), and Kato's history (same). All three threads are very interesting and I want to learn more of each.
Both the Green Hornet and Kato--which as I said, I know the basics but not much more beyond that--are likeable and intriguing. I want to learn more about them in this title. I like the newspaper magnet background of the Green Hornet and I'm really curious about Kato, a Japanese (American?), helping the Green Hornet just prior to the onset of WWII. *Their* friendship is one I'm really looking forward to learning more about.
I also like that this is set in Chicago when the glory days of the Mob were beginning to wane. Chicago is a great city and I'd like to see it more often in comics (I love NYC more than any other city but I get quite enough of that in hundreds of other comic books).
Like many other Dynamite artists, Aaron Campbell is another one I do not know (or remember) from prior work; however, I like his his gritty, dark style. It provides the series that feeling of "mystery men" / pulp fiction, which helps establish the series as a great crime comic as well.
I'm impressed and will buy this title for the duration. Anyone who liked Wagner's Sandman Mystery Theatre, this is a must read.
So if anyone is curious and picks it up , please add your own review!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
The second Green Hornet title I bought is the kind of big "marque" title, Green Hornet by Kevin Smith, based on Smith's initial plotline for a Green Hornet movie before he opted out of the deal.
First: the premise. Here, Smith sets the Green Hornet and Kato about a generation before us (maybe even the 70's like the television show?); we will see how their offspring take up the mantle--this will include a female Kato. I have no problem with this whatsoever, and am looking forward to the parent/child dynamic to be a factor. The female Kato working with the male Green Hornet could also be interesting. Neither of these ideas are originally Smith's, they've been used before. I do, however, wish Dynamite could have been a little more strict in continuity--I'd have preferred that this tied into Matt Wagner's Green Hornet series (and believe it could have provided more reason for readership interest and cross-buying, as anyone with a business sense knows). I think it was a mistake; they could have just made these the descendants of the 30's heroes, their great-grandchildren. Not a glaring thing but one I can't help but wonder about.
As for Smith's actual story, the opening issue was mainly introduction type stuff. In other words, it was pretty good but not as solid as Wagner's above work, which provides you with a bit more meat. And since Dynamite released both at the same time, its only fair that I compare them the entire way through. Smith doesn't really provide anything original in the Green Hornet's superheroics / mystery man stylizing either--he could easily have used Daredevil.
That being said, it was still a pretty good read. The most interesting thing is the friendship between the original Green Hornet and Kato, which Smith delivers in an excellent way. The guy knows how to write great friendship scenes, that's for sure. I also note the entire first issue dealt mainly with the two originals--so basically it was using the same characters as Wagner; we don't really meet the two characters we will be seeing in the first issue.
One thing I found kind of annoying is that at the issue's end when we meet the soon to be Green Hornet II, it is the typical rich, silver spoon, psuedo-celebrity that is constantly being followed by the media and is just kind of an idiot and jerk. Ooooh boy, not this again. I feel like I've seen this so much in comics, movies and just about everywhere--not to mention, the very real types I can't seem to get away from in the news. When is this archetype going to leave us for good? Nobody likes someone that's spoiled, and its hard to overcome that when they're actually a good person; when they're annoying as all hell, there's little to get you to empathize with. Obviously, Smith intends to do this as the series goes on--but really, I've seen that so many times from writers that I'm tired of it. If you really want me to feel something for one of these super-rich kids, you need to kill off their parents when their 8 years old (I got your back, Batman).
The art was by another artist I'm not familiar with (or don't remember), Jonathan Lau and it was solid. It was much more super-hero-y than the Year One stuff, which in a way provides a nice counter-balance to that series.
For those of you that know Smith, you know he has a very juvenile sense of humor. That can be both funny and fun to some and distracting and annoying to others. In #1, it was seen a little bit but was held in check. I suspect it will become a more prominent part of the series once the second versions take the reigns. So I caution you: if you don't like this kind of humor, I think you might get annoyed with it; if you do like it, it might enhance your reading.
My overall feeling after #1? So far, not bad, but I can't really recommend someone spend their money on it unless they already have a strong curiosity for it. I plan to at least buy #2 and #3 and then judge for myself if its worth continuing. It very much could turn out to be a great series and storyline (as Smith's Daredevil and Green Arrow did), but it could also go the other way. I will continue to report my feelings.
PS - one thing Dynamite is doing is all kinds of alternate covers for these series. I have no intention to buy more than one but I do like having the options. John Cassaday is providing some GREAT covers for the Smith series, so I plan to get those; Wagner, who is also an excellent artist, is also doing covers and I'll get those for Year One.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I read the second issue of Green Hornet: Year One, the series by Matt Wagner set in the 1930's and I can't recommend it enough. Anyone looking for a 'mystery man / pulp / noir' series, this is what you need. Wagner just proves he's a master storyteller and the art is fantastic.
#2 includes a series of flashbacks of the Green Hornet and Kato's lives during the 30's leading up to their costumed careers, and it delves into the politically charged atmosphere of Europe, Asia and Africa--so anyone with an interest in history, specifically the years between the World Wars, this will be an added bonus for you.
High recommendation!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
GH:Year One has been my favorite of the Hornet books so far. Wagner just gets this sort of storytelling.
Kevin Smith's book has been a decent read, but I don't know who Dynamite thought they were fooling with that "Who's Gonna Die" cover scam - only one choice ever made sense from a story perspective.
posted
I'm still behind on Smith's Green Hornet series and still can't recommend Wagner's Green Hornet: Year One series enough.
In the meantime, I ended up buying the third Green Hornet series just for the hell of it a week ago when I was looking for something to read, The Green Hornet Strikes, mainly because I've been buying up all the issues of Lone Ranger which is written by the same writer, Brett Mathews.
My impression of #1 is this: it was not a terrible comic or a bad comic in anyway, but because Dynamite is releasing three seperate Green Hornet comics at once (plus two Kato ones), I have no intention of buying them all and this was the weakest of the three. Not fair, certainly, but it is what it is.
The premise, of a Green Hornet in the not so distant future, is a solid one, and I like the visuals as well. However, the storytelling felt very disjointed to me, and it left me feeling like I didn't get enough meat to the story for a debut issue as well as having a little trouble following it all. The best comparison I could make is it felt a little like James Robinson's current work at DC on Superman: a little all over the map that could use the hand of a good editor. So that was a bit of a turnoff.
I think I will probably not be getting anymore issues of the Green Hornet Strikes. (As I said before, I wil be getting the entire rest of Green Hornet: Year One and give Smith's comic a few more issues at least).
The covers by John Cassidy here are incredible though. The next one is so good I almost want to buy it, but I don't buy comics just for covers. All of the covers on the Green Hornet comics have been great, I must say.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Smith's Green Hornet #3 was no surprise as OM says above, but its managed to maintain my interest level as the story continues to progress. Plus, we do get an awesome Kato / Britt Reid Jr. sequence. I do think if Kato dies though it'll be a little *too* telegraphed. I'm going to keep buying a bit longer and see how it goes but its starting to look like I'll probably get the entire mini.
Not as good as Wagner's Green Hornet: Year One, but proving to be an entertaining read.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Miner, still picking these up? I'm enjoying the hell out of Wagner's 'Green Hornet: Year One'. And while I was on the verge of dropping the Kevin Smith series, the latest issue was a serious move in the right direction and was good enough to keep me coming back for more.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I am still picking up the books and I'm in agreement with you on both counts.
Wagner continues to both just get the whole GA vibe and add great characterizations. Smith has moved back towards popcorn-summer-movie territory and his series is the better for it.
posted
After reading the latest Green Hornet: Year One, I felt it was so good, I *had* to mention it again, even though it just reaffirms what we've been saying all along.
Out of all the various "classic icons of the Golden Age redone" in recent years (a trend which just seems to be everywhere by every publisher), this is probably the best attempt besides Cooke 12 issues of the Spirit.
And those covers--WOW. Both Cassidy and Wagner are just delivering beautiful covers at a level every comic book should be trying to match.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
) and picked up 5 weeks of comics. So prepare for reviews, Dr. Gym’lls ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
) and I’ve never collected a Green Hornet comic before. I’m not exactly eager to see the Seth Rogen driven movie; but I’m always willing to give a good comic book series a try.
