Stormwatch, Vol. 1: The Dark Side (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
This is perhaps the most epic of the New 52 books I've read so far. It feels massive, and really channels a lot of the Authority (I didn't read much of the original Stormwatch series), where a lot of the characters have been previously, although this works in some ways as an origin. It's full of out-there ideas and powers, and seeing them tied into the regular DC universe seems like a challenge that I'm looking forward to seeing fulfilled. The characters aren't quite the way they were before, but the seeds are there, and seeing them grow should be very entertaining. I needed to wait until a week after I finished this book to write my review.... I needed time to gauge my reaction. Usually with a comic, I can tell right-away whether it was good or bad, but this time it wasn't quite so easy.While reading, it seemed obvious that this was not a great comic. The art is average with only a few moments of above-averageness. The plot feels thin and strenuous; the characters seem flat and are constantly reminding one-another of their powers as if they are not an ages-old team but newly-found buddies. It is practically devoid of humour, or, if there is humour, it is some seriously unfunny humour. The action is choppy with big gaps of the story happening off-panel; there is not much flow to the storytelling and it is awkwardly paced. The dialogue is sub-par and I found myself having to read over several pages several times just to understand what Paul Cornell was trying to communicate.It didn't SEEM like a good comic..... but it really stuck with me!There is something about Stormwatch that really has me intrigued. Could it be that this is a group of characters I'm not familiar with? (I mean, I knew and read a lot about The Authority before going into this collection, but other than names and basic group dynamics, this certainly doesn't feel like The Authority to me.) Could it be because I am curious to see how The Manhunter fits into this group? Could it be the foreshadowing of a much larger conflict looming in the future, one that seems likely to involve the entire DCU? I'm not sure what it is that has me interested, but I AM interested! I find that, the further I get away from the day I finished reading it, "Stormwatch: The Dark" intrigues me more and more. I feel like reading it again.... and I don't think I've said that about anything in the New 52 yet. 3/5
What do You think about Stormwatch, Vol. 1: The Dark Side (2012)?
Nice science fiction aspect brought into the comic realm
—cole_abbott
A fun story. My first time with these characters.
—JAADM
