Naomi Appreciation 2019

[kurenai24]

Ok so I actually got to read the issue and I liked it a lot, it was exactly what I knew it was gonna be for the first issue, it's kind of shocking to me that all the characters from the character designs that I saw were in this book, that's alot of people introduced in passing without names attached but I am glad we got the basic outline of most of the characters involved.

It seems next issue we'll be introduced to Naomi's parents whilst starting to get some questions answered, I expect the questioning to continue in issue #3 with a cliffhanger at the end with the reveal, and issue #4 is basically the introduction of everything new if we go by the synopsis ...if I could fastforward time right about now.

The only thing I have question about that will probably never get answered is why Naomi started feeling like things were off ...is it only b/c Superman arrived or is it more.

Exactly, and that's the thing about Bendis. I've always said Bendis writes like a manga writer in a comic book world, and Naomi's 1st issue was a perfect example of that. The fact that I like manga more than comics made (plus the writing and artwork here) made this my favorite book of the week, with Shazam a close second.

Yes this is so true, so many people say that Bendis writes for trades or rather his writing compliments trades and I always think of the pacing of a manga volume and how similar Bendis writing is to mangakas (i.e manga writers).

I also know people have issues with Bendis dialogue aka Bendis speak, they don't like the numerous speech bubbles but in comparison to manga where the panels are smaller looking and the speech bubbles take up a section of space anyway ...this is nothing to me, plus I don't buy comics to buy a picture book I buy comics for the story which includes the dialogue and art.

[Robotman]

I felt the first issue was pretty good overall but I would have liked a better ending. Usually first issues have a big reveal to keep readers hungry for more and anticipating issue 2. This didn’t really have that. There’s definitely some intrigue about why no one remembers or will talk about the other superhero event but we didn’t really learn anything new that we didn’t already know at the beginning of the book.

[Iconic]

I loved this. I mean really loved this.

This book was so beautiful. Jamal Campbell's art is masterful here. I found myself paying more attention to the details in the people, the scenery even the way the scenes were boxed. I mean "wow".

Writing was on point as well. I'm engaged by the mystery. This book has shot to the top of my list.

[kurenai24]

The Most Brian Michael Bendis-y Part of 'Naomi' Did Not Come From Him

The issue opens with a full page of talking heads. The first issue of Naomi could be swapped out with any number of issues of Powers or Bendis's Avengers in that way: a grid of characters talking to the reader, usually with a stinger at the end where the final speaker has something important to say.

This time around, the stinger is the introduction of Naomi herself, the lone face of color on a page full of white people. This is not so much a comment on race as it is a comment on the title's setting -- in a small town that feels like the world of Metropolis and Gotham City is often passing them by.

The talking-heads pages are a common tool in Bendis's toolkit, but one that he has not relied on in his DC work. When we asked him whether choosing to open Naomi that way was a statement, or whether it just kind of worked for the issue, Bendis immediately corrected our misconception.

"David Walker wrote that page. We were just getting started, and he just said, 'I have this vision of the first page, and it's this sea of white faces and Naomi,'" Bendis explained. "I literally made a note to myself, 'No more talking head pages,' not only for myself, but for other reasons. There's a lot of people doing it right now, and when I see that, I venture towards other ideas. And so I said, 'No,' but I realized, 'Oh, David's idea is so great that that's what should be done for a fact that it actually even speaks towards other peoples' choices to do those.' So I kind of like that, and it's the only time you're going to see it in any book I'm doing for the next couple years."

Of course, you never know when somebody else might convince him it's a good idea.

"He tried to get out, but I dragged him back in," Walker told us with a laugh.

source

Welp this would be the second time it is generally believed Bendis something that he didn't do ...the first time time being that he created Teen Lantern when he didn't.

[kurenai24]

I loved this. I mean really loved this.

This book was so beautiful. Jamal Campbell's art is masterful here. I found myself paying more attention to the details in the people, the scenery even the way the scenes were boxed. I mean "wow".

Writing was on point as well. I'm engaged by the mystery. This book has shot to the top of my list.

Woah, I'm glad to see people enjoyed this book, hopefully with all the love Bendis will share some more teases in the future ...b/c I don't we'll get anything until after issue 4 comes out.

[skyvolt2000]

Naomi (2019-) #1 Kindle & comiXology

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,411 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#13 in Kindle Store > Kindle Short Reads > 45 minutes (22-32 pages) > Comics & Graphic Novels (3rd highest for females released today. Highest female between big two. 3rd highest DC title)
#58 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Comics, Manga & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes (5th highest among females, 2nd behind WW)
#90 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes (10 among females)

Overall very good.

[Incognito]

I thought Naomi would be a version of 'Naomi Clarke' who is from Earth 32 (Pre-Crisis Earth Prime) but after seeing the Naomi #4 cover, I think she is a cosmic deity or cosmic demi-deity (New God or a Monitor since she is investigating or 'monitoring' Superman), since the solicitation said that she has a connection to the multiverse.

[Korath]

Naomi (2019-) #1 Kindle & comiXology

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,411 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#13 in Kindle Store > Kindle Short Reads > 45 minutes (22-32 pages) > Comics & Graphic Novels (3rd highest for females released today. Highest female between big two. 3rd highest DC title)
#58 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Comics, Manga & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes (5th highest among females, 2nd behind WW)
#90 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes (10 among females)

Overall very good.

That's a great start. Hopefully, she'll garner sustained interest.

I think that Bendis, Walker and Campbell know that DC's crowd are even tougher than Marvel's when it comes to new characters, so I hope that they'll pack a lot of hints to truly hook readers.

Since issue 4 will already give plenty of révélations, apparently, I'm feeling confident that the book will endure.

[Personamanx]

Picked up the first issue after hearing some positive buzz. I didn't mind it at all, Jamal Campbell's art is better than ever, and I'm liking the characters that Bendis/Walker are beginning to establish. Will probably trade wait the series digitally in the future, but I'm glad I picked up the first issue.

The Wonder Twins preview on the digital copy was entertaining as well. If that wasn't already on my list to watch out for it certainly is now.

[cranger]

source

Welp this would be the second time it is generally believed Bendis something that he didn't do ...the first time time being that he created Teen Lantern when he didn't.

It was probably thought by many that Bendis came up with the idea of the original five X-Men coming to the future as well, but I think everything that happens in a comic gets attributed in different parts to both the writer and artist and I am sure if every comic was broken down we would see that a lot of what we thought came from one or the other was not what we thought.

So, I am curious, what is the deal with Teen Lantern?

I thought Naomi would be a version of 'Naomi Clarke' who is from Earth 32 (Pre-Crisis Earth Prime) but after seeing the Naomi #4 cover, I think she is a cosmic deity or cosmic demi-deity (New God or a Monitor since she is investigating or 'monitoring' Superman), since the solicitation said that she has a connection to the multiverse.

The big mystery is who her 'real' parents are, because she is apparently adopted, but really, who are her adoptive parents? Is there a mystery there?

[kurenai24]

Idk about Teen Lantern outside of the fact that Patrick Gleason had created the idea of the character when he was pitching a Young Justice series.

As for Naomi's adoptive parents it seems we'll meet them in issue 2, the reveal about Naomi's birth parents is coming in issue 3 going by solicitations and the aftermath of that reveal will be in issue 4.

[kurenai24]

Another interview

[J. D. Guy]

Haven't read it yet, but can't resist spoilers, at least on this thread from reactions!

From that preview where the town kids were giving their takes on the incident, it looked so cool! I love how everyone is so dynamically expressive; I don't know anyone, but by just cursorily studying them, I can gain insight on their personalities. And I love how Jamal Campbell put it, about creating the other kids as if they were protagonists in their own stories (which they are). And they do look like it! Like Naomi, they all look so cool, like characters worth following in their own right. This will become super useful should any of them evolve into more prominent characters in the story down the road (gain powers or some such).

[kurenai24]

The clearest character designs courtesy of Newsrama

[kurenai24]

I picked out a couple of things from the newest interview from Newsrama, so read the rest at the source.

Nrama: We got the sense in the first issue that there’s some big secret that will be revealed soon.

Bendis: Yeah, but I can tell you that what the first issue feels like is not what the fourth issue feels like.

Walker: Oh, not at all.

Bendis: It all builds and builds. I’m exciting to rev things up for people. The fact that people really bought into it with issue #1 is an enormous relief, because we were nervous about it, but we have such a gigantic thing coming that I can’t wait for people to read it.

Her secret is legitimately gigantic and an additive to the whole of the DC Universe.

So people who bought into the first issue to hop on board, we’re really excited for them to see what comes next.

Nrama: Does this cross into other Wonder Comics? Or are you sticking to the task of building this one character’s world?

Bendis: We’re building her world, but it dives right into Young Justice down the line.

And then from there, all the writers at DC are aware that a big additive piece is coming.

Once it’s established, it’s for everyone.

So that was part of it, to bring something that everyone could play with. That was part of the allure.

Not enough people do that nowadays. It’s been awhile. And also, not to compare myself to him or anything, but just the situation is very similar where Jack Kirby came to DC and they literally cleared a lane and said, here, go nuts. And he created the Fourth World. And again, David and I are not comparing Naomi to that, but we are very aware we’re in the same position and are at least attempting to go as crazy with our inspiration as he did with his.

So we’re using that inspiration to just go nuts and hopefully we’ll get at least in the ballpark of what he achieved, or at least some will say, nice try.

source

So we're getting a crossover with Young Justice in the future.