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  1. #1
    Always Rakzo
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    Default Naomi #1 Discussion/Spoilers

    The Wonder Comics line continues. We already saw the beginning of this new brand handled by Brian Bendis with Young Justice which sadly didn't have the most interesting beginning because it was banking itself in nostalgia instead of offering actual substance and content. Naomi is a bit different but not nessarily better.

    As we all should know, this series is about a brand new character created by Bendis which apparently follows the idea of how normal people see superheroes and this premise is emphasized during many segments which to be honest, gets a bit heavyhanded and doesn't progress the plot much. The main focus is the protagonist and her similarities to Superman, this particular plot-point hasn't been fully revealed yet and I guess I should have expected this from Bendis considering how Young Justice started but it would have been a welcomed change if it was. Naomi's background seems interesting at the very least.

    Another problem that you can instantly notice is that this book is as Bendis as you can get and this pretty obvious because of the dialogue. The "Bendis dialogue" is impossible to avoid with multiple balloons jumping from one another trying to convey the sense of a "natural conversation" but never really managing that and getting obnoxious quite quickly. I was hoping that Bendis would at least try to make his young characters sound less annoying than what he usually writes but that's sadly not the case and I don't even know how much David Walker contributed here since, while his dialogue is not the best either, this certainly doesn't seem like one of his books.

    Jamal Campbell's artwork is amazing though, with beautiful characters, scenarios and storytelling that gives the title a really unique style.

    Aside from that, I don't think this is really promising but I guess some people will find the set-up (Because this is all it was, a set-up) intriguing enough.

  2. #2
    Astonishing Member Korath's Avatar
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    I disagree fundamentally with the idea that the conversations didn't felt natural, for me they certainly did. In fact, I found it quite refreshing, to have characters in comics actually talking like normal peoples, and not waiting for each other to talk very politely or not acting like normal peoples (Noami's friend, who want her for a sleep over is really cute and gives me the vives of a slightly oblivious but very well-meaning person, which is great to have for so little time on the pages).

    The issue also did an incredible work at setting up a functional small town in the DCU, I think, with a cast of characters easily possessing voices distinct enough to provide plenty of potential storytelling later.

    The art is, obviously, wonderful, but it wouldn't be as striking without such a set-up and characters, I think.

  3. #3
    Always Rakzo
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    I'm not really talking about mannerisms (Okay, maybe to certain extent since the way how these "kids" talk sometimes reached the stereotype) but about how the dialogue itself flew which is predictably Bendis and I'm pretty sure that most people familiar with his work can easily recognize it.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rakzo View Post
    I'm not really talking about mannerisms (Okay, maybe to certain extent since the way how these "kids" talk sometimes reached the stereotype) but about how the dialogue itself flew which is predictably Bendis and I'm pretty sure that most people familiar with his work can easily recognize it.
    The strange thing is that one of the things I disliked about his later Marvel work is that everyone was written the same, but here I could almost get the sense that he was establishing at least a few personalities. The problem was that I could not keep track of who was talking half the time there were so many balloons and I spent more time trying to follow where they pointed. A couple rereads smoothed everything out though. One culprit I want to rant about though it the scene where the three characters are talking about Naomi missing the fight, there are a lot of balloons in all of those panels, and between the first and second panel two characters switch positions so the balloons lined up different, but the shot was from a distance (small characters) and the balloons dominated the page. It definitely made the first read through difficult.

    That said, the art (despite some odd character posing) was amazing at establishing the world for this story.

  5. #5
    Astonishing Member Korath's Avatar
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    I haven't read anything written by Bendis at Marvel beyond CWII so I'm not really accustomed to his habits, so I guess I don't feel them at all. In that regard, I understand why it could feel like "Bendis talk" and not normal talk.

  6. #6
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    I'm willing to bet that Naomi is the daughter of a Monitor or something. Since it's been said that she will have ties to the multiverse.
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  7. #7
    Loony Scott Taylor's Avatar
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    This was great. The art was great. I was so happy to see that the Wonder Comics line isn't going to be just geared towards kids, as that was how I felt about Young Justice.
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  8. #8
    Ultimate Member Robotman's Avatar
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    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by The Anti-Geek View Post
    I'm willing to bet that Naomi is the daughter of a Monitor or something. Since it's been said that she will have ties to the multiverse.
    That would be cool if she has some relationship to Nix Uton.

  9. #9
    Astonishing Member kurenai24's Avatar
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    Reposting the from the Naomi thread:

    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 a 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.
    On an unrelated note I knew someone or some people were gonna have issues with the dialogue >.> ...even if explained I still don't understand what the actual problem people have with Bendis dialogue or why they can't follow it , so I think it has to be a comprehension and/or a style thing.

    In any case if people want a reveal they will have to until the end of the third issue for that, there is also another superman appearance in issue 2.

  10. #10
    Writer At Comic Watch Dylan Davison's Avatar
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    It was a good issue...but kinda a fast read. I'm looking forward to more, and I'm sure it will pick up more as it goes forward.
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  11. #11
    Obsessed & Compelled Bored at 3:00AM's Avatar
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    I am interested enough to keep reading, certainly, but I suspect the 2nd issue will be deciding factor here.

  12. #12
    Astonishing Member Timothy Hunter's Avatar
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    This issue was suprising great. I love it when the superhero genre shines a light on the civilian perspective of a superhero universe, and this comic was chalk full of it. Even the Bendis-esque dialogue worked. His mannerisms don't quite mesh with adult characters, but considering the mainly teen cast, it felt very natural, because from my experience, that's how a lot of youth actually talk. The two page spreads by Campbell were very competent as well.

    The one problem I have with the book is the main character, Naomi. It appeared to me that there was very little reason to sympathize with her, as her only trait was snark.

  13. #13
    Loony Scott Taylor's Avatar
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    From my biracial, adopted daughter when she read this comic - "Thank you so much for the Naomi comic book!!! I need the next one. Like. Immediately. It was literally about me. So like. Next one please!"

    Comics like these matter
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  14. #14
    Uncanny Member MajorHoy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rakzo View Post
    . . . Another problem that you can instantly notice is that this book is as Bendis as you can get and this pretty obvious because of the dialogue. The "Bendis dialogue" is impossible to avoid with multiple balloons jumping from one another trying to convey the sense of a "natural conversation" but never really managing that and getting obnoxious quite quickly . . .
    Saw a preview for issue #1.




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