Inferior Five #1

[Bookem Danno]

https://www.cbr.com/inferior-five-dc...n-jeff-lemire/

INVASION, eh?! Wow.

This was weirdly an okay issue. The art wasn't that great. The overdue re-intro of Dumb Bunny & the guys was very understated. And it would've been MUCH BETTER if a forward or afterwords clearly stated this was an alternate reality. Which is weird with continuous efforts to move away from random Elseworlds to a more distinctive 52 Earths count. It was neat how the backup story featuring the unexpected re-intro of Peacemaker surprisingly connected with the main story for the surprise cliffhanger. Dumb Bunny character/ization may be one of the biggest changes with the metoo movement, eh.

797498._SX360_QL80_TTD_.jpgThe Inferior Five 01.cbr - Page 1.JPG

[Jim Kelly]

So far, the latest efforts to revive old concepts from the past have left me underwhelmed and this seems like it won't change that. I would think Keith Giffen being involved would make it good--but he also has a habit of destroying the essence of what made something good before. I liked the Inferior Five's appearance in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD 35 (August 2010)--that got them right.

[j9ac9k]

Not having any idea who the I5 are, this was introduction for me and it was fine. Not sure Giffen can draw teens (or children?) very well, but I continue to like his style overall. His jagged, incomplete ink lines convey an overall sense of distress and dread to me, even when nothing is "happening" so it works in this story for me, since the first issue was just set-up.

I bought this for Peacemaker though, and I think they did a good job kinda capturing what he was and how he was re-presented as a bit unhinged. Putting it on something traumatic that happened during Invasion was a clever way to do it and I am really looking forward to seeing how this connects to the I5 story, which I wasn't expecting to happen right away.

[Thor-Ul]

I liked more the original I5 but don't think anybody knew how to use them beyond their original appearances. Most of them used in a post-Morrison scope and in their genesis they had a narrative more close to the Mad magazine, mocking pop culture of their time and the superhero genre as a whole, they were a parody and not the innocent nostalgic characters than others seems to believe.
This new series seems interesting and more close to Lemire than Giffen, but it is new characters. Who knows if it works, but at least remembers certain concepts from the past.

[Bookem Danno]

I would think Keith Giffen being involved would make it good

Ya'd think. No fun lightheartedness here. Maybe DC is hoping to cash in the shocking dark twist with the theme. How's Scooby Apocalypse doin' for them anyways? They're going to have to work hard in the 2nd ish to win me over.

I liked more the original I5 but don't think anybody knew how to use them beyond their original appearances.

If Harley Quinn and Deadpool can maintain the audience maybe fear of an Ambush Bug or Gwenpool fail was unwarranted.

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[scary harpy]

I liked more the original I5 but don't think anybody knew how to use them beyond their original appearances. Most of them used in a post-Morrison scope and in their genesis they had a narrative more close to the Mad magazine, mocking pop culture of their time and the superhero genre as a whole, they were a parody and not the innocent nostalgic characters than others seems to believe.

I agree they weren't innocent...they were the worst kind of jokes...cruel mockery. (a weakling; a big klutz; a dumb blonde; a coward; a fatso. Let's laugh at them. )

The inferior five need reinvention. I doubt this will be it.

The art is awful and depressing. The story is horror...I suspect it was inspired by Stranger Things. I don't think this will last the full 12 issues.

[Jim Kelly]

The Inferior Five never pretended to be innocent. It was mocking everything and everyone. E. Nelson Bridwell and Joe Orlando had both worked for MAD, before they came to DC. Their humour was take-no-prisoners, anyone is fair game for attack. It wasn't pointed at one body type or one gender but all body types, all genders. Nobody gets out of this comic with their dignity intact. The creators made fun of themselves, of their co-workers, of Marvel guys, of ancient characters, of new characters. They made FUN. If you were too sensitive to take a joke, then this comic wasn't for you. But it wasn't intended to be placid--it was supposed to trigger you. Given there's no new MAD magazines, DC could use a modern mag of mockery and mayhem.

[bearman]

I’m surprised no one mentioned the artistic and thematic connections to Giffen’s brilliant 5YL Legion relaunch.

[ducklord]

This book would seem to have all the ingredients I love in a revamp:
1) The Inferior 5 (be honest, who DOESN'T have an I5 revamp idea in their notebook?)
2) Keith Freakin' Giffen.
3) A "toss everything out and do something different" attitude (5YL Legion, Loeb/Sale Challengers, Giffen/Didio Omac? I'm there).
4) Call-backs to Invasion, one of those tightly-run spectacular summer crossovers that DC used to pull off with some regularity.
5) Did I mention Keith Giffen?

So, why did this first issue fill me with emptiness?