Golden Age Sandman (Wesley Dodds) Upcoming Series

[thwhtGuardian]

I found Rossmo to be a horrible fit for ROBIN but his work on this title is just superb, and IMO Venditti's Wesley and Dian were pretty spot on.

I don't think it was superb, but it was definitely better than what he's done in the past so it was atleast serviceable. The art is still the weakest aspect of the book.

[OBrianTallent]

Having actually read the book now, I can say I quite liked it. The story is engaging and well done, he brought back Dian! I am far happier with the art than I ever expected to be. While any number of artists could have done a good to great job with the story....the style, tone, setting all work to Rossmo's strengths. I have been quite vocal about not liking Rossmo's style in any way shape or form...but this works for me. Again,it might be that Guy Davis sat a standard of art that Rossmo fits into well, but it seems that it's even miles above what he did on Tim Drake. I'm actually looking forward to the next issue.

Oh and I thought it interesting that it takes place before he joins the JSA.

[MajorHoy]

Oh and I thought it interesting that it takes place before he joins the JSA.

It might be easier to do that since most current continuities have Sandman looking like this once he joins the Justice Society:

plus if you place the story earlier in his career, it gives you a little more room to play around with his early motivations / methods that are still being formed.

[j9ac9k]

I like that he does have the green suit already in issue 1. He just hasn't added the mask and cape to it yet.

[andersonh1]

I would like to have read this book, because I like the character of the Sandman and I enjoy Robert Venditti's writing, but the art is just not to my liking at all.

[MajorHoy]

I would like to have read this book, because I like the character of the Sandman and I enjoy Robert Venditti's writing, but the art is just not to my liking at all.

It was that bad when you looked through the issue?

[matt levin]

Finally have read this, as a long-time Wesley reader, and while the art will take some getting used to--it just aint like what it was...sigh...--it's not objectionable, it's even suitable, to me. My complaint's... the 'story' which seemed thin to me, and 'overly introductory,' while the excitement, action, and interaction seems more set to take place in issue two. If I were coming to this as a new reader, I don't think I'd be especially eager to go on with it, alas.

[andersonh1]

It was that bad when you looked through the issue?

I did flip through the issue and of course I've read the preview pages we got in several issues, so I've seen enough to make a call. I don't like the way the artist draws faces, or posture, or anatomy. Look at people's legs in some panels, they barely have ankles. Look at Starman and Hawkman on page three, they have no faces and no feet. It's nitpicky of me I know, but it's art, so preferences are always going to be subjective. It was enough to put me off the book.

[MajorHoy]

Finally bought / read the issue this weekend, and I was bothered more by the writing than by the art.

Also, are we ever going to get a new origin story for Sandman?
Roy Thomas created one back in Secret Origins #7 (October 1986), but I think that one has pretty much been negated since it involved the Phantom of the Fair and had the Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis) as the source of Wes' gas gun.

[j9ac9k]

Also, are we ever going to get a new origin story for Sandman?
Roy Thomas created one back in Secret Origins #7 (October 1986), but I think that one has pretty much been negated since it involved the Phantom of the Fair and had the Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis) as the source of Wes' gas gun.

Sandman Mystery Theater had a great origin that I don't think can be topped. That series even retold a version of that Phantom of the Fair story with the Crimson Avenger.

[CaptCleghorn]

Sandman Mystery Theater had a great origin that I don't think can be topped. That series even retold a version of that Phantom of the Fair story with the Crimson Avenger.

And that is the problem with the series. Wagner's SMT was truly great and there will be no getting away from comparisons which the first issue loses easily.

[j9ac9k]

And that is the problem with the series. Wagner's SMT was truly great and there will be no getting away from comparisons which the first issue loses easily.

Disagree. I really liked the first issue of this series and I loved SMT.

One thing I like about this series is that it's more of a super-hero comic. Guy Davis had a great grounded art style, but it seemed weird to think of that Wesley Dodds joining the JSA. (even when they brought in Hourman, he looked like a middle-aged guy playing dress-up, which worked for that series but didn't exactly feel like it was the DCU) I also really like how dynamic and colorful this series is, while still feeling like a period piece.

[CaptCleghorn]

Disagree. I really liked the first issue of this series and I loved SMT.

It's not that the series is bad, just that it's not as good as SMT. Even your post says "really liked" vs. "loved". Sandman hasn't been continually published since the Vertigo series. It's basically that and this. Comparisons will come up for anyone who's read both series. I liked this as well. It's worth buying every month and worth $4. There may be people who say this is as good as or better than SMT. I'm sure those that do will let us know, but the general feeling is that it's not up to the near masterpiece levels of the earlier series.

[j9ac9k]

It's not that the series is bad, just that it's not as good as SMT. Even your post says "really liked" vs. "loved". Sandman hasn't been continually published since the Vertigo series. It's basically that and this. Comparisons will come up for anyone who's read both series. I liked this as well. It's worth buying every month and worth $4. There may be people who say this is as good as or better than SMT. I'm sure those that do will let us know, but the general feeling is that it's not up to the near masterpiece levels of the earlier series.

Well yeah - there's only been one issue. The jury's still out.

[CaptCleghorn]

Well yeah - there's only been one issue. The jury's still out.

And it's being compared to a 70 issue series.