For many comics buffs, the news that the creator of Babylon 5 has taken on a new challenge might be old news. But for readers and filmgoers who connect his name to The Changeling, or the upcoming Ninja Assassin, knowing that Straczynski, who prefers to go by Joe, is writing team-ups in The Brave & The Bold might just persuade the, to check the book out.
Joe’s writing debuts in The Brave and the Bold #27, on stands now, on a tale entitled Death of a H.E.R.O. Besides the Caped Crusader, the main characters are Robby Reed, a teen-ager who found a mysterious dial that allows him to be a unique superhero by simply dialling the letters H-E-R-O and to return to normal by reversing the process, and an unemployed, down on his luck street thug named Travis Milton.
In Death of a H.E.R.O, Robby and his grandfather visit Gotham and discover it’s been placed under siege by an enormous crime wave. Robby dials up a new superhero, Mental Man, the ultimate psychic and peers into the future. What he sees frightens him so much that he changes back – and leaves the dial behind when he and his grandfather go out the next day. When they return, the dial and what little other stuff they had has been stolen.
Which takes us to Travis Milton, out of work and informed of a citywide criminal event, little knowing that it’s a plot to set up Batman and then kill him when he’s too exhausted to fight.
Milton’s chances are slim to none when the story begins, but, thanks to the dial, he’s given an opportunity to choose between being an accomplice in Batman’s murder, and something better. At the same time, Robby is being given a chance to deal with being a kid who puts himself out there, as various heroes, with no guarantees that he will survive.
Straczynski has taken what used to be a book that was effectively just a fun book teaming The Bat with various DC heroes and turned it into an examination of heroism and cowardice; right choices and wrong choices, and the way children can carry the weight of the world on their shoulders – even in as allegedly enlightened times as out own. For most of the book, JNS’ writing is spot on, though he does lean a little too much into speechifyin’ at the end. But then, The Batman has been known to speechify on occasion, so even though so the speech might seem a little on the cheesy side, its pure heart wins out in the end.
That Joe makes his points in a fun superhero story in a team-up book is kind of exhilarating.
Let’s not forget, though, that comics are a visual medium. Joe’s words would have no impact if the art sucked. Artist Jesus Saiz has been a rising star at DC for a whole now, and his ability to capture the Dark Knight’s power and mystery, while making the physical transformation of Milton feel like it’s really happening – and showing Robby’s fears – bring power to Joe’s words that another artist, however competent, might not have pulled off. His layouts are flexible enough to handle walk and talks, superhero action and quiet, pensive individual moments. His linework is simply excellent.
In short, the team of JMS/Saiz is a good one. Saiz is capable of providing bravura art where Joe needs it and nuance when the story demands it. As long as JMS and Jesus Saiz are the creative team on The Brave and the Bold, I expect it will be one of the best titles in the DC stable.
Final Grade: A-