Blog

Naomi #1
Publisher: DC
Story: Brian Michael Bendis, David F. Walker
Pencils: Jamal Campbell
Inks:  Jamal Campbell
Colors: Jamal Campbell
Letters: Josh Reed
Cover: Jamal Campbell

The second title in DC’s new Wonder Comics imprint, curated and overseen by Brian Michael Bendis, Naomi is a unique, and successful, introduction of a brand new character, who uncharacteristically lives in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, as opposed to the typical larger urban metropolises seen in most comics.

The small-town feel helps ground the series and gives readers a way to connect with its titular character, Naomi, who laments that nothing ever happens in her town… until it does. The opening premise, with spectacular, action-oriented art by Jamal Campbell, features a cinematic fight between Superman and Mongul, who have crashed into sleepy Port Oswego to brutally spar for 17 seconds before taking off with superspeed to continue their fight elsewhere. The aftermath of the fight helps set this book apart from many superhero titles on the stands, as the citizens take stock of the damage and discuss who should pay for repairs. These scenes are also where we meet some of Naomi’s friends, who ask sensible questions such as “couldn’t Superman… come back and clean up the mess he made?”

It’s an honest, real life question that is seldom asked in superhero books, and it helps to make the story relevant to all of us non-superpowered readers. It also serves as a way to give quick personality traits to the myriad of townspeople introduced in this issue. While the character of Naomi herself does get a bit more characterization, this is mainly a plot-driven issue that serves to set up what seems to be the main mystery of the series: where did Naomi come from (she is adopted), and what secret might her biological background be hiding from her? That set-up takes up the majority of the issue, but all through the lens of developing Naomi as a character. We learn that she might have a “Superman complex” and we learn that via a discussion that Naomi has with her therapist. This scene is a really nice touch and it treats the visit to the therapist as a normal, healthy part of Naomi’s self-care, which is exactly as it should be. While Bendis’ exposition, dialogue, and narration can be typically very wordy, this scene is handled very well and realistically.

The townspeople receive less treatment in terms of developing their characters, although two of Naomi’s friends are painted with a broad, somewhat cliché tainted brush, but hopefully they will receive deeper treatment over time. The town mechanic also gets a bit more exposure toward the end of the issue, and it is Naomi’s visit and conversation with him that serves to set-up the mystery which will be explored in the next issue.

Jamal Campbell handles all of the art duties for this issue, inking and coloring his own pencil work as well as creating the cover. This adds a level of consistency throughout the book and allows him to set the standard for what this new character and her home town should look like. While Campbell’s layouts are really strong, especially in the action scenes at the beginning of the issue and also a fun scene in which Naomi scours the Internet looking for any articles or stories about the “Superman incident” that took place in her town, what really stands out is his coloring, which has a painterly quality to it. His use of light and shadow also adds to the visual experience of the book, such as in the therapist office scenes with light streaming in threw a window with the shade half-down. It’s a nice touch to add this level of detail that could have easily been over-looked.

While the issues is a little wordy, which is typical for Bendis, and a little too weighted toward story versus characterization in this issue, the character of Naomi is a unique, fun introduction to the DC Universe. Combined with the excellent visuals by artist Jamal Campbell, Naomi really does add a sense of “wonder” back into comics, true to the name of its imprint. Based on the first two entries of the Wonder Comics line (the first, Young Justice, I reviewed previously), DC has an all-ages hit on its hands, despite, the Teen Plus rating of both comics.

Martin Thomas
martin@comicattack.net