DC Quick Reads: Punk Rock Jesus, Dial H, He-Man

I get review copies, sometimes. Here's three from DC I read recently:

Punk Rock Jesus #1 (DC/Vertigo)

Punk Rock Jesus #1 is the best new comic I've read from DC/Vertigo in ages. It's an old-fashioned, black-and-white indie comic about a reality show that's going to take DNA from the shroud of Turin, clone it and "bring back" Jesus Christ. Written and drawn by Sean Murphy, it's full of that good ol' punk-rock indie spirit of the early 1980s and comes off as a mad little bit of all right.

Dial H #1 (DC Comics)

Dial H #1 is written by acclaimed sci-fi novelist China Mieville, and proves that it's not always easy to transition successfully from one medium to another. Honestly, I was completely lost in this story — I don't think I understood anything that was happening in this story, so I won't be picking up any further issues. The Brian Bolland cover, however, is quite nice — though that's not saying anything new.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1 is another book that confounds me. I was never a fan as a kid, being just old enough to have stopped playing with toys or watching cartoons by the time this one came along. I know next to nothing about He-Man or the story, so I'm definitely not the target audience for this book. This appears to be a complete reboot, starting over at the beginning and showing how blond woodsman Adam begins the journey that will transform him into He-Man. We only get foreshadowing of this, so He-Man isn't even really in this comic. It's pretty standard stuff for DC these days, and I do give the book props for looking better than a He-Man comic has a right be, thanks to Philip Tan and Ruy Jose. What's most disappointing to me is that this is written by James Robinson. Yes, James Robinson, the guy who wrote such great comics as The Golden Age, Starman, Leave it to Chance, Bluebeard, etc. And he's writing a toy comic for DC. Maybe he's a big fan of the character and wants to do it, but it seems like a big problem for the industry if a guy as talented and established as Robinson is reduced to doing a toy revival comic instead of something original that could reach a wider audience than adults who once played with He-Man toys.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe #1
(DC Comics)