It’s finally here, the final installment of Justice League of America Month! We’ve already looked at Green Arrow and the core Justice League of America title…but today we’re looking at the world’s most unexpected hero, Vibe! Arguably one of the lamest characters ever created, Vibe was, essentially, an excuse to make a break-dancing Hispanic superhero during the 80s; he was met with little fanfare and received little mourning from comic fans when killed off. Now, however, Geoff Johns and Andrew Kreisberg have declared that they will make Vibe an A-lister. Johns has succeeded in doing so with Aquaman, Hal Jordan, and Hawkman in the past…can lightning strike again?
Justice League of America’s Vibe #1 focuses on none other than Cisco “Paco” Ramone, an eighteen year old hispanic resident of Detroit. During Darkseid’s invasion five years prior (as detailed in the first six issues of the New 52 Justice League), Cisco feel into a boom tube where he was exposed to extradimensional energies. His older brother, Armando, lost his life pulling Cisco away from an attacking Parademon, something that neither Cisco nor his surviving brother, Dante, have fully come to terms with. The government tracks down Cisco and has a distinct use for him…but is Vibe really cut out to be a superhero?
Geoff Johns, prolific writer of numerous comics co-wrote Vibe #1 with Andrew Kresiberg, a well-known television writer who currently works on Arrow for the CW. This team of writers crafts a great story despite the limited number of pages. Vibe’s origin is explained, and we’re treated to snapshots of his life and an exploration of his personality. Vibe may just seem like some naive teen, but there’s more to him. This issue also reveals more about Amanda Waller’s plans for the Justice League of America and introduces us to a new plot thread that’s guaranteed to have further ripples throughout the DC Universe.
Vibe’s art comes to us from Pete Woods (pencils), Sean Parsons (inks), and Brad Anderson (colors). This trio gives the unlikely Vibe a great flavor for his self-titled comic. The creative panel layouts and overlays fit Vibe’s powers. Strong character designs are great as well, especially a slightly slimmer take on Darkseid’s Parademons compared to what we saw from Jim Lee in the pages of Justice League. The colors in this issue stand out as well, popping at just the right moments. Vibe is a comic that’s supposed to be fun as well as serious, and the art reinforces this notion.
Justice League of America’s Vibe #1 is a comic that definitely deserves a place on your pull list. Whether you want to know more intimately about a member of the new JLA or you just want a fun comic with an unlikely lead, this comic is worth a look. This issue isn’t groundbreaking or mind-blowing, but it’s fun and remembers that comics don’t always need to be uber serious. Like Aquaman, it looks like DC is making great strides to make a joke character into a fan favorite.
Pros:
-great reinvention of a joke character
-solid writing and connections of other DC comics
-great art, especially the coloring
Cons:
-connection to continuity may make it a little hard to follow at times
Rating:
Brett Simon is a twenty-three year old comic enthusiast. He really wants to see Vibe breakdance at least once in his comic…for plot reasons, of course.