Vibe #1 review

DC's ad campaign for this book has baffled me. 'The unlikeliest hero' proclaims the cover. 'The League's most unlikely member ...' yells the house ad. Yes, the original Vibe wasn't a popular character when created for a 1980s JLA revamp - blame breakdancing and dodgy street slang. But that was the 1980s, and the character was killed off well before the end of the decade. Several generations of comic readers have come and gone since then. I know he's appeared in DC's TV cartoons, but I believe the animated Vibe went down rather well.

This isn't the same Vibe. The Paco nickname has been sidelined in favour of Cisco (as in Francisco). And as well as creating shockwaves, he has a range of vibratory powers due to a run-in with a Boom Tube during the Apokolips attack on Detroit detailed in the recent Justice League relaunch.

Cisco himself doesn't know the extent of his abilities in this debut issue, which begins on the day he gained his powers - and lost a brother. Elder sibling Armando was killed by a Parademon, other big brother Dante blames himself for being too scared to help (as if he could have done anything but get himself killed). Five years on, Cisco is working in an electronics shop and saving for college. Dante is a bit of a no-hoper, always cadging cash and dreaming of being a big-time gambler.

Then Cisco is picked up off the street by Dale Gunn, agent of ARGUS, the US government's superhuman oversight organisation. By introducing Vibe to a Parademon that's been preying on the neighbourhood homeless he gives Cisco a shot at gaining justice for Armando - in truth, it's more straight-up revenge. But it gives Cisco a taste of just how powerful he is, after he's previously operated as a small-time hero. Gunn invites him onto the new Justice League of America, with the enticement of training to reach his full potential. And behind the scenes, Gunn's boss, Amanda Waller, is hiding some dirty little secrets.

As first issues go, this is a winner. Co-writers Geoff Johns and Andrew Kreisberg make Paco likeable without being drippy, giving him dreams, a love of family and a natural inkling towards heroism. By the end of the issue Vibe has a role unique among DC's heroic community - he's the interdimensional 'border cop', Darkseid's incursion having left Detroit something of a crossroads between worlds. If any uglies come through, Vibe will stop them - and if the problem is too big for him alone, he can call on his JLA colleagues. That's quite the gig. The expanded power set means Vibe can not only stand alongside DC's most powerful heroes (the first Vibe's earthquake abilities were pretty formidable), he can fight for good on a cosmic scale.

Someone Johns and Kreisberg don't make likeable is Waller - the original, pre-New 52 version, was a hard-ass fixer who could be ruthless when she had to be; the new iteration seems to have 'ruthless' as her default, forever expecting the worst in people and ready to put them down for it. And she has zero sense of irony.

Incidentally, we're told that because he's now naturally out of kilter with Earth's vibrational frequence, Cisco can't be photographed. So I guess that's an artist's impression on Waller's wall over in Justice League #1.

I'm glad to see the close of this issue picking up on a dangling plot thread from the Justice League's run-in with Darkseid, though if you weren't reading those issues - and if so, I envy you - you can easily jump on board here.
Artist Pete Woods engages from the first page, with his endearing portrait of the Ramon brothers in downtrodden Detroit. There's a lovely humanity to the work, which makes the following spread all the more effective in its bizarre imagery. And the great pages just keep on coming. The organic breakdowns, skilfully finished by Sean Parsons, are especially effective in the seqiuence of Cisco really cutting loose, and I love their leering Parademons.

One thing that isn't so great, visually, is Vibe's costume. I actually prefer the corny yet characterful pre-Crisis look to the new outfit, which looks like one of Hank Pym's more utilitarian cast-offs.

On balance, though, this is a terrific first issue. It introduces us to a new superhero who radiates old-fashioned sweetness and places him firmly at the centre of the DC Universe and some intriguing mysteries. Johns and Woods are known for sticking around on books so I'm optimistic we'll get a nice long run of entertaining yarns developing Cisco and his world. Anything else really would be unlikely.

Comments

  1. I immediately loved this issue. I was looking forward to this because unlike many, I LIKED Vibe and I liked Justice League Detroit (funny how Vibe comes across as dated and stupid for his mannerisms and style, but Jubilee doesn't suffer from the same despite her being stuck in the late 80's, early 90's mall rat).
    This struck every note though.. Cisco is realistic, likeable and just a great new character.

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    1. Thank you Jan! I liked him too - he wasn't annoying for long, and you could always see his heart was in the right place. I'm not embarrassed to say I choked up when he was murdered.

      Jubilee, I always found irksome, like the kid sibling grabbing at your coat.

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  2. vibe maybe the bridge between earth 1 and 2, if any book begins a crossover like that it would be this one, anyone agree

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    1. Absolutely - vibrational speed is the traditional mode of travel, so I'd not be surprised to see Power Girl and Huntress tale an interest in Paco at some point.

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    2. hey mart i am planning on picking up earth 2 soon and i was wondering what are your thoughts on the book's current storyline the power of fate and flash, i love jay he's seem to be a really nice guy

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    3. I'm enjoying the series, the most recent issue reviewed was #8, back in January. Time for bed!

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    4. Cisco cisco?

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  3. Okay, now this was a good first issue (Officially reviewed/reacted to by me now). Did everything right for me by making the character likeable and showing what his comic will be about. Lots of good potential here, so I hope Sterling Gates does a good job. After all, he'll be taking over in issue 3 (current team has way too much on their plate to work with this comic now).

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    1. Having Sterling Gates back at DC fills me with hope that he'll find his way back to Supergirl and rescue the poor lass.

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    2. have no fear mart if you read michael alan nelson's interview in comicvine you'll see kara is in capable hands. also superboy will be in good hands with justin jordan

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  4. i'm wondering this issue reveals what the circus is, is it some time of prison for interdimensional creatures

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    1. It looks to be a mix of Earth types such as Gypsy and interdimensional types such as whiny old Pariah.

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    2. also wonder if darkseid's daughter is as ugly as her brother kalibak

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    3. why do you hope that also is the steppenwolf in earth 2 the same one we saw in justice league cause we last saw him in that book along with desaad being boomed out of apokolips

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    4. I'm happy to wait and see what happens.

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  5. This is a good looking book, nice to see dc picking Woods for a book probably better suited to him than the cul-de-sac that was Legion Lost.

    I too have fonder memories of Vibe than fandom deems appropriate. This solo outing has a lot of potential if it concentrates on building a supporting cast and telling some good character stories. But in these days of dark dc angst and stabtastic crossover fodder suspect there's little chance of that with the hero-defining death of his brother Armando (who I remember with even more fondness as his legacy-shouldering brother Reverb). Maybe this would stand more success as a mini rather than more 52 cancellation-bait.

    As for the rest, cute Gypsy & Pariah cameos, but what is it with the go-to plot of black ops covert government schemes and their prisons? There's a new one in every book! "Welcome to the Department of Fisheries and Game. Visitor's bathrooms are to the left and downstairs is our super-secret meta-human holding facility". No wonder they can't balance the budget.

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  6. Ah yes, Reverb, I rather liked the Conglomerate. And didn't he also go by Hardline?

    I agree, Ric, there are far too many shady government organisations in DC Comics over the past few years. It's all sooooo sinister!

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  7. I liked Vibe back in the day, partly becuase it was nice to see a latino character, but more because I liked the idea of his concept. I never understood why it was so fashionable to rip on the character. I only wish I wasnt boycotting DC over the Azzarello ruination of Wonder Woman. Mart's reviews are my vicarious way of checking in to see if things are getting better... :)

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    1. Anthony, have you had time to write to DC to tell them you're not enjoying Wonder Woman? You never know, it might just help.

      Meanwhile, thanks for the compliment. I only wish I had time to do more reviews, it's fun for me. Darn the day job!

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    2. I have written and I haunt the social media pages as well.

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  8. While it's not bad per say, I just didn't care for the character and found the story very generic.
    The only thing that piqued my curiosity was the double spread with all the characters from visibly from other universes (Qward Soldier, Pariah, evil Thunderbolt, etc...)

    Not enough to make me come back for issue 2 in any case.

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  9. That spread was be of my favourite acts of the book, I love seeing more and more of the old universe 'break through' into the new continuity.

    See you in the comic shop!

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  10. Loved the book more than I expected and I went in as one of the few Vibe fans pre-New 52. It really was textbook perfect for showcasing a new character's personality, power set, family and 'professional' lives, and setting up potential future plots. It's already on my pull list and the thought of Gates taking over didn't affect that decision. He made a bad series readable when he took over Supergirl so imagine what he can do inheriting a good book? And isn't the unwieldy name most likely because there's a magazine on the stands already called Vibe?

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