Truth In Advertisement?

There are enough things wrong with Superman & Batman Versus Vampires & Werewolves # 1 that it's unlikely that I'll lay down more cash for any of the remaining 5 issues in the series. It wasn't a terrible read, by any means, but it also didn't wow me in any way. Let's start with the title itself.

I understand that the writer, Kevin VanHook, had another name in mind for the story, but that DC wanted to go with what we got. VanHook's choice was literary in nature, whereas DC's was more literal. Except that it isn't, really, at least for the first issue. You see, the Man of Steel doesn't actually appear anywhere in the book itself! Not in a single panel, not in a word of dialogue (Batman doesn't even think, "Hmmm... perhaps I should consult with Clark on this" or anything oblique like that) and not even by inference (Gotham City is featured prominently; Metropolis is not even mentioned). That would seem to me to be a serious flaw in a comic that features "Superman" in its title! Now, I'm sure he'll show up later on, and by the time all 6 issues are collected into a trade paperback, it won't be a problem... but this is issue # 1 that I'm talking about. When plotting out the general arc of the tale, it wouldn't have been difficult at all for the writer to ensure that each of the 4 "promised" stars show up in each issue. That's just good comic storytelling. (And why exactly did we need a Superman & Batman mini-series right now when there's a monthly, ongoing Superman/Batman title where the story could've easily landed?)

Along with the absence of one of its titular characters, the comic also suffers from a poorly portrayed Batman-Alfred dynamic. VanHook, it seems, sees the famous butler as serving only as a vehicle by which the World's Greatest Detective can let the reader in on what he's thinking. Alfred arrives in the Batcave at just the right moment to prompt his employer and longtime confidante to spill the beans on what he's learned so far about a grisly killing that occurred in Gotham. There's none of the witty back-and-forth between the two that we'd expect, and Mr Pennyworth is actually written as something of a dummy.

While the artwork by Tom Mandrake is suitably dark and atmospheric, all of the prose (in the form of caption boxes) is seriously overwritten. Here's an example, around a scene in which a young woman is attacked by a vampire as she goes to her car late at night: "But now the REALITY sinks in. Reality and TWIN FANGS that pierce the FLESH of her neck... then the HOT BREATH that reeks of DEATH." Yeek.

With the second issue of the mini-series due out today, I moved the debut from midway down my "to be read" pile of comics right up to the top this morning, and just finished it moments ago. I figured that I should make sure that it warranted additional purchases... and it doesn't. Good thing I checked out # 1 before spending any more money on this rather mediocre offering.