Comic Review: Event Leviathan #1

Event Leviathan #1

DC Comics

Writer: Brian Micheal Bendis

Artist: Alex Maleev

Following a six-issue Action Comics arc and an 80-page giant setup, Event Leviathan is here. The mystery of Leviathan to this point has been enjoyable and compelling. As a mystery, it’s goals need to be to compel the reader to discover the answers and make those answers satisfying. So is Event Leviathan compelling? It’s honestly too soon to tell.

While this is not a bad first issue, it’s not a great one either. My biggest problem with it is that it’s very much a recap issue. Batman, Lois Lane, and Green Arrow stand around for a long time and ponder questions the audience has been pondering for months. Perhaps it’s a necessary evil, after all, anyone picking up a #1 shouldn’t need to read any other books. On the other hand, what then, is the purpose of those other books? I suppose the answer is that they were fun books on their own. However, they make this issue feel a bit dull.

Of course, even when the content is somewhat lacking, Bendis never fails to bring a talented artist along for the ride to make it all worth it. Alex Maleev makes his DC debut with this issue, and he’s just as great as I remember. His heavy shadow-work and rough lines compliment the gritty tone of the book very nicely. Though, he is somewhat limited by this particular issue, due to so much of it is one conversation inside the same dark room. He does a lot with a little, and that’s impressive on its own. I imagine his work will shine even more once the story opens up.

While I tend to think Bendis shines with banter and dialogue, I think he missed the mark in this book. There are definitely still some great moments, but sometimes the dialogue doesn’t read well. This is particularly noticeable with Batman. Bruce seems to have forgotten how to use contractions, and as a result, speaks like a robot. This may seem like an oddly specific complaint, but the more it happens, the more noticeable it becomes. That aside, his Lois Lane continues to be a joy, and his Green Arrow is pretty solid, too.

Despite its lackluster start, Event Leviathan still has plenty of potential. Alex Maleev’s art is still a joy to look at, and the dialogue is mostly solid.  This is not a poorly constructed issue. It’s just (excuse the pun) an uneventful one.