And Then I Read: RUSE 1

Images © Marvel Characters, Inc.

I wish I could like this as much as I hoped I would. I loved the original series from CrossGen, but this one doesn't have the spark for me, despite having the same writer, Mark Waid. The cover is by Butch Guice, the artist of the original series, with the interior art by Mirco Pierfederici. His work is not bad, but it's uneven, and again, misses the spark of the original series for me. Here's an example:

It's all very serious and earnest, an honest attempt, but the subtleties that made the first series so much fun to read and look at are not there. It feels rather bland overall. Compare the cover above to the first trade paperback cover from GrossGen:

Everything about it is so much better: the logo, the art style, the design, and especially the cocky, confident body language of the characters. The Marvel cover misses most of that. Sadly, the story does, too. What seemed fresh and fun is now predictable and unexciting. Maybe it's me, I wish everyone involved well, and I might try to read further, but I can't recommend it.