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First Wave (single issues) #1-6
First Wave
First Wave introduces a new generation to pulp characters of yesteryear through the eyes of Eisner Award winning author Brian Azzarello. Doc Savage, The Spirit and The Bat-Man join forces to stop a secret organization, the Golden Tree, from taking over a world distracted by war.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2011
6 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Brian Azzarello
1,296 books1,111 followersBrian Azzarello (born in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo. He and Argentine artist Eduardo Risso, with whom Azzarello first worked on Jonny Double, won the 2001 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story for 100 Bullets #15–18: "Hang Up on the Hang Low".
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Azzarello has written for Batman ("Broken City", art by Risso; "Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire", art by Lee Bermejo, Tim Bradstreet, & Mick Gray) and Superman ("For Tomorrow", art by Jim Lee).
In 2005, Azzarello began a new creator-owned series, the western Loveless, with artist Marcelo Frusin.
As of 2007, Azzarello is married to fellow comic-book writer and illustrator Jill Thompson.
information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Az...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 11, 2013
Good writing by Azzarello and fabulous art by Rags Morales (some of his best ever).
Interesting attempt to bring pulp heroes (Doc Savage, the Avenger) together with near-pulp characters (Batman, the Spirit, Rima) that sadly did not inspire more than the titular First Wave.
Even though it failed to grab more people's attentions, it was a fun read with solid characterization that captured each of the individual heroes. The villains, alas, were the weakest part of the story in my opinion, but
Interesting attempt to bring pulp heroes (Doc Savage, the Avenger) together with near-pulp characters (Batman, the Spirit, Rima) that sadly did not inspire more than the titular First Wave.
Even though it failed to grab more people's attentions, it was a fun read with solid characterization that captured each of the individual heroes. The villains, alas, were the weakest part of the story in my opinion, but
June 3, 2017
Big fun: more so, if you like pulp heroes and etc. There is a DC Comics circa 1975 crossed with James Bond vibe to this, as Rima the Jungle Girl, Kenneth Robeson's The Avenger, and the Blackhawks also appear. I love Rags Morales art and J. G. Jones covers. Azzarello's script is fine, if you can acknowledge that this team-up, featuring a pulpy Batman who shoots guns, is sort of set on Earth-First Wave, if you will.
I read this from the individual issues, easily assembled in the bargain bin of my favorite local comics shop. Due to licensing issues with 2/3 of these characters, I would be surprised if this remains in print; the aftermarket is the best way to find this, or, perhaps, in a better library.
I read this from the individual issues, easily assembled in the bargain bin of my favorite local comics shop. Due to licensing issues with 2/3 of these characters, I would be surprised if this remains in print; the aftermarket is the best way to find this, or, perhaps, in a better library.
December 29, 2019
Back in my misspent but well read youth, I picked up a number of Doc Savage paperbacks when hunting for Edgar Rice Burroughs amid the $1 bins of used bookstores. Which helped reading this, as Brian Azzarello has crafted a Doc Savage story with interludes from various DC Comics characters and pulp heroes. A friend sold me on this due to the appearance of Rima the Jungle Girl (I love both the original novel and the DC series). Rima, sadly, doesn't get much plot time although I liked where the author's notes on her character in the back. I'm also sad that the Black Canary didn't make it into the final story because the author's take on how she would have worked in this world was great. But if you like Batman and his spectral cousin the Spirit, this is a fun urban/jungle adventure. And, if not familiar with Doc and his gang, do read the author's addendum in the back first.
July 30, 2012
1.5 stars
Yeesh.
I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the...er, point of First Wave is to show readers a few of the other characters who were popular in old pulp comics.
Awwww. That's so sweet of DC....
Other than that, I have no idea what they were trying to do with this thing.
The Plot
Batman (a young retarded version of him), The Spirit ('cause you can never have too much Spirit), and Doc Savage (????) come together to defeat James Bond-like villains who are trying to Destroy The World !
One word: Stupid
Don't waste your time unless you are either a HUGE fan of The Spirit, Doc Savage, or both.
Yeesh.
I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say the...er, point of First Wave is to show readers a few of the other characters who were popular in old pulp comics.
Awwww. That's so sweet of DC....
Other than that, I have no idea what they were trying to do with this thing.
The Plot
Batman (a young retarded version of him), The Spirit ('cause you can never have too much Spirit), and Doc Savage (????) come together to defeat James Bond-like villains who are trying to Destroy The World !
One word: Stupid
Don't waste your time unless you are either a HUGE fan of The Spirit, Doc Savage, or both.
March 1, 2013
This story showed great promise as it teamed up Batman, Doc Savage and The Spirit. But the plot was confusing, the characters were inconsistent and the the whole thing came off as very juvenile instead of mature. Unfortunately, I have to say this book should be skipped.
March 24, 2012
Brian Azzarello sets this story of crossovers in the early 20th century, maybe 50s-ish, maybe earlier, and throws into the mix Batman, Doc Savage, the Spirit, and a whole host of other superheroes from DC's past. He tries to rewrite Batman Year One with his own take on Batman's early years and this is a mistake because Azzarello has yet to write a convincing Batman story. He makes Batman clumsy, sure I buy that, but makes him use guns and grenades - Batman?! Batman doesn't use guns or grenades!
Doc Savage (think Tarzan with a brain) is an ok character but there isn't anything about him that's particularly interesting so it's easy to see why his character has disappeared over the years. Ditto the Spirit whose only superpower is he can't die. Besides that he's a guy in a suit saying annoying puns and inexplicably getting the girls.
The story is a tangled mess of half thoughts and an overarching plot that makes no sense. At one point Doc Savage is fighting a robot but he makes a point of saying that this sort of tech doesn't exist yet. Oh robots aren't real but tech that creates tsunamis out of nothing, blood into gold, and giant monster beasts out of tiny lizards is?
There's some dull Bond villain archetype hell bent on destruction and some convoluted plan but it doesn't bear mentioning as it's all revealed in a breathless finale that underwhelms.
"First Waves" is a disaster from start to finish. It goes on and on and never once are you gripped or interested, it's really more out of morbid fascination on my part that I kept reading to see how badly Azzarello was going to bungle the rest of the book - and it's bad. Azzarello himself is one of the most mediocre writers in comics today, his "100 Bullets" series being badly written and outdated, while his other Batman book "Broken City" is utterly pitiful. "First Wave" confirms that he isn't getting better, if anything he's getting worse.
Doc Savage (think Tarzan with a brain) is an ok character but there isn't anything about him that's particularly interesting so it's easy to see why his character has disappeared over the years. Ditto the Spirit whose only superpower is he can't die. Besides that he's a guy in a suit saying annoying puns and inexplicably getting the girls.
The story is a tangled mess of half thoughts and an overarching plot that makes no sense. At one point Doc Savage is fighting a robot but he makes a point of saying that this sort of tech doesn't exist yet. Oh robots aren't real but tech that creates tsunamis out of nothing, blood into gold, and giant monster beasts out of tiny lizards is?
There's some dull Bond villain archetype hell bent on destruction and some convoluted plan but it doesn't bear mentioning as it's all revealed in a breathless finale that underwhelms.
"First Waves" is a disaster from start to finish. It goes on and on and never once are you gripped or interested, it's really more out of morbid fascination on my part that I kept reading to see how badly Azzarello was going to bungle the rest of the book - and it's bad. Azzarello himself is one of the most mediocre writers in comics today, his "100 Bullets" series being badly written and outdated, while his other Batman book "Broken City" is utterly pitiful. "First Wave" confirms that he isn't getting better, if anything he's getting worse.
December 13, 2017
First Wave was a pretty great idea: bring together many of the pulp heroes, and combine them with the more pulp-ish DC heroes. It sounded like it'd be a modern-day Wold Newton, told with modern-day writing sensibilities. And First Wave certainly hits its pulpish notes right, with a story that includes many great pulp ideas.
Unfortunately, I'm not really convinced that Azzarello was the right person to write this. By nature, his stories are intricately complex. Here, that becomes positively muddy, in large part because he's working with a large cast of characters, many of whom will be unfamiliar to the readers.
A story that had spent more time introducing all of our pulp-ish characters would probably have been a better debut for First Wave. (And this, it might still be great for folks who know about all the included heroes, but for the rest of us, it got harder to understand as the book went on.)
Still, this is pretty neat. It's a pity that the First Wave line almost immediately sputtered out.
Unfortunately, I'm not really convinced that Azzarello was the right person to write this. By nature, his stories are intricately complex. Here, that becomes positively muddy, in large part because he's working with a large cast of characters, many of whom will be unfamiliar to the readers.
A story that had spent more time introducing all of our pulp-ish characters would probably have been a better debut for First Wave. (And this, it might still be great for folks who know about all the included heroes, but for the rest of us, it got harder to understand as the book went on.)
Still, this is pretty neat. It's a pity that the First Wave line almost immediately sputtered out.
May 3, 2014
sorprendentemente, un cómic de brian azzarello en el que participan el batman pulp --pistolas incluidas--, the spirit y doc savage no logró nada más que ser una historia pulp más o menos bien escrita, más o menos bien contada --y mediocremente dibujada, eso sí. el asunto se debe quizá a este afán pastichero de juntar personajes sin desarrollarlos mucho, más por el gusto de presentarlos juntos que de sustentar el encuentro. aquí hay otro plan maquiavélico por otra asociación secreta que quiere salvar al mundo de sí mismo y poco más. destacable, bueno, el hecho de ver a savage, spirit y batman juntos, y de ver a batman disparar el par de armas de fuego que lleva en su sobaquera. poco más y poco menos que eso.
ps.: las portadas son todas geniales. ahora habrá que leer masks de dynamite.
ps.: las portadas son todas geniales. ahora habrá que leer masks de dynamite.
June 5, 2024
Amazingly beautiful artwork on display from Rags Morales, Phil Noto, and JG Jones on covers. Sadly, the story is a mess. The is basically an Esleworlds tale but I can't imagine reading this and then wanting to read more Batman, Spirit, Doc Savage, Avenger, etc. The plot involves so many characters doing random things. The dialogue needs exposition and to know who is narrating. It changes at random without a change in lettering. There are plenty of plot holes but they are overshadowed by the nonsense plot itself. Overall, a frustrating mess with gorgeous art.
March 10, 2017
If you're not already steeped in the world of Doc Savage, much of this you may struggle with. There just seemed too much thrown into this, and the result is fragmentation. It had a lot of promise, but the follow through wasn't complete.
January 28, 2020
Pulp fiction fun. It was nice to see Batman, Doc Savage, The Spirit, Avenger and the Nighthawks all share the limelight in this Golden Age international adventure.
The team work well together, blending Doc Savage's rationality, Batman's ferocity, The Spirit's cheekiness, Avenger's resolve and the Nighthawks's moral flexibility, though the full roster don't inhabit the same page till right at the end.
That being said I initially had trouble with the way that Batman was portrayed, namely his tendency to use guns. While this fits the hard-bitten world they all inhabit, I'm surprised at the body count he reaches using the weapon that killed his parents.
Also the final plot proved more convoluted than I expected though the concept of The Golden Tree (a secret society of wealthy people protecting their interests while claiming to protect the world at large) is a reliable staple of most modern comic book stories. I felt that Mr Sunlight, the leader of this society, resembled Alan Moore and wonder if that was intentional.
Nevertheless I enjoyed this crossover for what it was, the chance to revisit the romanticised vengeance of the postwar era. I recommend it to fans of any of these characters and those interested in the old world ideals they each represent.
The team work well together, blending Doc Savage's rationality, Batman's ferocity, The Spirit's cheekiness, Avenger's resolve and the Nighthawks's moral flexibility, though the full roster don't inhabit the same page till right at the end.
That being said I initially had trouble with the way that Batman was portrayed, namely his tendency to use guns. While this fits the hard-bitten world they all inhabit, I'm surprised at the body count he reaches using the weapon that killed his parents.
Also the final plot proved more convoluted than I expected though the concept of The Golden Tree (a secret society of wealthy people protecting their interests while claiming to protect the world at large) is a reliable staple of most modern comic book stories. I felt that Mr Sunlight, the leader of this society, resembled Alan Moore and wonder if that was intentional.
Nevertheless I enjoyed this crossover for what it was, the chance to revisit the romanticised vengeance of the postwar era. I recommend it to fans of any of these characters and those interested in the old world ideals they each represent.
May 23, 2020
First Wave had a lot of potential, but I felt like the execution was missing something. It was trying to birth a pulp/noir universe, led by Doc Savage, the Spirit, and a gun-toting Batman, who formed a kind of non-team to stop a global conspiracy. (DC cancelled the entire line shortly after the miniseries, so that's how that all went down.) As I said before, the story had potential, and Rags Morales's art really shined. But the plot was too muddled to follow on a first read-through and not quite interesting enough to demand a second one right away. Also, I have no idea what time period this is supposed to be in. There are second and third generation Blackhawks, so I'm thoroughly confused. It's not quite modern and definitely not World War II. They mentioned "the war" a few times, but it's unclear which one they meant. Maybe it was an entirely different, anachronistic universe. I wanted to like First Wave, because I have a soft spot for pulp characters and Golden Age heroes, but it's only okay.
August 16, 2018
Azzarello is a skilled writer and creates a story here that reminds readers of the glory days of pulp fiction/dime novels. He manages to revive two icons of that era, Doc Savage and The Avenger and weave them into a tale that involves more recent and contemporary legends including The Spirit, The Blackhawks and especially Batman. How they all work together to take down a criminal despot with global domination on his mind makes for an engaging story and a welcome diversion from darker, more serious works. The art reinforces the atmosphere created by the writing and compels the reader through a fast paced fun adventure.
July 20, 2020
The book has some really entertaining scenes, but the plot is very convoluted, at least for someone like me who doesn't know well these characters. There are many plot threads, and I often found it hard to understand everything.
August 10, 2020
To be honest I’m not sure why the rating on this is so low. I like it but I also like the old pulp hero’s. It’s a little crowded with so many heroes that don’t all get enough time to shine but overall I liked it.
July 5, 2021
The premise of three similar but misfitting main characters (Batman, Doc Strange, The Spirit) was interesting, and it started off well. The ending was a little bit messy. The author wrote himself into a hole with the number of characters, and he didn't know how to get out.
March 24, 2024
Book would have been better with less mixed up eras.
They didn't need cellphones, laptops or laser disks.
I don't know, just my take.
Over all it's a solid pulp, and delivers the intended message, doing so in the style of a Doctor Savage story.
They didn't need cellphones, laptops or laser disks.
I don't know, just my take.
Over all it's a solid pulp, and delivers the intended message, doing so in the style of a Doctor Savage story.
April 2, 2020
It was a good idea and I like the story. The art was A+. Just fell as flat as a pancake. I want to read when it came out but my store (at the time) would not order one for my pull.
May 27, 2020
Ever wonder what would happen if Batman, the Spirit, and Doc Savage teamed up to stop a cabal of villains, well the First Wave answers your question. The First Wave is set in an alternate reality where Batman uses guns and kills people. That being said First Wave tells an interesting story with is unique cast of characters and is coupled with great artwork.
Story
First Wave is what I find to be a very interesting book when Batman or should I say Bat-man, the Spirit, Doc Savage, the Avenger, and the Blackhawk's rally up to find out about the Golden Tree. Anton Colossi a businessman seeking a deal with Wayne enterprises to help create a paradise and destroy the modern world. The Golden Tree is a criminal organization seeking world war III founded by Colossi. Every target of the Golden Tree is killed by Ferrios a robot man. The thing I like about the first wave is it a Noir setting which for the most part fits all the characters sure a remote paradise, robot man, and WWIII aren't Noir like, but Batman using guns and him being more of a detective, not a superhero and the Spirit is the same way. It gives those characters a setting that suits them extremely well. I also found included in the First Wave the "Bat-man Doc Savage Special," Doc Savage investigates a murder of a crime lord because Commissioner Gordon believes the Bat-man killed him but after Savage encounters Bat-man he learns it wasn't Bat-man because Bat-man caries Forty-Fives the criminal was shot with a Sixty-Five.
Characters
The First Wave has an odd combination of characters, but it manages to do those characters and not make characters feel out of place. The most iconic character in the group is Batman. The thing I find neat about its an interpretation of Batman besides the fact that he uses guns is that he's also known as Bat-man or Bat Man, the Bat-Man the thing that gets get confusing the character say Bat-man but in the design pages and summery it's Bat Man I think Azzarello liked to have a hyphen in the name and Morales likes a space. Either way, it's just weird, I personally don't know why it couldn't have been Batman. That's just me being nitpicky. The Bat-Man in this story is a beginner Bat-Man who is a bit clumsy, that's not unusual for depictions of a beginner Batman. He does become a better vigilante as the story progresses. However, what may throw many fans off is the fact that Bat-Man uses firearms. Now this actually a call back to the very first interpretation of Batman, he used guns. He's still the brooding vigilante everyone loves and the billionaire playboy by day character. The Spirit is the other really iconic character in the First Wave. Not much is different about him, he's still a quit witted detective who's also a masked vigilante. Unlike Bat-Man, the Spirit has been active for a while and isn't a beginner in vigilante-detective work. Doc Savage, he's the central protagonist, is an adventure with peak human capabilities like strength and knowledge. I wasn't too familiar with him prior to reading this. The Avenger, another character I wasn't familiar with, he's a shapeshifting adventurer. Both are good characters. Doc has a Superman-esque personality always wanting to do the right thing. The Avenger is more of the too old for this type. Rima is a Ka-Zar or Kamandi type character. The Blackhawks are still the ace fighter pilots DC fans loved, the members of the squadron are original characters though. Alfred, Gordon, Delon, and Ebony White do make cameo appearances in the First Wave. The villains are also interesting. Anton Colossi is a businessman trying to create a paradise by destroying the old world. He is the weakest of the villains in terms of character. John Sunlight is the stronger villain characterwise. He's a wise villain who prefers to see things from a philosophical angle instead of narrow lenses. Ferrios is just a mechanical hitman who eliminates Sunlight and Colossi's targets. He's more of a physical threat to the heroes than anything else. All of which helped make the First Wave a good time to read.
Artwork
The First Wave has amazing artwork. Rags Morales' character designs are magnificent to look at. The Spirit and Bat-Man definitely look the best in the graphic novel, and it helps them stand out too. I like how Morales put Bat-Man's gun holsters on his upper body instead of on his belt. The Blackhawks designs are completely original designs. Instead of having them wear formal airforce uniforms like they typically wear, they have more leather jacket based and informal outfits. Which is a nice change. Phil Noto's artwork in the "Batman/Doc Savage Special" was nice too. The art helped drive First Wave home.
First Wave is a lovely read through and through thanks to its great story, well-rounded cast of characters, and amazing artwork. Fans of Batman and the Spirit should definitely pick this gem up.
Story
First Wave is what I find to be a very interesting book when Batman or should I say Bat-man, the Spirit, Doc Savage, the Avenger, and the Blackhawk's rally up to find out about the Golden Tree. Anton Colossi a businessman seeking a deal with Wayne enterprises to help create a paradise and destroy the modern world. The Golden Tree is a criminal organization seeking world war III founded by Colossi. Every target of the Golden Tree is killed by Ferrios a robot man. The thing I like about the first wave is it a Noir setting which for the most part fits all the characters sure a remote paradise, robot man, and WWIII aren't Noir like, but Batman using guns and him being more of a detective, not a superhero and the Spirit is the same way. It gives those characters a setting that suits them extremely well. I also found included in the First Wave the "Bat-man Doc Savage Special," Doc Savage investigates a murder of a crime lord because Commissioner Gordon believes the Bat-man killed him but after Savage encounters Bat-man he learns it wasn't Bat-man because Bat-man caries Forty-Fives the criminal was shot with a Sixty-Five.
Characters
The First Wave has an odd combination of characters, but it manages to do those characters and not make characters feel out of place. The most iconic character in the group is Batman. The thing I find neat about its an interpretation of Batman besides the fact that he uses guns is that he's also known as Bat-man or Bat Man, the Bat-Man the thing that gets get confusing the character say Bat-man but in the design pages and summery it's Bat Man I think Azzarello liked to have a hyphen in the name and Morales likes a space. Either way, it's just weird, I personally don't know why it couldn't have been Batman. That's just me being nitpicky. The Bat-Man in this story is a beginner Bat-Man who is a bit clumsy, that's not unusual for depictions of a beginner Batman. He does become a better vigilante as the story progresses. However, what may throw many fans off is the fact that Bat-Man uses firearms. Now this actually a call back to the very first interpretation of Batman, he used guns. He's still the brooding vigilante everyone loves and the billionaire playboy by day character. The Spirit is the other really iconic character in the First Wave. Not much is different about him, he's still a quit witted detective who's also a masked vigilante. Unlike Bat-Man, the Spirit has been active for a while and isn't a beginner in vigilante-detective work. Doc Savage, he's the central protagonist, is an adventure with peak human capabilities like strength and knowledge. I wasn't too familiar with him prior to reading this. The Avenger, another character I wasn't familiar with, he's a shapeshifting adventurer. Both are good characters. Doc has a Superman-esque personality always wanting to do the right thing. The Avenger is more of the too old for this type. Rima is a Ka-Zar or Kamandi type character. The Blackhawks are still the ace fighter pilots DC fans loved, the members of the squadron are original characters though. Alfred, Gordon, Delon, and Ebony White do make cameo appearances in the First Wave. The villains are also interesting. Anton Colossi is a businessman trying to create a paradise by destroying the old world. He is the weakest of the villains in terms of character. John Sunlight is the stronger villain characterwise. He's a wise villain who prefers to see things from a philosophical angle instead of narrow lenses. Ferrios is just a mechanical hitman who eliminates Sunlight and Colossi's targets. He's more of a physical threat to the heroes than anything else. All of which helped make the First Wave a good time to read.
Artwork
The First Wave has amazing artwork. Rags Morales' character designs are magnificent to look at. The Spirit and Bat-Man definitely look the best in the graphic novel, and it helps them stand out too. I like how Morales put Bat-Man's gun holsters on his upper body instead of on his belt. The Blackhawks designs are completely original designs. Instead of having them wear formal airforce uniforms like they typically wear, they have more leather jacket based and informal outfits. Which is a nice change. Phil Noto's artwork in the "Batman/Doc Savage Special" was nice too. The art helped drive First Wave home.
First Wave is a lovely read through and through thanks to its great story, well-rounded cast of characters, and amazing artwork. Fans of Batman and the Spirit should definitely pick this gem up.
April 10, 2021
I never had much exposure to the Spirit or Doc Savage and other pulp characters, but DC attempts to the most obvious was to get them traction--add Batman.
This is kind of like how they are bringing back Wildstorm.
This is kind of like how they are bringing back Wildstorm.
January 5, 2012
The graphic novel is a compilation of the one shot Batman/Doc Savage comic in which Doc comes to Gotham City to investigate this new vigilante and the six issue comic FIRST WAVE.
Doc and the Batman part friends at the end of the prologue.
The main story opens with Doc coming back from his Fortress of Solitude to learn his father, Clark Savage, Sr. has died while he was away and been buried. Four of his friends await him at the cemetery(Johnny is away). The father died of some sort of unknown disease. The first thing Doc wants is the body disinterred so he can do his own checks.
What's in the coffin, instead of a body, are sandbags with a bloody right hand print on each one. And more surprising, each is not filled with sand, but instead gold dust.
The plot here is an investigation of an organization of super rich men called The Golden Tree, a group dedicated to world peace. Our three main heroes, Doc, The Batman, and The Spirit, begin investigating it from their own angles, eventually to come together.
Anton Collosi, the founder, has built a floating city called NeoAtlantis, based currently off the country of Hidalgo, as part of his mission. He wants to recruit Bruce Wayne into his group. Doc wants to find his father's body and The Spirit gets pulled in by accident.
A number of other characters make appearances along the way. John Sunlight, the only villain to ever appear in a Doc Savage novel more than once is part of The Golden Tree. Doc's aides, Monk and Ham, hire Richard Henry Benson, The Avenger, to use his malleable face to impersonate Doc. The Blackhawks are here, though a later generation from those in WWII. Rima the Jungle Girl carries a key piece of the puzzle stolen by Johnny from NeoAtlantis. And The Black Canary is briefly involved.
It doesn't take all that long for everyone to realize The Golden Tree is not quite as benevolent as they appear.
Enjoyed this little excursion and would have liked more. I understand there was a Spirit series as well as a Doc comic, with shorter pieces in back featuring some of the other participants. It apparently didn't do as well as hoped as the whole deal was canceled.
Ah well, maybe the others will be complied sometime. Don't think they have as yet, though I may be wrong.
Brian Azzarello wrote the seven issues collected here. Phil Noto drew the one shot Batman/Doc Savage and Rags Morales the six issue series.
I liked it though some folks didn't.
Doc and the Batman part friends at the end of the prologue.
The main story opens with Doc coming back from his Fortress of Solitude to learn his father, Clark Savage, Sr. has died while he was away and been buried. Four of his friends await him at the cemetery(Johnny is away). The father died of some sort of unknown disease. The first thing Doc wants is the body disinterred so he can do his own checks.
What's in the coffin, instead of a body, are sandbags with a bloody right hand print on each one. And more surprising, each is not filled with sand, but instead gold dust.
The plot here is an investigation of an organization of super rich men called The Golden Tree, a group dedicated to world peace. Our three main heroes, Doc, The Batman, and The Spirit, begin investigating it from their own angles, eventually to come together.
Anton Collosi, the founder, has built a floating city called NeoAtlantis, based currently off the country of Hidalgo, as part of his mission. He wants to recruit Bruce Wayne into his group. Doc wants to find his father's body and The Spirit gets pulled in by accident.
A number of other characters make appearances along the way. John Sunlight, the only villain to ever appear in a Doc Savage novel more than once is part of The Golden Tree. Doc's aides, Monk and Ham, hire Richard Henry Benson, The Avenger, to use his malleable face to impersonate Doc. The Blackhawks are here, though a later generation from those in WWII. Rima the Jungle Girl carries a key piece of the puzzle stolen by Johnny from NeoAtlantis. And The Black Canary is briefly involved.
It doesn't take all that long for everyone to realize The Golden Tree is not quite as benevolent as they appear.
Enjoyed this little excursion and would have liked more. I understand there was a Spirit series as well as a Doc comic, with shorter pieces in back featuring some of the other participants. It apparently didn't do as well as hoped as the whole deal was canceled.
Ah well, maybe the others will be complied sometime. Don't think they have as yet, though I may be wrong.
Brian Azzarello wrote the seven issues collected here. Phil Noto drew the one shot Batman/Doc Savage and Rags Morales the six issue series.
I liked it though some folks didn't.
January 1, 2018
It's a great idea if you want to see some classic DC characters written in yet another universe. Rules have changed and the characters are slightly different. DC seems to do this every other year, and this particular project failed at he starting gate. I can see why: there is too much going on at once, some of the action is confusing, and the Spirit doesn't really fit into this universe. Bringing Batman and Doc Savage together has some great potential, but would be more interesting in an already established universe where the reader doesn't need to write notes to keep up.
March 28, 2020
Ever since the first League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series came out, people have been creating their own combinations for later versions of a League they'd like to see. For the pulp era, this would definitely be the combination I'd look for (along with the Shadow, who apparently Azzarello couldn't get permission to use, even though he's an established DC character). But seriously, Doc Savage, the Batman, and the Spirit teaming up with the Avenger and the Blackhawks? YES, PLEASE!
I did have a few issues with the story, like the unnecessary and (to me) unwelcome intrusions of modern technology (cell phones, jet planes, etc.), even though it's claimed that this story takes place post-WWII. Still, a fun, pulpy comic book tale involving some of my favorite heroes of the age. Worth checking out.
EDIT 3/28/20: a second reading of this one has left me dizzy trying to properly date the action. Batman has been active a month, while Doc Savage's father has just died, but these events have a six year gap in the original canon for each (Savage's father dying a full six years before Batman first puts on the cape and cowl), meanwhile Denny Colt won't be the Spirit for another 3 years after Batman first became active, and Richard Benson doesn't gain his wondrous abilities for another year after Batman begins his war on crime. I get what Azzarello is trying to do, just not 100% on board with it.
I did have a few issues with the story, like the unnecessary and (to me) unwelcome intrusions of modern technology (cell phones, jet planes, etc.), even though it's claimed that this story takes place post-WWII. Still, a fun, pulpy comic book tale involving some of my favorite heroes of the age. Worth checking out.
EDIT 3/28/20: a second reading of this one has left me dizzy trying to properly date the action. Batman has been active a month, while Doc Savage's father has just died, but these events have a six year gap in the original canon for each (Savage's father dying a full six years before Batman first puts on the cape and cowl), meanwhile Denny Colt won't be the Spirit for another 3 years after Batman first became active, and Richard Benson doesn't gain his wondrous abilities for another year after Batman begins his war on crime. I get what Azzarello is trying to do, just not 100% on board with it.
August 30, 2015
Extremely difficult to follow. If you're going to read this, read the character profiles at the end of the book to familiarize yourself with the supporting characters. It helped out a lot for me, but I didn't realize they were there until I hit the final issue. So I went back and read this a second time, and it was a decent read when I was actually able to understand what was going on (although a few important details still didn't make sense). But this should have been the case the first time around.
One problem is the use of captioned monologues, which are used a few different times in each issue. It was often unclear which character was speaking or thinking, although this was often revealed at the end of the monologue. But there was never any reason why it shouldn't have been revealed immediately. Instead of paying attention to what the character was saying, I would try to figure was saying it. At one point, a character begins a monologue with how he hates people who use guns right after he uses a gun. Because of that, At first I thought the character doing the monologue must have been someone else. Overall, this technique is used in effectively throughout the series.
One problem is the use of captioned monologues, which are used a few different times in each issue. It was often unclear which character was speaking or thinking, although this was often revealed at the end of the monologue. But there was never any reason why it shouldn't have been revealed immediately. Instead of paying attention to what the character was saying, I would try to figure was saying it. At one point, a character begins a monologue with how he hates people who use guns right after he uses a gun. Because of that, At first I thought the character doing the monologue must have been someone else. Overall, this technique is used in effectively throughout the series.
April 3, 2013
Set shortly after the end of the Second World War, albeit with some 21st century additions (cell phones, etc.), First Wave brings together the pulp heroes of the 30's and the comic book icons of the 40's. The premise is good, although I didn't find the execution that interesting.
We have Doc Savage and his team along with the Richard Benson (The Avenger) teaming up with the Batman (people forget that the Batman originally carried guns, the Spirit and the Blackhawks (and a few others). While I've never been a big fan of the Spirit, I've enjoyed reading the others for many years. The Batman is new, in his first year, and makes mistakes. This isn't the edgier Batman that we see today, but a more vulnerable one. Doc Savage comes across as more arrogant than in the pulps, and the Avenger is cold, more brutal than in the pulps. The cast of characters is too big, and there isn't time to get the connections between all the players. I think that DC overreached a bit on this one.
Good concept, not so good on execution.
We have Doc Savage and his team along with the Richard Benson (The Avenger) teaming up with the Batman (people forget that the Batman originally carried guns, the Spirit and the Blackhawks (and a few others). While I've never been a big fan of the Spirit, I've enjoyed reading the others for many years. The Batman is new, in his first year, and makes mistakes. This isn't the edgier Batman that we see today, but a more vulnerable one. Doc Savage comes across as more arrogant than in the pulps, and the Avenger is cold, more brutal than in the pulps. The cast of characters is too big, and there isn't time to get the connections between all the players. I think that DC overreached a bit on this one.
Good concept, not so good on execution.
July 9, 2012
Yeah, my inner fanboy enjoyed this a lot. So what if DC Comics couldn't get The Shadow's rights. All they did was let Brian Azzarello remind people that Batman used to carry guns, and give us a diesel punk styled world.
Sales dictated that Azzarello wouldn't get the chance to expand beyond this first installment. A shame really, as he does an excellent job of defining Doc Savage and The Avenger. He does make a good start at how he views The Spirit, John Sunlight, and Batman. His reimagined Blackhawks is the best version since Howard Chaykin's, and it seems influenced by Chaykin's work (not a bad thing).
The tone of the story resembles a good James Bond movie. Again a good thing. When Doug Moench has handled the character he discovered the best way to make the stories work for today's reader was to hit the Bond cinematic feel.
Sales dictated that Azzarello wouldn't get the chance to expand beyond this first installment. A shame really, as he does an excellent job of defining Doc Savage and The Avenger. He does make a good start at how he views The Spirit, John Sunlight, and Batman. His reimagined Blackhawks is the best version since Howard Chaykin's, and it seems influenced by Chaykin's work (not a bad thing).
The tone of the story resembles a good James Bond movie. Again a good thing. When Doug Moench has handled the character he discovered the best way to make the stories work for today's reader was to hit the Bond cinematic feel.
January 14, 2015
This series should have been so much better than it was. All the ingredients were there for full-on fun pulp adventure, but somehow writer Brian Azzarello dropped the ball. From the get-go, the story is confusing, inconsistent in tone, and despite having read it twice, now, I still can't tell you exactly what this story was about. The art by the always excellent Rags Morales is superb, but it's just not enough to keep this thing's head above water. I'll probably take another crack at it sometime, but for now I stand by my opinion.
Addendum: Tried it again and, admittedly, I enjoyed it more but it remains a bit of a mess of a project. Pity.
Addendum: Tried it again and, admittedly, I enjoyed it more but it remains a bit of a mess of a project. Pity.
January 15, 2015
weak jumble of a plot saved by the bizarre team-up of Doc Savage, the Spirit and a young pulp version of Batman.
Meant to be the intro to a pulp based universe/line of titles for DC that crashed and burned pretty quickly and understandably.
While the three leads are fun and written well, there are a bunch of odd stumbles.
Things like transforming Spirit's sidekick ebony into a sassy black woman.Like that's less of a stereotype than the original version.
Fun if your a fanboy, but if this is your first intro to the pulp heroes or you think this is the start of a bold new comic universe then you in for some disappointment and head scratching.
Meant to be the intro to a pulp based universe/line of titles for DC that crashed and burned pretty quickly and understandably.
While the three leads are fun and written well, there are a bunch of odd stumbles.
Things like transforming Spirit's sidekick ebony into a sassy black woman.Like that's less of a stereotype than the original version.
Fun if your a fanboy, but if this is your first intro to the pulp heroes or you think this is the start of a bold new comic universe then you in for some disappointment and head scratching.
April 21, 2014
A jumbled mess and missed opportunity, it fails to introduce the characters to new readers, has an inconsistent tone and is confusing from start to finish.
Too many characters, too many plotlines, and why did they feel the need to "update" these classics by setting it in whatever inconsistent time it is set in (50's maybe, but with cell phones and computers? Ebony White being a girl?)
Pulp should stay in the 30's and be done as a period piece injecting some modern sensibility in the dialogue.
Really, the only good things are the covers. Too bad, because you feel the author's love for the genre.
Too many characters, too many plotlines, and why did they feel the need to "update" these classics by setting it in whatever inconsistent time it is set in (50's maybe, but with cell phones and computers? Ebony White being a girl?)
Pulp should stay in the 30's and be done as a period piece injecting some modern sensibility in the dialogue.
Really, the only good things are the covers. Too bad, because you feel the author's love for the genre.
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