Resurrection Man Vol 1 Dead Again
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Dan Abnett writes a fast paced and thrilling story of a cursed man forced on the run and thrown into baffling and nightmarish circumstances. From the opening chapter where Mitch's plane goes down to the final scene in Metropolis, Abnett and long-time artist collaborator Andy Lanning set a blistering pace for the unfolding story.
I've not read anything about this character before but after reading this book I think he's a pretty interesting dude. The Heaven and Hell angle gives this book a flavour of "Preacher" and "Hellblazer" (both superb comics) but the character himself and his skill set seem unique and original.
There was a strange plot hole in the middle of the book where the character jumped from the West coast to the East in the space of a couple of pages that was never addressed – but as a new reader to the character, maybe it's something I don't know about like that's part of his powers or something to do with being resurrected. That and the weak ending are the only two complaints I have about the book.
Other than that, this is a great story of an interesting kind of hero finding his way in the crazy DC Universe. Fans of Batman will like the inclusion of Arkham Asylum in this book and Mitch winding up in Metropolis hints at more crossover appeal. Unfortunately the series was cancelled in September 2012 so there's only going to be one more volume, but creators Abnett and Lanning have written other Resurrection Man books so I'll definitely keep an eye out for those. Meanwhile "Dead Again" is an excellent addition to the "New 52" and well worth a look.
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I'm more a fan of the character, the powers, of Mitch Shelley than anything that's actually been done in any of the books. Sometimes this run was painful, mostl
The fact that the premise and ability of Resurrection Man allows for, literally, limitless possibilities, I found it strange how little DnA do with this the second time around. Having abandoned the 'Kung-Fu' styled wandering-the-earth Mitch Shelley, they waste no time making this book a run-and-gun thriller. However, it just doesn't work.I'm more a fan of the character, the powers, of Mitch Shelley than anything that's actually been done in any of the books. Sometimes this run was painful, mostly it seemed trite, and little of it was actually much fun. We get... Angels? And demons? And girls with guns? And militaristic prototype weaponry? All the mystery and intrigue flies right out the window as DnA try to fill the pages with as little of Mitch as humanly possible. I can't help but be frustrated knowing the limitless potential for the character, and thinking that any decent Vertigo writer could have made this into a 75 issue run with ease. Instead, we get something I feel Jim Lee pushed into mirroring old Wildstorm books.
Sigh. It's cancelled now anyway. 13 issues and done. Hopefully Jeff Lemire will be smart enough or creative enough to pull Mitch into the fold of Justice League Dark. It's really my only hope to get something worthwhile out of the greatest DC creation of the 1990's.
Writing: C
Art: B
The origins of Mitch
Interesting storyline. Mitch Shelley comes back from death, and each time, with a different ability. I like how it begins with you thinking this is a supernatural phenomenon, but it's a scientific one instead. The bad guys are two voluptuous ladies with a taste for killing and an ability to heal: the Body Doubles. They are like Natural Born Killers, which wasn't a good association for me. They leave quite a trail of bodies, and formidable antagonists for the Resurrection Man.The origins of Mitch's abilities are dark. There are a few cameos that followers of the DC Universe (along with the Body Doubles) that readers will recognize. Seeing what Mitch used to be like, I can't help feeling glad that he's gotten a new lease on life and a chance to be a better person, but it comes at a great cost.
This book is one for an exciting read with plenty of action and some science fiction thrills. I'll follow this series.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
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Mitch Shelley has a secret but he can't remember it. Destined to die over and over again, only to be resurrected with a new super-power each time, Mitch finds himself hunted by the Body Doubles, who have a connection to his tortured past, and a group of angels from both heaven and hell, who want his soul.
Pretty good premise, and some day I need to read the original series to see how it holds up. This series was written by the creators, and I think they get a lot right here, but M
Second reading.Mitch Shelley has a secret but he can't remember it. Destined to die over and over again, only to be resurrected with a new super-power each time, Mitch finds himself hunted by the Body Doubles, who have a connection to his tortured past, and a group of angels from both heaven and hell, who want his soul.
Pretty good premise, and some day I need to read the original series to see how it holds up. This series was written by the creators, and I think they get a lot right here, but Mitch really doesn't have much of a personality. It's hard to say what kind of guy he is, although he's both confused and angry a lot.
Somehow he ends up in Arkham Asylum, but it was unclear to me how that happened. One minute he's fighting one of the angels who say his soul is over due, and then he's vaporized, only to be in an ambulance on the way to Arkham. Previously, Mitch was resurrected wherever he died, but that's not the case here. I'm probably missing something.
Art is by Fernando Dagnino for the most part, and Ivan Reis did the covers. The interior art isn't that bad, but Dagnino sometimes wasn't consistent on how Mitch's face was supposed to look.
One of the original series that debuted in DC's New 52, Resurrection Man only lasted 12 issues plus the Zero issue, so there's just one more volume to check out with this run. I read these in singles when they first came out, and reading this one over again jogs the memory, but I don't remember much about how the series ends, except that Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad somehow factor in towards the end. So there's that to look forward to reading.
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Mitch is very much an everyman, except that he can't die. Every time he resurrects he has a new super power, and he has no idea why, or what his past was. Nor why various people are chasing him. For me Abnett nad Lanning make Mitch the type of of guy
I regret not getting to finish this series the first time Abnett and Lanning told Mitch Shelley's tale. Now as one of the initial (and canceled a second time) titles as part of DC Comic's relaunch I remember what I enjoyed about this the first time.Mitch is very much an everyman, except that he can't die. Every time he resurrects he has a new super power, and he has no idea why, or what his past was. Nor why various people are chasing him. For me Abnett nad Lanning make Mitch the type of of guy I would sit down in a bar and have a beer with. Just a likeable guy.
The humorous and dangerous Body Doubles also return. A combination of outrageous looks, and sometimes brain these assassins for hire remain one of my favorite villain pairings.
Things are different this time around. The Body Doubles and Shelley's origins are a little different, and Mitch's mysteries are being cleared up much faster than than in the first series. In addition, Heaven and Hell have been added to the mix. It seems all of those deaths have left Mitch's soul as being considered past due by both sides.While cancelled I will get the next volume.
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This brief review is for both Vol. 1 and 2. I wouldn't say there are spoilers, but if you haven't read them both yet you may want to skip this review.
I really, REALLY, hoped that this story would take a different turn. The idea of a guy who gets a new super power every time he comes back to life? Cool. The fact that he will be fighting both angels and demons because they both want his soul? Very cool. However, the angel and demon part of the story goes away pretty quickly a
I read this in issues.This brief review is for both Vol. 1 and 2. I wouldn't say there are spoilers, but if you haven't read them both yet you may want to skip this review.
I really, REALLY, hoped that this story would take a different turn. The idea of a guy who gets a new super power every time he comes back to life? Cool. The fact that he will be fighting both angels and demons because they both want his soul? Very cool. However, the angel and demon part of the story goes away pretty quickly and this turns into a superhero origin type story. That's fine, and I'm sure some people really liked it, but I was hoping for a universe and character more along the lines of a Constantine. Both good and evil fighting for the right to own the soul of a man who won't stay dead? I would read that for 100 issues. I gave the first volume 4 stars because at the time of reading I thought that it would veer back to the course I was hoping for. I gave the second volume 3 stars because I enjoyed it but not nearly as much as I was hoping.
Oh well.
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Always my luck.
Is it still worth the read?
Yeah... although, it's a bit confusing in parts.
If you're a fan of Arkham... that alone... is worth the trip!
There is a second book! Looking for its arrival in a few days!
Perhaps it would have done better under the Vertigo imprint.
The character is back, and this
When the character of Resurrection Man was introduced in the 1990s, I was an immediate fan - the power was interesting, the balance of mystery and action, and the social critique of other heroes was powerful - his encounter with the JLA where he gave the reader a street view of big heroics and the cost on a scale of a normal person sticks with me today. When the character relaunched as part of DC's then-new New 52, I knew I had some trade paperbacks in my future.The character is back, and this time the supernatural element is even more pronounced - if a man can't die, how can his soul be claimed by heaven or hell? Who was Mitch? These lingering questions get reintroduced in this first volume, and it is a strong ride. The art is good, the story harkens back nicely, a few great call backs, but it never quite hits the zenith of the original run - some of the confusion that made the first run so great seems misplaced here, the story of his wife, betrayal, etc so vivid from before, now merely an echo if acknowledged at all. Comics are known for messing with timelines, string theory, multiple universes, etc. so I know there has been a few reboots between here and there and that this New 52 had to reset the process, so it is to be expected, but seems tragic for this type of character.
Still, the writing is sharp enough, the character intriguing and versatile, and the mystery sufficiently compelling to warrant a reader's time. Mitch Shelley, as a character, is perhaps the perfect bridge between superhero and horror, between spandex and the Vertigo line of characters, and his stories are ones even people casually interested in graphic heroes should seek out as he is, arguably, the most complex yet approachable hero introduced in an ongoing series of his own in my lifetime.
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The trip to Arkham seems really forced; the moral here is do not get a concussion in Gotham.
The Body Double sluts are a bit too teenage cheesecake, and the whole Heaven vs Hell angle feels too big for this type of story.
The art is really good, and the story as a whole is interesting enough that I want to know wher Like all books or shows with characters that do not stay dead, our hero dies multiple times every issue. It gets a little annoying how easy he is to kill no matter what power he has.
The trip to Arkham seems really forced; the moral here is do not get a concussion in Gotham.
The Body Double sluts are a bit too teenage cheesecake, and the whole Heaven vs Hell angle feels too big for this type of story.
The art is really good, and the story as a whole is interesting enough that I want to know where it is going. ...more
The story and plotline was sort of mediocre, with some godlike characters chasing after Resurrection Man, trying to "collect" him because of his constantly cheating death.
I continue my slog through New 52 titles with this collection of "Resurrection Man" titles. The premise of Resurrection Man is interesting--a man who is instantly and automatically resurrected whenever he dies. Interestingly, he always comes back as a new person.The story and plotline was sort of mediocre, with some godlike characters chasing after Resurrection Man, trying to "collect" him because of his constantly cheating death.
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I just recently discovered writer Dan Abnett when DC ended their New 52 line and started Rebirth. As far as I know, I had never read anything by
For a while now I've been trying to catch up on all of the books that DC put out under their New 52 banner. I've been using Amazon to find cheap copies of some of the stuff that I didn't figure I would keep after reading. I found a copy of this for a penny plus shipping and handling. I've now started 37 of the original 52 wave one releases in the New 52.I just recently discovered writer Dan Abnett when DC ended their New 52 line and started Rebirth. As far as I know, I had never read anything by him until Titans: Rebirth. Now, here I am a few weeks later and already reading something else of his. Abnett co-writes this series Andy Lanning, another writer I'm unfamiliar with. I had never heard of Resurrection man until I started reading some of the other New 52 series, but I just found out that the character debuted back in the 1990's. Abnett and Lanning are the creators of the character. Naturally, they would be the best fir to bring Resurrection Man into the main DC universe.
This character's story is extremely original. Every time he dies he comes back to life with a different superpower and an urge to go to a certain area. The power he has each rebirth is different and helps him do whatever needs to be done in the area he was drawn to. Because he can't truly die and stay dead, both Heaven and Hell want his soul. Resurrection Man meets players from both of those sides during this introductory volume to the character. Several established DC characters also make cameos. The Body Doubles show up too. I just recently read another book with them in it, but had no idea where they came from. They are from the original Resurrection Man series and are also creations of Abnett and Lanning.
I thought this would be something that I got rid of as soon as I read it, but I think I'm actually going to hold onto this one. The characters are all extremely interesting. I enjoyed the writing well enough to be interested in revisiting this series again. The writing and plot gets a 4 star rating.
Fernando Dagnino is the artist for the series. He's not the best artist DC employs, but his art is much better than that in some of the higher profile series in the New 52. I could see him doing well on a much more popular title. The outlines of his characters and surrounding all look great. His detail work seems a little scratchy and sketch-like though. The detail work is the main thing I give him a deduction for. Everything else looks pretty good. Art gets 4 stars.
I enjoyed this series much more than I thought I would. I wasn't expecting much from the series at all and if I wasn't trying to read the entire New 52 library, I probably would not have even bothered with this series. I'm really glad I did though. That was the best penny I've ever spent.
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The first seven issues of RM is a basic fugitive on the run story. Sadly, that makes RM the second fugitive in the new DCU as volume 1 of Grifter pretty much mimics the same concept. Our
Resurrection Man is one of DC's New 52 titles situated in it's "Dark" corner of it's universe. As a whole this has always been the area of the DCU I have always enjoyed the most outside of strictly Gotham (& Batman). I was looking forward to Resurrection Man even if I have no prior experience with the character.The first seven issues of RM is a basic fugitive on the run story. Sadly, that makes RM the second fugitive in the new DCU as volume 1 of Grifter pretty much mimics the same concept. Our hero Mitch Shelly is on the run from angels, demons, and two huge breasted bounty hunters. None of the plot ever seems to make much sense. What I took away from the first seven issues is that Shelly's power to resurrect has created some cosmic accounting imbalance between the forces of heaven and hell, and both are ticked off. Most of the lingering plot elements concern Shelley trying to find himself a la The Incredible Hulk. The story is labored and hard to get through. The villains also are the generic scantily clad angels and helldemons that is typical of these types of books; nothing special at all to note. No real rogues of nemesis was conveyed, revealed, or hinted at, which dragged the momentum of the book down drastically. Resurrection Man's power (the ability to resurrect with new powers) brings freshness to his powers each issue, but this can barely cover it. I am mostly familiar with Dan Abnett's work as a science fiction writer (which is mostly military sci-fi minded). So the his story about a heavenly fugitive like comes off hackneyed and like he was watching too much of the movie Dogma. It was definitely not in his wheelhouse.
Some cool things to note about this book are the Madam Xanadu cameo in issue 1 (I always like me some Madam Xan), a Deathstroke cameo, the appearance of Intergang in Metropolis, and Resurrection Man's brief trip to Arkham Asylum that in pretty sure coincides with the prison outbreak that takes place in the Batman: Dark Knight series currently going on. If anything this netted the book extra points for the sake of continuity and interaction in the new DCU.
What really saves this book from a much lower rating in the gorgeous and detailed art throughout the entire book. The art is what makes this a three. The rest just feels flat.
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If Abnett had been allowed to continue with what he clearly was more interested in writing from issues 1-4, this could have turned into something pretty good, instead it is already clear why this was canceled so soon into the New 52. ...more
So, what is new? Well, the character of Mitch Shelley a.k.a. the Resurrection Man is still out there dying and resu
As stated in my review of the available collection of writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning's first run on this title back in the 90s, I am always interested in their material after their stellar run on Marvel's cosmic side a few years back, and the concept of Resurrection Man seemed interesting, which led me to pick up both the 90s' volume and this first volume of the New 52 version.So, what is new? Well, the character of Mitch Shelley a.k.a. the Resurrection Man is still out there dying and resurrecting with a new superpower each time, but this time the art duties falls on Fernando Dagnino, who is a very competent choice, based on what I have seen in this volume. Abnett and Lanning on the other hand seem to have been quite uninspired in their revamp of the character. The old amnesia and identity quest is still here, but while the writers have certainly attempted not to tread their old tracks too slavishly (which is obviously on the plus side in a revamp like this), the new hints and clues, leaning more towards metaphysical explanations than technological, and also towards larger scale conspiracies than previously (with a returning enemy really not working as well in revamped format).
It may be that the following volume saves the narrative somehow, but Abnett and Lanning, and Dagnino, have simply not won me over to spend more time on the title. There are some good moments to be sure, but all in all, I would much rather read a second volume of the 90s run.
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