A comiXologist recommends:
Bizarro #1

by: Harris Smith

There are a number of things that can make a comic book character great.  Some great characters get their power from the steady weight of their iconography.  Superman, for instance, has developed over the years, but the core essence of what he represents remains the same.  He’s the ultimate good guy, an enduring symbol of hope and righteousness.  Some great characters are adaptable, their fundamental characteristics change to reflect the times, or to serve as a conduit for an artist’s intentions.  Batman, for example, has gone through a number of transformations over the years, channeling the sensibilities not just of the times, but that of his various creators.  In the pop art 1960’s, we saw a more lighthearted, humorous Batman.  In the 70’s and 80’s, his books took on a darker tone, and we’ve seen various reflections of this through the lens of some of the best writers and artists in comics.

It makes sense that Bizarro would belong to the latter category and not the former.  He is, after all, the opposite of Superman, and if Superman has followed a staid path, it’s only natural Bizarro would be adaptable.  Over the years, he’s been a powerful villain- all of Superman’s powers without his intelligence or moral compass; a tragic, haunted outsider; a misunderstood misfit and now, in his latest incarnation, a loveable goofball.  Heath Corson and Gustavo Duarte’s new Bizarro series, debuting this week, strips the evil intentions from Bizarro and mines the character for its inherent humor, teaming him up with another ever-evolving character, Superman’s perennial sidekick, Jimmy Olsen.

The lighthearted spirit on the new series, which reminds me a lot of Kyle Baker’s take on Plastic Man (Baker even provided a variant cover for this issue), is charming and infectious.  Just as Jimmy Olsen does during the course of the comic, I found myself lapsing mentally into Bizarro-speak (“Good am bad,” “Right am wrong”) as I was reading.  It’s a testament to the quality of Corson’s writing, and it’s a testament the greatness of the character that Bizarro plays just as well in this cuddly incarnation as he does as a villain.  Bizarro promises to be a lot of fun and a welcomed bit of levity in the sometimes very grim world of superhero comics, or, in Bizarro speak, this am the worst comic I read all week.

[Check out Bizarro #1 on comiXology]

Harris Smith is a Brooklyn-based comics and media professional. In addition to his role as a Senior Production Coordinator at comiXology, he edits several comics anthologies, including Jeans and Felony Comics, under the banner of Negative Pleasure Publications. He’s also the host of the weekly radio show Neagtive Pleasure on Newtown Radio.