The Good
I can never get enough go Jae Lee's work -- he is by far one of the most amazing artists in the industry. The way he illustrates is absolutely beautiful. His attention to detail and his ability to evoke emotions in his characters is fantastic, and I love the way so much of his art feels grounded in a sort of realistic environment.
I think one of the things that is really important to note is the fact that writer Len Wein uses such intricate language in this issue. Ozymandias is supposed to be a pretentious, snooty sort of character -- he is supposed to have this great and holier than thou attitude, and I think Wein captures that beautifully in this issue. At no point did it feel like I wasn't reading Ozymandias. Len Wein really has a good grasp on the character's voice, and I think that's one of the most important aspects of this title.
Underneath the few flaws there is a solid story being told in this book. It's the journey of Ozymandias -- his journey to become a hero. I feel like this book does add some depth to the character that we saw in WATCHMEN and as a result I don't think this book is obsolete. I think it's interesting, to an extent. The issue had a somewhat slow start, but I think it picked up after the first couple of pages. The art is enough to mesmerize you too, so that helps.
The Bad
There is a moment in this issue (towards the end of the comic) where the police ask him who he is as he's making his departure and it suddenly just comes to him. This scene (and this is strictly my personal opinion) felt a little bit off to me because Ozymandias strikes me as the the of character that would have thought out exactly what his identity was before even suiting up. He seems meticulous that way. The fact that he spent so much time researching Hooded Justice and costumed vigilantes is indicative of that.
As beautiful as Jae Lee's work is on this title, he does seem to have some trouble with action scenes. I don't know whether it was because Len Wein was spelling out Ozymandias' every move in the narrative or what but the fight scenes were not illustrated with a lot of fluidity.
The Verdict
This is a really pretty book and I do think it's interesting, even if it does have its flaws. The art, overall, is really pretty. It all feels like one giant Norman Rockwell painting which is really nice. The internal dialogue is also really good and very appropriate too. This is exactly the way I expect Ozymandias to sound. His character came off as pretentious and arrogant, and I think that's a perfect representation of the type of character he is. If you enjoyed Ozymandias' character in WATCHMEN then there's a good chance you'll appreciate what you get in this series -- a closer look at a character that we didn't see a whole lot of.
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