Writers: Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV
Pencilers: Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr., Jim Lee
(Minor spoilers ahead)
The search for metal continues in this month’s Dark Days: The Casting #1. Carter Hall continues to guide us through his complex journal of ancient discoveries, highlighting a significant dagger from long ago that is playing a large factor in the present. Batman, after fighting a griffin (what?!), continues traveling around the world, slowly unraveling this mystery that only he knows about. Meanwhile, in the Batcave, the Joker is playing mind games with Duke Thomas and Green Lantern. By issue’s end, we have a great tease of the direction the epic is heading in next month’s Metal #1.
Whew, what an issue! Layers, and layers, of world building continue from last month’s Dark Days. While I’m usually not a fan of these big epics, I’m all-in so far on Dark Days, soon to be Metal. Writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV are working well together to build this world and keeping the pacing upbeat and easy to follow. We’re getting a lot more questions than answers, but it’ll pay off in issues of Metal. I hope.
Again this month, the look of the book is split between three great artists: Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr. and Jim Lee. Each penciler brings their own style and it works beautifully. Kubert is handling the Carter story, Romita is following Batman and Lee is drawing the Duke/ Green Lantern/ Joker story (except a few pages, it looks like). Each page oozes comic book glory, with brightness, detail and fun. Greg Capullo steps in next month and I’m really looking forward to it.
The strength of this issue is that it’s a prelude. Everything seems confusing, but what Snyder and Tynion are doing so well is making that confusion fun. Seeds have to be planted for the story to grow. With all these questions we have, answers will be coming in the not-too-distant future. What the writers are also doing so well is their characterization. Regardless of your knowledge, Carter becomes a man everyone can follow and don’t need to know everything about his backstory. His purpose is explained and we are discovering more about him. Batman is stubborn, which is classic Batman. He’s playing everything close to the chest, only revealing to others (and us) about the incoming threat, but not giving information on what that is. I’ve never really cared about Duke Thomas but this story may change that, as he discovers his greater purpose. And the Joker is the Joker: a scene stealer.
Conclusion
There’s a lot of pressure on everyone involved in Metal. It’s DC’s big event of the year, and they’ve brought in the big guns to get fans on board with Dark Days and The Casting preludes. If you’ve been on the fence, I get it. However, we’re off to a great start so far, and I feel like it’ll be a must read story. The Casting plants more seeds, has great action and is gorgeous to look at. Jump in now so we can all enjoy this ride together.
Images courtesy of DC Entertainment
