The Green Team #1 review

In an abandoned Manhattan warehouse, the world's richest teens gather. They're at a 'poxpo' - a pop-up expo - at which inventors with lunatic, potentially great ideas show them off. And if they impress organiser Commodore Murphy, they'll get the money to develop the products into a marketable state - and perhaps seriously rich.

But not as rich as Murphy, oil heir JP Houston, film star Cecilia Sunbeam and the 'Green Team's' potential new member, Prince Mohammed. It's 'Mo' who is our point of view player, motivating the introductions of characters and concepts, and it's Mo's mistake which put everyone at the poxpo at risk from terror gang The Riot Act.

The intruders provoke an outbreak of action at the end of this issue; before that, it's almost all talk - but because the talk comes courtesy of writers Art Baltazar and Franco, it's very smart and very entertaining. Characters are introduced one by one without it feeling as if someone brought an exposition machine to the poxpo, and we get a sense of one very big conflict that threatens the Teen Trillionaires (the earlier minted mob, created by Joe Simon and Jerry Grandenetti, were Boy Millionaires). As well as updating the original Green Team from Seventies DC tryout book 1st Issue Special - with Cecil becoming Cecilia, and Abdul Smith promoted to Prince Mo - we meet JP's sister, LL and Mo's bodyguard, Abisha. Altogether, they're a charismatic crew, and while we don't get a clear idea of where this book is going - though a superhero thread is present - there's more than enough here to bring me back. Like Art and Franco's DC Kids' books, Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures, the Green Team is fun from beginning to end.

The artwork of Ig Guara really gets behind the script, saying something about our spotlight character - look at Mo on the first couple of pages and it's all there: the burden he feels as heir to a demanding father, the awe at the poxpo, the desire to belong (click on image to enlarge). This is attractive, intelligent stripwork and I hope Guara continues to find the sweet spot as we get to know the other players; meanwhile, there's a vibrancy to the characters that makes me want to spend time with them. As the story walks Mo through the warehouse and into a new world of adventure, Guara never skimps on the backgrounds, constantly showing us what's happening at the tech show.

While the Green Team - Cecilia apart - are based visually on the originals, Guara takes a more naturalistuc approach than did master stylist Grandenetti, but it works well; there's a real warmth to his illustrations, and JP Mayer's finishes maintain a pleasing delicacy of line.

Then there's Amanda Conner's eye-poppingly good cover, which suggests that once this comic gets into its stride, big and mad will be the order of the day. I can live with that!

And kudos to whoever designed that logo, one of the best since DC's New 52 relaunch gave most everybody a fresh masthead. It's perfect and, like the rest of the cover, coloured by the excellent Paul Mounts. Interiors are toned by Wil Quintana and lettered by Travis Lanham, both of whom contribute to a superior first issue. Any Teen Trillionaire would be happy to pay $2.99 for it.

Comments

  1. I cannot believe this is a real book.

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    1. bad. oh yes, sooo bad. I have all of these in the crapbox. Nickle an issue. I think I paid too much.

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    2. I'd actually forgotten about the book until you commented!

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  2. Am I reading this correctly? A DC book that's actually fun? I'll have to buy it beire its inevitable cancellation for fear of catching smile cooties.

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    1. Firestorm has been fun, too - at least since #13!

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  3. What's amazing about this book is not that it was a great book (which it was), but that many of the OTHER reviews from big name sites are filled with nasty wealth envy, which is expected. They say the kids aren't relate able just because they're rich. They wanted a bunch of rich kids sitting around in the comic and talk about how evil it is to be rich and how they got that way by stealing from other people or something? I don't know, but I'm GLAD this was a fun title.

    I looked at this as Richie Ritch as a superhero team. It was fun and light hearted. I really enjoyed it.

    I think DC's marketing this as the 1% vs. the Movement's 99% was not a good idea at all. It's clearly effected how people view the two instead of just putting it out as just two new titles. They should have NEVER referenced Occupy Wall Street as a selling point because it's really just destroyed a lot of good will both titles would have had without it. That said, I love both titles because I KNEW that the marketing was just that marketing from people who'd never read either, but most bought the hype.

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  4. Hi Jan, you're right, reviews have been surprisingly sniffy, I'd have thought a comic shying away from the New 52 darkness might get more love. 'Richie Rich as a superhero team' is a great way to put it.

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  5. i plan to pick this book up and not the movement, i hope they don't crossover like the culling

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    1. There's been talk, but who knows if both will survive long enough.

      The Culling, eurghh.

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    2. this book must survive even if the movement must die, no longer must we be swamped by a mountain of bat books we must have more quality titles like the dearly departed frankenstein agent of shade or the soon to be departed demon knights also stormwatch must be doing terribly yet dc is fighting like mad to keep it can anyone answer me

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    3. Wow, I can imagine you declaiming that at a rally!

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    4. thanks but honestly from what i see milligan was the only one doing good stuff on that book judging from previews and he gets replaced and frankesntein gets cancell honestly what's up mart can you answer me that

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  6. i wonder what kind of craziness this book will entail, i hope it will entertaining

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