A Bold New DC Adventure In Naomi #1
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
A fight between Superman and Mongul lands in the streets of Port Oswego. The small town is abuzz in the aftermath, with Naomi and her friends speculating what it will mean for the future of the area. Unfortunately, Naomi missed it, but she hears a rumor that this isn’t the first superhero visit to Port Oswego. However, all the people who would have been alive then are being flighty about the details. This leads Naomi to conduct her own investigation into what happened almost 20 years ago in Port Oswego and how she may be connected to it.
Naomi #1 an energetic new tale about what can happen in the margins of the DC Universe. A small town reeling from a visit from Superman makes for an interesting premise.
Oftentimes, a story like this is approached with an air of grittiness, cynicism, and eye on realism (see also Brian Michael Bendis’ own Alias). However, Naomi goes in the other direction. While there is a sinister air to the mystery, the prevailing attitude is a sense of, well, wonder.
Naomi and her friends are likeable, chatty, and quirky late-teen-early-twenty-somethings. I good frame of reference is Kelly Thompson and Jenn St-Onge’s recent Nancy Drew comic from Dynamite Entertainment. Both treat their youthful leads with respect and understanding as opposed to taking easy potshots at the millenials, which is a little refreshing.
The mystery is presented in an interesting fashion too, without becoming too overt or too subtle.
Also, we get a return of the Bendis’ talking head segments.
All of this said, the standout detail of the comic is the beautiful artwork of Jamal Campbell. He absolutely kills it in this book, giving a distinct and dazzling treatment to Naomi, her friends, and the town of Port Oswego. Everyone has distinct expressions, body language, and fashion. Plus, Campbells’ color work is vibrant and beautiful too.
Naomi #1 is an energetic, youthful, and grabbing new output from DC and Wonder Comics. It presents a mystery, compelling leads, and damn fantastic artwork. This one definitely gets a recommendation. Give it a read.
Naomi #1 comes to us from writers Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker, artist and cover artist Jamal Campbell, and letterer Josh Reed.
