DR. WEIRD #1, by Big Bang Comics 5/1/24, delivers three tales of weird, supernatural suspense when Dr. Weird recalls how he acquired his costume, hunts a magical mob enforcer, and recounts the tragedy of his origin.
Credits:
- Writer: Pedro Angosto, Gary Carlson, Jim Starlin, Howard Keltner
- Artist: Joan Vives, Carlos Rodriguez, Lluc Baños
- Colorist: Joan Vives, Bruno Redondo
- Letterer: Allen Forbes II
- Cover Artist: Joan Vives
- Publisher: Big Bang Comics
- Release Date: May 1, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $7.95
- Page Count: 64
- Format: Anthology
Covers:
Analysis of DR. WEIRD #1:
First Impressions:
Admittedly, Dr. Weird is one of the more unusual and enigmatic characters in Big Band Comics. That shouldn’t be a surprise since ‘Weird’ is his name. So, if you like classic superhero tales, rock-solid art, and more than a little Lovecraftian references, this comic is just the ticket.
Plot Analysis:
The Quest For Garments
Rex Ward finds himself as a ghost roaming the kingdoms and citadels of H.P. Lovecraft’s Dreamlands in a bid to return to his own time and his lost love. Aided by wise men and wiser cats, Ward defeats a cavalcade of enemies to assume the armor of Dr. Weird.
Pedro Angosto kicks the Dr. Weird-centric anthology off with an updated origin story that deeply ties Dr. Weird’s formation to the realms and characters of Lovecraftian lore. Readers familiar with Randolph Carter’s The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath will find a lot to like in this story. In terms of art, we’re used to Big Bang Comics opting for a Bronze Age style, but Joan Vives’s more modern sensibilities look great.
Death Stalks Dr. Weird
Dr. Weird encounters a Mafia accountant who was betrayed by a hitman after the former summoned a powerful Black Flame to avenge his murdered wife and children. Can Dr. Weird stop a ruthless hitman who now possesses power over Life, Death, and Reality?
Gary Carlson delivers a classic tale with a Silver Age edge when Dr. Weird is put through the wringer (almost literally) trying to stop a killer with a god-powered artifact. The start and finish are deadly serious, but some of Dr. Weird’s challenges verge on humorous, intentionally so. Also, Carlos Rodriguez and Lluc Baños’s art style is sure to tickle the nostalgia bone of older comic readers.
The Origin Of Dr. Weird
Included in this anthology is a reprint of the original B&W telling of Dr. Weird’s origin story., created by Jim Starlin and Howard Keltner. Dr. Weird was a scientist named Rex Ward who went back in Time as part of a science experiment. When Ward was killed in the past during a robbery, his entrance to the Afterlife was denied because he died before he was born. Now, Dr. Weird wanders the world of the living, fighting evil until the natural passage of Time brings him back to his own year to Rest In Peace.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Historical Context:
Sharp-eyed readers will catch how the new story dovetails in nicely with the reprinted original by Starlin and Keltner. In the issue, Pedro Angosto provides a summary of how he came up with the concept to explain Dr. Weird’s powers without stepping on the toes of the original, and it works fairly well.
Final Thoughts:
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DR. WEIRD #1 gives readers three tales of adventure to show Dr. Weird in action and expand the details of how he became Big Bang’s weirdest superhero. If you’re a fan of indie comics or supernatural superheroes, there’s a lot to like in this issue.
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