Certain Franchises Never Die (God Love ‘Em)

I was understandably geeked when I discovered that there would be a new Zorro comic this year, and written by Matt Wagner, no less. (That it’s by Dynamite, the same company who’ve been releasing the current Lone Ranger comics, which I’ve heard are pretty good, is a plus.) So, naturally, when the first issue came out this past Wednesday I snapped it up immediately. (I’m glad I was able to get a copy with this alternate cover: it’s damn good, click for a larger version.) Sorry to have yet another comic review but, as I’ve said before, during the semester it becomes much easier for me to read comics than good old fashioned books–not any sort of reflection on either medium, just of the fact that comics tax one’s brain in a wholly different way.

It should take but a short trip through my old posts to see that the Zorro franchise is one that I’ve always loved. I may have never gotten around to reviewing the most recent novel of the mythos, but a click on the Zorro category will bring up a good number of reviews. It’s a series for which I have great affection, and not a little knowledge… and this is part of why I was a little disappointed with the first issue of the new Zorro comic.

Don’t get the wrong idea, I liked the comic. It’s just that it felt like more of the same, and considering that it basically told the beginning of Allende’s book, interspersed with the beginning of McCulley’s original novel, that’s an understandable reaction from one who’s used to the story. Zorro himself (in full regalia and as an adult, that is) only showed up for two pages in the whole thing, and so I couldn’t help but think that maybe it would have been a better choice to hold off on the origin story until after the first story-arc, or to give it in bits and pieces throughout a few of the stories.

That the bulk of the origin being told is from Allende’s book, which I honestly had some problems with, definitely set me up to be disappointed, but all in all it was handled quite well. It helped that there was actually dialogue (something that I felt was sorely lacking in that most recent novel). If Wagner takes just the basics of that origin story but doesn’t bother with too much from the book (like the ending’s need to incorporate every version of the mythos, even when they don’t fit, or the weird idea at the end that SPOILER Zorro is actually three characters instead of just Diego END SPOILER) then it should be just fine. The “next issue” picture did make it clear that more of Zorro’s childhood is going to be told in a month, which is too bad because I do feel like it’s kind of a slow start. I think that there’s a definite reason that a real Zorro origin story wasn’t even commissioned until 2005: for a long time the character stood well enough on his own without one, and writer after writer, in medium after medium, figured that it could be ignored in favor of getting to the good stuff.

But, lest you misread me, let me point out that the writing in this new comic is very good and evocative of the kind of story being told, and the art is beautiful. The two pages in which Zorro actually flashes through the story in costume are positively creepy and electrifying, so there is definitely something to look forward to. It all came together beautifully in those short moments, so the potential is definitely there. What’s more, between Diego’s Native American mother’s unapologetic view of her culture, and his Spanish father’s rhapsodizing about the Spanish Empire, I think we’ll have some good character ground to mine as well. Beautiful to look at, and brimming with possibilities for where it can go, the new Zorro comic may have to climb a bit, but all told I’m excited to see what will happen when we get past the exposition.

BONUS!! Here’s a hilariously ridiculous and out-of-place cover from the last attempt that was made at a Zorro comic. I never read this series, but apparently it was not too good: and if the covers are any indication, I don’t doubt it. Enjoy!