• Reviews

• All
• Music
• DVDs
• Live
• Cinema
• TV
• Books
• Comic Books
• Video Games

Jul 29, 2015 DC Comics By Cody Ray Shafer

Cyborg returns to S.T.A.R. labs following his death and regeneration at the end of Convergence, and his debut issue is a mixed bag of sci-fi weirdness and mopey characterization. Cyborg’s new powers are not completely unveiled, though his life-saving ability to regrow limbs play a key role, as does his apparent cluelessness on how his body even works.

Even though Vic Stone is now a permanent member of the Justice League, an angst that is apt for his Teen Titans era rings throughout this introductory issue. The story is narrated through an inner monologue of Cyborg describing his feelings of being ignored by his parents, with occasional outbursts punctuating his conflict. The idea of a black man struggling with invisibility is poignant if the writers decide to carry it out to its logical conclusion, but so far it plays as nothing more than family drama. But the contradiction of Vic’s loneliness paired with an external interest in his body, a body over which he has no control whatsoever, is as rich an allegory as ever. In the right hands, there is great storytelling potential behind these ideas.

However, that’s not where the crux of Cyborg‘s new series lies. The technosapiens that cut him down galaxies away are closing in on the technology that saved Vic. Ivan Reis’ art highlights the H.R. Giger-esque horror of the creatures, while delivering plenty of emotional imagery in the character scenes. DC’s decision to bring Cyborg to the forefront with his own line is an important one, and all things considered this is a solid place to start. (www.dccomics.com)

Author rating: 6.5/10