Review: RAGMAN #1

RAGMAN No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Ray Fawkes
ART: Inaki Miranda
COLORS: Eva de la Cruz
LETTERS: Josh Reed
COVER: Guillem March
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (December 2017)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Ragman created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert

Chapter One: “Return Fire”

Ragman is a DC Comics superhero and vigilante of the mystical variety.  He first appeared in the comic book Ragman #1 (cover dated: August/September 1976) and was created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert.  The first Ragman was a man named Rory Regan, and he was also Jewish.  The character returns in the new six-issue miniseries, Ragman.  It is written by Ray Fawkes; drawn by Inaki Miranda; colored by Eva de la Cruz; and lettered by Josh Reed.

Ragman #1 (“Return Fire”) opens six months earlier “somewhere in the Israeli desert.”  Rory “Twig” Harper is part of a five-man military unit that is raiding a “holy temple” built into a cliff side.  Hidden deep within this temple is a tomb containing a great treasure.  Just when these men are sure they have found the treasure, a rival unit attacks, and Sarge, Miller, Droopy, and Frank are killed.  Now, Rory is back in Gotham City and plagued by the death of his partners.  He battles his survivors guilt, not realizing that something from within the tomb has followed him home.

I think that Warner Bros. Pictures and its sister corporate types, including DC Comics, should stop using the term “visionary” to describe the hacks, freelancers and contractors they hire to produce entertainment.  Warner Bros. frequently refers to Zack Snyder as a “visionary,” when all he is is a film director in love with special effects, explosions, and Michael Bay.  Is Ray Fawkes and Inaki Miranda's “re-imagining” of Ragman really “visionary?”  Probably not.  So clearly the Warner Bros. c1an should avoid the word until they understand it or recognize someone whose work actually typifies the word.

Now, I am not saying that Ragman #1 is not an interesting comic book because I am curious about where this story is going.  I love Guillem March's gorgeous cover art for this first issue.  The opening sequence in the tomb is very exciting and a little scary.  I don't care for the group counseling session scenes.  I'm not a big fan of group counseling scenes in the stories I read (or movies and TV I watch).

There are some interesting nuggets in Fawkes' story.  Miranda is a solid artist, and his creature designs are good.  The coloring overwhelms Miranda's art, however.  But... I'll give the second issue a try.  I recommend this to people who are fans of the character, if such fans exist.

5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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