‘Youngblood #1’ Review
Written by Chad Bowers, Rob Liefeld | Art by: Jim Towe, Rob Liefeld | Published by Image Comics
Currently, 90’s nostalgia is higher than it has even been before. We have shows like X-Files, Twin Peaks, and Rosanne all getting new seasons, and not to mention the fact Beauty and the Beast and Jurassic World are two of the biggest box office hits in the last few years. With that and Image hitting its 25 year anniversary I understand the urge for both Image and creator Rob Liefield to attempt to bring back Youngblood once again, however this maybe one nostalgia step too far.
Part of the problem is the fact that Youngblood was an imitation of a very specific style and tone that was popular at one time. It was before Image formed its own identity so instead borrowed much of it from Marvel and DC. So you are attempting to get excitement for a property that has long served its purpose. To be fair if the product is good maybe it can form a new indemnity for a new generation.
Well based on the execution so far that will most likely not be the case. For one this is not very welcoming to new readers. If you have never read a Youngblood comic previously some of the major story elements will have little to zero impact. Due to a severe lack of characterization, there is little reason to get invested in this story, and the major crux of the plot so far reeks of a desperate attempt to feel relevant.
In this issue, we get caught up with a lot of the former characters of Youngblood and what the current world is now like. Now the world has a specific superhero app that is a combination of Yelp and Uber for superhero assistance. It’s idea that has been covered before and much better in something like Nick Spencer’s Ant-Man run. For this relaunch to work it will need to either come up with better ideas or make this feel less like a gimmick.
If you are a long time Youngblood fan there may be some elements to enjoy. There are some rather major character developments that are surprising including an unexpected person taking up the role of the President of the United States. For anyone outside of that group, I do not see any reason to pick up this book. There are better superhero titles, and if you really want to see what Youngblood has to offer you are better off catching up with the original series. It is clear there is a lot of admiration poured into this book, but admiration for the past does not always equal quality.
*½ 1.5/5
