Pre-Joe Casey Comics: Wildcats #1

[And so begins my look at Joe Casey's run on Wildcats, which should run for 55 posts including a few related specials. That's a lot of comics. But, we must begin at the very beginning, which means Scott Lobdell until issue eight (although Casey does pop up twice during that time). New posts Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.]

The year was 1998 and Wildstorm was sold to DC, breaking the internet. And then, it was announced: Scott Lobdell and Travis Charest were relaunching Wildcats, breaking the internet again. In 1998, the internet broke easily, for it was weak and only contained porn and comic fans. Now, the internet has diversified a bit and isn't broken quite so easily by comics news. In 1998, though, this shit broke the internet in, like, twelve pieces, not just two. Fucking X-Men writer extraordinaire Scott Lobdell and the wonderfully awesome Travis Charest, people!

And then, in January 1999, the first issue came out and the internet was broken again--broken-hearted, because it was a pretty shit first issue. The team has been disbanded and Grifter is going to rob some arm's dealers because, well, I don't know why. And Spartan is an arm's dealer, because he wants some Kheran technology back. And Noir is a French, gay, black arm's dealer... with green eyes. He just wants money and guns... guns that he uses to kill people who pay him money for guns, because that's the way to build a solid reputation within the arm's dealer community. There are some fights and Grifter is talking to himself for some reason and it's just one big clusterfuck of an issue.

In the end, we learn that Emp is now a weird little troll because he's gained spiritual awareness or some shit and they're taking on Kenyan, an immortal human who is so goddamn evil that... that... that... MOTHERFUCKER'S EVIL, OKAY! Kenyan's involvement makes Grifter join back up and that's about it.

"Internet's heart... is... broken..."

However, Lobdell's issues are necessary to understand Joe Casey's issues, so we must press ahead. Noir will become a key player, as will the idea that the Wildcats is now a group without any mission or purpose. Emp's ascension plays a role as does Spartan's ties to him--and his upgraded body that can take some serious damage. All of the elements are here, it's just Lobdell doesn't know what to do with them.

Travis Charest's art is pretty, but very static.

On Thursday... the return of Voodoo, which means boobs. The internet loves boobs.