Threshold #1

The DC Universe gets a lot bigger. Who knew the vast reaches of space were just as interesting as Earth? Take, for example, "The Hunted", the most popular TV Show in the galaxy, where prisoners are executed by the viewers.

Writer: Keith Giffen | Artists: Scott Kollins and Tom Raney

Cover: Howard Porter | Publisher: DC Comics

One of the most exciting prospects of the New 52 for me was the existence of titles like All-Star Western and Demon Knights; titles that showed the potential of a superhero universe. Truly, the reason that superhero stories have dominated comics for so long can arguably be attributed to their flexibility. The true genre of superhero comics varied by series. Threshold is the latest in this new tradition of exploring the unique storytelling opportunities of this world, this time in the form of an anthology series dedicated to science fiction, with a main feature called "the Hunted" (think Total Recall meets Hunger Games), and a backup feature following the exploits of fan-favorite Green Lantern villain Larfleeze. 

Despite the promise this title had, so far all I've seen is derivative science fiction with no real basis in originality. Good science fiction has a theme taken from our current reality; something one of my english teachers calls the "X Factor". The plot of "The Hunted" sounds pretty intriguing: a galactic empire executes its most dangerous criminals using a reality television show called (you guessed it) "The Hunted". The show encourages all viewers to kill the Hunted, with offers of gigantic bounties for those who are able to deliver. Hearing that, I immediately thought of the moral ambiguity surrounding the human fixation with bloodsport, the current state of the criminal justice system, the list goes on.

While it may be too soon to really judge, none of what I read really portrays that ambiguity. The characters are largely two-dimensional, as most of the dialogue is a banter between two of the Hunted, with one making a snarky remark and the other saying lines like "Point taken" and "Got me there" to the point of redundancy. The ending of the feature doesn't do a lot to capture interest in the next issue, either; it feels like the first scene to a movie I know the ending to.

The Larfleeze feature was just as disappointing. While fans of Green Lantern tend to like the character, the Larfleeze featured here is a caricature focused more on comic relief than anything redeeming to the character. The reader will see Larfleeze as a joke, when the one featured in Green Lantern is a genuine threat to the universe. Despite a moment of "almost genius" Larfleeze is incompetent and unrelatable. It's also perhaps the most obvious attempt at capitalization on the Deadpool craze, something that it seems only Daniel Way could really pull off.

Ultimately, the title rings hollow. It feels like a B-movie when conceptually it could be so much more. Science fiction comics shouldn't be to the lowest common denominator (best testified by Saga), but it seems like that's what the Big Two hold it as. Maybe Guardians of the Galaxy or Nova will provide something better.