Joe Kubert Presents
Several years ago, DC Comics gave veteran artist Kubert—virtually the only major figure from comic books’ 1940s golden age still active in the current decade—carte blanche to put together a six-issue series showcasing his own work as well as that of other artists he admired. Sadly, what began as a tribute became a memorial, as Kubert passed away at age 85 after the series was completed but before the first issue appeared. Kubert revisits the two characters he’s most associated with, the interplanetary superhero Hawkman and the WWII noncom Sergeant Rock; resurrects an abandoned 1980s project, The Redeemer; and pens a new seafaring tale inspired by Moby-Dick. Kubert’s distinctive drawing style grew looser and more stylized over the years but retained every bit of its mastery right until the end. The project is a testament not only to Kubert’s talent but to the sort of solid, straightforward storytelling largely missing from contemporary mainstream comics; as such, its greatest appeal will be to older readers who prefer his old-school approach. --Gordon Flagg