If you enjoyed James Gunn’s Peacemaker, DC Comics has quite a surprise gift for you in comic shops this week. It goes by the name Peacemaker Tries Hard!, a new DC Black Label series for adults only. Written by Kyle Starks with art by Steve Pugh, the first issue makes it very clear this is in the same vein as the show: the adult humor, the depiction of Peacemaker, and the breakneck vibe.
At the very start, Pugh and Starks make this comic feel like every day in America. We meet two characters arguing about how Hollywood is ruining a new comic book movie adaptation in the works. The fact that this comic clearly takes inspiration from the show makes this line of thinking and humor quite meta. Enter Peacemaker, who loudly screams his name and gives the cashier trouble. She gives it right back, though, and soon he’s fully admitting he’d eat a bucket of poop if it meant more peace in the world.
From the very first scene, Peacemaker is a bit unhinged, but his heart is in the right place. This isn’t the same depiction we’ve seen of this character–even in the recent Unstoppable Doom Patrol #2–but if you like how John Cena plays the character you’ll likely hear a lot of the dialogue in his voice. Starks nails the dialogue throughout this issue, and frankly, it’s nice to see so much swearing. I’d argue there’s more swearing in this comic than in the average pro-swearing adult comic.
The dude needs more chill.
Credit: DC Comics
The lumbering stupidity of Peacemaker is depicted expertly by Pugh, who gives the bulbous ripped muscles a ludicrous look. The unhinged nature of Peacemaker is depicted well via facial expressions, and you’ll be right there with him in his joy of beating up terrorists. The action is easy to follow, and even without powers, Peacemaker comes off as rather impressive. Colors by Jordie Bellaire lend a more realistic look which works perfectly since a lot of the vibes of this comic feel like the show inspired them.
Peacemaker may be a little too dumb for his own good in this story. He’s blissfully ignorant, and it’s hard to empathize with his situation by the end of the issue. It’s made even more difficult to feel for him when we find out he killed a guy who was just doing his job, albeit an ex-felon. That isn’t to say he’s not a fun character in this story, but it’s something a bit lacking here that could be corrected later.
Enter a new dog, which the creative team maximizes with the cute factor and connecting with the shunned Peacemaker. Of course, Peacemaker has an Eagle sidekick in the show, but this is a little different. This dog is used as leverage to drive the story into another adventure’s next issue, and while it’s a little hard to believe Peacemaker wouldn’t just punch everything in sight to win, it’s a smart hook to make each issue feel different.
Peacemaker Tries Hard! #1 is a refreshing start to a kind of adult comic series you don’t often get from DC Comics. It’s a book many will love, especially if they liked the recent TV show, as it blends vulgarity, and adult humor, all in a slick visual package.
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