Ben 10 is an animated series that’s managed to build a long-lasting franchise around a simple premise: 10-year-old Ben Tennyson, while on summer vacation with his grandfather, Max, and cousin, Gwen, discovers a mysterious device known as the Omnitrix. The Omnitrix lets Ben transform into one of ten alien forms, each with its own abilities, allowing him to battle a wide range of threats, both alien & human. 20 years later, fans are still clamoring for more Ben 10, and Dynamite aims to deliver with Ben 10 #1.
This new series has essentially been described as the Ben 10 franchise’s answer to Marvel’s Ultimate Universe or DC’s Absolute Universe, but I’d say it’s more in line with the other adaptations of beloved cartoons that Dynamite has been putting out. That is to say, it takes the core concept and updates it for the modern age. Max limits Ben and Gwen’s use of technology, preferring they spend time outdoors instead of on screens. Likewise, Ben’s first use of the Omnitrix draws military attention.
The biggest difference between Ben 10 #1 and Dynamite’s other cartoon-themed series is that the original creators are involved! Man of Action — the collective consisting of Joe Kelly, Joe Casey, Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Roleau — is behind the story, with Casey handling the actual script. The end result feels familiar yet fresh, especially since Casey plays up the Omnitrix’s horror angle. Let’s face it, if you were walking in the woods and an alien device latched itself onto your wrist, it doesn’t matter if you’re 10, 20 or 30. You would freak out.
Robert Carey takes up artistic duties, providing some unique updates on certain characters. Grandpa Max is now sporting a beard and glasses in addition to his trademark Hawaiian shirt, while Gwen dons more sporty attire that still carries the same shade of blue. And while Ben hasn’t ditched his signature T-shirt and cargo shirts, the Omnitrix looks far more alien under Carey’s design, as if it were a flowing mass of wires rather than a wristwatch-looking device. That goes double for the aliens – whenever Ben actually transforms, you can see his skin stretching and reforming into a new form.
However, the alien designs might be divisive. Some haven’t really changed that much. Fourarms, for example, just has a slightly elongated head. Others look extremely superheroic in nature, particularly Heatblast; the fiery hero now sports jet black armor covering parts of the living flames that make up his body. It’s Vilgax, the interstellar conqueror who will eventually become Ben’s nemesis, that is the most divisive. Given Vilgax’s reputation and the fact that his original design pulls heavily from Lovecraftian lore, you’d expect something terrifying for a reboot. What we get is a lot to be desired.
While Ben 10 #1 might not reinvent the wheel when it comes to reboots, it still packs enough visual and narrative shifts to draw in new and old readers alike. As a Ben 10 fan myself, I think it’s a solid start to a new take on one of my favorite series.
