Dial H for...Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Joe Quinones, Arist Deyn, Jordan Gibson, Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 22, 2019
It's time again for Dial H and while I really liked the first issue, last month's issue had me a little bit worried. Sam Humphries seems to be making things up as he goes and seems to care about making up wacky H Dial characters over any sort of real story, but hey, as long as it's fun, I can dig it. So, is this issue fun or does the book continue its downward slide? Let's find out...
The issue opens with a little bit with Robby Reed, the original hero of the H Dial and if you didn't realize he was the operator before, this issue will force it in...before revealing it in the end as if it were a surprise. Before we get to that, however, we have to slog through some back story and a couple of really lame dialed up heroes that I'd love to say were fun...but they weren't.
I kind of like the characters of Miguel and Summer, but it seems like the more I get to know them, the less I like them. Sam Humphries has them go to Central City to try to find the Flash for some help tracking down the stolen Dial and it is a whole bunch of nothing. It's not fun, it's not clever, it's just nothing!
I was hoping things would pick up once the cop used the Dial, but it's a cool bit of art, but not much else. It says that The Blue Bird of Happiness may never be seen again and we can only hope! Again, it's not in the least bit fun and feels like a last-second thought thrown on the page...at least I hope a lot of time wasn't spent on coming up with this lame idea.
After seeing Summer's backstory, it is a bit satisfying to see her take control and dial in her own hero persona, but once again, it's all visual and not much fun. I keep coming back to that and it's a real damn shame. Dial H is all about imagination and fun and it seems Sam Humphries has neither here.
The issue ends with Summer getting some long needed revenge and her and Miguel heading to Detroit to try to get Superman's attention. I hope Flash doesn't find out he's been kicked to the curb so quickly. Oh yeah, we also get that "shocking" reveal that has been spoon-fed to us for 2 issues.
This series had one good issue to start with but has done nothing since. We are halfway done and it already feels like Humphries has run out of ideas and is just trying to figure out a way to waste time until it's all over. I had high hopes for this book but they've pretty much been dashed with this issue.
The art was always the main draw here and it is now the only one. Joe Quinones kicks ass, I just wish the story could keep up.
Bits and Pieces:
What started out as a promising return of the H Dial has turned into a snooze fest of a book. If anything, this book should be fun and this issue is far from that. Sam Humphries has somehow made me care less about his main characters as the story has meandered about and if it wasn't for Joe Quinones' art, this would be a complete waste. Maybe Humphries can rebound and make things work in the second half of the series, but it's going to take some huge halftime adjustments.
4.0/10
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