Some thoughts about Crime Syndicate #1

Who is the real threat of Earth 3?

In an alternate universe, the Crime Syndicate rule over the people in their own ways but things are about to change once that a being from another planet invades their world.

Yet another new incarnation of the evil counterpart of the Justice League is here and quite frankly, I've lost count of how many versions of the Crime Syndicate have been over the years, especially since the New 52 and I still believe that Geoff Johns' interpretation during Forever Evil has been the best so far. 

Andy Schmidt is responsible to bring this new team and Earth 3 and he doesn't do a bad job per se but not a particularly great one either. Let's talk about Ultraman who is mostly based on Grant Morrison's Earth 2 work, meaning he's the simple insecure bully who wants to control everyone around him and to be honest I always found that version really dull, especially compared to how Johns reinvented him as a still insecure but more complex individual (Oh, and Schmidt's use of typical Trump's "Fake News!" mockery is not going to make this version age in the slightlest I'm sure).

The rest of Syndicate is mostly well-portrayed though including John Stewart, Owlman, Superwoman and weirdly enough Johnny Quick and Atomica who are based on Johns' work (and this reminds me that I still want a Rhonda Pineda that is not a psycho). I also found odd the Oliver Queen who exists here who is actually President and kinda of a pervert but is ultimately fine since this is a twisted Earth after all.

The plot is decent with a classic JLA villain coming down to the planet and the team being forced to deal with it in their own way. Nothing groundbreaking but gets the job done I guess.

Kieran McKeown handles the art and is decent with a detailed style that gets the story clearly. I liked the twist of the classic Action Comics #1 cover.

A second feature written Schmidt again focuses on Ultraman's origin and is basically what happens if Superman got terrible and selfish parents intead of the lovable Ma and Pa Kent, again, nothing mindblowing. Bryan Hitch's artwork is really polished with precise storytelling.

A passable first entry overall. Hope the following ones are better.