REVIEW: Naomi Season One

Naomi Season One is here and I’d been meaning to read the Naomi series ever since it was released, I unfortunately just hadn’t ever got around to it. Since then, Naomi has made her debut in Action Comics alongside my favourite superhero which had me even more intrigued! Well, the awesome folk at DC Comics sent me Naomi Season One to review and I am so glad I have finally got to read more about this character.

The cover of the book is by Jamal Campbell, I have quickly become a huge fan of his work in recent times. Especially since his work the covers of recent Action Comics issues. His artwork is always very detailed, and always portrays hope. This certainly can be said for this cover in particular, which showcases Naomi and a plethora of other DC Characters, which I love. Although not all are featured in this issue, it is so nice to see them all together. I hope to see them feature in the newly announced Season 2!

It’s hard to believe that this is the introduction series of a completely new character. Already she has an incredible back story and an incredible supporting cast. Her back story and true origin is actually quite emotional and heartbreaking. It’s very cleverly unraveled bit by bit, which makes it much easier to digest and understand. After reading these six combined first issues, I feel like I know the character very well already and it seems as though she has been within the DC Universe for a lot longer than she has. It’s safe to say that she certainly has made an impression on me.

Naomi is one of the most likable characters that I’ve ever encountered. She is just so relatable. There are aspects of her that reminds me of myself, particularly her attitude and obsession towards Superman. I will say this though, sometimes she does come across rather aggressive and sometimes inconsiderate to others, but I understand that she’s just wanting to find out where she is from and who she is – just like many of us. Not to mention, I think one of the other reasons she is so relatable, is because this is essentially what most people want to happen with their lives – mine included – to one day discover you are something much more!

It’s clear why she is so strung up on finding out too – this is her coming of age story. What I would like to know is why she’s so skeptical about who she really is.. I don’t feel like that has really been explained properly just yet. We just start off knowing that she has a hunch, which she just won’t let go.

Perhaps the reason I do like her so much, is how close her origin story and background is to Superman, which is frequently mentioned throughout the series. She’s just a teenager who wants to know where she came from, and it’s clear as to why she looks up to Superman so much. He is just like her, in more ways than she knows… so far. Another thing I loved is that the story links in with some of the biggest events in the DC Universe – The Crisis. Not to mention all of the other little references of some widely known names in DC history – Green Lanterns, Adam Strange, the list goes on.

I also love the relationships that she has with people, they are just so real and that is really enforced with the dialogue throughout. Just like the writing, it’s just very real. There are no exaggerations with the use of the teenage slang, which sometimes when people write teenagers there is a lot of! That just makes the series, that little bit easier to read.

The interior artwork, as well as the cover art, is by Jamal Campbell and I adore it! His style brings together realism with that slightly cartoonistic and a slight disproportional feel. Don’t get me wrong that is NOT a bad thing, I absolutely love it. I don’t feel this is the case with all of his pieces and characters that he draws, but there are some in particular. Take ‘Dee’ for example, he is especially huge and out of proportion compared to the rest of the characters, yet the way that his details are drawn (tattoos, veins, skin tone etc) are incredibly realistic. It’s a perfect combination of the two I find.

Overall this story is incredibly emotional. The message that she hear from her mother brought a tear to my eye. You can just imagine what that would be like for someone who never really knew who her parents were. It’s beautiful. And the art only adds to that. The way that Campbell shows emotion within the facial expressions of each of the characters is incredible. You don’t even need to read the narration or speech within the comic to understand how the characters are feeling, and that really is a skill! My favourite piece of art throughout the book has to be when we first see Naomi in full costume. It’s mesmerizing and I actually found myself smiling at the page.

I cannot express how much I loved Naomi Season One. Bendis has really knocked it out of the park and this just makes me want to continue reading more about this incredible character. Roll on season two I say!

Haven’t read Naomi Season One yet? It is available for order NOW from here (UK), or here (US).