Demi-God #1
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Andy Smith
Colors by Michael Atiyeh
Letters by Steve Dutro
Covers by Andy Smith and Michael Atiyeh, Bart Sears and Nanjan Jamberi, Jeff Johnson and Michael Atiyeh, Bob Layton and Michael Atiyeh
IDW Publishing
Release Date: April 4, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

In 2017, IDW Publishing partnered with Ominous Press to begin a new line of comics, one they are calling the Ominous Universe apparently. The newest installment in this line is Demi-God #1, a tale of power without the sense of heroism that we have come to expect in comics. If you will give me a few moments of your time, I will give you my opinion of this premiere issue that promises to be a little different, to say the least.

I will not even begin to try to hide the fact that this comic was a surprise to me. I have long been a Ron Marz fan so when I sat down to read this, my expectations were high. Too high, it seems. Like, WAY too high. The story is simple enough: self-professed slacker Jason McAndros discovers he has powers that have suddenly manifested themselves and he has no intention of doing much with it. The specifics to the story are unnecessary. As a matter of fact, they were so mundane that all I can easily recall was that the guy fancied a coworker. But once the power manifests, of course there is an evil cabal that has designs on this newcomer. Yadda yadda yadda.

Demi-God #1 was so underwhelming that I truly felt it was a joke, a late April Fools prank if you will. After all of the amazing things I have loved about this writer, there was none of that to be found here. In fact, it seemed as if someone else was just using his name. The dialogue was uninviting and the characters were so uninspired that I never once connected with them. I mean, I know this was supposed to be an unconventional comic but we are supposed to enjoy it on some level, right?

The artwork of a comic, which can often times save a series in my eyes, was no better. The thick and flat line work was more akin to a coloring book than sequential art. Panel after panel of the character staring at the reader, in what is now commonplace fourth wall breaking, was less Deadpool-esque and more Rom-the-early-years in its blandness. The backgrounds were simplistic, when there were any to see, and the supporting characters in the panels had no real definition. Andy Smith is better than this, too! This really feels like a conspiracy to make me stop reading comics. I mean, come on!

I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone. No way, no day. I do get that the main character is meant to be douchey but that is not the problem, the presentation is. Now, I will read the next few issues to see if it gets any better; it has to, it cannot get much worse. But for now, thumb through the lame jokes and obvious ripoffs but spend your money on a better IDW series, like any of them. They are all better than Demi-God #1. But it is your money, maybe you want to see exactly how bad it truly is? If so then maybe you should check it out.

The next Ominous Universe title is here! With great power comes great… wait, how does that go again? Demi-God is a contemporary superhero tale like no other. When irresponsible slacker Jason McAndros suddenly gains the power of a god, the fourth wall isn’t the only thing he breaks! As Jason revels in his newfound might, he begins calling himself Hercules and indulging in his every whim. * What do you get if you mash up Deadpool and the Mighty Thor? This guy! * New-school storytelling with an old-school superhero! * Hercules? More like Jerkules, am I right? * Ron Marz and Andy Smith cut loose!

Cover