Academy Award-winning filmmaker John Ridley's heralded DC Black Label miniseries The Other History of the DC Universe is finally here, recontextualizing DC's extensive library of iconic heroes and villains from a more grounded perspective of marginalized and disenfranchised populations within the sociopolitical landscape of American history. Along with Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi, the opening issue follows Black Lightning and serves as a strong, well-crafted start to the five-issue miniseries while providing a fresh, postmodern perspective on the DCU that feels more timely than ever and yet part of an ongoing struggle that has been continuing for far too long.

Following the life of Jefferson Pierce from 1972-1995, the Olympic athlete becomes a family man just in time to return home as a high school teacher in the Suicide Slum of Metropolis. As other superheroes begin to appear around the world, Jefferson starts his own crimefighting career as Black Lightning, bristling that the mighty Justice League is more interested in their own grandeur and maintaining a publicly apolitical stance rather than helping marginalized neighborhoods that could genuinely use the help. And as Black Lightning continues to fight crime on his own terms, his commitment to justice begins to take a toll on his personal and professional life as the times, they are a'changing.

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Ridley quickly shows he has a strong grasp on Black Lightning's voice right from the jump; the character's hopes, fears, dreams and frustrations are all on full display. While there is plenty of unflinching socio-political commentary from Jefferson's perspective, Ridley knows to keep the focus on his protagonist at all times; this is a humanist take on one man that happens to become a superhero as the world becomes filled by them. Given this internal monologue-driven narrative, Ridley does deliver plenty of exposition but it always feels emotionally honest and raw as Jefferson reflects on how the world is changing around him and the personal toll it's taken on him and his family as does everything he can to protect his hometown.

Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi, joined by colorist Jose Villarrubia, are delivering career-best work with this opening issue. There is real grit to the settings and facial work here, timeless yet perfect for the period-piece premise of the miniseries. Given the sheer amount of text, this is a story that lives or dies based on its layouts and inventive use of paneling and the art team takes full advantage of the creative freedom they're given to make this issue sing; this some of the best layouts in any comic book from a major publisher this year. And veteran letterer Steve Wands performs the understated importance task of making the text seem unobtrusive to the artwork while selecting a typography that really captures the spirit of the story.

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Putting its own twist on classic moments from DCU history while reframing and juxtaposing them in a grounded, real-world vision of America recovering from the Vietnam War, The Other History of the DC Universe is quickly shaping up to be an incredibly special read and one of the most important books DC has published in years. With a rotating cast of protagonists, it will be interesting to see how Ridley and the art team deliver fresh, varying perspectives into the DCU's world of gods and monsters but, if this debut issue is any indicator, they are going to offer levels of self-aware nuance and commentary that the heroes have rarely seen before.

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