It’s more than two weeks away, but DC has provided ComicBook.com with a first look at Cyborg: Rebirth #1 from writer John Semper with artist Paul Pelletier, inkers Sandra Hope and Tony Kordos, and colorist Guy Major.
The series starts off with a bang — and a huge action sequence taking place outside S.T.A.R. Labs, where main character Victor Stone’s dad works. But don’t expect it to stay there: we’ve heard that Vic will be getting his own place, his own supporting cast, and breaking away from being that teenager who perpetually lives with his dad.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“One of the first things I noticed was that Vic’s personal life was sadly devoid of detail, and that’s going to get changed. I’m devoting a tremendous amount of time to Vic’s personal life and what’s going on in his head,” Semper, who previously worked on projects like Static Shock and Spider-Man: The Animated Series, told ComicBook.com during a recent interview. “I think that he’s a wonderful character. I’m not sure that the readers have yet been exposed to who he really is in his private moments, and those who have handled him in the last five years have certainly handled the epic quality of this super hero character, but I think the personal side of him is sorely in need of expansion so that will be addressed.”
The project recruits veteran artist Paul Pelletier, who is arguably best known at this point for helping to craft the visual language of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s Guardians of the Galaxy run, upon which the James Gunn film of the same name was heavily based. Here as there, he’s expected to imbue strange, mechanical beings with heart and humanity, making Cyborg relatable to the audience without losing what makes him identifiably himself.
The pair also come on the heels of a status quo-shattering run by writer David F. Walker, which introduced a lot of new mythology into Vic’s world…and then a few issues from the character’s creator, Marv Wolfman, who took the Justice Leaguer more back to basics for the end of his previous series.
“The last guy did what the last guy does, and I’m going to do what I do. I have a pretty good track record. I don’t think you can be in this business, in the entertainment business without having confidence in yourself. If you’re worried about what you do and how well you do it, then you probably will not last very long. I’m always willing to admit the things that I can’t do, but I’m pretty confident about the things that I can do,” Semper told me. “The readers will now get my take on this character. It will be a little different from David’s. I’m certainly going to benefit from the wonderful groundwork that he’s laid, but I get to expand it in ways that I think it needs to be expanded, you know, Cyborg’s world, and I’m looking forward to that. I’m very excited about doing this.”
Cyborg: Rebirth #1 hits the stands on September 7. You can pre-order a copy at your local comic shop or pre-order it on ComiXology here.
