Everything is becoming a comic these days. Honestly, while overall sales may not show it, comics are certainly the "in" thing these days. And now all sorts of movies and other properties are becoming comics. It was really only a matter of time. The latest from on-the-rise BOOM! Studios is a look at the early days of John McClane, the protagonist of the four Die Hard films.
Die Hard is a special kind of action movie. There have been many imitations and three sequels, but there really is nothing like the original Die Hard movie. It rocketed Bruce Willis to superstardom, it redefined two genres, action and survival, it redefined the meaning of the word "heist," the villain was comically evil and as a whole, it is one of the best films of all time. The best thing about McClane was that he was just a cop. He was just an NYPD detective visiting his wife in Los Angeles. As with Die Hard 2 and Live Free or Die Hard, McClane just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Whereas in Die Hard With a Vengeance, he was sought out). So let me say that John McClane is a fantastic character and the original Die Hard trilogy, especially the first redefined the action movie.
Howard Chaykin pens the script for the new Die Hard comic bringing his style of crime into the realistic setting of New York City in 1976. I like how the story is put into real-time as to not take away from the movies and the character. We also learn that John McClane is a Vietnam Vet and also a rookie cop. But that's about all we learn about John McClane. Chaykin has a unique opportunity to explore the character in the days before he and his wife Holly were having problems and she moved to the West Coast but instead we get much less McClane and much more supporting cast who are all pretty corrupt and should all play a roll in whatever happens that will require McClane to save the day.
The problem is that you go into the story wanting McClane, you want the tough as nails cop, regardless of age or experience. But you barely get enough of McClane to warrant calling this story "Die Hard." While the story does indeed move very slow to establish characters, their lifestyles and their current surroundings, it is almost too slow. This is Die Hard, meaning their should be a lot of cursing, guns and explosions. But there isn't much of any of that at all.
However, even with expectations of Die Hard shot down, there is a lot of substance to the characters involved here. The corrupt cops, sleazy socialites, and the people of 1970s New York are all brought to life quite well. But that's really not what Die Hard is about.
I really liked Stephan Thompson's artwork, but I don't think it is right for this title. I'm not a fan of Chaykin's art so I'm happy he didn't draw it, but I still don't think the art is a good fit. It's almost got a noir feel and that certainly is not Die Hard. Thompson's McClane looks like Willis at times, and at others does not. I really like Thompson's style but I'm not sure "Die Hard" is the right fit for him.
The major problem this books faces is not living up to the "Die Hard" name. I know it's different time and different medium, but at this point in a franchise's life cycles, you have to hit the right notes for the story to really hit the intended audience. For examples, Indiana Jones and the Tomb of the Gods AND Indiana Jones Adventures captured the very spirit of that franchise while keeping material fresh and fast-paced.
I'll stick around simply because it is Die Hard and I want to see if the action picks up and if the series can indeed captured the essence of the franchise.
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