52 & Lost

Ever since the second issue of 52 I've been drawn to the similarities between it and ABC's Lost. Both feature ensemble casts with characters moving in and out of the spotlight as time progresses. Both feature a host of mysteries and questions, while being parsimonious with the answers. Both operate on timespans that are rare or unheard of in their own mediums. In fact the more I think about it, the more I realize that 52 probably wouldn't be on the shelves right now if not for the mega-hit status Lost has. The thought of a weekly comic starring a bunch of C list characters, even with the slew of guest stars and some of the biggest names in the industry collaborating on it, would have been insane two years ago. But as the survivors of Oceanic 803, and to a lesser extent shows like Battlestar Galactica and 24, have shown there is a market for compelling, episodic stories out there. However the most compelling connection between the two works came as I was perusing week 6 of 52 and come across this 2 page splash.

Compare this to the "blacklight blast door" from earlier this year on Lost.

(click to enlarge)

These are the dramatic equivalent of a tight pair of jeans; they reveal juuuuuuust enough of the shape of things to come that you stare, entranced by the sight, but without actually revealing any of the goods. The big differences? For one I think 52 will see the shelves with much more regularity than Lost airs. 52 also lacks some of the tension Lost enjoys due to the OYL jump. You know that most of the major DC characters will make it through the year intact, while you're not quite sure about the castaways.

technorati tags: comics, television