Mark Millar started out as the shock jock of comics. His books tended towards the blunt; his first comic, Saviour, depicted a British TV host, Jonathan Ross, as the Anti-Christ pretending to be a superhero. But, over time, as Millar’s work has come into more focus and his taste for bluntness has mellowed, an overarching theme has emerged in Millar’s work: Just what is the moral imperative of a being who can take whatever he or she wants, do whatever he or she wants, and doesn’t care about the consequences?
Jupiter’s Legacy, the second volume of which is on shelves today, deals directly with this problem. The children of superheroes have killed their elders and have taken over America, confining any superheroes not friendly to the idea in an elaborate prison. A handful, though, are rebelling, and recruiting supervillains to fight for the cause.
It’s part of a larger story; we learn the messy history of those dead elder superheroes in the spinoff Jupiter’s Circle, which explains why human ugliness can exist in a world so full of paragons of decency. But you don’t need to read the last two volumes to pick up on what’s happening, and Millar is just as focused on delivering a brisk superhero action tale as he is a lingering on the consequences of the powerful ruling without check.
Frank Quitely is perfectly suited to the book, it turns out. Quitely, best known for his superhero work and his collaborations with Grant Morrison, has a engaging clean style, but his real work here is in the layouts. There’s a witty action sequence early in the book where Quitely’s art and layout sing, giving it both a sense of stakes and a light comedic touch.
If you want a superhero story with all the thrills of the Big Two, but a bit more thoughtfulness, Millar and Quitely have something special here. But don’t worry, the old Millar isn’t gone completely: Issue two appears to have a superstrong 12-year-old beating up a ninja.
Cryptocracy #1, Dark Horse
Van Jensen and Pete Woods have created what looks to be a fairly conventional conspiracy thriller, albeit one buoyed by a dry humor Jensen hasn’t really been allowed to explore elsewhere. There’s an “initiation” sequence in particular that will crack up anybody who dislikes spoiled rich brats, and Woods’s ever-so-slightly exaggerated art style and eye for detail means the book has a quick pace even as we get buried in exposition. But the final twist is something special, likely to make you wish you had a second issue right away.
Art Ops #9, DC Comics
Shaun Simon’s musing on art theory and the morals of artistic creation continues, bringing Matt Brundage along for the ride for art chores. Brundage stands out not least because this comic deals its artist the unenviable job of imitating classic works in new contexts. Really, depicting the Mona Lisa as a knocked-up punk rocker is the least of his jobs, which Brundage handles with wit and aplomb.
Simon, though, is on a particular tear. This latest arc is all about the obligations art has to both commerce and morality, the former told in the story of the Body, stuck as the star of a bad superhero movie, and the latter hilarious depicted by the Neighborhood of Dads, a legion of warlocks in pleated khakis out to censor everything. Yes, it gets all a bit ridiculous, and perhaps unsubtle, but it’s also incredibly funny and genuinely has something to say, and that’s rare on the shelves these days.
Mockingbird #4, Marvel
Bobbi Morse is infected with something. It causes mass die-offs of animals. It’s being investigated by mad scientists. And it may likely kill her. But, hey, if your hot ex is in the building, might as well flirt while getting some work done.
Chelsea Cain and Kate Niemczyk have been exploring what it takes for a typical human, even an exemplary one like Bobbi, to deal with the emotional and physical stresses of being a superspy in this book, and it’s become more and more entertaining as it goes along. Bobbi’s interplay with Hawkeye, who she finds in a secret lab run by Total Idea Mechanics (yes, T.I.M.), drives the issue both with their amusing flirting and with how their marriage collapsed. It’s always a good action read, but this gives it a bit more weight, and makes it a must-read.
Grayson Annual #3, DC Comics
DC’s hilarious, action-packed superspy story says goodbye with an anthology annual about, among other things, how Constantine and Harley Quinn both want Dick Grayson’s fabulous, toned butt. This is really a chance for a host of artists and writers to have a little fun with the world Tim Seeley and Mikel Janin built before Dick gets back in the tights, but it’s a highly entertaining anthology that perfectly captures what made Grayson such a joy to read.
Black Panther #3, Marvel: Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze build on their complicated tragedy as T’Challa loses the faith of not only some of his people, but the very land itself, in one of the best books out of Marvel right now.
Bloodshot Reborn #14, Valiant: Jeff Lemire and Mico Suayan not only manage to offer a new twist on a fairly standard comic book story, namely being trapped on a deadly island, they revive Valiant’s most notorious villain in an effective way to boot.
Leaving Megaopolis: Surviving Megaopolis #5, Dark Horse: Gail Simone and J. Calafiore continue their clever, dark riff on superheroes gone homicidal. Imagine an ’80s action flick retelling a grimdark ’90s comic, but way more fun than either.
The Spirit #12, Dynamite: Matt Wagner and Dan Schkade wrap up their excellent first arc in this loving tribute to Will Eisner’s classic mystery man.
The Black Hood #11, Archie: Duane Swierczynski fills in the past of the gritty noir hero with classic Black Hood artist Rick Burchett, giving this book a lovely ’80s crime comic feel as it fills in a crucial gap in the story.
This Week’s Collections
Saga, Vol. 6, Image (Softcover, $15): Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples continue their beloved, best-selling space opera.
Semiautomagic, Dark Horse (Softcover, $13): Alex DiCampi and classic Superman artist Jerry Ordway team up to deliver a tough, smart urban fantasy story about a college professor hunting down the demons hiding in a video game.
Jughead Vol. 1, Archie (Softcover, $20): Chip Zdarsky and Erica Henderson reinvent the eating machine, giving him genuine emotional depth while keeping what makes Jughead a beloved character.