This is a comic I was torn over. On the one hand, the art is by Frank Quitely, a terrific artist with a unique style. I make it a point to always buy his work.
On the other hand, it's written by Mark Millar, whose work just doesn't connect for me. He's certainly written some good stories, but too many of his comics just feel like fan fiction - stories that have outrageous moments included just to shock the reader.
So, should I buy or not? You can tell what I decided - at least for the first issue.
Jupiter's Legacy actually gets off to a good start (though the path ahead seems obvious). It tells the story of a group of idealistic Americans in the late 1920s who discover a secret island and somehow develop superpowers.
They use those powers to become icons for justice and lead America into better days.
Flash forward to the present, when once again the country seems headed for economic ruin - so will the children of those heroes, or the Golden Age heroes themselves, step forward to lead again?
So we get the generational conflict, the question of whether the kids are up to the challenge (or spoiled rotten), and whether or not the heroes should use their powers to correct the nation's problems.
It's an interesting concept, and we can hope that the story will take a clever approach to the issues it raises. So far, I'm enjoying it - Millar hasn't tried to shock me yet - he's just telling a solid story. So far.
At least the art is excellent!
Grade: A-
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2 comments:
I was actually a little disappointed in the issue after reading so many good reviews. I know I am a minority, but typically I am not a fan of Quitely's art. I did however like his art in this issue. He seems to have modified his style some, but I also like how he adjusted the art a little with the different generations of characters.
I'm with you on Millar though, regarding a lot of his work coming off as fan fiction. There are some of his stories I enjoy, but the majority I don't connect with. I'll give the series a couple more issues to see where it goes.
Good review!
Thanks, John - I'm also planning to give the series a few issues before I decide whether to keep it or drop it.
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