Jupiter's Legacy #4

      I've been buying the Jupiter's Legacy series for the wonderful art by Frank Quitely, but that means one must live with the hazard of a Mark Millar story, which usually veers too far into Fan Fiction territory for my tastes.

   (In other words, his stories seem to be trying hard to cheese off the reader.)

   By the end of the third issue, I was convinced that we were heading in that direction, as the story took a grisly turn.

   But happily enough, this issue seems to offer a more hopeful direction for the future (though there's still plenty of chances for grim moments).

   It takes place in a world where a team of super-powered friends and family helped transform the world almost 80 years ago - but when evil forces bring about their destruction and take over control of the world, things go badly - and the only hope seems to rest with the children of the heroes, who have been in hiding - but how long can they evade detection?

   So far, it's been a strong series, with some interesting statements about the responsibilities of those with power - and the path of effective government.

   This issue makes me hopeful for the title's future - let's see if that optimism is justified - or if it gets stomped on.

Grade: A-

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