By Glen Ludlow
So, we’re onto the third issue of the superhero legacy thriller from scribe Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Superior, Old Man Logan) and superstar artist Frank Quitely (All-New X-Men, All-Star Superman). After teasing and setting up the pieces for the last two issues as to what sort of world our story is taking place in, Millar finally smashes all of what he has established in one swift blow and changes the whole dynamic of the book.
Since the establishment of the superhero clan back in issue one and the eventual arrival of their offspring, the younger generation have faced the harder battle of being in the eyes of the world’s media the whole time, whilst also having the lessons of their forefathers shoved down their throats. Walter, who wants to take charge to solve the problems of the world has been constantly undermined by his more-powerful brother Sheldon, also known as the Utopian.
In this issue Walter makes his move. Chloe, daughter of the Utopian has returned home pregnant with the child of Hutch, the son of the world’s greatest supervillain. Obviously her folks aren’t too thrilled at the prospect, and after the Utopian attempts to tell him to stay away from his daughter, he’s called away to answer an emergency situation halfway across the world. Meanwhile, Grace, mother of Brandon and Chloe, is welcoming her pregnant daughter home, to a house where she can relax and keep away from the glare of the spotlight. But the respite is short-lived when a host of powers lay siege to the house with the intent of killing Grace and Chloe.
On the other side of the planet, the Utopian, having been distracted by a nuclear device threatening to impact, is also attacked and brought down. Here he faces the man sent to kill him – his own son Brandon.
First off, there’s no denying how richly talented a writer Mark Millar is. One of his most important weapons in his arsenal is his ability to pace a story, and here he manages to pull it off with the ease we’ve seen him do it before. Millar has always been very good at natural and unforced dialogue. It’s often understated, lacks the posturing speeches so many other comic writers are guilty of, but he makes it sound like a genuine conversation that we’re eavesdropping in on. The scenes are charged with emotion, and at times are small and intimate in content, after all this whole story so far has been about superhero siblings squabbling over what’s best for the world, and at its heart that’s exactly what this story is all about. Family. It’s about the son who believes his father has nothing but contempt for him. It’s about the daughter who knows she can never live up to the woman her mother envisaged her being. I think we’ve all had moments in our lives where we’ve craved the respect of our peers, only to find us groping around looking for a figure to fill what’s missing in our lives. That comes across in this book. It’s not explored as deeply as I would have liked, after all convincing someone to burn their father’s face off wouldn’t be an easy task to accomplish by any standards, but Walter, in a short space of time, does manage to convince Brandon that his father needs taking down. I felt this scene could have been fleshed out a bit more, we could have seen just how cunning Walter really can be. It reminded me of Anakin’s seduction by Palpatine, it just happened too damn fast, and before you know it, he’s Walter’s puppet.
Quitely’s art is never something I have issue with. It still strikes me just how unconventional his art is for a comic book. That’s what I love so much about it. He’s so different, so expressive, and his art is so full of energy. He’s a man who uses shape and posture to convey what the characters are thinking and feeling, he’s not really one to rely on a skilled inker to add depth and mood to a scene, Quitely is capable of transporting you to an emotional plane just from his delicate pencils. Frank is one of the few artists where I will buy the book just because he’s doing the artwork for it, a rare accolade, as normally I crave story above everything else.
On the summary, the issue is pretty good. It’s an enjoyable read. I have a few niggles with it, it felt more like an issue where all the pieces are being put into place. It’s a necessity, and has to be done sometimes, and I think that’s what’s been applied here.
Posted on October 2nd, 2013
Category: PANELS OF INTEREST, REVIEWS
Tags: comics, Frank Quitely, Glen Ludlow, Icon, Image Comics, jupiters legacy, jupiters legacy #3, Mark Millar, marvel