Thrillbent Productions/IDW Publishing 2015
Created & Written by Mark Waid
Created & Illustrated by Peter Krause
Coloured by Nolan Woodard
The ashes of Lauren Culver–the late wife of Nocturnus and mother to Galahad–have been sabotaged, and both heroes have followed a trail of clues to the aquarium. As Galahad negotiates with the villain Malvolia, Nocturnus seemingly betrays him by knocking him into a tank of hungry piranha.
Okay so we open this issue directly where the last one left off with Galahad falling into the Piranha tank. Only here we see something that’s odd but in a weird way you don’t register it till it’s brought to light. Peter does a wonderful job with two images with different perspectives oh yeah this is what a truly talented artist can do.
Mark’s really impressed me too here with his writing it’s almost like he’s found this passion and fun for writing here that’s clearly evident in the way he’s scripting this. I mean seriously the father/son dynamic couldn’t be anymore fun than it is here and when we get the explanation as to why Galahad wasn’t eaten alive by the piranha. Oh and the fact that these two are capable of working together and have way too many issues that keep them apart at such an emotionally deep level that i’m not sure finding the killer of their wife/mother could fix is another facet of this story i’m enjoying immensely.
The Galahad foundation that is his baby where his publicist is and the work they are all doing to keep him in the public eye with a positive spin well it’s a fascinating look at a new era in being a hero. Right or wrong is up to the reader’s point of view but in this new world we live in where social media and camera phones record our every move taking a proactive stance on it seems to be a logical step for a younger hero. It also gives us a look into the personal life of Galahad and his supporting cast and seeing that they aren’t all as altruistic as one might hope for.
Aside from the whole father/son clash we do get to see some actual detective work and the things that they do that sets them apart from normal people. Sure they’ve got gadgets and infrared goggles but it goes further than that here and even without conscious thought these two are more alike than either will ever admit. Sure one is brash and young the other reserved and seasoned but they still do the same things and get the job done and more often than not they do it better together than separately.
This is the series you should be reading if you ever wondered what would happen if Bruce and Dick were ever to have that massive irreparable fallout. It’s incredibly well written with gripping characters and excellent dialogue wrapped up in some of the finest interior artwork Peter’s done. Innovative, fresh and exciting this is old school merges with new school.