Image Comics 2015
Created & Written by Jay Faerber & Brian Joines
Created & Illustrated by Ilias Kyriazis
Coloured by Ron Riley
This issue opens at Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex in Australia where a frightening discovery is being made. That however will have to wait because the next page takes us to Meredith Owens, Luminary, as she joins Miss Cleo on her talk show. It’s an indepth look at how she receives her powers and the movie that depicts it so what is for the public’s consumption and what’s real? I mean after all you can’t go putting your real origin on the big screen giving your enemies a chance at learning how to counter your powers right? Or is it real for that fact that no one would actually think that’s what happened to begin with? Interesting take on what’s happening with her at this time.
Meanwhile the team’s newest member is meeting with his colleague to discuss the fact that Gaijin has requested his help in rescuing her kidnapped brother. A man he personally kidnapped before joining the team and now faces a dilemma about how to proceed. He isn’t the brightest man around that’s for sure but I do like that he’s going to try to string Gaijin along and misdirect what’s happened to keep himself out of it for now.
I have to say we are getting some great characterization here on individual members. We’ve seen Gaijin’s relationship in bits and pieces so far but to hear her tell of their relationship in this issue really fleshes out her character more. Then as the conversation she has with our traitor you begin to see why he kidnapped him to begin with, it’s insurance a way to gather the information about the team should he not be accepted and allowed access on his own. It’s a brilliant ploy or backup plan really and he’s playing his part masterfully.
Meredith goes to New Orleans to get away from it all and act like a normal person and wow I wasn’t expecting her to act like this kind of bad girl. She’s having a hard time with her origin and everything that’s going on in her life and this is going to be her outlet right now. Only what she’s doing ties into a few things one is the opening and her ex-boyfriend who is one that noticed something is coming and two she’s ignoring some creature tearing up the block. Yeah we’re going to need a better look at Meredith and her current hypocrisy when it comes to defending the world she lives in.
The way this issue ends well let’s say that this could be something that will ultimately tear the team apart right before a new interstellar threat is about to arrive on Earth. We’ve gone from set up right into the thick of a hugely impactful story and what seemed like a team that had it all together suddenly seems to be one on the verge of collapse. Where it’s going to go from here is anyone’s guess but I can hope that with what’s coming they find their way again and either with or without Crosswind as a member in good standing well that’s up in the air. With such a dramatic turn of events seeming to happen this issue the guys have ramped up the interest and the intrigue factor and I didn’t think that was possible.
The interior artwork really is fantastic, the attention to detail and keeping it feeling like that classic comic book team feel, to me it’s very much that late 70’s early 80’s vibe to it that worked so well with their colourful costumes and vibrant colours.
With great writing, a solid story and excellent characterization wrapped up in some wonderfully expressive artwork this series is one that brings us back to when team books were fun and interesting and dare I say somewhat simpler.