Dark Circle Comics 2015
Written by Dean Haspiel & Mark Waid
Illustrated by Dean Haspiel
Coloured by Allen Passalaqua
It started as a family trip down memory lane, but launched into an all-out fox hunt as our hero finds himself targeted by his entire rogues gallery. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Fox must deal with his own worst fear: his son following in his superhero footsteps.
I have to give it up to Dean and Mark because this is so much more fun and entertaining than I would have originally thought. That the Fox has a million dollar bounty on his head and his seventeen year old son is determined to follow in his footsteps and all the inner monologuing that goes along with that is superbly done. Dean’s ability to create the city in such a classic and streamlined, detailed way while keeping the Fox in his own signature style of art makes for some fantastic reading. I also kind of like not knowing if this is going to be a pass the mantle type story or if instead it will become a father/son book where hero and sidekick continue their adventures. Of course Mae, the mother is also in costume keeping an eye on her son so will it be the family that superheroes together stays together?
Aside from the seriousness of what he feels the Fox manages to show us some humor as well and when the Gasser comes a calling and thinks he has the worst rogues gallery it’s funny. I loved seeing the effect his gas has on the Fox as well keeping him disoriented and off balance as we see this psychedelic array of colours and shapes and even a nod to an Escher piece in play. The way the gas manages to play with his mind and realize his fears well it all makes the Gasser more formidable than we are led to believe.
When the Fox finally is able to take down the villains after him this issue it just shows us he’s no joke himself and he’s a true hero. With what he learns here also makes him start the search for his son and has a profound effect on him. This is the kind of writing and characterization we don’t see enough of anymore. Plus how he manages to turn the tables on the bad guys yeah that’s just cool.
How this issue ends well it looks like next issue may be the end of the first arc and will determine how the future of this series will go. I am really enjoying the way the boys are telling this story, the writing has humor, personal revelations, crazy villains and reveals a new more determined purpose for the Fox and the characterization we get from it all endears you to the characters all the more.
Dark Circle Comics is now the place to go to see heroes who can still be fun and entertaining while dealing with their own angst without it getting the better of them and keeping the book dark. The Fox is entertainment at it’s finest.