Overground Comics 2015
Written & Coloured by Jon Hughes
Penciled by Joshua Flower
Inked by Mostafa Moussa
The Cavaliers have lost their leader, Captain Zero, and they are the only few who know the truth about his death. After their impulsive decision to hide this truth from the local police, they move on with their own attempts to uncover what is still unknown even to them; who killed Captain Zero?
Wow okay this issue is better than the first and I have to admit folks I’m getting more and more impressed with the book and the company not to mention these creators. The opening yeah unfortunately I can see that happening right away. Don’t even let the body get cold before a “rival” company buys you out sure. Though the dialogue is a complete runaround like missing the exit on the Magic Roundabout in England. It’s superbly done by Jon.
Actually the story, dialogue and characterization throughout the entire issue is incredibly well done. I like seeing the team coming back from the police station and each one dealing with what they’ve been through in their own way. From quiet and pensive to acting out or in one case overreacting to what she sees. Whether it’s through the dialogue or through the interior artwork we get to know quite a bit more about these characters than you realize. Also the “dossier” we see on two at least explains a bit as well and Pulser well suddenly she’s not as bratty as I wanted to believe.
I do like seeing Insight stepping up into a leadership role here. I also like the narration about her equipment. So we really see that Zero Technologies is the company that makes the stuff to turn an ordinary person into a hero whereas Herocorp uses genetics to do so, interesting to see that so well explained throughout the issue. Then the unexpectedness of what transpires in their meeting room with Major Impact and Rhapsody well let’s just say I’m curious than ever. I like what the Major did however and explains what we saw last issue, though at the time I really thought it was a computer generated manipulation so it’s nice to be proven wrong.
With how this issue ends I cannot wait to see what’s going to happen next and if this Rhapsody is unstable or just grieving in her own way.
Oh and let me say in regards to the interior artwork, wow impressive. From the opening where the art was as roundabout as the writing, through the characterization, see expressive, personalities on display to the very last page, which is a that WOW factor you need, it’s all just very smartly done. I like the panel layouts on the pages, the use of backgrounds and shading when necessary, see after Pulser’s scan. It’s a very complete picture presented to us here. Nothing is overly done and it’s feels like a great super-hero book.
With the “Big Two” constantly rebooting/re-imagining it’s high time you found companies like Overground who put out books you’ll love.