Antarctic Press 2018
Written, Inked & Lettered by Bill Williams
Illustrated by Matthew Weldon & Gardenio Lima
Coloured by Alijosa Tomic & Tiago Barsa
Jessie's parents come to her after seeing Versema on television, wanting to know if she and the costumed hero are one and the same. Will she lie to them for their own good? And Mel goes on a secret mission, only to run into the villain named GRIDLOCK!
It is no wonder why this is one of my favourite ongoing series. The story is fresh, new and done in a way that allows us to really get to know the characters as well meeting new heroes, or more likely heroines, that inhabit this world. I have said it before and I will say it again, the fact that she gained her powers and doesn't have an instant understanding of how to use them is something I absolutely love about this book! Mel adds that mentor angle or aspect that is great as well as providing more intrigue and mystery all of her own. The layering of the story arcs here is sublime work and it shows off Bill's skill, talent and ability in his writing.
I like the way this issue is done and how it's being told. With the parts one at Jessie's home and the other introducing us to Golden Girl. Each one is a complete short that really is a complete one of in and of itself. Super impressive to me. The story & plot development we see in how the sequence of events unfold and how the reader learns information are extremely well done. The character development here is phenomenal to see. I like how what they go through or whatever event occurs and how they react helps them grow and be defined even more. The way things happen in real life. When you factor in the pacing here we start to see some twists and turns that create such a strong easy ebb & flow to the book. Every issue you read feels like your welcoming an old friend back into your house.
I don't about you but I love to see things play out in ways that you wouldn't have dreamed of. Like when Jessie's parents come to her to discuss if she's the costumed heroine Versema. Then to see Mel on her own and up to her normal tricks shall we see is something else entirely. I know she was a super-hero and has a team identity card but she's not the most honest, truthful or law-abiding citizen we've met. So what she does and how she fits with Jessie is one of those things that engages the reader so they go off-script and their imagination works overtime creating different scenarios of what may or may not be coming in the not too distant future. That is what a good story does, it engages the reader in that way so they become invested in the book and the characters.
The interiors here are stupendous. You wouldn't register that there are two artistic teams working on this issue and that kind of seamless transition is astonishing to see. The linework here is beautifully done and how we see the varying weights utilised to bring out this attention to detail is done exceedingly well. The second half of the book utilised the backgrounds more effectively I will say that is the biggest difference that we see. The faces, facial expressions and body language really do add a little something extra the moments and characterisation. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show two sets of talented eyes for storytelling. Also I am pretty darn impressed with the colour work as well. I love the way we see the hues and tones within any given colour to create the shading and shadow work. There is also a nice way of seeing the soft and bold that works extremely well.
Now meeting Golden Girl is interesting to me. While she's got the headgear and general look of Betsy Ross who was a paramour and sidekick to Captain America. Yet I look at her and my first thought was she related to The Fighting Yank. So I think it will be interesting to see this young woman from time to time. Every issue that comes out I am thrilled all over again for the same and different reasons. The writing and interiors here are just so strong, interesting and dynamic and if you haven't discovered this for yourself then you are truly missing out!