Rating: 3.5/5 – A Captain America “#1” without Captain America.
by ComicSpectrum reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
Although this issue carries a large number one in the top right hand corner, I’m not sure this issue was the best one for Marvel to use the “All-New Marvel Now #1” banner on. This issue may be a bit tough for new readers to jump into for a couple of reasons. First, Captain America doesn’t appear within this issue. Not even in one single panel. Second, this issue is dedicated to Jet Black who’s the daughter of Arnim Zola from Dimension Z. You’d need to have some prior understanding of what went on in the huge opening storyline when this series of Captain America launched to understand, and really care for this character. But here’s the great news…if you purchase the physical copy issue, Marvel gives you the entire first volume trade as a digital copy for free! If you’ve been following this series, then seeing Jet Black fleshed out here shows that Remender has a bigger plan for this character and her future.
Unfortunately the art wasn’t the best fit for this character, or this story. John Romita Jr. and Carlos Pacheco’s art have graced most of this series so far, but this issue’s artist is Pascal Alixe who has a style with multiple thin lines that is quite a departure from what has come before. I’d best compare Alixe to While Portacio. Lots of lines to detail the scene. He’s able to tell the story well, but his characters look older and ugly at times. There’s particular scenes where the characters look different from panel to panel, and his far shots, because of the amount of lines used, look really messy. Three different colorists help out on the art which also doesn’t help the overall look of the book.
Writer Rick Remender tells a pretty strong story of Jet Black, but it’s not very clear if she’ll be a hero or villain, or something in between. As she adjusts to this world and interacts with the city and people within, we get some insight into her character and what she values, as well as her motivations. The story ends with a surprising villain that adds more questions to Black’s immediate future. If Remender spent a whole issue exploring this character, I hope that this Iron Nail storyline includes her so Remender can keep her development going. This issue was a mixed bag in terms of overall enjoyment. The story was solid even though Captain America didn’t appear in the book, but the art wasn’t a great fit for me, I’m looking forward to getting Pacheco back on board.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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