When it comes to revenge tales, Torrent might be your new favorite story. That goes double for fans of superheroes, as Marc Guggenheim and Justin Greenwood combine the two in a nail-biting, invigorating first issue. The first issue is out this week, introducing readers to Crackerjack, a superhero with her own lair and one that balances a family life as she’s a mom by night. But what happens when her family is destroyed?
The answer to that question is pretty much telegraphed on the first page. Crackjack opens the issue in the soon-to-be future, bloodied and regretful of what she has become. Smash cut to two weeks earlier, and she’s a smiling superhero, complete with an annoying speedster who insists he’s her sidekick. Guggenheim does a good job winking at the audience regarding superhero references and establishing Crackerjack’s status as a primo superhero.
The first issue is expertly paced and plotting, with no fat to speak of. We’re introduced to the characters, and the dynamic Crackjack has with her husband and son, and before you know it, the leading hook of the series–the revenge part–is thoroughly started. The first issue also establishes Crackjack’s solid home life, gets a couple of punches in with bad guys, and even establishes amazing technology at her fingertips.
She’s basically Batman meets Superman on some scale, but her secret identity is not as secure. That weakness sets the series’ main element in motion, setting up a cheery hero’s fall as she seeks vengeance from a supervillain. It’s in the same vein as Invincible or other Image Comics superhero books since it feels grounded while also homaging superhero history.
Art by Justin Greenwood is great, with a cartoony vibe full of expression and movement. I get a faint Michael Avon Oeming feel from the visuals, punched up well by color artist Rico Renzi. There are nice glow effects on Crackerjack’s powers and a cool crackle effect at one point. Background details can be simple and flat, while in other scenes, every building brick is rendered. There’s a nice balance between realistic and cartoony.
The design of the superheroes is slimmed down and simplistic but allows agility and speed to look extra cool. The villains, in particular, have very creative designs, like the masked henchmen who enter Crackerjack’s family’s home.
The heroes have a fun vibe.
Credit: Image
Both a pro and a con to this issue is how quickly it moves. We barely spend time finding out who Crackerjack is, but in the style of a film, it’s efficient in giving us key details. There’s just enough there. That said, I was left wondering if I knew Crackerjack well enough to go on this revenge tale when we reached the cliffhanger. Do we know enough about her to know how dark things will get or how violent and against the hero’s code she’ll go? Not really. It’s a minor gripe, and certainly, the efficiency would translate well into a movie, but a bit more about her might have fleshed things out as we go on this journey with her.
Torrent #1 is a great first issue for a superhero book, introducing new heroes and setting up a revenge tale. The creative team clearly loves superheroes and the history behind them, homaging elements while setting up a revenge story you’ve never seen before.
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