Don’t do that, dude. Don’t use sex as a weapon. Linka has feelings.”
There are not many minis that are released in the superhero comic scene that are perfect throughout each issue due to the reality that superheroes are essentially the junk food of comic books. Affectionately, we all tune in to digest the next big fight between Superman and Lex Luthor, hoping to see the Man of Steel win after a battle of wits and strength. We all love junk food.
However, what keeps Joanne Starer, Tamra Bonvillan, and Natacha Bustos’ Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville a strong series start and now almost to finish is the fact that the book is intrinsically inspired by Keith Giffen’s style of writing and in turn Giffen’s style was inspired by comedic independent and underground comics of the past. This is why we can open up this series and have the story explain to us evil viking magic lore while having heart to hearts with Gorilla Grodd’s sister.
DC Comics
Following the previous installment, readers continue the adventures of Fire & Ice as we see Smallville truly start to crumble by the weight of Lobo, the villains, and a ghost from Tora’s past. Starer’s writing on this issue continues to be strong and deeply engaging as we have callbacks to the original JLI stories and their crazy adventures while also analyzing the root of Bea and Tora’s relationship. To best describe the two heroes is to direct someone to an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as they bring the Mac and Dennis archetypes to the JLI. This comedic relationship in turn allows for dissection on how the two heroes are dependent on each other for survival.
Bea’s hot-headed and emotional temperament becomes cool and relaxed to Tora’s sweet girl next door attitude while hiding coldness that can put others in their place. It is the larger play on their elements but shows throughout each issue how two people can be forever tied to one another. Adding onto that, it allows the comedy between the two heroes to flourish as they bounce off naturally. They’re intrinsically the cleanest superhero duo in comics due to how simple but complex they end up being with Giffen’s seeds of character development and Starer’s sense of evolving the relationship these heroes have with each other.
On top of this, Bustos and Bonvillan continue to knock it out of the park with the art as we see the two venture into Tora’s past to reveal childhood traumas and later on, an appearance from everyone’s second favorite JLI duo. Something Bustos excels at is showing emotion on the characters she draws. Every scene between Bea and Tora’s carries the needed weight for a comic of this style as Starer and Bustos together create a strong environment for these heroes to talk to each other and ultimately realize why they’re going through such a rough spot.
DC Comics
The comedic scenes in this installment shines with this level of detail as the character design and emotions they express help amplify scenes of theft and men with brains for asses scheming up their next fraud tactics with ghosts. Ultimately, this shows what this book aims to be: a love letter to the insanity of superhero comics in the best way.
Fire & Ice: Welcome To Smallville isn’t a book that changes the hierarchy of the DC universe. It’s just a book that exists to have a few laughs and evolve two characters from a cult classic comic book series from the late ’80s. It doesn’t have to be anything more. I can’t wait to see how the creative team sticks the landing on the final installment.
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