With one issue left, Jenny’s reminiscing of 21st-century trauma has caught up with the present. The opening and subsequent flashbacks in this issue reintroduce the 2020 pandemic to the page and explore her experience with it. In my opinion, these are the standout moments of the issue. These pages are bittersweet, with a mix of comedy and tragedy, showing our titular Jenny lazily hanging around in her room like the rest of us back in quarantine. These mundane vignettes of daily life are things we don’t often see in superhero comics. It humbles these super people, not being able to do anything with all their power.
DC
There’s an especially brilliant page of Superman handing out a mask to Jenny as he floats in the sky. The imagery conveys the idea of superheroes existing in the “real” world perfectly, showcasing their powerlessness in dealing with global events grounded in reality. The problem arises when we get back to the present. In the bar filled with hostages, Jenny and Captain Atom continue their back-and-forth argument without saying much we don’t already know from context. Their conversation feels like meandering filler, buying time for the climax.
It gives off an emotional whiplash, having the scenes of Jenny’s endearing stuck-at-home routine and then cutting to Captain Atom lashing out like an angry discharged veteran. But there’s a relatable anger here, in both Jenny and Atom. There’s a seething dissatisfaction with how the world is doing, how people in power (and superpowers) don’t do anything to save it. That is definitely something that readers can emotionally latch on to.
As with previous issues, the comic sometimes stumbles and struggles to find the balance between real-world issues and the absurdity of superheroes unable to fix them. I mean, within comic book logic, can’t superheroes create a vaccine faster? I suppose people can say the same for world governments. Either way, the best parts are Jenny’s interactions with other people, from thanking the delivery man – risking his life for other people’s sake – to later getting vaccinated by a medical professional. This comic displays real people’s heroism that makes lives better during tragedies.
Jeff Spokes once again knocks it out of the park. He creates a familiar and homey interior in Jenny Sparks’s home which we revisit often. He puts in details like piles of unwashed bowls on her table, making it authentic and relatable. Tom King also writes scenarios that allow him to let loose with two incredible splash pages. Though some parts of the issue are a mixed bag, it ends with a spectacular cliffhanger that gets me pumped for the closing act.
Jenny Sparks #6 is a poignant look at our recent global crisis, and how sometimes, superheroes feel powerless too. Unfortunately, the story is undercut by a repetitive and roundabout confrontation with Captain Atom, weakening its emotional center. Thankfully, Jeff Spokes exhibits frame-worthy splash pages and Tom King writes a gripping cliffhanger.
You must be logged in to post a comment.