It’s been a long time since we had a new adventure with Huck, the small town gas station attendant with big powers and an even bigger heart. The Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque Millarworld creation was last seen all the way back in 2016, and a lot has happened in comics since then. But even with that lengthy gap, Millar and Albuquerque haven’t lost a single step with their creation, giving this introductory issue of a new series with Dark Horse Comics the same charm and heart that propelled the previous series as one of Millarworld’s best titles.
Set in an undetermined amount of time after the first miniseries, Huck’s still out doing what he does best: one good deed a day. Of course, when you have abilities like super strength and never getting tired, those deeds are a little more than your average person’s. Huck’s deed today is rescuing a group of fishermen at the sea, which prevents him being back home when his mother, Anna, is visited by a doctor looking for Huck’s help. Years ago, this man encountered another super-powered being like Huck and his mother, and has been trying to find her ever since. All he has is a first name, and some items she has owned over the years. Desperate for answers, this man has come to Huck and his mother under the belief that Huck is able to find them. Naturally, Huck’s more than willing to help, but first there’s a little issue of a broken heart that he has to deal with.
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Mark Millar made a name for himself with bombastic titles for the Big Two like Superman: Red Son and Civil War, as well as creator owned titles like Chrononauts and the extremely over-the-top Nemesis series. But like the original series, Huck: Big Bad World shows a sweeter side to Millar, focusing more on the kindness of humanity than how much he can shock the audience. Millar’s dialogue for Huck is sweet if a little too simple, but he knows how to make you feel for this guy who would be doing his “one good deed” even if he wasn’t super-powered. Millar knows that it’s been a long time since we last saw Huck as well, and wisely opens up this new adventure with a simple mystery and reintroduction to Huck and his cast of characters.
Rafael Albuquerque’s star has only risen since the first Huck miniseries was released, becoming one of the most widely loved and awarded artists in the comics industry. With that kind of pedigree, it’s refreshing that Albuquerque still came back for this series, especially when other big name artists behind other popular Millarworld titles didn’t. Huck: Big Bad World is a great reminder of how good Albuquerque is, featuring panels that showcase everything from Anna’s past in the Ukraine, to gorgeous country fields and woods, to a showstopping sequence where Huck rescues sailors lost at sea. If there was any worry that Albuquerque lost his step after so many years away from the character, they are gone immediately when you start the issue, and promise a lot more to come in the future.
As great as this return to Huck’s world is, it is a little jarring to be tossed back into the story without a recap of the prior series (it has been nine years, after all). A recap page would have been appreciated for people like me who read the story but don’t remember the finer details. But one of the things that makes Huck: Big Bad World so refreshing is that it’s still kept the same heart of the original: Huck’s just a guy trying to do good in the world, and that’s something we could all need right now.
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