During the original run of Capes by Robert Kirkman and Mark Englert, there was a nice blend of comedy and action brimming from the premise of superheroism as a day job. Most heroes tended to balance saving the world with a day job, so what if saving the world was actually the day job? It led to jokes about overtime mixed in with supervillain battles and world ending events, which provided something different from the onslaught of gore and drama within Invincible‘s pages. I bring this up because Capes #9 seems to have lost its way when it comes to maintaining that balance.
A key example concerns Bolt and Superball. The not so dynamic duo’s stumbled upon Magnattack and a group of his fellow criminals as they attempt to utilize the mystical medallion that was a source of immense danger in Capes Vol. 1. But in the process, Bolt has a flurry of hail rip through his chest, resulting in the kind of bloody scene you’d expect from Invincible. It’s a genuine shock, but what happens next is where the issue almost lost me. Superball, clearly torn up, calls Capes, Inc’s boss Commander Capitalism…who tells Bolt not to die on company time. I understand that this was meant to be a humorous bit, but it felt more mean-spirited than actually funny. So did a moment where Bolt tells Superball not to cry on company time.
It feels puzzling because Benito Cereno’s showcased that he can accurately nail the mix of humor and action that fueled the original Capes. Maybe this was an off day, or maybe Cereno felt more interested in writing the dynamic at Capes, Inc. There, the jokes feel sharper, particularly with darkness-powered hero Night Knight and his sidekick Camelot as the latter hero takes his medieval theme way too seriously. If the entire issue was more like this, I think I’d have enjoyed it more.
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For what it’s worth, Englert continues to turn in some great action sequences, as well as some unique designs for Capes’ various superheroes. Night Knight’s covered from head to toe in plate armor, while Camelot wields an impressive looking broadsword. Blue Blast is a speedster who looks like she’s made from living lightning. Perhaps the most hilarious is Webmaster, who looks like one of those “legally distinct” Spider-Man action figures you’d find in Dollar Tree. I also love that Englert has a great sense of comedic timing, as a serious moment is punctuated by Superball’s superballs smacking into a villain’s face.
One of the more interesting developments includes the introductions of Capes’ newest employee, the super-strong Riley or as she prefers to be called, “Maxima’am.” Fans of the Invincible animated series might recognize Riley from the segments involving the undead pharoah Ka-Hor, where she was voiced by Chloe Bennet; I’d say that she fits better here. Speaking of outside Invincible material, the “Ella Mental” backup by Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker takes a fun turn as the titular heroine not only masters her elemental powers but comes across a problem that’s not so easily solved.
Capes #9 loses a grip on its unique mix of superheroics and humor, but makes up for it by introducing new elements that expand the Invincible Universe. Hopefully the next issue rediscovers the balance that makes this series work.
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