Mark Millar has plenty of movie properties out and in the works (do Kingsman and Kick-Ass ring a bell?) and now he has a new series focused on Golden Age type superheroes, complete with all their dirty laundry. The last issue wrapped up a story arc about a gay character who was in the closet and this issue turns to another hero on the team…is it good?
Jupiter’s Circle #3 (Image Comics)
The first two issues were definitely focused on a heavier sort of story, especially since this story takes place in the 50’s, but writer Mark Millar doesn’t slow down on the controversy front in his new arc. This arc focuses on the hero known as The Flare, a flying character with a loving wife and kids. On one of his adventures he meets a cute blonde and quickly falls for her. She’s without powers, but hell if he’s not going to try to give her the dream she wants: to be a hero.
Millar writes a solid issue here as we witness two characters fall in love at the expense of The Flare’s loving family. No doubt cheating on your wife was even more destructive and terrible in the 50’s with housewives much more prevalent. The story is very grounded and the issue doesn’t contain too many heroic moments, but still reads very well due to the characters. The cliffhanger isn’t the most shocking, but it does promise an interesting development for the next issue.
Villains in the 50’s loved the creepy.
Ultimately the plot isn’t anything new, however. It’s good, but how titillating is a story about a bastard cheating husband with two kids at home really going to be? The fact that he’s a superhero doesn’t change much and adds very little. You could easily swap out the fact that he’s a hero with rock star and it’d work just as well. Basically the superhero angle hasn’t been exploited yet for the story’s sake, and while the next issue will most likely offer a lot in the way of this element, it’s just not important here. Essentially this is a setup issue for what could be a fantastic next issue.
This can’t end well.
Wilfredo Torres continues to do exceptional character work with the art. It suits the setting too since it’s a bit simpler in its look. Considering there isn’t much action in this comic yet you keep turning the pages for more tells a lot about Torres’ storytelling ability. The story simply flows beautifully and the dialogue heavy pages don’t feel so cumbersome.
This just ain’t right. A married man at a single woman’s home!? Gasp!
Is It Good?
Jupiter’s Circle continues to be an excellent exploration of 1950’s values at odds with the cruel frailty of the human condition.
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