Writer Sam Humphries and artist Joe Quinones, under the guidance of Wonder Comics curator Brian Michael Bendis, dig deep into the DC toy box to rediscover a forgotten gem. (Warning: contains minor spoliers.)
Written by Sam HumphriesCover by Joe Quinones
Illustrated and Colored by Joe Quinones
Lettered by Dave SharpeMiguel, a teen daredevil, becomes the newest wielder of the Hero Dial-a rotary phone-like device that grants the user superpowers for one hour when they dial H-E-R-O. Will he rise as a new hero in the DC Universe or crumble under the weight of responsibility the dial thrusts upon him? This blistering new six-issue miniseries joins the Wonder Comics lineup with stories by award-winning fan favorite Sam Humphries (HARLEY QUINN) and art by Joe Quinones (Howard the Duck).
One of the more exciting aspects of Brian Michael Bendis’s move to DC Comics has been the launch of his in-continuity teen- and youth-centered imprint Wonder Comics. Not to hammer the point, but in-continuity is key. This isn’t an ad hoc collection of fanciful one-offs, temporary tangents or random team-ups made for kids. Rather, this is canon—as vital and real as it gets – with a decidedly youthful perspective, in terms of both content and style. Not to mention, attitude.
Interestingly, one recurring theme that runs through both “Naomi” and “Dial H for Hero,” two of the Wonder Comics books that feature all new, 21st century protagonists, Naomi and Miguel, is how each teen has been shaped and permanently altered by the pervasive superhero ethos that surrounds them.
If you stop to think about it, hundreds and hundreds of people have experienced brief interactions with superheroes over the years. What happens to these civilians, whose lives are forever changed by even the briefest encounter with a world famous superhero? How do their stories unfold after the main story concludes and the superhero is gone?
For Naomi, Superman’s brief appearance in the sky above her small town, prompts her single-minded search to uncover and understand her own murky origin story. For Miguel, the young protagonist of “Dial H for Hero,” who was actually rescued by Superman after hitting his head on the concrete edge of the community swimming pool, it fuels a relentless quest for excitement. “After that day,” he confesses, “all I wanted was to feel that rush again.” From rock climbing to skateboarding to trying to jump his bike off a rickety ramp across a perilous canyon, he continually tries to recapture that once-in-a-lifetime buzz of soaring through the air in the arms of the Man of Steel.
Honestly, take away Miguel’s encounter with Superman and the backstory that remains is pretty standard pop culture stuff. “Every time I go to work I want to die. A revolting food truck in a nothing town. Devil’s Canyon, California.”
No doubt, this interior monologue is the same as pretty much any disaffected teen, especially one who’s lost his parents and works for his jerk of an uncle. It’s teen angst, of course, but it’s also deeper than that. Superman saved Miguel’s life! How can anything ever compare? For one brief, glorious moment Miguel flew with Superman. Tangentially, osmotically, Miguel knows what it feels like to be a superhero, and nothing else even comes close. Whatever it takes, however he gets there, he needs to feel that again.
Ultimately, it’s an incredibly simple concept. Tons of people fantasize about being a superhero. Almost none of them get to actually be one. For some crazy, unknown reason, Miguel is one of the chosen few, suddenly living his dream.
Sam Humphries’s script is funny and clever, striking a great balance between a nonjudgmental commitment to the original concept and unbridled willingness to cut loose and really have fun. Joe Quinones’s inks and colors, along with Dave Sharpe’s letters, easily keep pace, playing it straight one moment, having a blast the next, shifting seamlessly back and forth, mimicking the wild emotional swings of our teen protagonist.
All of this comes together in the last 8 pages or so, where Quinones’s brilliant paneling and Sharpe’s complete command of the text lead us through a blistering series of loosely connected action sequences. Quinones’s electric red palette, in particular, serves as a star to guide us through the falling, soaring, ringing, car-crushing action that whizzes by. The “comic within a comic,” retro 90s flashback sequence that features Monster Truck is worth the price of admission alone, but the dial sequences that frame each end are truly spectacular.
Likewise, in the final few pages, Sam Humphries knocks it out of the park. Cleverly, he slows things down for a beat, only to jolt us again and end on a cliffhanger that leaves us desperately wanting more, counting the days until the next issue drops, speculating about what temporary superhero Miguel might embody next and where the story will ultimately take us. This is slated to be a 6-issue miniseries, but with a stellar start and seemingly endless possibilities, is it premature to think about turning this into an ongoing book…?
Final Verdict: 8.8 With a great script and wonderful art, “Dial H for Hero” #1 takes a mothballed concept and makes it incredibly fresh.
