Written by Kurtis J. Weibe
Illustrated by Scott KowalchukMAD SCIENTISTS ARE A GIRL’S WORST ENEMY,’ Part One The Rat Bastards are a collection of runaway and homeless teenagers that have been taken in and cared for by an aging inventor, Dante. Applying his brilliance, he crafts marvellous technological contraptions. With his vision and help, the teenagers agree to don his technology for the betterment of mankind. Together, they combat tyranny and stop madmen from bringing harm to the world.
It takes a lot to get a new ongoing series to stay afloat. Even more to do it brand new characters and concepts. However, Image has decided to balk trends and invested heavily in new book after new book over the last few years, and if Morning Glories, Chew and Skullkickers aren’t an indication of how resoundingly successful of a tactic that was then I do not know what is. Which brings us to The Intrepids, the brand new ongoing from newcomer Kurtis J. Weibe and Scott Kowalchuk. Curious to see how this new adventure began? Well clickity click click!
The book opens with our delightfully unique neophyte protagonists with their backs to the wall trying to foil the evil machinations of Dr. Mutovin. While they knock heads with Mutovin’s goon brigade, we are succinctly brought up to date with our four heroes, their power sets and personalities and smidgen of their overall mission. That last one is fleshed out a lot more during the brief interlude in between missions as we also meet Diego. One part Professor X, one part Q and one part Don Corleone, Diego is the glue that brought the Intrepids together when they were still young and manages them from the sidelines.
It is at this point that we’re given the basic core of the book: young heroes taken in by a whimsical tech-genius who outfits them with miraculous gadgets which provide for miraculous feats. A relatively simple concept, not overly unique at its code but the way in which it is emulated is quite entertaining. In fact, a lot of this book is simple emulation of established norms that, much like Bunn & Hurtt’s The Sixth Gun over at Oni, seem preoccupied only with telling a great story rather than reinventing the wheel. If the cybernetic, purple bears and the Baboon death squad weren’t enough to convince you of that, you’ve got more than a few screws loose.
However, I feel a large portion of this book gets its personality from the art, and the delightfully retro stylings of Kowalchuk provide a lot to like here. His most obvious influence here has to be Darwyn Cooke and specifically Cooke’s magnum opus DC: The New Frontier. However, his entirely angular, clean, retro-chique style is just an influenced by the likes of Will Eisner and classic 40s and 50s animation as it is by modern influences, and his ability to create a workable style based in entirely different eras is admirable and makes for some pretty, pretty pictures inside this one.
Interesting plot? Check. Strong premise? Check. Immediately recognizable yet still largely new characters? Check. Perfectly suited and composed art? Check. However, the greatest thing about this book is how accessible it is to readers of all ages. It took me a few reads, but I realized there is no new comic more worthy of a Saturday morning cartoon out there right now…which bodes quite well for younger readers that may ponder this book from afar. It looks like Image may have another hit on their hands, and I am absolutely on board.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Buy
