When we first heard about “No/One” #1, we had some hints that the story was going to be big, but here we are a few months later, and we can confirm that this is a massive addition to the Massive-Verse, and a hefty story in its own right.
Cover by Geraldo BorgesNo One #1
Written by Kyle Higgins & Brian Buccellato
Illustrated by Geraldo Borges
Colored by Mark Englert
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Reviewed by Kobi BordoleyMINISERIES PREMIERE Ten months ago, the Richard Roe murders shocked the city of Pittsburgh. In the months since, the killings have sparked a dangerous political movement, copycat killers, and a masked vigilante who’s still determined to hold the powerful accountable. Not a symbol. Not a hero. They could be anyone. They’re NO/ONE. Superstar writers KYLE HIGGINS (RADIANT BLACK, Nightwing) and BRIAN BUCCELLATO (Chicken Devil, Detective Comics) and rising-star artist GERALDO BORGES (Nightwing) bring you the extra-length first chapter of a true crime superhero drama in its own corner of the MASSIVE-VERSE!PLUS!
“No/One” #1 presents itself as somewhere between Nolan’s Batman films, Succession, and True Detective (and we’re sure it’ll be a lot more than that when all is said and done). To break it down, “No/One” #1 taps into the Batman vibe of rogue superheroes, cities gone awry, and the kind of cynicism that The Dark Knight Rises is steeped in. In another layer, “No/One” #1 feels like Succession because there’s an eccentric, distraught family at the center full of siblings and complex kindred relationships. In yet another layer, “No/One” #1 feels like True Detective because it’s weird and complex. There’s a web here, and a bit of an information overload that only really converges in the final pages of the “No/One” #1. There’s also a lot of meta stuff going on, with characters in the comic talking about starting a podcast on the story at the center of “No/One” #1, and lo and behold, that podcast exists. It’s meant as a tie in to the story, and the first episode just came out. The podcast, called “Who is No/One,” stars Patton Oswalt and Rachel Leigh Cook, so you know it means business. This is what we mean when we say “No/One” #1 has layers. This is also just the beginning. We mentioned the Massive-verse before, and it’s essentially Kyle Higgins’ superhero universe that includes characters and titles like Radiant Black (and related titles like Radiant Pink and Radiant Red), and Inferno Girl Red. We’re not sure where the Massive-verse will go in the future, but “No/One” seems like another touchstone in its cosmology, given that the previous stories mentioned, apart from Radiant Black were limited series. Anyways, that’s the gist. Oh, also “No/One” #1 takes place in Pittsburgh, which is really cool. It’s always nice when smaller cities with a personality get some love. Here’s to yinz.
Anyways, let’s talk shop. Off the bat, it’s worth knowing that “No/One” is a dense story. There’s a lot of dialogue and pontificating between these pages, which makes sense given the touchstones we mentioned above, and the fact that the story, while it contains superhero elements, really positions itself more as a crime noir story. Sometimes the exposition is potent, and charged enough to drive the narrative. At other times it’s a little more cumbersome. For example, a lot of the panel real estate in “No/One” #1 is taken up by conversations between journalists and editors at the local newspaper about legacy media, the new media landscape, and the best way to structure their podcast. If you’re a pure story fiend, there’s probably not much you’ll object to, and it’s undeniably cool that all this ties into a real podcast. However, it’s undeniable (at least to us) that the focus on the exposition here bogs down the pacing just a little bit. But hey, to each their own.
In terms of plot, “No/One” #1 has a whole lot of palace intrigue. Over the course of the story, we learn that a hacktavist, vigilante, maybe robot (?) superhero (?) exposed and doxxed four members of Pittsburgh’s social and political elite. From “No/One” #1, it’s unclear exactly what their deal was, but in the following months copycat killers have murdered three of the exposed, and wounded another. The first killer is also the son of a prominent police officer and detective in the Pittsburgh PD (gasp!). And of course, the people are mad. Why is he working there? Who’s side is he on? Are the copycat killers connected, and what did these people all do anyways? The story truly is juicy, and you won’t find better, more hardboiled mystery content on the shelves today.
Continued belowThe art in “No/One” #1 is also really high quality. The story introduces a ton of characters quite quickly, but each has their own visual vocabulary and specific characteristics that it’s never unclear who we’re with in a scene. The colors are crisp, and the renderings here are a pretty straightforward combination of realistic art with some more impressionistic backdrops when the moment calls for them. This is very much art in service of the story, and not the other way around — and that’s completely fine. The colors pop, the letters are sharp, and everything here works in unison.
“No/One” #1 is an ambitious start the story. There are moments where it feels like it could topple over its weight, but it always manages to stick the landing. We’re hoping “No/One” continues to stand tall, because this is a mighty story to tell. If you’re looking for a truly impressive feat of storytelling, “No/One” #1 should be on your pull list.
Final Verdict: 8.5. High caliber, ambitious, and stone cold, “No/One” should satisfy any fan looking for the intersection of intellectual crime noir and sleek superhero drama.
