I can’t believe I’m about to use the word “restraint” several times in a review of the latest Mark Millar comic book.
Written by Mark Millar
Illustrated by Frank QuitelyThe comic-book event of 2013 finally arrives as superstar creators MARK MILLER and FRANK QUIETLY give us the superhero epic that all future comics will be measured by. The world’s greatest heroes have grown old and their legacy is a poisonous one to the children who will never live up to their remarkable parents. Unmissable.
It’s the 1930’s. The dawn of the superhero. It’s also the Great Depression. And a team of strapping young men and women will go to the ends of the Earth to make things better for their country. Now it’s the year 2013. The offspring of those great men and women can’t be bothered by anything beyond growing their own brand portfolios and photo ops. The waste or abuse of power is a cautionary tale that has been attempted many times in the modern history of comics, but not always with the focus that we see in “Jupiter’s Legacy.” In fact, the idea of great power creating an inherent responsibility traces back to the very first issues of Spider-Man comics (and arguably even earlier than that). But Millar isn’t critiquing or making homage to the comics that have come before. He’s crafted a new world that comments on our reality. The reality of the reader in 2013. The parental superpowers in “Jupiter’s Legacy” have realized that the young generation is not living up to the standards that they themselves hold. There’s a little too much moralizing when the heroes reach this crossroads, but Millar clearly wanted to establish these characters as quickly as possible. They also realize that they themselves have been defensive and reactive in giving their abilities to the world, rather than proactive. In some ways, it feels like a comment on modern technology. We can do amazing things with technology and science in the year 2013, yet we’re still dealing with the same sort of economic, health, and societal woes that were present almost 100 years ago. In this way, Millar shows a thoughtfulness that we’re not used to seeing from him.
Millar also shows an uncharacteristic amount of restraint with the same kind of subject matter that he usually dials up to 11. Because of this restraint, it isn’t a surprise when the mature subject matter comes off as more realistic and effective, making this the best thing Millar has written in a while. Millar seems to have a keen interest in throwing superhero tropes and pastiches up against the “real world” – an obsession that he started with “Kick-Ass.” “What if someone became a hero in the real world”? In this way, “Jupiter’s Legacy” works as a remarkable mirror to his previous work. It’s another way to answer that previous question. In “Kick-Ass”, the hero would try to uphold that idea of responsibility, even when getting the blood and snot beaten out of him. In “Jupiter’s Legacy”, the misplaced youth of the world would piss that responsibility away. Both are valid answers. It is also a credit to Millar that, at least in issue #1, he did not demand the same sort of graphic and mature visuals that are present in something like “Kick-Ass” or “Superior.” This is a more mature work.
Much of the restraint has to do with the measured and thoughtful artwork by Frank Quitely. He almost entirely keeps the violence and debauchery depicted in mere suggestion or in wide panels, viewed from a distance rather than explicit detail. Quitely captures the sense of adventure and exploration of the 1930’s with a sense of grandeur. With just as much acuity, Quitely captures the malaise of wayward youth in the modern age. The faces of his 1930’s characters are filled with wonder and hope, while the faces of their offspring suggest listlessness and boredom, even as they have the world at their feet. Peter Doherty’s color choices approach the two time-periods quite differently and effectively. The 1930’s are filled with plain colors: tans, off-whites, and muted colors that appear sparingly. In the 2013 scenes, we are bombarded with brilliantly colored costumes and nightclub lighting, which contrasts nicely with the sense of malaise in the younger characters.
Continued belowThere is one action sequence that has already garnered tons of praise, and for good reason. It has to be seen to be fully appreciated, but it plays with the comic book medium in a really inventive way. Again, many books have attempted similarly metatextual tricks in the past, but this feels like something we haven’t seen done in exactly this way before. One particular panel seems like it is written specifically for Quitely. Don’t worry – you’ll know it when you see it. It’s a single beautiful panel that accomplishes several things: advancing the plot, establishing characters, and honoring and praising the work of one of comics’ modern masters.
Mark Millar and Frank Quitely have created a team effort in “Jupiter’s Legacy” that is bringing out the best in both of their talents. Though already one of comics’ greatest talents, Quitely continues to show growth as a storyteller and Millar uses his particular talents to great effect. Meanwhile, Millar avoids nearly all of his penchant for overindulgence to create a script full of big ideas without overdoing any of them. For once, Millar’s usual brand of hyperbole and salesmanship might not be misplaced. With Quitely in tow, this just might turn out to be the comic book “event” of 2013.
Final Verdict: 8.4 – Don’t let your parents down. Buy this book.
