Addiction and superheroics – they’re not exactly clashing flavours, but they’re not often mixed in quite this way, either. But this first issue of a miniseries from Dark Horse is starting things off strong, laying out a high concept concisely and colourfully.
Written by Donny Cates & Mark Reznicek
Illustrated by Geoff ShawRuben is not your average alcoholic; he’s an unstoppable superhero who derives his powers from imbibing MASSIVE amounts of alcohol. After all the disasters it’s caused in his personal life, he’s ready to get clean . . . and the city’s supervillains couldn’t be happier!
The man calls himself Ruben, and he’s gone to an AA meeting, even though he’s sure he hasn’t got a problem. Or rather, he knows he’s got a problem, but he’s also certain it’s not the same one as everybody else there. And really, how can he relate to the others when drinking lots and lots of booze actually does give him superpowers?
It’s a lot more complicated than that, though, and as the meeting goes on both his interior narration and the story he tells give us an idea as to what Ruben’s deal is. It turns out alcohol itself isn’t the addiction he’s trying to beat; instead, he wants out of superherodom. But there are obviously some consequences to this decision, and we’re left wondering exactly what – and who – Ruben is giving up on.
We actually don’t see Ruben in action as a superhero in this issue, and it’s kind of refreshing – it’s become standard practice to get things started in medias res and dole out backstory periodically, and getting the origins rolling from the get-go actually feels like a conscious effort toward slowing the plot down. Meanwhile, we get a solid feel for Ruben’s immediate circumstances and the characters that populate it, really getting to understand that this is a low point in the guy’s career, even if the “how” of it all hasn’t been laid out yet. The “how” between origin point A and this support group point B is looking to be the most interesting part, and our bait into the next issue.
Geoff Shaw’s art is nuanced and engaging, putting a lot of emphasis on the faces, which are weathered and sketchy and full of wariness. From the beginning we get a great feel for the personalities of the characters, with Ruben himself shining through in all kinds of jaded but sympathetic tones. Only once or twice is the amount of angst – and shading – in his expression overdone, and it’s not a critical distraction. Meanwhile, the cast of minor characters – well, minor for now, who knows – are rendered in enough detail to get you wondering what their deals are, with the counselor of the AA group in particular coming across in enough nuance to get you suspicious of his motivations.
The flashbacks, meanwhile, are starker, emphasizing setting more than the faces and skewing into more of a retro comics mode. But it’s not a stark departure, and there’s a nice feeling of unity throughout the issue that stems from Shaw’s graceful use of fine lines and consistently excellent portrayal of motion. Topping it all off is the last page, which the success of this chapter depends on in no small part. Saying much more would be spoiling the fun of it, but essentially, the diversity and creativity in term of the portrayals going on there creates a lot of suspense as to the broader picture of Ruben’s superhero career.
Meanwhile, Lauren Affe’s warm and chaotic colours engage in their own right, putting forth interesting oranges and greens where you don’t expect them and condensing into saturated tones and Ben-Day dots for the flashbacks. It’s a broader and more diverse palette than you typically see, and it fits in nicely with the unconventional nature of this comic as a whole.
This is a concept that could easily have gone awry, but what Cates, Reznicek and Shaw put forth here is polished and confident, balancing dark themes with a well-developed sense of fun. Putting an innovative twist on the burnt-out superhero trope, and laying it all out with energetic art and deft writing, this is an accomplished introduction to a high-concept series. So far as habits go, “Buzzkill” should be well worth picking up.
Final Verdict: 8.5 – Buy
