Michael Avon Oeming, part of the indomitable “Powers” and “Takio” team, is back with a creator owned title of his own from Dark Horse. It’s certain to look good, how will the rest of it fare?
Written and Illustrated by Michael Avon Oeming
Not long from now, all that will stand between you and evil are the Victories–six heroes sworn to protect us from crime, corruption, and the dark. As one member cracks down on the violence, he discovers himself touched by a painful past through the psychic powers of Link. Will this trauma cause him to self-destruct or continue the fight?
As I teased earlier, this book looks great. Oeming is one of the best artists in the business, and Bendis knows that; swiping him up for two high profile projects like “Powers” and “Takio.” I’ve always liked Oeming’s retro-stylized aesthetic, and the use of blacks and dark colors give stark contrast to the neons used for the violent imagery throughout. This book is absolutely gorgeous throughout.
So why am I left with a bad taste in my mouth?
To put it plainly, this book reads terribly. There’s a nugget of a good story here, but there’s so much reliance on cheesy dialogue with terrible one-liners. The basic set up is something like a Batman title, but “Faustus” has a character like Spider-Man to the extent that he never shuts up. None of his one-liners are very charming and his repartee with his enemy “The Jackal” (who comes off as a poor imitation of The Joker) is annoying and forced.
Where it does succeed, however, is the angst that Faustus, our demonic do-gooder, goes through when he’s not in costume. Some of the most powerful scenes are when he’s by himself, trying to figure out exactly who he is. That’s where the true strength of the writing comes from, it’s just a shame that there’s precious little of it in the book.
There’s really not much to the book at all. It’s really unfortunate because it feels like there’s something Oeming was building towards in the upcoming issues. There might be more stories with analogues for various members of the Avengers and the Justice League planned, but if this issue is any indication of the kind of story we’re getting, it’s nothing I’m likely to keep up on. I might, however, flip through it at my shop because it’s absolutely stunning to look at.
Or I could just wait for more Powers and Takio.
Final Verdict: 5.0 — Browse (for the art)
