Do we really need another superhero story that plays with the tropes of the genre? Maybe not. (So far as I’m concerned, “Watchmen” cornered that market a long time ago.) Still, “The Mantle” #1 – written by Ed Brisson, drawn by Brian Level, and published by Image Comics – is a quick, fun read, and an enjoyable take on its concept.
Written by Ed Brisson
Illustrated by Brian LevelRobbie never asked for any of this. While drunkenly walking home from a punk show, he’s hit with lightning and wakes to find that he’s been chosen as the new host for The Mantle, a power set of unimaginable scope. Despite his lack of interest, he’s forced into action. The Plague, a being who has spent 50 years killing every previous host of The Mantle, is already coming for him.
As a troupe of superheroes descend on Robin, one declares, “We don’t have time to sit around dropping exposition.” And while this isn’t our first clue that “The Mantle” is going to be a meta comic, it’s the most obvious and the most ironic; it’s standing right in the middle of a pageful of exposition.
The reason this line comes up? Well, Robin – the host of The Mantle, and a brand-new superhero himself – naturally has lots of questions. Thankfully, the snappy dialogue between the superheroes answers most of these for us, all without sacrificing the momentum of the issue. Ed Brisson’s script is tightly paced, moving along at a brisk clip, and before we know it, we’re at the climactic moment of the issue. And, uh, it’s not a pretty one.
But let’s rewind. The tone, in addition to meta and a bit spoofy, has a dark edge; one which is obvious from the get-go in the colour scheme. Jordan Boyd’s murky browns and greys plumb the depths of one depressing Sudbury evening – the kind of night where the band you’re seeing is no good and the shrooms aren’t doing what they’re supposed to.
At the same time, Brian Level’s art betrays a fascination for ugliness: cracked plaster, pipes running along a wall, an off-kilter, handmade sign. This grittiness merges with other typically ’90s tropes when the superheroes show up: you’ve got angular posing, heavy shading, a touch of improbable anatomy. In sum, we’re left with a visual style that’s atmospheric and coherent, if not immediately appealing.
As for the not-too-pretty end of the issue I just mentioned, it’s here that Level’s art is at its best – laying out a slick action scene and punctuating it with gore. Confidently worked out camera angles and a judicious use of speed lines add punch and verve, while the watercoloury violets that show up dial up the campiness.
The characterizations, all the while, stay fairly naturalistic – even those of the superheroes, who are outfitted outlandishly but very much regular people. Everybody – our everyman Robin and his girlfriend included – has a faintly pissed off air about them, a look of boredom and impatience that undercuts the superhero concept and keeps it grounded in reality. Shitty, shitty reality.
May I just add – and this is a weird point to bring up – that this issue gets points for Canadian content? Trolling on Sudbury never gets old, and hey, how often do you see Prince Edward Island in a comic? With no mention of Anne of Green Gables, no less?
Anyway. The shock ending hits hard and (seems to) set up the structure of the rest of the series, implying that being taken up by The Mantle leads to one thing and one thing only. This revelation, in turn, sets up questions to be answered by future issues. I’m reminded of fellow Image Comic “Grim Leaper” – minus the romance and, um, much sense of hope.
There are only so many ideas in the world, and I’m the first to champion solid execution, rather than a novel concept, as a reason to get excited about a comic. And so, while “The Mantle” may feel a little familiar, its tight construction – Brisson’s skillful plotting, and Level’s cogent mixture of styles – are enough to recommend it.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – “The Mantle” will supply your dose of meta for the week.
