“Imperial” #1 is a valiant attempt at a rom-comic. This book tells the story of Mark McDonnell, an average Joe who is about to take the next big step in his life and marry the woman he loves. Somehow, Mark’s commitment issues manifest themselves as a superhero who is recruiting him to fill his position. You can write the rest, right? He has to choose between becoming the next Imperial, or getting married (because there is no way he could possibly do both, obviously) hijinks ensue, themes are stated, a cliff is hangered… you know the drill.
Written by Steven T. Seagle
Illustrated by Marc Dos SantosMark is two weeks out from making the biggest decision of his life. But which big decision will it be? Taking the ring of the woman of his dreams and becoming a married man? Or taking the crown of the world’s only superhero and becoming the next Imperial? STEVEN T. SEAGLE (THE RED DIARY/ THE RE[A]D DIARY, Genius, it’s a bird…) teams with MARK DOS SANTOS for a buddy book with commitment issues.
Not every element of this story is predictable. Seagle attempts to tinker with the stock characters used in this book. Mark, our average Joe, may be a little less than average; he’s a bit of a schlub, to be frank. He possesses a glorious lack of emotional depth and self-awareness, making his internal monologue seem obvious, instead of insightful. Without serving any real function, the clumsiness of Mark’s actual syntax makes him seem almost intentionally obtuse. His dialect and vocabulary offer no contrast to his apparent absence of perception.
In this way, Mark is different from many of the ‘regular guys‘ we see in this type of story. Imperial is allowed to seem a little silly, which seems intentional. He embodies the grand and obvious hero archetype of a bygone era. He is not taken too seriously, and in the face of Mark’s flaws his lack of humanity creates a nice contrast.
The characterization of Katie, Mark’s fiancee, is one element of this title that I really struggled with personally. It begins when Mark states that he loves her because she won’t take his last name, which should serve as an indication that she is independent and progressive, in theory. Doling out further insight into the great mystery of romantic affection, Mark informs the audience that Katie is also a winner because she ‘says “piss”–like guys do.’ In addition to her awe inspiring comfort discussing effluvia, Mark is pleased to report that Katie also pretends to like the stuff he likes, and in the end, isn’t that all that matters? In her defense, Mark does have pretty complex tastes — the man reads comic books and graphic novels, for godsake; how is any woman supposed to get that? I mean, Katie does have her flaws as she mislabels a box of action figures ‘dolls,‘ and obviously semantic subtlety is wasted on her. But again, I ask you, how on Earth is a silly woman supposed to understand such nuance as the distinction between action figures and dolls? I know I can’t!
The baffling treatment of this female character actually creates a hole in the book’s plot. We never learn why Mark is facing an either/or scenario. Why must he either be a husband or a hero? Mark and Katie seem to have a relative comfort discussing their fears and feelings. She seems supportive and understanding during their every interaction; why wouldn’t he just discuss the fact that his childhood hero is trying to train him as his successor with her? By implying that this is something Katie could never understand, her credibility as a worthy partner is undermined. Either she’s not capable of comprehending what is happening to Mark, or we as an audience are being asked to believe that she is so desperate for a traditional role that any threat to that goal would devastate her. Katie, and women in general, deserves more credit than that.
In addition to failing to clearly define the dilemma that should be driving the plot, Seagle never clarifies Mark’s desire to be a hero. Mark’s personal feelings toward wether or not he would even like to be the next Imperial are never discussed. We only know that he wants to be married as this hero is trying to thrust greatness upon him. In a story that should focus on Mark’s choice, the focus is almost completely on how Mark is going to evade being drafted into superhero duty. It seems that the stakes and the motivation of this entire issue are nearly imperceptible.
Continued belowIn comparison with the confusing writing, Santos art is clear and readable. Though it is a bit utilitarian, the artwork in this issue serves its purpose well. There are not any great expressive flourishes, or truly unique approaches on the visual side of this book, but everything makes sense and reads clearly. There is a nice balance within each panel, starting from an obvious focal point and working through each scene, Santos includes enough detail to make the world of “Imperial” feel believable.
Throughout “Imperial” #1, Santos’ work grounds the story in a consistent reality, especially in regard to the cast of characters. Emotions and gestures read well, and the individuals are distinctive. Mark’s most relatable qualities come through Santos’ depiction of him. While his internal monologue may do little to clarify his reasoning, Mark’s expressions let the audience know exactly what he is feeling.
The pages of this issue are well weighted, creating a breezy pace that keeps the story moving. Each page has five panels or less, yet Santos accomplishes a great deal of storytelling within them. The creative team taps into a nice sense of economy, choosing the right moments to highlight instead of showing every single beat.
The shallow narration, light contents and simplistic art make this book feel a little adolescent. The theme, dealing with commitment issues, is geared more toward adults, but the intended audience may be a little smarter than this title gives them credit for.
Final Verdict: 4.5 – I’m having some issues committing to “Imperial.”
