Review: NEW WARRIORS #1
Writer: Christopher Yost
Art: Marcus To
Color Art: David Curiel
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
During New York Comic-Con 2014, Marvel made a ton of announcements regarding new series’ launching. The book that got me the most excited was New Warriors. The original volume by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley immediately touched a nerve with a young Timdogg. Here was a team of teenage superheroes joining forces, taking on villains that The Avengers wouldn’t. A team of lesser-known heroes like Nova, Speedball, and Firestar helped forge my love of comics.
So with that, the All-New Marvel NOW! gives us a new volume of New Warriors. Some familiar faces from the past are present, along with a new cast of characters. But what could bring these heroes who have nothing in common together?
What I Liked
If you’re going to be an artist on New Warriors, you have to be proficient with drawing young heroes. One of the best in the business at this is Marcus To. Each panel is filled with youthful exuberance through his artwork and colors from David Curiel. You can really feel this with Speedball. He’s meant to be the jokester of the group, so conveying his playful spirit is essential. I have only recently been introduced to To’s work and each time I’ve come away impressed.
Christopher Yost has made it known in interviews that the roster will be composed of characters from different corners of the Marvel universe – mutants, clones, demigods, aliens and Inhumans. I think this is a smart selling point for the book. It establishes that there should be at least one member that readers can latch onto. If they like Spider-Man, there’s Scarlet Spider. If they like cosmic adventures, there’s Nova.
Speaking of the different characters, two of them impressed me with their visual introductions – the Atlantean Faira Sar Namora, and the High Evolutionary’s Evolutionaries. Faira Sar Namora looks badass as she seeks out heroes, and the Evolutionaries remind me of Sunfire’s redesigned look during the X-Men event Age of Apocalypse.
What I Didn’t Like
I know Speedball is meant to be the goofball of the team, but his various attempts at war cries in the beginning of the comic are extremely forced. That was the only moment that made me feel as if I were reading a 90’s comic.
High Evolutionary is a villain I’m not familiar with. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever read a comic where he was the featured bad guy. One reason for that is he has never appealed to me. Again, Yost has made it known in interviews what the High Evolutionary’s plans are in all this. This ties into why the New Warriors come together. I like that story, so hopefully I won’t let my dislike for High Evolutionary affect my enjoyment.
One last thing….when Sun Girl investigates an explosion in the subway tunnels, one of the Morlocks she encounters looks a lot like Marrow, who is currently in the re-launched X-Force. Except here she looks just like she did in the 90’s. Even though that’s probably not her, it is odd to have a background character be drawn to look exactly like another established person.
Summary
I’m all in on New Warriors. I really hope this comic finds an audience and has a sustained run. For anyone new to Marvel comics looking for a team book to subscribe to, I recommend giving this a try. It is an eclectic group of heroes joined by a talented creative team of Christopher Yost and Marcus To. So you already know the stories will be compelling and the artwork will jump off the page at you. To quote Speedball, “Get Your War On!”
Rating: 5 out of 5
This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network. They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
