Any time there’s a new
superhero in town from a publisher that isn’t Marvel, DC, or Image, eyebrows
raise. People get weird. Will it catch on, will it be worth it, will it last?
All fair questions, judging by the history of such things. However, Boom! Studios
skipped all of that when they announced a new line of superhero books in
conjunction with comics legend Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men,
Fantastic Four, Hulk, and so on and so forth. While Lee has attached his name
to lots of things in recent years, it’s his superheroes that will forever be
his lasting legacy.
The first of these new
books, Soldier Zero, is a promising start to what will surely be a fun
ride to take. Written by Action Comics’ Paul Cornell, Soldier Zero
#1 reads like a classic origin issue of old, showing Lee’s influence. The story
fallows paralyzed Iraq War veteran Stewart Trautmann, a rather easy going guy
who is still getting used to being bound to a wheelchair and the awkwardness
from others that comes along with that. Cornell goes a little far with
this aspect of the character, as the issue opens on a store that just happens
to be putting up “no wheelchair” signs (has that ever happened?), thus showing
readers right off the bat the defining physical trait of the character. While I
would’ve preferred knowing more about the character himself before his
handicap, it does add a bit of intrigue as to how this man becomes Solider
Zero.
Issue #1 focuses on
Stuart gearing up for a date with Lily, a co-worker, and establishes his life
pretty quickly but with tact. Through Lily, Cornell shows us, briefly,
Stewart’s war history, his family life, and his career. It doesn’t feel rushed
because it’s effective, but it does display Cornell’s deftness as a writer. Soldier
Zero #1 succeeds immensely in what it’s meant to do: establishing a brand
new hero quickly and with a mystery surrounding him that will lead readers back
for another issue. In one issue, Cornell has displayed his ability to tell a
story with great intergalactic prowess but grounded in human interest, a talent
perhaps stemming from his experience writing Doctor Who.
The only downside to Soldier
Zero #1 is the art, but it’s not that artist Javier Pina is bad, not in
the least. It’s that the work of colorist Alfred Rockefeller just doesn’t blend
well with Hardin’s work or the overall feel of the book. Rockefeller’s colors
look very airbrushed, giving the artwork a sense of superficiality and
plasticity that contradicts the story Cornell is telling. While there are
sci-fi elements involved, Soldier Zero’s human characters are firmly
planted in modern reality. Pina’s work on the other hand is great, and he’s
got a nice grip on the aspects that will hopefully make Soldier Zero a
success. The little action he gets to draw here is brisk, but more importantly
he nails the cutsie dialog scenes between Stewart and Lily.
It’s both nerve wracking
and exciting to bear witness to a new superhero universe, but Soldier Zero
#1 is an optimistic first step.
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