Comic Book Review: Project Super Powers #1

The Revolution absolutely loved Project Super Powers #0. Krueger and Ross delivered a read that was beyond my expectations. I am a sucker for Golden Age characters and where The Twelve has disappointed me, Project Super Powers has impressed me. There is no doubt in my mind that Krueger is doing to dish out another strong read with Project Super Powers #1. Let’s do this review.

Creative Team
Plot/Script: Jim Krueger
Plot/Art Direction: Alex Ross
Art: Carlos Paul

Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: We begin with Dynamic Man staring down on a gleaming city. Dynamic Man tells Dynamic Woman that he made all of the people that he is looking at. The way they live, talk, experience art, their economy, their comfort, their fear, their very existence of life. Dynamic Man utters that if only Dr. Moore could see what his Dynamic Man has done. Dynamic woman asks what Dynamic Man sees when he looks down at them. Dynamic Man responds “I see that it is good.”

We cut to The Fighting Yank making the grueling trek through the snowy mountains on his way to the Green Lama. The American Spirit argues with Yank’s ghostly ancestor. American Spirit states that it is unfair for him to judge the ghost since the ghost died in a different time with different understanding of his place in life. Though the world may change the ghost cannot. The American Spirit says that it pities the ghost.

The Fighting Yank finally arrives at the Green Lama’s village. It is the most beautiful place the Fighting Yank has ever seen. Fighting Yank arrives at Green Lama’s sanctum. Green Lama has not aged since Fighting Yank last saw him. Green Lama gives Fighting Yank a big hug.

The two men then sit down and Fighting Yank tells Green Lama everything that he did with the urn after Green Lama left them to go live in Tibet. Fighting Yank tells Green Lama about the American Spirit and his quest to rescue their friends and of his own impeding death. That Yank must find the urn and destroy it himself in order to release their friends from the urn.

Fighting Yank awaits Green Lama’s judgment with dread. Green Lama simply asks Fighting Yank if he wants some tea. We cut to the two men taking a walk together. Green Lama says that they all face the fall and for Fighting Yank to not fear death. That Green Lama has faced the winter many times and it is quite invigorating.

Fighting Yank then pleads for the American Spirit to show itself to prove to Green Lama that he is not just someone who makes up stories about seeing ghosts like all the other heroes thought back during WW II. The American Spirit appears before Green Lama. Green Lama tells Fighting Yank that through years of meditation he has discovered the root of all life here upon the Earth. That it links everything together. That Green Lama has become its servant. That Fighting Yank is lucky to have caught Green Lama in a good season. Green Lama says that he is prepared to fight for all living things.

Green Lama then commands the leaves to cover Fighting Yank and himself. Suddenly, the two men transport over to New York. The sensation of the leaves is warm and pleasant. For the first time in a long time Fighting Yank doesn’t want to die.

Our heroes arrive in New York City. They enter the building for the company Dynamic Forces that is owned by Dynamic Man. They request to meet with Dynamic Man. The two men head up the elevator to Dynamic Man’s office. Dynamic Man immediately recognizes Green Lama and comments how he has managed to stay young.

Dynamic Man doesn’t recognize Fighting Yank. Yank puts on his old mask that was designed for him back in WW II to see the evil around him in order to help Dynamic Man recognize him. Yank then notices something that he has never seen before.

Dynamic Man then recognizes Fighting Yank and comments that they thought he was dead. Dynamic Man then states that the two men must be here for the urn. Green Lama says that Yank is dying and is in the process of saying goodbye and wants to see the urn.

They head over to the urn and Dynamic Man mentions that there was a rumor that Yank actually believed that this urn has some power. Dynamic Man asks Yank if he still thinks sacrifice will save this world. Dynamic Woman cracks a comment that it is too bad that Yank can’t stay young and useful. Green Lama retorts that no one is ever too old to be useful.

Dynamic Man then picks up the urn and “accidently” drops it. Yanks dives for it and grabs it before it breaks. Yank then breaks the urn himself. Nothing happens. Dynamic Man states that he had the urn exorcised of its magic. That he knew about the urn. Yank responds that their friends were in there. That Dynamic Man’s actions were inhuman. Dynamic Man’s assistant says whoever said we were human?

Dynamic Man and Dynamic Boy and Dynamic Woman grab Green Lama and Fighting Yank and toss them down the elevator shaft. They then cut the cables to the elevator and send it crashing toward our heroes. Green Lama grabs Yank and flies up the shaft and smashes through the elevator. They fly up to the roof of the building. The Dynamic Family then square off against our heroes and we have ourselves a brawl. An alarm is sounded and reinforcements from outside of the building come streaming into the building.

We then see a hand come clawing out of the ground outside of the building. The Black Terror comes clawing out of the ground and screams that he is going to kill Fighting Yank.

We cut to Yank and Green Lama brawling with the Dynamic Man’s forces. Black Terror fights his way through Dynamic Man’s forces on his way to Yank. Yank thinks how the breaking of the urn must have worked. Dynamic Man then squares off against Black Terror. Dynamic Man says that this was not supposed to happen. That he designed it so magic was not supposed to return. Black Terror then punches right through Dynamic Man’s chest.

We see that Dynamic Man is really a robot. Yank thinks how when he put on his special goggles he saw that something odd was up with Dynamic Man and his family. Dynamic Man then picks up Black Terror and throws him off the roof of the building. Black Terror lands on his feet and yells that Yank is getting a reprieve. That Black Terror is going to kill Dynamic Man first. End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Project Super Powers #1 was a fantastic issue. Krueger delivers a well paced issue that moves at an enjoyable flow. Krueger spins a nicely plotted story that offers up a fine mix of dialogue, drama and action. Unlike The Twelve, which is stumbling around like a blind man in a desert, Project Super Powers has a clear direction and purpose as Krueger has been unfolding a tightly constructed and laid out story.

Krueger whips up some fine dialogue. Each character has their own distinct external voice. Krueger has also managed to establish some solid chemistry between the various characters in a short amount of time. The reader gets a good sense for the amount of history that exists between the various heroes.

Krueger is pulls off some quality character work in particular with Fighting Yank and Green Lama. All the characters have complex personalities and are well fleshed out. Only the Black Terror comes across as a bit shallow and stereotypical. Then again that goes perfectly with his style of character.

I found the Black Terror to be well done for the type of character that he is. He plays the important role of the one-dimensional aggressive bad-ass who kicks tons of ass. Every team title needs this type of character. Black Terror’s dialogue at the end of this issue may seem a bit over the top, but it is consistent with his personality type especially considering that he has been banished to limbo for so many years.

Krueger is doing a wonderful job with Fighting Yank’s character. Yank is easily my favorite character on this title. Krueger has done an impressive job fleshing out Yank’s personality. The reader gets an excellent feel for the conflict that is raging inside Yank’s spirit.

I particularly enjoy Yank’s running monologue in this issue. Krueger delivers a narrative that is almost lyrical and offers such a fantastic insight into Yank’s soul. This is the real strength of this issue. The running monologue is so well written and is typical of Krueger’s dense, rich and powerful style of writing.

What I like the most about Fighting Yank is that despite his amazing powers, he suffers from the same failings that every other human suffers from. Yank desperately wants to make the world a better place and this commendable desire unfortunately goes hand in hand with the naïve belief that such a world is attainable.

We also see Yank thinking like many people do that the ends justifies the means. Yank’s morally ambiguous method of bringing about his goal of a world free from evil shows that he thinks, like many people in the world do, that the ends justifies the means.

Krueger also does a great job with the Green Lama. I am surprised how much I dig Green Lama’s character. Usually, these types of character annoy me. However, Krueger manages to pull off Green Lama’s metaphysical and new-age style philosophy without being preachy or annoying. In the end, Green Lama comes across as a pretty cool and balanced character.

I loved that Krueger chose to swerve the reader by not having Green Lama react predictably to Yank’s confession. Green Lama’s subdued and calm response had a much greater impact on the reader than a typical angry and violent response.

I absolutely love Krueger’s version of Dynamic Man. What a fantastic twist having the perfect man being revealed to be an android. And I dig that this android is now attempting to play god in creating the perfect society. Krueger gives us a Frankenstein monster that is more than capable of outdoing its creator. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Dynamic Man looks down upon the world he has created and wonders what his creator would think of his creation now and then comments that everything he sees is good.

Krueger’s Dynamic Man is an excellent example of doing something interesting and different with a character rather than something predictable and worn out. Yes, I’m talking about JMS’ pathetically unoriginal take on Dynamic Man’s character. Let’s see, which one is more creative and interesting. A blond haired and blue eyed white racist male from the 1940s or an android with a messianic complex. Damn, that is just no comparison. Krueger’s take on Dynamic Man is by far more intriguing and creative than JMS’ version. Krueger’s version of Dynamic Man also opens up far more possible and interesting plotlines than JMS’ version which pretty much only lends itself to one boringly predictable plotline.

I really enjoy how Krueger is handling these Golden Age characters. I particularly appreciate that Krueger has avoided using this platform to bash on an older era like JMS has done over on The Twelve. I found interesting that Krueger has Green Lama specifically mention that no one is too old to be useful when Dynamic Man comments about how old and feeble Fighting Yank. Here, Krueger is making a point that the age of a character or the era from which they spring from is irrelevant. That all that matters is the heroic heart inside of that character. That all heroes from all the different eras are equally useful.

While JMS is busy engaging in Baby Boomer rants against the Greatest Generation and trying to tear down the Golden Age heroes in The Twelve, Krueger is taking the opposite approach of trying to rebuild a Golden Age character in the Fighting Yank. I dig that Krueger has the Green Lama recognize that despite all of Fighting Yank’s flaws and misdeeds, that he is still a good person at heart and has simply been used and manipulated by some very powerful evil forces.

I also found it interesting that Krueger has the American Spirit state that he will not judge the ghost of Fighting Yank’s ancestor. That it is not for the present to judge the past. Again, while JMS seems bent on using The Twelve as a platform to criticize America’s past, Krueger is more interested in how we can grow in the present day in order to create a better future.

Krueger cranks out a nice fight scene that makes for a furious and dramatic ending. I like the over the top rage fueled Black Terror vowing to kill Dynamic Man. We should certainly be in store for some serious action with the next issue.

Carlos Paul serves up some enjoyable artwork. Paul has a nice style that blends the Golden Age style with a more modern look.

The Bad: I have no complaints with this issue.

Overall: Project Super Powers #1 was another strong read. This title is everything that The Twelve is not. The Twelve is plodding, predictable and preachy and appears to be heading nowhere at all. That all combines to make for a truly dull read. On the other hand, Krueger is delivering a tightly written story that moves with a steady pace and offers up a good mix of action and drama. Krueger also has a clear purpose and direction with this story and that helps to make it a more entertaining read.

Project Super Powers will appeal to readers who enjoy strong character work and complex plotlines as well as readers who like action. I definitely recommend giving Project Super Powers a try. It is well worth your hard earned money.