Quantum And Woody #2

The Team

Writer James Asmus Artist Tom Fowler

Quantum And Woody has been a title that has really managed to surpass my expectations so far. A buddy comedy is something ripe for exploration in the field of comic books, but is often times only seen in movies and television. Last issue I enjoyed this genre defying buddy superhero story that really stood out against some of the other titles. One of the most astounding parts of this book, is that it even seemed to find a niche that did not conflict with Archer And Armstrong. The latter title is another story featuring two friends that go on an adventure, but this feels more organic. James Asmus and tom Fowler are both proving that they have some unique assets to offer these two characters. There is some dark material being explored in the background of this comic, that makes the series more than just fluff.

There is a slight problem with this issue in the sense that some of these villains are not well fleshed out yet. The result is a story with a stirring and hilarious opening and middle, and a an end that seems to drag on a little bit too long. That being said this issue, has many genuinely hilarious moments particularly towards the beginning of the story. The duo spends the first seven pages of the comic book completely naked. Even with some major silliness going on in the front of the story, there is always a serious set of drama going on. The connection between Woody and his father is so beautifully realized in a single page. This economic sense of pacing has helped this story drive forward.

Tom Fowler delivers astounding pencils in this issue that almost render me speechless. In terms of weird page layouts or storytelling tricks, the artist does not partake in any of those techniques in this installment. What he does deliver are so many jokes that make excellent use of the visual space, along with complete clarity. There is never a question towards what is going on in this comic. The cartoonish style present in the art never gets in the way of the story. Tom fowler has never been a more important figure in comic books than right now. This is easy to point out because so many of the great Marvel artists are going for a similar kind of clarity when approaching the medium.

In closing Quantum And Woody is a celebration of people who cannot seem to work together. These are two people destined for mediocrity, yet they still seem to believe in themselves. An impending doom is felt upon almost every page of the series. This updated idea seems to be one of the best books that Valiant is publishing. For a marriage of great art and writing look no further than this title. Sticking around to watch writer James Asmus and artist Tom Fowler continue to tell the story between the two main characters will be worth the price of admission.