The Illegitimates #1
Writers - Tarran Killam, Marc Andreyko Art - Kevin Sharpe, Diana Greenhalgh, Peter Pantazis
Remember all those busty beauties James Bond "spent time with" during his adventures? Some off those trysts were bound to result in offspring, right? This is the question Illegitimates poses, with James Bond stand-in Jack Steele filling the role of world's greatest spy/action hero/lover.
Of course, heroes die. Like a much lighter version of Wanted, the aging master is killed, making way for his offspring to take his place. While the tone is lighter, the gore is still there, which is somewhat jarring. We are given a brief introduction to Steele's illegitimate children and their various mothers, but nothing more than the surface of the story is scratched. We're introduced to the heroes and the villains and we get little in the way of set up. It seems to be a pretty straightforward story, a number of operatives with different skill sets are brought together with a common goal. I'm sure there will be dissension and personality conflicts in this introductory arc. There is a glimmer of something more here, so I'm hoping for great things from the team.
This story comes from the mind of Tarran Killam, of Saturday Night Live fame. He's got some help in the scripting department from Andreyko. Everyone does a manageable job for an introductory issue. The art from Sharpe has a serious tone, but the color palette manages to brighten up the visuals to be more in line with the tongue-in-cheek storytelling. The few action scenes fall somewhat flat, but I have hope that everything will come together a few issues into the groove. I'll be interested to see how the team does when they find their footing with each other.
The Verdict...
A solid introductory issue. Pick it up, see if you connect with the material. It won't be for everyone, but there are some who will greatly enjoy this riff on espionage books.
Remember all those busty beauties James Bond "spent time with" during his adventures? Some off those trysts were bound to result in offspring, right? This is the question Illegitimates poses, with James Bond stand-in Jack Steele filling the role of world's greatest spy/action hero/lover.
Of course, heroes die. Like a much lighter version of Wanted, the aging master is killed, making way for his offspring to take his place. While the tone is lighter, the gore is still there, which is somewhat jarring. We are given a brief introduction to Steele's illegitimate children and their various mothers, but nothing more than the surface of the story is scratched. We're introduced to the heroes and the villains and we get little in the way of set up. It seems to be a pretty straightforward story, a number of operatives with different skill sets are brought together with a common goal. I'm sure there will be dissension and personality conflicts in this introductory arc. There is a glimmer of something more here, so I'm hoping for great things from the team.
This story comes from the mind of Tarran Killam, of Saturday Night Live fame. He's got some help in the scripting department from Andreyko. Everyone does a manageable job for an introductory issue. The art from Sharpe has a serious tone, but the color palette manages to brighten up the visuals to be more in line with the tongue-in-cheek storytelling. The few action scenes fall somewhat flat, but I have hope that everything will come together a few issues into the groove. I'll be interested to see how the team does when they find their footing with each other.
The Verdict...
A solid introductory issue. Pick it up, see if you connect with the material. It won't be for everyone, but there are some who will greatly enjoy this riff on espionage books.
A Look Inside
