New Warriors #1 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (writer), Marcus To (art), David Curiel (color art)

The Story: Clearly Robbie hasn’t been listening to Edwin Starr or Louis C.K…

The Review: Launching a series is a complicated thing. There are all sorts of different requirements that a first issue holds above all other books and it can be nearly impossible to craft the perfect opening to many worthwhile stories. Team books can have an even harder time. How do you bring potentially disparate heroes together, define personalities, and establish what a series will be all in a scant twenty pages?

For New Warriors #1 the answer seems to be breadth. This issue is aware that it’s not a team book yet and it’s unapologetic about it. Held together by a single mystery and a tempting opening page, this issue takes us on a regular tour of North America as we meet our future Warriors.

There’s certainly a sense of youth in this book, even Kaine, apparently the oldest member of the not-yet-team, is accompanied by the cheerful Hummingbird. Kaine is also probably one of the highest profile characters in the book. In some ways that’s refreshing, in others kind of sad. It’s rare that a book from DC or Marvel can claim that its most marketable team member is a recently revived veteran of one of the 90s’ most reviled events, but his sullen, brusque demeanor is an instant draw. Chris Yost does a good job of balancing the off-putting nature of such a reluctant hero against the reality of his recent experience and, if his interactions with Aracely are any indication, he’ll be a fine counterweight to the rest of the team. The pair are a delight to read and their powers are highlighted expertly, perhaps evidence of Yost’s familiarity with them. If you’re not intrigued by the descriptor “Demigod, Manipulation of Emotions, Levitation” I don’t know what to say to you.