Soldier Zero #1 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (writer), Javier Pina (art), Alfred Rockefeller (colors) & Ed Dukeshire (letters)

The Story: A handicapped U.S. Army veteran gains the powers of alien being who has fallen to Earth after being wounded in a cosmic battle.

What’s Good: The story is pretty serviceable and has promise.  This issue is entirely set-up as we meet Stewart, who is a wheelchair bound U.S. Army veteran and start to learn about his life as a recently handicapped guy.  All the predictable stuff is there and Cornell handles it quite well: Stewart’s desire to be treated normally, flash backs to his injury, problems with dating, girl’s finding him cute but wondering if his man-parts work, etc.

This is interspersed with snippets showing Soldier Zero engaged in a big cosmic battle.  Nothing is revealed about who Soldier Zero is or who he is fighting, but that will clearly become a major focus of the series.

Pina’s art serves the story well.  Boom! seems to encourage their artists to stay within the story because you never see attempts (even failed attempts) to create grand splash pages and Boom!’s devotion to story seems to be their differentiating factor (compared to Marvel/DC).  You never have any wonder what is going on in a panel because Pina has chosen some weird perspective or lighting source.  It’s just clear and straight forward comic art.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Warlord of Mars #1 – The first issue of an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic series (and first book) launched with an impressive start, capturing the tone and visuals of a hero for all times. DC offered some strong books this week, but Warlord of Mars stuck in my head and has me waiting for the next issue impatiently.

Most Anticipated: Batman: Batman and Robin #15 – The end of the Batman Must Die arc! Dr. Hurt and Pyg! And we’re steps away from Bruce Wayne’s return! And, you’ve got Morrison on writing and Frazer on art! You can’t lose!

Other Top Picks: Brightest Day #12, Power Girl #17 (guest starring Batman), Green Lantern Corps #53

Least Anticipated: Chaos War #2 – I called issue #1 a conceptual train wreck, but it looks like ridiculing regular Marvel icons for cheap (and futile) laughs wasn’t enough. It looks like they’re set to drag Galactus and Hellstorm, two of the most carefully nuanced bad-ass characters in the Marvel Universe, into the live audience laugh track that we saw in issue one. I feel the frustrating impotence of Sideshow Bob in jail, watching Vanessa Redgrave on Fox. I need one of those Charlie Brown storm cloud icons to finish off this paragraph right. No way Marvel is getting my money for this one.

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Irredeemable #18 – In a week that had many very solid offerings, this was the only book that flirted with “great”.  This comic is almost a throwback to the old days when stuff actually happened in a comic over a 2-3 issue span instead of this “decompressed storytelling” we get now days.  In this issue, Mark Waid again jiggles things around to keep this comic a LOT more than just “superman gone bad”.

Most Anticipated: The Walking Dead #78 – Kirkman has begun to build this series towards some very big events around issue #80 (if online teasers from Image are to be believed).  Still, I hardly expect him to play it safe, so we’re going to again get some splendid storytelling and characterization along with building tension.  I can’t wait….

Other Top Picks: Haunt #10, Morning Glories #3, Hulk #26, Kick Ass 2 #1, Soldier Zero #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Invincible Iron Man #33 -This week really was all about Matt Fraction.  Between this and Thor, it’s a tough call, but I’ll go with Iron Man based on its great storytelling, strong character dynamic, and sudden introduction of an unknown team traitor.  This was polished, refined work and a clear showing of why this is one of the best superhero books on the stands.

Most Anticipated: Morning Glories #3 -After two issues, I love Morning Glories.  Every time I see it’s on my stack for the week, I get excited.  The characters are great and the story always leaves me wanting more.  This one’s a sure thing.

Other Picks: The Walking Dead #78, Batman & Robin #15, Fables #99, DMZ #58, Brightest Day #12, Daredevil #511