Irredeemable #3 – Advanced Review

By Mark Waid (writer), Peter Krause (pencils, inks), Andrew Dalhouse (colors)

The Story: The Plutonian falls deeper into depravity as s his troubling psychosis is revealed in this issue. The super villains of the Irredeemable Universe band together in the HQ of one of their fallen enemies to hatch a plan to win the Plutonian to their side, while the Plutonian’s former allies try to learn more about his mysterious past in order to find a way to take him down.

What’s Good: As I’ve mentioned in my previous review, the premise of this story is instantaneously engaging and interesting. Waid keeps the magic up in this issue as we see more and more of how wacked-out the Plutonian is and how much of a threat he is to the world. Waid and crew do an excellent job of making the Plutonian frightening and down-right creepy. Their are a couple of subtle scenes, like when he casually gets a cup of coffee as his enemies stand around him, that are particularly memorable and effective in imparting the sense that the Plutonian is insane.

Surprisingly, the supporting cast is interesting and strong. Rarely do mini-series consisting of brand-new characters work, but as we enter in the middle of a continuity, characters here have a lot of depth and structure. Also, Waid does a good job of juggling the many characters by thinning their ranks and keeping extras off camera.

As for the art, Peter Krause seems to be settling in as the issues progress. His character work is detailed and the “Silver Age” tone he gives to this series is well-suited to The Plutonian’s inherent symbolism.

What’s Not So Good: This issue was less enthralling than the previous installments, namely because the bulk of the story took place in only one setting and didn’t feature any flashbacks or other plot excursions. Because of this, it felt like a short read where we only learned a couple new things, which contributed to the dulling of the mystery surrounding the Plutonian. I’m sure this was an essential piece of the overall story, but at the same time, it would have been better to streamline some of the villain scenes that didn’t add anything to the bigger picture as their fate retroactively nullified their potential development.

Conclusion: Irredeemable remains on the top of my pull-list, despite this issue being a lull in the momentum of the previous couple installments. Don’t get me wrong, this issue only suffers by comparison to it self. This is a good comic and offers shocking and entertaining character work and story execution. I look forward to the final showdown and seeing what tricks Waid has up his sleeves.

Grade: B

-Rob G.

Irredeemable # 2 – Review

By Mark Waid (writer), Peter Krause (pencils, inks), and Andrew Dalhouse (colors)

The Story: Irredeemable is a comic about a Superman, name the Plutonian, going postal. In this issue we learn more about the Plutonian’s life and some light is shed on the events, which could’ve turned him into the mass-murderer. There is also heavy character development of the other heroes that populate the Irredeemable Universe.

What’s Good: I love when literature, and especially when comics, tell us something about our culture and ourselves. The best is when these insights come from good and natural story telling, rather than artificial plot devices and preachy, ranting dialogue.  In Irredeemable, by Mark Waid plucking silver-age Superman, in all his innocence and fluff, and placing him into our present society, he has succeeded in concocting and interesting and entertaining comic that also sheds light on who we are.

I’m not saying that Waid is revealing deep and novel observations in this book that will help you become a better person or help change our world. Rather, its the juxtaposition of an iconic cliché’, i.e. the Plutonian (or Superman), and the pragmatic or “real” world that produces an archetype of human nature.

For example, this issue focuses on the Plutonian’s self-revelation of his secret identity to his lover. Rather than the results being the typical Louis Lane “I’ve really always loved Clark Kent as well as Superman” formulaic response, we see something more natural and truthful. Instead of seeing loyalty, honor, and trust from the Plutonian’s girlfriend and his coworkers, we witness selfishness, confusion, and stupidity.

I was much more impressed with the art this issue than last. The Peter Krause really seems to capture the moment and the tone that Waid is going for. The character designs are basic yet effective and there is a really vibrant world created in these pages.

What’s Not So Good: I’m not sure if this is a fair complaint, but this issue goes by too fast. I’m not sure if it is the pacing or lack of pages, but this comic zooms by. Another small gripe is the beginning scenes with the Plutonian and another hero. The dialogue seem forced and I think that Waid was trying to show that the Plutonian was a great guy before he went bad, but because of the contrived tone of the dialogue, he came off creepy and odd.

Conclusion: Irredeemable has quickly become one of my favorite reads. There is a ton to like here. Each issue, because of the theme of the series, carries a sense of importance and drama not typically found in comics. I am really interested to find out more about both the Plutonian and the supporting cast. Highly recommended!

Grade: A-

-Rob G.