About Heroes

Author: Kevin Grevioux
Penciler: Paco Medina
Inker: Juan Vlasco
Colors: Marte Gracia

From listening to our podcasts or just reading some of my reviews, you know how much I loved the original New Warriors series. It's up there amongst my favorite comics of all time. So when they turned the team that I loved into shit in volume 2 and then utter shit in volume 3, you pretty much know what my expectations were when I heard about Volume 4. Not only did they kill 3 core members in Civil war (Speedball is dead. Fuck Penance!), but the writer on volume 4 was a Hollywood screenwriter. I wanted to hate this; I really wanted to hate this.

It was a little goofy to at the beginning when Wondra yelling at Grey Gargoyle to: "Tell them. Tell your friends. Tell everyone. This is only the beginning." Reminded me of Batman. Actually all that was missing from those lines was: "I'm Batman!" But, what really hooked me was the fact that we get to see an author finally use some of those depowered mutants from M day. We are reunited with Sofia Mantega (Wind Dancer from the New X-men) and Barnell Bohusk (Beak from Morrison's New X-men). It is here that Sofia is contacted by the New Warriors and offered a spot on the team. Supervillians are found tied up with New Warriors graffiti everywhere by the New York Police department. As she is teleported to the home base, she is greeted by the original leader of the New Warriors Night Thrasher. Whether this is the original Dwayne Taylor is unknown right now, but hell one can only hope.

We know where these kids stand, we know they are against the idea of the Initiative, so I like them already. Sofia and Barnell were more likeable in this single issue then their entire run on their significant books. Seeing the two get reunited and Sofia's surprised look when she found out who Barnell used to be was priceless. Grevioux does a really nice job of making these characters more realistic and as stated earlier likeable. What really got me excited is the possible return of Night Thrasher, because after all who is to say he was the one that died in Stamford. Sure this team needs is Namorita, Hindsight Lad, and Firestar/Marvelboy, but even without those wonderful characters showing up, for some reason I find myself already hooked. As far as the story is concerned everything was perfect, just wish they had at least introduced all the key characters that will make up the team. I hope this doesn't go the way of recent team books that take at least 6 issues before the team is complete.

Medina's art has only gotten better with time. He is the perfect artist for this book. The characters look sharp and proportioned. Reminiscent of Mark Brooks or Ale Garza, but it still retains Medina's own style. My only complaint is the look of Barnell, who even as a human was portrayed a big nose skinny guy. In this book he is a handsome looking guy, but I don't know if Medina or Grievioux is to blame. The colors are wonderful and make the environments come alive. At a time when a gallon of gas is more than a price of one comic book, it's really hard to get into new books, but I have now regained my faith in Marvel and their handling of the New Warriors. A- Kudos to Grievioux for not making this anything like Underworld.
.