The Good
This is such a delightful book. Mark Millar introduced us to Duke McQueen last issue. Duke was a big time hero from Earth that saved planets and maybe even the universe. That was a long time ago. Back on Earth, he lived a long life with his wife and kids. Now when it seems like he's alone, a rocket appeared in his backyard, calling him back into action. The problem is, he's sixty-two now. Taking off for another space adventure to try to save the universe seems out of the question. Of course, then that'd mean the comic would be over already.
There's two things that really impressed me about the premise of this series. The first is, you never really think about what the Earth hero does after the universe has been saved. The second is how much heart the first issue had. We immediately felt for old Duke. Reading this comic, you absolutely want to know what's going to happen next.
Goran Parlov's art and Ive Svorcina's colors captures the characters and personalities Millar has created. From the design of the rocket to Duke's spacesuit, there's a great classic old-timey feel that puts a smile on your face.
The Bad
The first issue did a great job setting up the situation and introducing us to Duke. This issue slows down a little as Duke needs to figure out what he's going to do next. The next issue seems like it will really pick the story and pacing up. It's still a fantastic issue and hopefully people have picked up this and the first issue.
The Verdict
This series has really captured my heart. Mark Millar has taken the familiar idea we've seen of the hero from Earth saving the galaxy but adds a great twist to it. The story is being taken to a different level I never really thought about. Parlov's art and Svorcina's colors are a perfect match for the tone presented in this series. I'm often extremely picky about sci-fi comics. I love both but they don't often work for me. If I could, I would personally thank Millar for this comic. It's now a series I will highly look forward to each month.