Sunday, October 13, 2013

Triple Helix #1

   I can't quite decide if writer / artist John Byrne is doing these books - Triple Helix and Trio - because:

a) they're fun;
b) he enjoys creating traditional comic book stories;
c) he's building a new superhero playground; or
d) he's having a good laugh on Marvel Comics and the fans.

   On the most basic level, this comic, which seems to lean a lot on the X-Men template (note the emphasis on one letter on the cover), is a fun superhero adventure story that picks up right where the Trio mini-series left off - with the city and the heroes facing destruction at the hands of the time-jumping Golgotha.

   Before they confront that menace, the team of heroes known as Triple Helix must first take part in the time-honored tradition of getting into a fight with another hero - this time around, the mysteriously-transformed Rock.

   Perhaps Byrne is just trying to evoke nostalgia for the streamlined, action-packed stories that Marvel did so well, especially when it first got going in the mid-'60s.

   Whatever the motivation, he's created a comic that's just plain fun. There's virtually no continuity to worry about - we're getting the backstory as we go, and learning about each hero's powers the same way.

   For any long-time comics fan, this series promises to be a lot of fun, and it would be a great place to start a new reader, looking for a comprehensible introduction to the world of superhero comics.

   A clear and clever story, terrific artwork - who could ask for more?

   Well worth tracking down!

Grade: A-

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Why would he do this schlock when he could be doing new stories of Danger Unlimited? Maybe it's "easier"...?