“Superheroes were the summit of American aspiration and so our children grew up to remind mankind of everything we could ever hope to be.”
Writer: Mark Millar / Artist: Frank Quitely / Image Comics
Jupiter’s Legacy is the first comic book series to ever captivate my interest in the panels. Not gonna front and act like I’ve read many comics, but I was still drawn to this story like a mosquito to the glow of a distant light. It not only features two separate factions of superheroes, but puts them front and center of this semi-fictional world’s international conflicts and political interests.
Jupiter’s Legacy originally dropped in 2013. It’s written by one of the beasts of this age, Mark Millar, drawn by the award winning Frank Quitely, with color and lettering by Peter Doherty. Millar’s first piece of lengthy work sans Morrison begins in Morroco in 1932. Our story is centered around a group of family members and friends, led by Sheldon Sampson and his dreams of an island that is drawing him to it. Following the big Stock Market crash of ’29, Sheldon was left financially crippled after his life full of privilege and advancement was ripped from his jaded grip. These visions of the island forced his wife to pack up shop and hit him with the deuces, but they also brought him across 3 continents to the opening page where he has finally convinced a local sailor to take him to this place 600 miles off the coast. The local obviously thinks he’s crazy because you know, he’s a local and he’s sailed these seas for hundreds of miles and..
Story picks up in 2013. The men and women who visited that island became known as The Faction, produced a bevy of powerful offspring, and are doing their best to keep peace in this world while raising responsible young super powered adults in an increasingly violent, financially spiraling, politically driven world. We get our first piece of real action when we bear witness to some matter destroying monstrosity named Blackstar holding his own against The Utopian (Sheldon’s alias) and alllll the homies. Frank Quitely really shines with his depiction of Walter Sampson’s ability to separate one’s mind from their body and trap your mind in a psychic painting while your body gets absolutely mutilated! Finesse folks, finesse.
Brandon, Sheldon’s son, is the brooding type. Looking like a salty Jon Snow sulking in the bastard corner of Winterfell’s Great Hall. He wonders why his endorsement deals have been terminated, but doesn’t want to get out there in them streets and put the beats on any villains. For now he is comfortable with his super powered fame, groupies and Ricky Jarrett bathroom breaks. Brandon’s sister, Chloe, seems like a handful from the Miley-like photo shoots to the mysterious fainting spells. One thing is for sure though, this is one of the most well written new interpretations of superheroes being an integral part of today’s society.
I’m looking forward to picking apart this world and sharing my first physical comic book obsession with y’all. With Millar and Quietly on the job, you know it’s bound to be some amazing storytelling.
9 out of 10
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