It’s safe to say, a lot of people enjoy reading about superheroes. A lot of people also like funny things. Every once in a while, the two are combined. Unfortunately, they’re not always executed successfully. Balancing big action with comedy can be tricky at times.
Quantum & Woody has pretty much always been a funny superhero comic. “The World’s Worst Superhero Team” caught my attention back in 2013 when Valiant relaunched the series with James Asmus and Tom Fowler. Somehow I lost touch with the characters, but to everyone’s joy, the duo are back with a new series by Christopher Hastins and Ryan Browne that you should definitely pick up in comic shops this week.
Quantum and Woody are adoptive brothers who drifted apart and were brought back together after years later. When Quantum’s father (and Woody’s foster father) was killed, the two decided to try to figure out who the killer was. This resulted in an accident which gave them superpowers but also requires they come into contact with each other every 24 hours. If they don’t, they’ll suffer a “complete molecular catastrophe.”
This comic picks up from a previous incident which left the two as fugitives. The beauty of this series is, you don’t have to have read previous issues with the characters in order to follow the story. Hastings does a fantastic job establishing who the characters are and what their current situation is within the first couple pages.
With the longevity of comic book characters, we sometimes don’t see a lot of major growth in characters. Their personalities or power sets stay pretty much the same. That isn’t necessarily the case here. While Woody has always been the comedy relief and screw up, we do see some possible changes happening. He may be developing some new powers and abilities that will help them be the great superheroes they kind of want to be–or perhaps Woody might be pulling some sort of scam. It’s hard to tell when it comes to Woody.
We see the two jump into some pretty serious action right away. How they arrived there and what will be the repercussions afterwards is something that will be expanded on. Our heroes face off against a freaky family of villains for hire. The fact that Quantum and Woody are brothers and have to fight an evil family is poetic in a way.
Ryan Browne’s art and Ruth Redmond’s colors are a great fit for the book. With a humorous superhero book, it’s essential for the visuals to keep up with the action and jokes. The funniest moment could easily fall flat if the depiction doesn’t hit the right mark. Browne has a great ability to channel the characters’ feelings and expressions through their facial expressions. During the fight scene, the action just feels right. I definitely want to see more of the evil family to see what else they’re capable of and if they always have pancakes for breakfast.
Whether you’re a new fan or have been digging Quantum and Woody for years, this is a great start to the new series. Christopher Hastings does a superb job creating a funny vibe in comics without making it feel like a parody. The humor doesn’t feel forced and is combined seamlessly with the action. Ryan Browne and Ruth Redmond’s art and colors are a good match for the characters and situation.
Quantum & Woody #1 will make you chuckle as well as keep you in suspense when the action unfolds. You’re going to have a blast reading this book. Quantum & Woody is proof comics can be fun and entertaining.
What the Heck is going on?!? 