Week of 5/22 Comics Reviews: Family Matters

Rogue Sun #19 written by Ryan Parrot with art by Marco Renna

After a several month hiatus, Rogue Sun returns! I’ve been reading this book since the beginning and have been dying to review an issue. Think of this book as “American Gothic” meets “teen drama” meets “tokusatsu superhero”. Our “hero” is a teenager named Dylan who is the kind of guy teachers would label “troubled”. He’s completely checked out at school and the only reason he manages to keep his grades up at all is because of the kids he bullies into doing his school work. The only person he shows any kind of affection to is his mom who has been raising him on her own ever since his father, Marcus, walked out. That all changes when a visit from a lawyer reveals that Dylan’s father has died and he and his mom are invited to the mansion belonging to his new wife and their two children. At the reading of the will, it is revealed that not only is Marcus New Orleans’ own superhero Rogue Sun, but that he has left the mystical Sun Stone to Dylan to take up the mantle. From there, Dylan is thrown into battle against all manner of monsters and magical beings from vampire-werewolf hybrids to, recently, the entire lineage of Rogue Sun’s before him. He’s been beaten down over and over but has managed to get back up a little bit wiser each time.

Issue 19 picks up shortly after the end of the previous arc and serves as a soft jumping on point for readers who may not fully remember how the story has progressed. It basically boils down to Dylan taking down a villain while accompanied by the specter of his late father, Marcus. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Marcus’s ghost as the Sun Stone contains the memories of all its previous wielders who can be summoned to share wisdom with the current wielder (though as we’ve seen, the mileage on that wisdom can vary significantly). Marcus’s first go at guiding Dylan had ended pretty badly as neither of them were able to overcome the bad blood leading to Dylan severing that relationship altogether. The events of the previous issue have given them an opportunity to try again, emphasis on the word try. Dylan still hasn’t managed to curb his hot-headed arrogance and Marcus is still struggling not to be an overbearing blowhard, but at least they’re each making some effort this time. 

This issue uses a unique format to convey the gap between father and son. It is split in half giving us the same story twice, once from Dylan’s perspective and once from Marcus’s. This structure allows for a fairly straightforward plot to provide an engaging character study on their relationship. Both halves are heavy with narration which means most of the text is completely different the second time around. Often, the protagonist’s thoughts serve as gospel to the reader as they’re the window through which we’re viewing the world, but by comparing two narrations of the same story, it allows the reader to understand that in some cases Dylan can, and often is, wrongly making assumptions about things he barely understands. By extension, seeing Marcus’s reactions while understanding his flaws allows the reader to see the moments when Dylan is genuinely insightful shine through. He’s carving out a different path than Marcus and while some of his actions may be misguided, it’s clear that he’s not necessarily wrong in the way he approaches things. It’s fun to hear their differing thoughts play over their conversations from their conflicting taste in music to the degree of ruthlessness they think is appropriate when taking down a villain. Marcus even has a lengthy monologue which is completely obscured by Dylan’s narration boxes to hammer home just how little he’s listening. From Marcus’s perspective, Dylan always seems a bit out of focus or off to the side which emphasizes how much he’s projecting onto his son rather than looking at the man himself. While the issue does show them both beginning to make an effort to build a relationship, the ending of each half hints that some differences may be irreconcilable.

Marco Renna is filling in for series regular A. Abel on art duties this week and does a worthy job maintaining a visual consistency with the previous issues. The book is full of expressive faces and kinetic action which makes each page a delight to look at. There’s a moment where Rogue Sun knees a villain’s jaw which you can practically hear through the page. Regular colorist Natalia Marquez plays a large role in that consistency as well. In a series where the majority of characters love using fire as a weapon, it’s admirable that the reader is never wondering whose fire is whose. “American-Gothic tokusatsu” is such a specific tone and it’s impressive that the book manages to convey it in each panel. 

Rogue Sun #19 is a triumphant return for one of the most original superhero books on the stands. It may be light on plot, but it more than makes up for it with some fascinating character-work that wraps up the previous arc while setting the stage for what’s to come. This book has never been less than a blast to read and I wholeheartedly recommend to lovers of all genres out there. 

The Immortal Thor #11 written by Al Ewing with art by Valentina Pinti

After the shocking events of the previous issue, Thor has exiled himself back to the halls of Asgard. There is little hope of the problems working themselves out on their own, but the All-Father understands that patience will win the day and, so, decides to turn his focus to a different problem. A sibling of his has gone missing and so he calls in the other Odin-spawn to consult. The gathering begins with familiar faces: Loki, Angela, and Baldr meeting with their brother. However, a number of other, less-familiar, individuals join the party. These children of Odin may very well have been heroes or villains of other Thor tales, but they were all unfamiliar to me. It’s rare to feel so out of my depth when reading mainstream comics and it’s fun to be reminded of how much mythology, both in-world and out, is wrapped up in the tales of the mighty Thor. Of particular note are the ominous Ullr of yew and doom and the effervescent Bragi, god of poetry, who quickly usurps Loki’s role as Teller-of-Tales, earning a one-sided rivalry with the young trickster. Are they preexisting Thor characters? I’m almost hesitant to find out as I don’t want anything to spoil what’s to come in this new arc. 

As the eclectic gathering meets, it becomes apparent that the empty seat is the very subject of their meeting as there is a sibling who has not joined their gathering. Tyr is another character whose mythological counterpart I’m more familiar with. Most portrayals I’ve seen tend to paint him in a heroic light, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here as the siblings allude to crimes he may have committed. In fact, Loki cites one such instance as the reason why Tyr’s been imprisoned in the first place. Thor seems confused by Loki’s tale though whether that’s because he isn’t aware of Loki’s own stories or something with deeper implications for this story remains to be seen. Despite whatever Tyr may have done, Thor is determined to free his kinsman from captivity and leads the Odin-spawn into “The In-Between”, a strange realm with a different relation to physics than what we’re used to. They split into two groups and quickly determine Tyr’s location, though with the promise that the strangeness has only just begun. 

Up until this point, there’s been a clear narrative trajectory in this book as Thor moves from story to story. This issue is a departure from all that, both narratively and visually, as Thor has left the ongoing plot behind for something else entirely. This may be jarring for some readers who were hoping for more of a follow-up to the events of the previous issue. It brings to mind Ewing’s Immortal Hulk which occasionally did something similar but, by the end, everything was tied together and it became clear that there was a method to the madness the entire time. Considering his stellar track record, I’ve not doubt that whatever Ewing is doing here is going to pay off in the long run. Continuity quibbles aside, this was an interesting issue diving into Thor’s family drama. It’s fun to see his oft-unspoken of family stepping into the spotlight with all of their own stories going on in the background. Bragi brings a lot to this issue as the god of poetry. It’s been a recurring theme in these books that the gods are creatures of story, and the Norse gods in particular live in a realm of poetry and verse. As Bragi takes over the narrative, the text begins to shift into something more wordy and poetic, adding an epic flair to the story. Thor often stands out for his poetic and flowery dialogue, but here the supporting cast compliments his style rather than contrasting it. Thor is very much in his natural element, and it will be interesting to see what that brings out of him on this strange adventure. 

Fitting with this strange story, Valentina Pinti’s art is a significant shift from how the book has looked so far. It’s a perfect fit for this strange family reunion as the members of this godly clan appear with all the dramatic flair one would expect from a god, but can also look awkward and out of place as one might at the reunion of an estranged family. Each character has distinct body language that makes it clear what they’re about even if the reader isn’t familiar with their history. Thor stands tall with his head held high, Loki is constantly slouching and looking off to the side, Ullr looms menacingly behind everyone, it all goes a long way to keep the reader from feeling overwhelmed by the sudden influx of characters. 

The Immortal Thor #11 appears to be a departure from the story thus far, but the book remains a character study on Thor and it will be interesting to see how this family reunion continues to explore what defines him. The character banter is a lot of fun and the story ends on a promise that things are going to get weird. I had a blast reading it and highly recommend picking it up.