Review - The Intrepid #1

The world needs heroes. We're not at a point where the individuals we call heroes have the word "super" in front of them. Right now, our heroes are soldiers, firefighters, police, etc. This would be a different conversation if we had a Heroic Age, where all the superheroes came and went. That is, until they return, as in Intrepid #1.

Published by Graphic Illusions Comics, Intrepid #1 is written by Jose Loeri, illustrated by Montos (cover colors by Diogo Nascimento) and lettered by Alan M. Cole.

Thaddeus Payne laments the world's fascination with superheroes, wishing instead they would pine for the aforementioned present day heroes. Soldiers like his father Timothy, who died defending the country on the day of his birth. That might explain the glee he finds in his current assignment.

Payne is tasked with escorting someone repeatedly referred to as the Package. He's clearly a paranormal, being transferred for as yet to be identified reasons. And it turns out he's a lot more powerful than the military planned for.

There's another paranormal in Anna Bella Scuzleoni, who is more or less Psylocke with a bit more of an attitude. She's introduced to the reader through a training simulation she created, seeing as how she's one of the most intelligent beings on the planet.

Loeri's concept is interesting and the writing is solid. The acceptance and subsequent rejection of superheroes is a topic that is relevant across multiple forms of diversity, although when you're faced with zombie Nazis you would expect there to be a bit more acceptance of them in the world. The Package ends the issue mentioning "Nadia," which is likely a lost love that his quest for will shine more of a light on the world he lives in.

The Package is written as a mysterious fighter who can wreck people at will, but little insight is given into his powers. Meanwhile, Anna Bella is depicted as the most intelligent person in the world, someone who "cures diseases over breakfast" and has psychokinetic powers, but she's fighting in a combat simulator. There just seems to be something of a disconnect between the situations of the two, but it's possible they'll cross paths at some point in the series.

Montos' art is a little sporadic. It's all black and white and there are some panels with a lot of complicated detail. A lot of it actually overcomplicates the illustrations. He does illustrate Anna Bella very well and the Package being illustrated as a grizzled, tired man is interesting.

As far as superhero concepts go, Loeri's is interesting. The Heroic Age is gone, but the world is faced with ills and evils that would probably be easily quashed by said age. Whether or not heroes are reborn is surely the crux of The Intrepid and hopefully it's a question answered sooner than later.

The Intrepid #1 is available now.