Review - Halcyon & Tenderfoot #3

The death of a burgeoning superhero's father is a trying time. It's even more chaotic when the son is a child, struggling to come to terms with what happens next. Tenderfoot's plight in Halcyon & Tenderfoot #3 isn't made any easier, but he is starting to figure things out.

The issue is written by Daniel Clifford, with art by Lee Robinson and cover colors by Nadine Ashworth.

Tenderfoot still mourns Halcyon, but Jenny Wren is having none of that. She wants Tenderfoot to get back into action. As Halcyon's first sidekick, she knows a thing or two about jumping back into the fray. Tenderfoot is getting a little worried though with Jenny and her being somewhat adverse when it comes to Halogen Man.

Meanwhile, Brink City has got a new mayor. Spurred on by the allegiance of Telescopic Woman and Doctor Birdbrain, Halogen Man is inspired to get back into crime, deciding to stay with the Brink City Bank. It's an inspiration that lasts all of five minutes, before the action gets real and Halogen Man gets a chance to fully process what's happening.

The third issue finds a slightly more confident Tenderfoot, buoyed by a gung-ho Jenny Wren. Jenny wants Halogen Man to not only pay for the death of Halcyon, but also for the death of someone else close to her. Clifford has infused both characters with their own motivations for decisions and they're not all about revenge.

Tenderfoot is really more concerned about how to live life in the wake of his father's death. Sure, he'd love to get Halogen Man, but the thought of extracting revenge isn't driving him. Jenny is quite the opposite. She wants Halogen Man for what he did to Halcyon as well as for his actions in the past. The dichotomy offers two different paths to one shared outcome, with both characters getting something different out of the journey.

Things are really escalating for all the characters involved. Halogen Man was content to lie low until he was encouraged by some other baddies, while Tenderfoot was content to simply mourn his father's death until encouraged by a former sidekick. Both Tenderfoot and Halogen Man are more alike than they probably realize, which will likely make for some interesting decision-making in the next issue.

Robinson's art continues to impress, maintaining a proper superhero vibe without being overly superpowered. That is, the characters aren't rife with excessive physiques or beauty. The characters that inhabit Brink City are flawed and varied, all of their appearances reflecting their personalities. It just works.

Halcyon & Tenderfoot #3 slows things down a bit from a storytelling perspective, but they're slated to ramp right back up in the fourth issue. Whether or not Tenderfoot sides with Jenny or Halogen Man in the grand scheme of things will be a big deal for his character. The issue does have quite a few fight scenes where the powers can be showcased, but the biggest fireworks are likely being saved for the next issue.

Halcyon & Tenderfoot #3 is available now.