Irredeemable #1 - A Review

Irredeemable #1
Publisher BOOM Studios
Writer/Creator Mark Waid
Art Peter Krause
Colors Andrew Dalhouse

Release Date April 1

This book opens up and grabs you by the throat and never, never let’s go. You feel like you jumped into a speeding car and then the pace quickens. One of the best first issues of a super powered comic book I have ever read. Waid is showing just how good he can be and it is great to see a writer that is deep into his career still step up and show everyone exactly how it is done.

This book is one that on the first reading has me waiting for the actual printed copy so I can read it again and then has me anticipating the second issue. If the first issue is any indication of how the rest of the series will be I think we can declare 2009 over early and hand the best new series award to Mark now and end the suspense.

Sounds a little over the top and almost like Waid and Boom slipped me a few bucks, but it really is that good of a book. I have been feeling that comics have hit a sort of malaise recently and that many of the books have been good, but they have all been missing the indefatigable something to make me think “Wow” what a great story, and this one has it.

Irredeemable is about a Superman type character who apparently has gone over to the dark side and now is after the rest of the long underwear set. The first few pages are the character not only taking out one of his former allies, but killing that hero’s children and his wife. I think this was just in case we were going to think that maybe he had some reason for taking out his allies, we are seeing that he has gone way over the edge as it appears that there are no innocents in his world.

After that we flashback and see a scene where the Plutonian has just saved the day and defeated a huge robot monster in front of a baseball crowd. The cheers are deafening, but he also hears the jeers and harsh remarks of his critics.

We then cut to the hero group he was a part of interviewing one of their members in trying to get information about what has happened. This scene was fantastic, not only is there an urgency in this group trying to find out what is happening, but we are given clues and hints of mysteries about things that happened that may have impacted the Plutonian. At the same time the plan the group hatches to try and survive is laid out and the last panel we see the Plutonian show up and scatter them to take off via a teleportation device and the Plutonian utters “Perfect”. A chilling ending.

Just an utter hold on to the sides of your seat thrill ride, that builds characterization, story and suspense. A beautiful comic book and a textbook in how to start a series.

Peter Krause on the art chores and Andrew Dalhouse on colors delivered the goods. No matter how great a story you have, if the artist is sub par on has no ability to handle the type of material then the book can be a failure or at least not garner the acclaim it may deserve. Krause delivers on every level, with layout, pacing, expressions, action and more. The book looks as good as it reads. The coloring enhances the mood perfectly and never obscures or overwhelms the art, muted when needed and bright and colorful when called for.

Thanks Mark, Peter and Andrew the malaise that I felt had been in my comics has now been removed. BOOM has a solid winner and has just announced to the market, if you were ignoring us before because we were not doing super hero books, well we are here now and we can do it as well, if not better then anyone else.

OVERALL GRADE A – WOW- Irredeemable is a flat out winner! A tonic for the comic book blues.

This issue comes with the Comics And... Money Back Guarantee. If you buy this book and don’t like it, mail me the book and I’ll reimburse the first 25 people who send it to me (one per person), personally I would hold onto it and get it signed.