By: Nick Spencer (writer), Wes Craig (artist), Hi-Fi (colorist)
The Story: Here’s a tip—don’t talk about dead mothers and brothers on the first date.
The Review: In this new DCU, there are more superhero teams than ever, one of them even having backing from the United Nations which presumably also sponsor our heroes here. Spencer sets them apart, however, by giving them a much more overt political agenda and making them more attached to the governmental body which employs them. Even against their best judgment, their movements in the field are determined by white-collar men sitting on swivel chairs in a control room.
For that reason, a certain shadiness infects every aspect of this team, from their very mission statement to the choice of members to the technology that makes their work possible. Yet that technology began, like many things, with pure objectives. We learn more about Emil Jennings, the man responsible for producing the scientific breakthroughs which gave birth to the Agents, all to promote “peacekeeping, humanitarianism, fostering better international relations…”
To that end, he creates an actual mathematical method (well, about as mathematical as you can get in a comic anyway) to “calculate the likelihood that any action undertaken ill improve the human condition.” See, it’s this kind of thing that makes Spencer a conceptual wizard in the tradition of Grant Morrison; these fantastic ideas seem to roll off the top of his head, and not only does he convince you of their fictional logic, they bear implications for real life as well.
The fact Jennings’ algorithm is intended to help the world’s survival doesn’t disguise the fact that its role in the Menthor helmet defeats free will. Besides, “survival” is a rather vague objective, one that doesn’t necessarily go toward “the greater good.” So perhaps we should worry about this formula running the show, especially since it also powers Daniel, the hive-mind at the heart of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents’ activities.
The series continues to focus most of its dramatic weight on Colleen and Toby and their volatile chemistry (at one point, they have a semi-joking standoff with guns pointed at each other). It’s true Spencer has made both characters incredibly complex, intriguing figures, and this issue allows them to express some sympathetic emotions. But we really need more face-time with the other Agents soon, as they become more forgettable with each issue we don’t interact with them.
At least they get mixed up with some action this time around, involving the Subterranean race (here protesting in a Tahrir Square/Occupy style movement against the incumbent ruler, Agros, “a swell guy,” Dynamo remarks dryly). We also get the appearance of a longtime T. Agents villain named Demo, who takes them down in good time. Hopefully, this serves as an impetus to bring the team together seriously, which we really haven’t seen since the series began.
Craig’s cartoonish style comes as a far cry from Cafu’s cinematic brilliance, but he does a thoroughly fine job, a sort of updated Silver Age look (especially with Hi-Fi’s funky use of colors—who says you can’t put bright orange and purple together?). At times, the more mobile faces he gives the characters overplay the issue’s emotional moments (e.g. Colleen’s intense look of guilt and anxiety when Toby asks if he killed his brother), but otherwise he shows a good grasp of a wide range of expressions.
Conclusion: Smartly and lovingly written as always, but still struggling to assert itself in a renewed universe.
Grade: B
– Minhquan Nguyen
Some Musings: – “Boundaries” has no meaning for Colleen and Toby, do they? “Sorry, next time I’ll try to keep the feelings of cover Spider operatives like yourself in mind a little more.” “I figure after that business with your mother—sorry, your now-dead mother, after the “You killed her” part…”
– Raven, as “the only agent whose equipment doesn’t have long-term negative health risks,” arguably has the best gig on the team, despite the silly costume.
Grade
Conclusion