nerd radio

Get ready for the new daily show

COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Mark Millar’s Huck

October 21st, 2015 by Irwin Fletcher Comments

comic-book-news-banner-copy1huck

This is a non-spoiler advanced review of Huck #1 set for release on Nov 18th 2015.

‘Huck’ #1, the first of a 6-issue miniseries is the latest offering from veteran storyteller Mark Millar (Jupiter’s Legacy, Kick-ass) and artist Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire, Ei8ht). It’s seemed like over the last decade, anything Millar touches, he turns to gold and if this first issue is any indication, it’s another hit!

We are introduced to Huck, the titular protagonist of the story and simple-minded man imbued with fantastic powers (think Clark Kent growing up in Kansas by way of ‘Of Mice and Men’ and you get the idea). Obvious parallels are going to be drawn to things such as Forrest Gump but it would be a great disservice to both the creative team and the character itself.

Huck’s learning difficulties are not played for sympathy or pity. Instead, Millar uses a third person perspective to show readers the kindness and lovable traits that Huck is imbued with and taking us on a common week for Huck as he strives to do at least one good deed a day. This sort of framing device allows readers to relate more to Huck moreso than DC’s Superman for example which has struggled to strike a chord with modern day readers due to him being portrayed as a ‘God among men’.

Not to be out-done, Millar’s collaborators, Albuquerque on pencils and Dave McCaig on colours really compliment and shine here. From the striking neon-esque opening pages to the beautiful mid-western palette, the art combined with Millar’s writing instantly transported me back to 80’s small-town America portrayed in the films of Zemeckis, Donner, Spielberg etc. of that era. High praise indeed.

I was really impressed by this first issue and looking forward to where the story leads. Despite prominently portraying Huck in that provincial setting, Millar doesn’t constrain himself and we are are presented with a great cliffhanger that will likely blow the whole story wide open and I’m excited with the shift in story. Huck as a character is a welcome change from today’s trend of morally grey heroes and if the rest of the series continues in this same vain, I imagine Huck to be the feel-good book of the year.

We could use more books like this. Buy it.

5 out of 5 Nerds

nerds-51

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.