Retcon Punch is on Summer Hours, which means we’re going to be writing fewer in-depth pieces for the month of August. But we’re addicts at this point, so we need a place for our thoughts on all those comics we can’t stop reading. Some comics fall neatly in the the categories “DC” or “Secret Wars” — these comics don’t! Today, we’re discussing Boy-1 1, Descender 6, Velvet 11, and Howard the Duck 5.

Boy-1 1

Drew: First issues are hard to evaluate. Whether the series is plotty, character-driven, or even atmospheric, chances are good that it takes more than a single issue to be fully immersed in its world. Most writers will skirt this problem by reducing their characters and situations to recognizable shorthand. Your hero may ultimately be more than “an Indiana Jones-type,” but that summary may be a useful way of orienting the reader quickly. Balancing those general archetypes with elements unique to your story is the trick, and its in that capacity that Boy-1 is truly remarkable.

The big distinction is that H.S. Tak calls out his own shorthand, pointing out how this situation is just like Planet of the Apes, or how this other one is like 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s a clever enough gambit, aligning his characters with a pop-culture-savvy audience, but leaves the issue in a weird space between making fun of itself and taking itself way too seriously. Part of the problem may be how wishy-washy those references are. The floating head of an A.I. is referred to as “R2-D2,” which feels clunky given the more obvious references to The Wizard of Oz or even Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. More troublingly, those references are only dropped to comment on trivial matters, ignoring the more profound debts owed to Blade Runner and, believe it or not, Deadpool.

Which is to say, this series wont be breaking any new ground. By the end of the issue, it’s clear enough what’s going on — I couldn’t tell you exactly why the protagonist is having his mind wiped, but this issue doesn’t leave me with enough interest to really care. Maybe it will resemble Blade Runner or maybe Logan’s Run, but whatever it is, I have a feeling I’ve already seen it before.

Descender 6

Spencer: In the letters column of Descender 6, “Mail-Bot” mentions how amazing it is that artist Dustin Nguyen can draw and paint an entire issue of Descender every month, but that in order to keep a monthly schedule, the title will be taking a two-month break between each storyline. Those two months are certainly deserved, because Nguyen’s work has been absolutely breathtaking. What stood out to me the most about his art in Descender 6 is the way Nguyen uses color and texture to differentiate locations.

This scene, for example, takes place deep underground in an ancient temple. The dust and dirt is so pervasive that it even takes over the characters, filling every inch of the page with grime. It’s remarkably effective at suggesting the atmosphere of the location.

In contrast, Quon and Solomon’s lab is so pristine it’s practically blinding, and Nguyen doesn’t even bother to draw any backgrounds or equipment unless they’re essential to the action, emphasizing its sterile, uncluttered nature. These kind of smart storytelling choices are what makes Nguyen’s work such a stand-out (and what makes it such a draw for Descender); with work this good, he can take as many months off between arcs as he wants.

Jeff Lemire’s story, meanwhile, drops three separate massive twists. It’s almost staggering, yet both Quon’s backstory and the The Hardwire have been foreshadowed in the story, making them surprising but not out of place. As for Tim-22? I have no idea how he’ll affect the story or interact with Tim-21, but I am in no way complaining about having one more of the adorable little buggers running around every month.

Velvet 11

Drew: For as common as they are in fiction, there are fewer things more shocking than a double-cross. It betrays our basic trust in the characters, and is all the more frustrating in that we can’t do anything about it. Indeed, there’s little the characters can do to protect themselves from double-crosses — so long as they trust anyone in the first place. Fortunately for Velvet, she never really trusted anyone to begin with, which leaves her a step ahead of anyone who might attempt to take advantage of her trust.

Howard the Duck 5

Spencer: Despite his (ill-fated) Hollywood spotlight, Howard the Duck is a perennially D-List character. Don’t take that as an insult — it’s part of Howard’s charm, and it’s an attribute that informs practically every aspect Howard the Duck 5. This is an entire issue about feeling second-rate: Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones promote their tale as coming from the “Bargain Basement of Ideas”; Talos’ plan stems from the insecurity he feels about his lack of typical Skrull shapeshifting abilities, and he battles with a weaker knock-off of the Infinity Gauntlet; Howard feels like a failure of a detective for not realizing his client was an evil Skrull, an insecurity that is no doubt fueled by the dozens of superheroes pointing out his lack of superpowers.

Notably though, Howard’s victory doesn’t stem from any sort of validation he receives from a more “popular” or recognizable hero — in fact, he and Tara use this tactic to trick Talos. Instead, Howard and Tara’s plan to save the day stems from the mutual acceptance they show each other.

These two don’t need validation from the rest of the Marvel heroes; the love and acceptance they show each other is more than enough to restore their faith in themselves. Oftentimes, finding those few people who can accept you for all your strengths and all your flaws can be much more fulfilling than fame and popularity, and that’s’s an awfully sweet message for a book that’s otherwise so thoroughly, wonderfully, off-the-wall bonkers. In fact, the fact that these opposing tones don’t clash at all may just be Howard the Duck 5‘s greatest feat of all.

The conversation doesn’t stop there, because you certainly read something that we didn’t. What do you wanna talk about from this week?