Let's be honest... the writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray haven't had a big hit so far, so the question arises: why is Wildstorm offering them another chance with another new title? The answer is simple: while sales-wise, the writers have lit the world on fire, they have had a fair bit of critical success. There's a freshness and maturity to their work that's appealing, and that holds true once again with The Twilight Experiment. The writers explore a world in which super-powered conflict has Authority-like consequences, but they do so from different perspectives -- through the eyes of two people who have suffered great loss as a result of carnage. A lot happens in this first chapter, but then again, most of it just sets up who the main characters are and what makes them tick. Exactly what this book is going to be about isn't clear... yet.
Years ago, in the skies over America, a cosmic super-heroine named Serenity led her colleagues in the First Light in battle against the Righteous, a one-time hero who was running amok. The super-powered fight devastated a city, and it came down to Serenity and the Righteous in an explosive climax that wiped them both off of the face of the planet. The crisis killed thousands, injured more, but it has a deeper and more profound impact on two younger lives -- a 14-year-old girl who would grow up to become a paramedic as a result of the disaster, and a teenage boy, the son of Serenity, who was left alone on a satellite to be raised by his automated environment.
Juan Santacruz's art certainly conveys the devastating nature of the Serenity/Righteous conflict, and he captures a softness and energy in Serenity's almost ghostly visit with her son before the battle. Occasionally, the figures seem a little rough, notably in the therapy session scene, but overall, this is a strong effort from a relatively unknown artist. There are some bright tones here, notably when it comes to Serenity and her world, but overall, dark and muted colors dominate, reinforcing the feeling that this isn't a typical super-hero story, that there's something more reflective and mature unfolding.
Renee's anger and sorrow and how she's channeled them into purpose make for a well-realized and interesting character. She comes off as incredibly heroic and sympathetic at first, but the anger and pessimism she shows in the theraphy session cast her in a slightly less flattering light. There's something intimidating about her. She's still an admirable figure, but not whitebread either.
Michael is a character to whom it is much more difficult to relate, but he remains intriguing because of his almost alien background. He's all about isolation, and I look forward to what the writers have to say about its effects on his psyche. Still, what this story is about isn't at all clear, and I wish there was more of a hint at the direction in which the book is headed. 7/10
