I have to admit to a slight feeling of guilt. I thoroughly enjoyed this Noble Causes anthology, as it spotlights the diverse array of characters and the vast storytelling potential such well-realized but new characters bring with them. This stands out as the best Noble Causes book yet, and my guilt stems from the fact that it's the first one that Jay Faerber didn't write in its entirety. Still, it's Faerber's vision and ideas that serve as the foundation for stories from a wide variety of creators, and it spotlights just what a strong property the writer has crafted.
Though all of the stories are firmly embedded in the super-hero genre, there's still a refreshing diversity to the book. There are dramatic stories, more comical ones as well. To my surprise, they're quite steeped in events from previous Noble Causes series, but they remain thoroughly accessible to new readers.
I really ought to let go of that afore-mentioned guilt, as my favorite story in this issue was Faerber's tale of Doc Noble and Gaia's first encounter. He and artist Mike Hawthorne bring a wonderfully iconic feel to Doc, but the greatest strength of the piece was Faerber's misdirection. Hawthorne backs him up quite well by drawing the reader's eye away from the real focal point of the story.
Coming in a close second was "The Widow." Once again, Brian K. Vaughan demonstrates that he has a remarkable gift for writing female characters, and the industry can always use more female leads, especially when handled with such a genuine voice and sensitive perspective. Breitweiser's painted artwork is absolutely lovely. There's a dream-like quality to it, but also a sense of realism. His is a name I expect we'll be seeing more often in comics.
Other highlights of the issue was the reunion of The Copybook Tales creators J. Torres and Tim Levins, as well as Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett's apparent introduction of a new spinoff concept, "s.t.a.t." I love the notion of super-powered figures using their powers for something other than villainy or heroics.
For the most part, Faerber brings together some of the industry's top writing talents and pairs them with some newer artists. It makes Extended Family seem like something of a self-contained comic-book expo. The writers all make the most of the shorter form here, and not a single story or artist's effort is disappointing.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
