THE EXILES #16
"Nocturne and Evensong"
Highly Recommended (10/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Judd Winick
Pencils: J. Calafiore
Inks: Eric Cannon
Colors: Transparency Digital
Letters: Paul Tutrone
Editor: Mike Marts
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
The premise behind this book, forced as it may seem, offers Winick the opportunity to play with familiar Marvel characters while being unencumbered by continuity, and it has made for some fun, exciting stories. But here, the real strength of the title is easy to see: characterization. Winick takes us inside these characters' hearts, and in the process, he transforms these cosmically powerful figures into men and women to whom it is easy to relate.
As the team takes a break from its never-ending multi-dimensional journey on yet another world, Nocturne, AKA T.J. Wagner, stands alone in a motel room, not in the mood to join her friends for an evening of fun. She reflects back on how a relationship grew between her and John Proudstar, the mutant behemoth known as Thunderbird. How they became friends. Became lovers. Became parents-to-be. And how their happiness, even in the midst of their dimension-hopping predicament, came to an end when John was struck down in the line of duty.
Calafiore boasts one of the most unique and striking styles in super-hero comic art today, and here, he shows that there's more to the craft that simply rendering paragons of physicality and larger-than-life action. This entire issue features two people just talking, and Calafiore taps into the emotions thatd drive this touching tale forward. He brings out the characters' subtle humanity with seeming ease while maintaining an ever-present atmosphere of sadness.
Almost the entirety of this issue takes place in flashback, so one might expect that a familiarity with what's gone on in this series up to this point would be required to appreciate the story. Winick wisely avoids that trap, though. This is a thoroughly accessible issue of Exiles; if you've been curious about the book, this is the time to check it out.
Though the catalyst for this story is an abortion, what it's really about is the unexpected connection that naturally evolved between two people. Winick gives the reader reason to believe in the relationship between T.J. and John, and therefore, he makes us believe in them and the greater story of the Exiles. Though it may look like a super-hero comic book, this issue is far from it. It's a romance story, albeit one that ends tragically. Those looking for a hint of the same brilliance form Winick's Pedro and Me in his super-hero work can find it in Exiles #16.
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