Devil's Due has ventured into the super-hero game, and they've recruited some experienced, solid talent to help them do it. Writer Chuck Dixon offers up a new property here that's part Superman, part Booster Gold, part Punisher and part Darkman (remember that Sam Raimi movie?). The plot unfolds predictably for the most part, as this first issue is about the perils of hubris, more than anything else. But the drama and action are engaging, and the artwork boasts a strong sense of realism that really drives home the horrors of the climactic scene. This is far from the most cutting-edge material I've had the pleasure to sample, but it's a solid effort. To attract me to a new super-hero line, though, a publisher really needs to blow me away, and that hasn't happened yet.
Jeff Carey has the world on a string. He's rich and famous, but he's no musician or actor. He's Paragon, a super-hero without equal, both in power and public relations. His identity is no secret, and he's in New York doing the talk-show circuit. His life in the limelight keeps him incredibly busy, but he always finds a little time at the end of the day for what really makes him happy: his family. His wife and daughter mean the world to him, and that's what makes his downfall at the hands of new enemies so devastating.
Given the fact that Dave Ross is the only artist credited on the cover, I assume that he provided the linework here and Jeremy Roberts handled the colors, and perhaps digital inking. Ross's work on this book reminded me of Barry (Empire) Kitson's style as well as that of Ivan (Action Comics) Reis. There's a strong sense of realism at play here. The costume designs are simple as opposed to flashy, which reinforces the notion that Paragon's recognized by his face, not a colorful uniform. The computer colors add to the realism, and there's a gritty quality at play that's in keeping with the darker leanings of the story. The one aspect of the art that didn't work for me was the fact that Ross doesn't offer up much variety in terms of body types. All of the characters seem to be visions of physical perfection, with only hair color and hairlines to set them apart.
This opening issue is all about the arrogant hero getting his comeuppance, and for that reason, it's pretty predictable. There's only one path the hero can walk in order to learn his lesson, and fortunately, Dixon takes him and his readers down that path fairly quickly. Stretching things out beyond this single issue would have decompressed the story unnecessarily. By the issue's end, the hero is where he needs to be, is what he needs to be, in order for the series to move forward.
Where the script really hits its mark is how it drives home the tragedy of Paragon's mistakes. The reader meets his family only briefly, but Dixon conveys the strength of that bond quite well in a short time. The wife and child humanize the publicity-hungry hero. The explosive ending captures the hero's and villain's pain quite well too, making their determination to destroy one another all the more convincing. 7/10
