This was my pick for probable favorite when the Image super-hero line was announced, and while I like the general ideas and really like the art, it hasn't quite clicked for me yet. The good news is that this issue doesn't suffer from the print quality and paper issues that the first issue had, and so it looks a whole lot better. The bad news is that the story still has some hiccups in pacing and story logic, and aside from a clever ending, it still isn't offering up a lot that's really new. I'm not ready to give up on the book yet, but neither has it really grabbed my attention.
The concept of the book gets out in the open this issue, and it's a good one. A guy with super-powers who values his privacy is dragged into the spotlight. Plenty of room for characterization and exploration of the nature of keeping your powers and identity a secret. Unfortunately, it seems as if Faerber, or at least the characters he's writing, haven't really thought things through yet. Joe gives in awfully quickly to the idea of becoming a super-hero, and it's presented as something of a big revelation that he could put on a costume, which seems odd given that this takes place in the same world as the Savage Dragon and other large as life super-heroes.
In addition, while Joe complains about the need for a helmet, he seems all too quick to give up his identity by having nothing more as a disguise than a haircut. There could be more to this, and we won't know for sure until we see Joe in his secret identity again (maybe with a wig) but right now his concern for privacy seems to come and go as the story needs it. The costume and the new look for Joe is pretty great, though, and honestly I kind of liked the helmet look as well.
Also developing awfully quickly in this issue is the relationship between Reggie and Joe. Given the way that Reggie comes at him, I'd expect Joe to be a lot more hostile, and the two seem to have settled into a friendly sort of banter a little too quickly. On the upside, the banter and the relationship is great. Reggie's suggestion that Joe take advantage of his bulletproof nature for better media exposure is funny, as is Joe's attempt to destroy the offending videotape that Reggie is holding over him.
There's some fun stuff in this issue, including well-executed character interaction and an action scene, and without the printing problems of the first issue, it looks absolutely great. Igle's work still looks a little soft and unfinished in places, but in general I don't miss the inks at all, and Brown's colors and digital inks suit the work very well. The action sequence that finishes out the book is particularly impressive, and I was especially pleased to see Faerber playing against expectations and having the hero talk his way out of a fight rather than muscling his way through.
