"Jam" anthology issues are a tricky business. Because of the very nature of the "jam" style, there are going to be a wide variety of writing and artistic styles, and as with any anthology, it's next to impossible for each segment to appeal to everyone, even if it is all based around one well-liked property such as Noble Causes. While Extended Family isn't perfect in my eyes, however, it does stand out as one of the stronger "jam" issues I've read, exploring some of the side elements of the Noble story that were harder to do in the plot-focused previous mini-series. I've got my favorites and my less-favorites, but my overall impression is that Extended Family is a good read, and a worthy addition to the Noble Causes library.
What strikes me about almost all of these stories is that, in addition to providing a short entertaining tale that stands on its own, it adds backstory to the Noble Causes world. In these pages, we learn what happened to Rusty Noble right after he was trapped in a robot body, how Doc Noble met Gaia, how Race first met Krennick and when the other children learned about Frost. There's also a nice mini-theme about the departed Race Noble, with a story showing how he interacted with Doc, another about his widow trying to get on with her life and another about how he interacted with the tabloids, both pre- and post-mortem. And, to really live up to its name, Extended Family features one story that introduces a new member of the Noble Family, in the process setting up the intriguing new Image series s.t.a.t.
It's hard for me to pick out a favorite story in this book, which says quite a bit about the quality level overall. If pressed, though, I think my favorite would be "Temper, Temper" by Geoff Johns and Brent McKee. The story gets to the heart of the raging Rusty Noble, introduces a new and interesting character, sets up and resolves its conflict with a wistful note to go out on, all in just eight pages. It's masterful storytelling on the part of Johns, and McKee's artwork looks fantastic, sort of with some terrific detail and darkness and exquisite coloring by Sebastien Lamirand.
Really, though, it's hard to find fault with these stories. "At First Sight" gives us some clean, crisp Mike Hawthorne art (with beautiful color by Erik Swanson) and a clever twist at the end by writer Jay Faerber. Phil Hester serves up a touching look at super-heroing and father/son relationships with artwork from Sean Murphy reminiscent of Andy Kuhn's work. "A Perfect Stranger," while one of the lighter stories, is a nice insight into fame by Eric Stephenson and features terrific art by Todd Nauck. "First Frost" reunites J. Torres and Tim Levins (Copybook Tales) and is most notable for its entertaining portrayal of the young and energetic Race and Zephyr Noble. Brian K. Vaughan's "The Widow" is a bittersweet tale of lost love and grief with stunning painted artwork by Mitchell Breitweiser. John Layman and Pat Quinn serve up some laughs in the first meeting between Krennick and Race with "Father & Fiend" and then twist things for a somber ending that ties nicely back into events in the last mini-series. The creative team of the new Image series s.t.a.t. preview their book with a clever tie-in to Noble Causes. And Gail Simone has some fun at the expense of sleazy tabloid photographers in a mostly silent story by artist Andres Ponce, who could have been a little clearer in his layouts but who generally serves up some likable and effective art.
The book closes out with several pinups (my favorite is the racy Krennick/Zephyr by Steve Rolston) and then an ad for the Noble Causes trade paperback, and a back cover ad for Noble Causes: Distant Relatives. Which is just about perfect, really, because it's hard to imagine someone reading through this entire collection of stories and not being hungry for more stories of the Noble family.
