REVIEW: Millarworld New Talent Annual 2017
:
Raves
The very idea of releasing a comic to showcase new talent with profits going to charity has been the most wholesome thing I’ve witnessed in recent memory and out comes Millarworld New Talent Annual 2017. This marks the 2nd year of the Millarworld Annual and like last year’s debut, this comic acts as a […]
The very idea of releasing a comic to showcase new talent with profits going to charity has been the most wholesome thing I’ve witnessed in recent memory and out comes Millarworld New Talent Annual 2017.
This marks the 2nd year of the Millarworld Annual and like last year’s debut, this comic acts as a celebration of Mark Millar’s beloved comic creations. This year, Millar has chosen to let new writers and artists play with Kick-Ass, Empress, Nemesis, Superior, Super Crooks, and Huck.
“Trick or Cheat” by Emma Sayle and Edgy Ziane tells a story of how Kick-Ass tries to track down an impostor who’s giving him bad reputation. It delivers well in the writing thanks to how close it feels to how Mark Millar writes Kick-Ass, that being Kick-Ass doesn’t fulfill his goal and since this is only a short story told in a few pages, the ending does feel like this could be for a different book. As for the art by Ziane, every panel is engaging to look at with his handle of perspective and almost spacious execution.
“Rulebook”, an Empress story told by Will McLaren and Luana Vecchio has a unique execution in writing a short story while constantly using 3 rules mentioned in this story’s titular rulebook. The art by Vecchio is highlighted by how she used watercolors and adds weight to the overall story.
“We are Nemesis” by Steve Lawrence and Marcelo Salaza presents a Nemesis story illustrated in a gritty fashion matched with an overall anarchic but tragic short story through a Nemesis supporter. The story, like every story in this Annual, showcases the signature of the target comic book creation. What makes this short stand out is how much you can tell a story about a known character through someone else’s eyes.
“Symptoms”, done by Simon James and Alex Aguilar showcases the drama and inspiration of Superior. It acts as a bit of an entry point for readers who have no idea what and who Superior is while also being a refresher for fans who haven’t seen this character in a long time. The art by Aguilar is clean and it’s quite a feat for him to draw Superior and his alter ego in almost every panel.
“The Anniversary”, a Super Crooks story by Martin Renard and Robert Carey is pretty much a super crazy heist story that’s as faithful to Millar’s original run. Carey’s art is probably among my favorites in this Annual as he definitely draws in a very comic book fashion.
For this Annual’s last story, “Home Sweet Huck” by Stephanie Cooke and Jake Elphick presents a wholesome story about how Huck brings families even closer even after tragedy. Like the Nemesis story in this Annual, Huck here is presented to the reader through different eyes but ends in a very happy manner. The happy vibe is also present in Elphick’s art with his cartoony vibe especially how Huck is drawn.
As a fan of Millar’s work, Millarworld New Talent Annual 2017 is a wonderful celebration of his works done by new talent. This Annual feels like a very significant improvement over last year and is a great sign that the following annuals will also do so. This is definitely a recommended read for any Millarworld fan.