Comic Info
Comic Name: Irredeemable
Publisher: Boom! Entertainment
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Peter Krause
# of Issues: 4
Release Date: 2010
Irredeemable #5
Reprints Irredeemable #5-8 (August 2009-November 2009). The Plutonian’s control of Earth continues as his former teammates The Paradigm are forced underground as they try to determine a way to stop him. With the Plutonian’s murder of his brother Scylla, Charybdis seeks to find out where the Plutonian went evil and it could reveal the ugly truth to The Paradigm and the world.
Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Peter Krause, Irredeemable—Volume 2 continues Waid’s dark anti-superhero superhero tale from Boom!. The comic received high marks from critics and fans and was also collected as part of the Definitive Irredeemable with Irredeemable—Volume 1 and Irredeemable—Volume 3.
I have long argued that Mark Waid isn’t the best comic book writer, but this by no means is a slam. He might not be the best writer, but he isn’t a bad comic book writer and that can be said about a lot of writers of comic books out there. Irredeemable is a prime example of Waid almost reaching “great” comic book writer status, but not quite being there.
The reason Waid isn’t one of the best comic book writers is that he rarely takes a chance when writing. I will give Waid this, Boom! doesn’t do any favors to writers. Unlike many comic book companies, Boom! generally is about consistency rather than story content. It doesn’t necessarily feel like a full “book” here in that it is four issues but the series doesn’t really feel like it runs on four issue arcs…it is just how Boom! prints them. Waid tries to write to the format, but it just doesn’t feel expanded or rounded enough.
Irredeemable #6
The characters are developing strongly in the comic, but they need more expansion. Right now the heroes of The Paradigm feel like Justice League rip-offs (which they are intended to be), but they haven’t been expanded enough to be clever. Waid tries to joke around with the Volt-Black Lightning-Black Vulcan joke, but it just doesn’t work here…I would prefer more expansion other than just the rounded Plutonian and the developing Charybdis.
The art is rather strong. Peter Krause does a nice job at giving a distinctive design to the characters and makes them quickly recognizable. They are a bit generic Image style artwork, but it works for the story.
Mark Waid is a good writer of comic book stories but always leaves you wanting just a bit more. Writers like Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, and Neil Gaiman take a lot of chances with their writing. As a result some of the writing works and is awesome, but sometimes they also crash hard (a prime example of this is Warren Ellis I feel is closer to 50/50 with his work). Irredeemable is a solid book with a lot of fun moments and should be checked out. Could it be better? Yes, but it is far from bad. Irredeemable—Volume 2 is followed by Irredeemable—Volume 3.
Related Links:
