Genres: Action, Adventure, Superhero
Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Brian Buccellato, Kyle Higgins
Artist: Geraldo Borges
Above The Law
I'm two sorts of critic when it comes to new superhero comics. On the one hand, an optimist, excited at the prospect of a fresh take/s on the crime-fighting genre, and on the other hand, an arm-folded cynic distrusting of any attempt to improve or reinvent the caped crusading wheel. So as with most new comics, hope and skepticism stood watchful as I flipped the cover to page one.
No/One refers to a hacktivist, or possibly even a collective of hacktivists dedicated to holding the powers that be accountable for any and all mischief committed. However, the average citizen is not exempt from the long reach of No/One and often face the wrath of avid supporters who would become the physical embodiment of this movement looking to stamp out injustice. So yes, we essentially have a kind of lukewarm Punisher on our hands here, minus the t-shirt, war trauma, and brooding.
Lukewarm doesn't taste too good, as I'm sure many would agree, but the creators made attempts at getting the kettle to boil by throwing in several faces to make this murder mystery a little more intriguing, although it isn't a murder mystery, for there is no mansion with a butler, but their are murders, and No/One is mysterious indeed....I don't know what I'm saying. The comic attempts to focus more on the efforts of the media, law enforcement, and local politicians to make sense of a slew of copycat murders that they believe are connected with the accountability movement which No/One serves as a physical manifestation of. Who are these copycats copying, you may ask, why a young man by the name of Richard Roe, or at least that is the pseudonym he adopted when confessing to killing in the name of said movement.
Richard happens to be the son of a respected police officer who turns to him to try and gain some assistance on making sense of the madness sweeping through the city, but do not get your hopes up, readers, because if you're expecting Silence of the Lamb kind of vibes where a former killer becomes intrigued by whoever is besmirching his good name, you'll find yourself in tepid water territory once more. So allay any hope of this transforming into a sort of dynamic duo cop and robber story.
Accountability
Enough dancing around the subject, it's time to follow the theme of this book, and hold the creators accountable. In sum, I can't say I really enjoyed No/One. Call me lazy or simply devoid of abilities that allow one to notice the minor details that may have set this little offering apart as a subtle gem, but my eyes started to hurt due to the torrent of text bubbles that I had to work my way through, and the pace left me feeling as if I didn't really care who this mysterious caped cyborg was in the end. So yes, the arm folded cynic walked away with head shaking at an attempt that simply wasn't packing enough of a punch.
Good on the writers for attempting a slightly different angle on a genre that often focuses more on powers, origin stories, and colorful supervillains, but I just didn't get No/One, which I think is fine. I don't think it's too bizarre to clutch onto the superheroes of old like a toddler to a comfort blanket, and so one should at the very least commend efforts to stand out in a field flooded with do-gooders. All the best with making the world a better place, No/One.
P.S. I liked the slogan; "No one is above the law, and I am No/One." Way to find the loophole, gang.