- Writer: Matt Fraction
- Artists: Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson
- Letterer: Clayton Cowles
- Designer: Leonardo Olea
- Cover A Artists: Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson
- Editors: Lauren Sankovitch and Turner Lobey
ADVENTUREMAN has me completely flummoxed. I really really enjoy it, but I’m still not sure what is going on. It is a sign of how good the book is that I desperately want to find out. The first issue of the series introduced us to a retro world of costumed superheroes before abruptly shifting to a more futuristic (but still kind of retro if that is possible) world that was seemingly unconnected. Issue two brought the two worlds closer together, and this issue advances the story further.
The art is one of the strengths of this series. I love the strong clear lines and coloring, which manages to be vibrant with a muted color palette that is consistent with its retro feel. The style reminds me of classic series like The Rocketeer.
One area that seems to be sacrificed in order to create the world of ADVENTUREMAN is supporting character development. I still don’t really have a feel for any of the characters beyond Claire and her son. It is possible this is by design, but thus far everyone largely remains a mystery. Speaking of mysteries, this issue features a pretty big one, and it is intriguing how low key everyone’s reaction to it is, which I think is another clue as to what is happening. If this series is going where I think it is, the payoff will be well worth the wait.
ADVENTUREMAN is clearly trying to tell a large, sweeping story and each issue has been pretty jam packed. Given the amount of material the writers have to get through, I think this series will really benefit from collected editions, which will allow long form storytelling without having to wait between issues. In the meantime, I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next installment.
ADVENTUREMAN #3 is now available.
Check back in a few weeks for my thoughts on issue #3 of ADVENTUREMAN.
Have you been reading the series? Feel free to chat with me on Twitter or leave a comment below!
