- Writer: Stonie Williams
- Artist: Jef Sadzinski
- Colorist: Joana LaFuente
- Letterer: Justin Birch
- Cover Colorist: Miguel Angel Zapata
- Editors: Giovanna T. Orozco and Chris Fernandez
Thanks to Mad Cave Studios for the review copy!
VILLAINOUS reminds me a lot of Amazon Prime’s The Boys. The book follows “RepTilly,” a superhero sidekick trainee who gets her chance to step up to the big time in the Coalition of Heroes. Unfortunately, like the heroes in The Boys, the Coalition seems to have a dark side.
The issue starts by introducing the heroes and villains through a welcome video shown to the apprentices. Matilda Anderson (“RepTilly”) is a scaly, lizard person complete with a tail. Her fresh enthusiasm makes her a fun character, especially when things start going wrong. Her character design is excellent, complete with detailed scales, expressive eyes, and a cool haircut. Her facial expressions truly stand out, which makes her a strong series lead.
The plot isn’t terribly surprising given the title of the book, but it does an effective job of setting up the series while bringing some fresh ideas to the plot. The cliffhanger ending teases at more world building in future issues.
Villainous has a little violence and some adult themes, but nothing too objectionable. I’d certainly deem it appropriate for teens, if not younger. I’m really looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here. I could definitely see this series being adapted into a movie in the future.
VILLAINOUS #1 is set for release on October 14th but it can be pre-ordered now at Mad Cave Studio’s website.
Check back in a few weeks for my thoughts on the second issue of this series, which is set for release on November 11th.
Are you going to pick up this title? Want to talk to me about it? Feel free to chat with me on Twitter or leave a comment below!
