Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Barry Kitson
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $2.99
The book that was supposed to be The Champions, that became the nameless series, and that eventually became The Order is a comic where everything is new. All new characters, a status quo that gives a team a reason to exist, and a universal theme that is remarkable and daring. The Order fills a hole in the Marvel publishing program by providing a quirky ensemble book that looks at superheroes differently than the rest of the line. What Matt Fraction and Barry Kitson deliver is a series about people trying to be better than they are, and the high price one has to pay for the dedication needed to being a hero in the post Civil War Marvel universe?
The principle concept of The Order is that it’s about people who serve on the California state team of the initiative. You have actors, singers, athletes and other famous folk who, if they play by the rules, can be superheroes for one year. It is similar to Peter Milligan’s observation of celebrity, X-Statix, in that the book is about famous people. The caveat is that these heroes need to live by a morals contract that is highly enforced. The rules are simple. No drugs. No alcohol. That is the Tony Stark way, and it’ is supposed to be the way of The Order.
No character lives these rules like Henry Hellrung. He’s a famous actor. He played Iron Man on a TV show once. He is also the man that sponsored Tony Stark into Rehab. For this Hellrung is the leader of the Order. He goes by the name of Anthem. He believes in the mission of Tony Stark. No one else believes that heroes should be accountable more than Hellrung, except for Pepper Potts who calls herself Hera. The order is named after the Gods, for which the Mighty Avenger Ares gets money. What is important about The Order is that after a big supper villain brawl, some of the heroes on the team have too much fun with their fame and power…
This eventually leads to the lapsed members getting fired and denied their special abilities, because they could not keep it together. So a new team is pulled from a waiting list and activated. What activation involves in this case is that successful volunteer has their genes hacked to get their superpowers.
The theme that seems to be prevalent throughout, and what will make The Order a stand out book, is that the series is about addiction. Addiction comes in all forms, addiction to fame, substance abuse or sadness; every person in the cast will be going through a trial by fire, being denied what they want the most. The topic of addiction can be preachy, but what Fraction does here is that he delivers a comic that is about the price you pay for having too much fun.
Matt Fraction’s narrative fills the reader in without being overwhelming. We get to know the cast and the concept quickly. We also see the stakes of the action as well. The superhero fights will be the main event, but the character moments will make The Order distinct.
The art by Barry Kitson is stellar. This is a book that delivers a single artistic vision that is so striking and defined that it may be Kitson’s best work yet. His presence in storytelling and design is so distinct that it will be hard to have the series published without him drawing it.
Overall The Order is a very strong start to a Marvel comic, one that knew what it was about before it knew its name and which is well worth the three dollar a month investment
- Francis Davis a career drunk with a love of comics and movies, lives in and works for the City of Chicago. Confidentiality agreements prevent him from saying exactly what he does, but it is important.