Divinity #2
Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Trevor Hairsine
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Release Date: March 18, 2015
Cover Price: $3.99
Kindt and Hairsine deliver a powerful book that plays around with narrative structure and reader expectations but, unfortunately, shoehorns in a cast of characters that doesn’t fit in just yet.
Divinity continues its playful, strong sci-fi genre bending here. There’s a juxtaposition of narration and dialogue, a myriad of cool visuals and evocative colors and, a cavalcade of Valiant characters that feel a little unnecessary.
For everything good done in this issue, of which there is a lot: Divinity suffering loneliness, loss and isolation in a poetic and powerful way, the self-contained biosphere of dreamlike ability its inhabitants, the way it’s written in a leading way that has readers asking “okay what’s the catch?” a good deal of it is undone by the shoehorning in of other, well known Valiant characters.
I understand that Divnity will eventually become a character central to the Valiant universe and that his interplay with the existing roster is important but, how quickly and abruptly they’re injected is a big misstep. Especially so, if readers aren’t familiar with them.
It’s the kind of narrative misstep that cheapens the rest of the issue which is really, really good. It’s unfortunate but not issue breaking in the end. There’s a lot of good, interesting and unique storytelling and world building here at the expense of a lonely Russian man and, ultimately, I suggest you pick it up Valiant fan or not.
Artist: Trevor Hairsine
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Release Date: March 18, 2015
Cover Price: $3.99
Kindt and Hairsine deliver a powerful book that plays around with narrative structure and reader expectations but, unfortunately, shoehorns in a cast of characters that doesn’t fit in just yet.
Divinity continues its playful, strong sci-fi genre bending here. There’s a juxtaposition of narration and dialogue, a myriad of cool visuals and evocative colors and, a cavalcade of Valiant characters that feel a little unnecessary.
For everything good done in this issue, of which there is a lot: Divinity suffering loneliness, loss and isolation in a poetic and powerful way, the self-contained biosphere of dreamlike ability its inhabitants, the way it’s written in a leading way that has readers asking “okay what’s the catch?” a good deal of it is undone by the shoehorning in of other, well known Valiant characters.
I understand that Divnity will eventually become a character central to the Valiant universe and that his interplay with the existing roster is important but, how quickly and abruptly they’re injected is a big misstep. Especially so, if readers aren’t familiar with them.
It’s the kind of narrative misstep that cheapens the rest of the issue which is really, really good. It’s unfortunate but not issue breaking in the end. There’s a lot of good, interesting and unique storytelling and world building here at the expense of a lonely Russian man and, ultimately, I suggest you pick it up Valiant fan or not.
A Look Inside
