Dark Ages#3: Burning Out

There is a lot of ‘telling’ in this story, by which I mean that a great deal of the plot is propelled by narration rather than images. This is a throwback technique, harkening back to Golden Age narrative conceits — thought bubbles and authorial insertions. It works, in this comic, because Taylor has chosen to speak through the heart and snark of an older Peter Parker, and this renders the giant chunks and gobbets of exposition he hands us delightful rather than annoying.

Taylor has the singular talent of making good people interesting. There’s a misconception, among modern comics, that only moral greys are interesting. In the real world, kindness is the most radical action many people can take, and I love that this radical kindness (choosing to help when it’s easier to hurt) is the center of this book. 

In terms of the story, some of the beats are predictable. Johnny Storm’s death, for example, is almost identical to the one he suffered in Fantastic Four: Life Story, which was released only a few months ago. But given the nature of this story, and its context as an AU take on these familiar characters, these slips are forgiveable. What matters, in this book, are the characterizations. And Taylor gets them right every time. 

Ivan Coello’s art is an astonishment. His characters act with passion and, occasionally arresting, violence. Pay particular attention to the Quicksilver scenes.  Look at the faces, and the positioning of the bodies. His work is a master class in the form. Brian Reber’s colors are bright, vivid and they lend a lucid clarity to scenes of both action and calm. 

If you are interested in fine writing, character, kindness, action, violence, and startling art, this is the book for you. If none of that sounds appealing, I dunno. Read a Frank Miller book, I guess?