Broken Frontier

The Guardians of the Globe, the super-team of heroes that reside comfortably in the world of Invincible continuity, have always been a fun amalgam of the Avengers and the JLA. Side characters, extended cameos, and stars of their own b-plots in the pages of Mark Grayson's monthly adventures. They didn't make a splash until Omni-Man, Invincible's interplanetary sleeper terrorist of a father, brutally murdered them early in the series. Since then, the team has been in disarray and suffered multiple roster changes, some including Invincible himself. What's a planet to do when they can't keep their protectors consistent?

With the team again being thrust in multiple directions, Robot and Beast Girl jumping into a dimensional portal and Invincible off planet dealing with the Viltrumites (see Invincible #70 thru current) the government's plan is to spearhead a giant member drive. They aim to create a team with numerous satellite locations across the world and truly start guarding the planet. That's the idea, unless of course a secret group of villains known as The Order have anything to do with it.

It's not clear whose voice is more dominant, but Kirkman's matter of fact and joyful style of depicting these people is still intact. Most so in the character of Brit, the century old, invulnerable curmudgeon, just now fully accepting the role of superhero. There's a great scene of him coming home in his new costume that defines the man more than any fight before or after. It's a great scene, paced and placed in the middle of the issue perfectly.

Being a reader of Invincible, I was a little disappointed with the first five to six pages of this issue. It's practically a panel for panel replay of a scene in Invincible #70. Sure, it sets up the stakes and tone of the series, but nothing is new or added. Even the dialogue is completely intact. The creators could've given us a different perspective of the scene instead of lazily rehashing it all. Luckily, the disappointment is fleeting, but it most definitely puts a damper on the first act. I'm aware that this particular gripe is exclusive to those that read Invincible, but to be honest, it's a pretty good bet that a large part of the audience for this book is shared since it's so closely tied into that world.

The art by Ransom Getty is well handled and fits perfectly into the Kirk-World. Perhaps the always distinct and vibrant colors of FCO Plascencia play just as much a role in grounding the book firmly in a shared universe. Getty’s pencils are kinetic and fluid in their depiction of action and emotion. You can actually feel the embarrassment on Brit’s face when Cecil makes fun of him for not having mastered his jet boots yet. Small moments like this add a little levity to the too often hum drum of team books. Already, you can see the comedic potential that Shapesmith and his interactions with teammates will yield.

This is a fun first chapter, but unfortunately not strong enough to commit me to issues. With a retreaded opening leaving a bad taste in my mouth, I’m just not sure if I’ll be picking it up monthy or the eventual collection. Granted, it’s absolutely worth reading in the end, but there just wasn’t that inescapable hook that makes me any more than just curious for the next issue. With a low “immediacy” status for the second issue, let’s hope it ships on a light week and wows its way to must read level. In the meantime, it’s fun if you have the extra to spare.