Broken Frontier

The fledgling made-for-TV super team faces its first challenge: redundancy. Are two fire-based members truly necessary?

After the events of the Casting Call, the team members for the superhero reality program WildGuard have been selected. Among them are the good-hearted but inexperienced Ignacia and the fire-and-ice combo of Freezerburn. The latter was the vote-in choice of the viewers and his selection has raised criticism for the group. Instead of a more balanced lineup, WildGuard features two heroes with firepowers. While the team makes public appearances and combats foes like Gauntlette and Blacktop, Ignacia begins to doubt her usefulness to the group.

Todd Nauck’s WildGuard miniseries was a breath of fresh air on the comic scene, filled with humor, imagination and dozens of wonderful characters. His fans have been anxiously awaiting this follow-up and it does not disappoint. As in the mini, the world Nauck creates is a unique and entertaining mix of superhero conventions and sly satire of our pop-culture-obsessed world. Cameras follow the heroes everywhere and enemies are as likely to pose for them as the WildGuard members. A soap star turns super-criminal yet finds a way to keep her day job. Skewed versions of Regis and Kelly and other TV personalities make appearances. While playing with the group’s made-for-TV status, Nauck introduces ideas one doesn’t normally think of, such as fining superheroes for recklessness and property damage.

Throughout the high concept wackiness, however, the characters remain at the forefront. Ignacia’s self-doubt and desire to prove herself make her instantly relatable. The tension between Snapback and his overbearing girlfriend Shonda can be practically cut with a knife. Even the letter column is character-driven as we witness the bitter comments of rejected WildGuard hopeful Wannabe amid her answers to readers’ questions.

As lively and fun and the issue is, it’s all the more remarkable for the fact that Nauck has taken on every aspect of the production. On this outing, he writes, draws, inks, colors, and letters the entire thing himself. While his story draws you in with its quirkiness and characters, his work is no less inspiring on the artistic side. Nauck has a distinctive and delightful art style that looks like the stills of an animated series. Everything is sharply stylized, offset by thick black lines, and the rich colors seem to leap out at you. Even the lighting effects are impressive, from the glare of fire and lasers to the glint on someone’s glasses.

I was not as taken with the artwork of Sean Galloway on the backup feature, unfortunately. Galloway shows promise but his style is very loose and the characters look a little too rubbery and deformed for my taste, especially compared to the crisp clarity of Nauck’s visuals. Still, I like the "Where Are They Now?" approach and the chance to see heroes that didn’t make the final lineup.

Overall, WildGuard continues to be a beacon of light and fun in the comic book landscape, delivering a story of unforgettable characters and concepts.

-Eric Lindberg