Comic Review: The Life And Times Of Savior 28 #5 (IDW) By Matt Hill

As the the title suggests, “The Life And Times Of Savior 28” is a short series chronicling events in the life of Savior 28. Savior 28 is that archetypal super hero that embodies virtue, and is all powerful(it's right there in the name). This issue, #5, is about the hero's downfall.




The majority of the book is narrative from the old, bitter sidekick as he writes the unfolding events. This fact is really unfortunate for the reader, as the sidekick is unlikeable, and critical of, as it happens, everything. This, however, fits perfectly with the rest of book, as it is ever showing how imperfect the world is, and how everyone in it is ridiculous. This could have worked if the writers of this story did anything to discredit this character, or offer his point of view as that of one character, rather than that of the book itself, but no, the sidekick is the book. This fact is supported by the actions, and word of each character in this book conforming to the sidekick's opinion of them. I must also mention, that the entire book is nearly filled with this characters over sized dialogue boxes, even though he is not in much of the actual story at all.

His views on things are further verified by the art work. While the art work is hands down the best part of this comic book, that isn't saying very much. The style of the bright, cartoonish artwork is a throwback to past ages, and is that of a campier book, as if to say, the dark nature of this comic doesn't make it any less funny. The character illustration, much like the narrative, lacks all subtlety, and usually to the point of caricature. Some characters even have bold dark circles under their eyes at their worse moments. Savior 28 himself is the most foolish character, and is draw as such. There is even this panel of Savior 28 in the sixties, bearing a remarkable resemblance to Will Ferrell as a super hero, getting hit by a beer can thrown by an unseen protester shouting an obscenity(my favorite panel in the book by the way).

I would recommend that you avoid this comic.

Written by J.M. DeMatteis
Art by Mike Cavallaro

4/10

Matt Hill
Staff Reviewer