REVIEW: Icon & Rocket : Knuck If You Buck

“Icon & Rocket” No.4 is the type of knock-down drag-out action expected at the climax of a manga arc. The big difference between this Milestone revamp and the weekly shonen, is that thus far, “Icon & Rocket” has known no filler. “Knuck If You Buck” is just another day at the Milestone office as they create another flawless book, using the originators behind the ground-breaking “Icon” series to create something fresh from recycled parts.

Action sequences are all over this book. Splash worthy pages are squeezed into panels as the stoic Icon meets his match in Benedict (Benedict Arnold reference maybe, looks like a Judas to me) while Rocket takes the spotlight with wise-cracks that run from her mouth like water, as she recklessly attempts to assist Icon while trying to keep her mom from blowing her secret identity.
Rocket is cute here, really showing her age and immaturity with the promise of potential and room to grow. Looks as if Joelle Jones might have taken a page out of Hudlin’s book when Flor was created. But Hudlin and Chills do show their age here as well, by using some slang that may not exactly be considered up to date.
But these words come out of Rocket’s mouth, so the blast from the past doesn’t seem completely out of place since the late-teenage hero has been around a little longer than I have been on this planet destined to write about her and her mentor from another world.

Rocket has already earned her byline in the title, just as the super-powered lawyer now revealed to be Xiomara, becomes more interesting by the issue. She shows off some more of her powers in this book, and now comes off as a over-powered Superman type who not only knows the difference between telepathy and telekenisis, but can utilize both abilities as well.
Then, it’s not hard to forget Rocket’s mother grilling Icon for a majority of the book as shots ring out, babies dodge bullets, and debate between Lebron & Jordan (how is that even a question) goes down in a babershop, in heated fashion and all while a new super team (no, still not the Blood Syndicate) is revealed with the potential to make waves in the protagonists lives of this Milestone presentation that features a Watchmen cameo and mentions of a certain Manhunter.

“Knuck If You Buck” is just another day in Dakotaverse, where extraterrestrials who look like they came straight of a J.Lo 2000-era anime is as common as female protagonists constantly stealing the limelight from arguably one of DC’s most powerful male characters. Perhaps, stealing is the wrong word since Braithwhite and Co. have the heroes in Rocket & Xiomara look so good while doing just that. But fans of Icon wont be disappointed, you get to see him plenty, even if he gets knocked down a few times, he gets as up as this book is sure to put spirits in as soon as the first panel meets iris, guaranteed.

Score : 4/5

Writers: Hudlin Entertainment inc and Leon Chills / Artists: Doug Braithwaite, Taurin Clarke, Andrew Currie, and Brad Anderson