Advance Review: Doctor Tomorrow #1

The challenge in writing a first issue for any superhero is creating a story which draws the reader in through familiar artistic and narrative approaches, but maintaining audience attention through unique conflicts, characterizations and turns. In its debut issue, Doctor Tomorrow struggles to maintain interest even as it separates itself from typical legacy character tropes.

Writer Alejandro Arbona smartly begins by landing readers in a large action sequence at the outset. The art and writing thrives in the moments where it focuses on big superhero action. The opening sequence quickly introduces a team of heroes with varied powers and personalities. At the same time we are introduced to a classic supervillain in Hadrian who makes quick work of the heroes before disappearing.

The artwork in this introduction is dynamic and promising. Jim Towe has a strong sense of how to present a large scope action sequence without allowing the individual characters and beats to be lost. Each character has a unique look and power-set even though our time with them is brief. Towe is a skilled visual storyteller and is able to adjust his perspective as the sequence expands to a cosmic scale.

Unfortunately with the end of the initial sequence the momentum halts. In spite of their strengths during action sequences, the creative team is unable to carry our interest to the introduction of their actual protagonist. We are introduced to Bart and his friend Gretchen in a baseball sequence which is obvious scientific exposition. We are then given more background on Bart’s character in the form of a phone call with his father and a street fight. The team attempts to make these scenes dynamic by including movement in the baseball and fight sequences. In spite of this, these moments and characters fall flat, especially against the backdrop of the more interesting characters and concepts seen at the outset of the comic.

The tone of the book then shifts once more to the arrival of the future hero and villain. The twist of the issue is introduced as Doctor Tomorrow reveals that he is Bart’s future self, and then recruits Bart to be his sidekick to augment his own power. In spite of being a scientist, the future Doctor Tomorrow breaks basic rules of time travel by recruiting his own self, endangering himself as a teenager by powering Bart up for battle, revealing details about the future and sharing future tech.

Thankfully the comic ends by acknowledging the danger of a scientist hero who seems to discard concerns over the consequences of time travel. The final sequence reveals that the actions by the future Doctor Tomorrow will be the cause of space itself collapsing. This brings the promise of exploring the nuances of time travel in future issues. It also brings the threat that this comic will become so steeped in discussion of scientific principles that it will lose its momentum continually throughout the series.

This debut issue is a promising exploration of a unique legacy hero, one who inherits his powers from his future self. The art and writing in action sequences are dynamic and interesting. Unfortunately things slow down dramatically with discussion of scientific principles and character backgrounds. In trying to drive home scientific theory and focusing on a generic teenage character the action is quickly sacrificed. The hope is that future issues are able to convey characterization and story as part of the action rather than a break from it. The creative team of Alejandro Arbona and Jim Towe is a strong one and what remains to be seen is if the story will become more dynamic as it moves forward in future issues.

Writing – 3 Stars
Art – 4 stars
Colors – 4 Stars

Overall – 4 Stars

Written by: Alejandro Arbona
Art by: Jim Towe
Cover by: Kenneth Rocafort, Stacey Lee, Raul Allen, Doug Braithwaite, Jim Towe
Published by: Valiant

In Shops: Feb 19, 2020
Diamond Code: DEC191948

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.