REVIEW: Huck #6

The reluctant superhero is a recurring theme in comic books. With powers and abilities that ought to be used for the good of mankind, these characters are faced with the dilemma of sacrificing their comfortable lifestyle for the sake of others. Sometimes, greatness is thrust upon them, and this is the case for our title character. In this very appropriate conclusion to the six part event, Huck confronts those who have threatened him and his family and fights for what he believes in.

Since this is technically a review for the 6^th and final issue, I will attempt to keep this on topic without venturing into previous issues. We find our protagonist having escaped a seemingly impossible circumstance with his newly discovered mother, now with renewed motivation to dismantle the organization that has caused so much trouble for his family. There is an epic battle between Huck & his mother versus the robots designed to overpower them. The true villain is the mad scientist managing the program, who spends most of the issue on the run trying to salvage his life“s work. Can Huck make a difference or is it just too much for this gas station attendant to handle? Â I really don“t want to spoil too much because it“s a very satisfying ending, but know that Huck“s integrity remains intact and yes, there is room to continue the story if Mark Millar ever decides to. Though to be fair, he doesn“t need to. The story is wrapped up beautifully with a bow on top.

I don“t know what I have to praise more: the art or the writing. Rafael Albuquerque pencils a story with well-defined characters and action sequences. Huck is drawn as a force to be reckoned with, despite being the nicest guy you could hope to meet. His mother looks frail, despite her strength both physically and emotionally, and the mad scientist looks truly demented. I love his lines of motion, as they capture speed effectively. Dave McCaig“s colors are bold and well blended. Especially beautiful are his uses of warm tones in the climactic scenes and the blue of Huck“s eyes. Even more impressive than the art is the artistry of Mark Millar“s writing, but only marginally because both are fantastic. I“ve followed Huck from the beginning and will say that this book has more heart than anything on the stands. Millar creates such a character in Huck that is so likable that I“d be hard pressed to say one negative thing about him. With titles like Kick-Ass under his belt, I thought for sure that Millar would turn Huck dark at some point, but dammit if he doesn“t stay true to himself despite all the horrible situations thrown his way. The real underlying theme in this series is the importance of family, which is spotlighted in this issue. Without the support of each other“s unique abilities, Huck and his mother would not have been able to overcome their adversaries in the final two issues. Millar tops off the tank on the final page, which I will say made me very happy. Oh, and one more thing”¦ the movie poster variant covers have been a blast! From E.T. to the Blues Brothers, they“ve been so fun and I am so glad to finally have the most appropriate of the variants: Forrest Gump. Huck has been described as a super powered Gump, so this finally pulls together the collection.

What I love about Huck is the lack of “superheroness”“, despite containing many of the classic elements, and the thing is, I love superhero comics. Huck is just a normal guy with a passion for helping others and the unusual capabilities to do so. After political influence, media coverage, and the threatening of loved ones, he still feels no need to don a cape and spandex. If you have followed the book up to this point, then you probably already expect this final issue to be great and you“ll pick it up. However, if you have yet to experience Huck, do yourself a favor and wait for the trade or stock up on the back issues. Reading the story in its entirety is well worth it for context. Either way, Huck is a must have.

Excellent, Five of Five Stars

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Story By: Mark Millar
Art By: Rafael Albuquerque

Author Profile

Robert Anderegg

Robert joined Comic Crusaders in 2016 as contributor, but has been an active online voice through social media for almost ten years. His hobbies include reading and collecting comics, attending theme parks, making music, and driving his wife insane. Deadpool and Nightcrawler are his two favorite superheroes, and while his preference is Marvel, he dabbles in every major and indie label in the comics community. He graduated from UTPB in 2013 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is currently seeking employment in that field. A southern boy at heart, he currently resides in the Midwest.