REVIEW: The Mantle #1

STORY: ED BRISSON
ART: BRIAN LEVEL
PUBLISHER: IMAGE COMICS
RELEASE DATE: 05/13/2015

Poor Robbie and Jen. Â They seem to be having a terrible night. They went to see a rubbish band, do some ‘rooms and when they decide to head of for something a little stronger, it rains. It thunders and then the lightening strikes. But only Robbis can see the energy as it snakes towards him and thusly the Mantle is born. Or, more accurately the Mantle is reborn.

The Mantle is a different kind of legacy book. Â Once Robbie has been struck by the powers that be, he gets dragged off to fight the fight against the Plague! Here is your second curve ball, the gang that come to rescue Robbie, aren’t just there to help him fight but to also to help him survive.

Ed Brisson is on hand as co-creator, writer and lettered, with Brian Level the other co-operative and artist. For a superhero book, that has it’s origins firmly planted in a myriad of previous books, this is quite a throwback to the Golden Age. Sure, the language used is as current as are the trappings, and to be honest it’s totally refreshing. The art on the other hand, isn’t particularly awe inspiring but does the job more than adequately. It seems that Level is aiming for the realistic look, in that he succeeds. Colours by Jordan Boyd go some way to helping that aura.

The book, as a whole works well, mixing in some unique powers with the Golden Age approach, giving it a Doom Patrol type of feel. There is a twist in the tale but you are going to have to get there yourself. Â With enough going on in the first issue to certainly whet the appetite, this book certainly adds a level of old school to the comic book rack.

In a world where, we see the same type of stories rehashed every few years (Bruce Wayne getting replaced…….again!), it’s a pleasure to have a walk through a book like this. Â Remember, there’s no school, like the old school.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network