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A new world for the Authority, only who do you have Authority over when the world has ended?

Well there is nothing quite like jumping into the middle of things with a random purchase, eh?  Picking up the newest Authority series on issue #3 sent a big ‘what the hell’ through my head once I set the book down. I like to try to keep up with a lot of different comics, but not having picked up the beginning of this newest series seems to have left me chasing the caboose that jumped the rails.

So, it seems that the world ended.  Society crashed and so did the Carrier (The Authority’s massive semi-sentient dimensional hopping ship), right into London.  An EM pulse apparently wiped out all live technology.  The shell of the carrier rots away as nothing more than a refugee camp. Now the remnants of the Authority have no way of saving anyone, since they seem to lack a villain to punch or a dictator to slay.

I say remnants because the Authority finds itself lacking these days.  Apollo finds himself unable to return to Earth for long because the skies have darkened and the sun choked out by pollution, and I assume, devastation, so his powers fade quickly. Jack appears to be an invalid, confined to a wheelchair. Without any real cities left to power him, he withers away as well. Angie’s powers being completely tech based are gone.  The Doctor and Jenny Quantum rate not even a mention in this issue.  Swift and Midnighter retain their abilities and appear seemingly ‘normal.’  For them at any rate.

While Swift chases some live tech that Angie finds and leads her into a trap that should not be possible, Midnighter ends up in a brawl with the Eidolon (a character last seen in Stormwatch: Change or Die) that shows how little affect the Authority has on the new world.  I found it quite touching though that the Midnighter’s lashing out had more to do with his depression at not being able to be with Apollo full time anymore.  Stuck with only short ‘roof-top meetings’ between the two, Abnett & Lanning write the most touchingly gay seen between two male super-heroes I have ever seen published in a mainstream comic book. 

Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning really bring a new voice to the Authority.  I am a little lost with this book and wish there was either a ‘previous’ page or some more explanation iterated through the story, but I think its follow-able.  I felt that the story came across as fast and loose.  There seems as though mood and tone are still being set, while moving the story forward only a little. 

Simon Coleby’s art comes across with a sort of rough-hewn look, mixed with many muted colors by Carrie Strachan.  The art screams to life with varying moments of great detail but then are lost again in the shadows.  Coleby’s art, to me, ripples with leanings towards a Walt Simonson feel, which amongst some of the ‘stiff-line’ artists I have always enjoyed.  Nothing overly distracting, but nothing overly eye catching in this issue either.

Authority #3 shows promise for this new Authority series.  Abnett and Lanning clearly have a vision for this story and it definitely takes the Authority away from the ‘all powerful’ angles given to them in the past.  It might prove interesting to see if this change brings new life to this book. 

Authority #3
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artist: Simon Coleby
Colorist: Carrie Strachan
Letterer: Wes Abbott

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