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With his new series, No Hero, writer Warren Ellis is determined to get down into the dark heart of our power fantasies, and expose the motivations that fuel them.

When it comes to stories about or involving those with super powers, most of the good ideas and original angles have been strip-mined thoroughly, which will inevitably send you back to the basics. In the process of getting to the onomatopoetic clash of good and evil, the basic questions are left in the rubble, deemed not as worthy of attention as constant cycles of death and resurrection, endless alternate worlds, or an ever-growing rogue’s gallery. This is a book that is down there at street level, sifting through that rubble, unapologetically asking about the big picture, pointing out the obvious consequences of supporting vigilantism and reminding us that there’s no free lunch-with great power comes not only great responsibility, but no doubt a host of side effects and threats to one’s sanity as well.

Issue #0 gave us some background on the Front Line, the group of super-powered vigilantes that are the focus of the book, and this issue introduces us to Joshua Carver, the burgeoning crimefighter who is determined to join their organization now that two of their members have been killed in a massive explosion. Joshua trains and patrols constantly, driven by equal parts indignation and the desire to get noticed by Carrick Masterson, the man responsible for the enhancement drugs and technology that make the feats of the Front Line possible. After a particularly brutal confrontation with several opportunists in a local alleyway, Joshaua gets his wish, and is considered for recruitment once he has managed to prove that his motives are in line with those of his new acquaintances. 

This is a very straightforward introductory issue, but that’s not to say it’s poorly done. The opening to the issue is particularly well-designed, jumping between news soundbites and quotes addressing the central theme of vigilantism. For those who are already familiar with Ellis’ writing, there aren’t really any surprises waiting, and all of his characteristic snark, ‘widescreen’ action and technophile garnish is intact. It’s solid and entertaining, but the real meat of the tale is clearly an issue or two away.

The art is rendered in the mind-bogglingly detailed style of the one and only Juan Jose Ryp, and works for the story very well. Every dark corner of every panel is covered in urban grime and grit, making it feel like a place you desperately want cleaned up as badly as Joshua does. The action sequences come to gruesome life as well, making the reader’s mind linger a bit more on the consequences of violence, which again works in favor of the material. Ryp’s art is very reminiscent of the work of other great detail-oriented comic artists like Geoff Darrow and Gene Ha, though I fear without the addition of color it would be just a little too busy to read clearly. The only other gripe I have with it involves what I call the ‘action explosions’. Whenever blows are landed, hands are clapped, or buttons are pushed, a little burst is drawn to accentuate it that looks, especially with the coloring, like a little sandy detonation is going off, to the point where I actually wondered if Joshua had some kind of power that turned people into dust.

No Hero is filled with promises that I’m sure it will soon deliver on; it just gets off to a bit of a slow start. If you’re part of the Ellis cabal, I’m preaching to the converted when I suggest you stick with it-you, like myself, would no doubt purchase a book he’s written even it contained only a detailed account of his latest bowl movement. For those of you who might not be as familiar, or have only been thus far exposed to his more mainstream work, this is a great book to start with, especially since it looks like it will shake your love of do-gooders to its very foundation.

No Hero#1
Story by: Warren Ellis
Artwork by: Juan Jose Ryp
Color by: Digikore Studios
Published by: Avatar Press

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