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You kids today wouldn’t know a good comic book if it came up and boxed your ears!

The word that first comes to mind upon reading this latest issue of The Twelve is ‘solid’. Everything about it is professionally done, from J. Michael Straczynski’s writing to Chris Weston’s artwork. It’s an example of what a truly good comic book is. But I admit, I feel a little guilty just thinking it’s ‘solid’. It makes it sound mediocre, or adequate, and that’s just not the case. I think that my comic pile this week was just so full of shocking moments and insane cliffhangers that it has made this particular story and its execution seem tame in comparison, which is not fair at all. It does make for a strangely appropriate metaphor, however. The basic plot behind The Twelve is that twelve heroes of yester-year, after fighting the Nazis at the end of World War Two, were cryogenically preserved against their will and eventually forgotten, only to be discovered now, revived, and made to adjust to a world that is suddenly completely alien to them. Compared to the superheroes of today, they are unimpressive, laughable-relics of a bygone era. When compared to many of the comics being released currently, this book, lacking a truckload of gimmicks and an over-the-top approach, can seem just as mundane. Despite how desensitized some of us may be at this point(I’m nodding at you, Garth Ennis), we can’t let that alter perceptions to the point where a book deserving of praise gets swept under the rug.

J. Michael Straczynski always spins a great yarn, and this series is certainly no exception. This issue gives us the back story on Black Widow, the most mysterious and sinister of the group, while also keeping us up to date with Fiery Mask’s interrogation by the police in connection with recent unexplained murders, as well as The Blue Blade’s meddling with Electro, the robot that was created and piloted by another of the twelve. It is no easy task to juggle so many characters and plotlines so deftly, and Straczynski deserves an awful lot of credit for doing so and still maintaining a narrative that is easy to follow and entertaining. He has also beautifully bookended this issue with storylines that illustrate the extremes that these characters will go to in order to get what they want, weaving the allure of Hollywood in the 1940’s into both character’s segments.

Chris Weston’s artwork is equally impressive, and I should really have my head examined for ever thinking it was ordinary in any way. The amount of detail in his illustrations is staggering, and has a richness to it to really suits the characters, almost as if by being drawn in this fashion they are saying, “Back in my day we took our time with things-we didn’t need any of your fancypants stylized shortcuts!”. There are some who think that it’s all a bit too busy, but personally I’ve never found the page layouts confusing or the linework unnecessarily embellished. His style is very human, for lack of a better term, and that makes him the right match for this job. Credit is also given to colorist Chris Chuckry, who puts dramatic lighting to terrific use, and mutes the palette and original art to denote flashbacks.

The Twelve has been an excellent read, in retrospect even more so because it delivers with strong fundamentals as opposed to a big hook or a one-shot attention-grabber. It’s easy to get jaded, especially when you only have a limited amount of disposable income to throw around, and the ones that make the loudest sound often win. But months down the road, when the shock of other stories has worn off, and a friend asks for a recommendation, I’ll think back to work like this, work that just makes you say, “That was a damn good book”. And so it is.

The Twelve #8 of 12
Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
Art by: Chris Weston
Coloring by: Chris Chuckry
Lettering by: Jimmy Betancourt
Published by: Marvel Comics

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