WildC.A.T.s #3 continues the upward momentum of the series with its best issue yet. As the previous issue ended, Halo was introducing its group of superheroes… the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Wait, what!? While the WildC.A.T.s do the actual work, it looks like this new team is going to get all of the credit, and you better believe that’s not going to sit well.
Writer Matthew Rosenberg delivers a beyond entertaining issue as we get to know this new superhero team with some great commentary from the WildC.A.T.s. It’s just perfectly played out that brings the larger than life feel of 90s comics but to the line where it all doesn’t feel eye-rolling comical. Rosenberg’s writing delivers a natural reaction that we can all see ourselves doing. Snide remarks lead into some tense moments and a few fists flying but it never crosses that silly line of two superhero groups fighting due to a misunderstanding. And through it all, Rosenberg delivers lines and moments that are hard to not laugh at. There’s a perfect delivery and comical timing that creates a comic that’s almost a superhero action comedy. It’s just… fun!
But, it’s not the WildC.A.T.s without some messed up mission and lots of action and Rosenberg delivers that as well. Grifter continues his mission to figure out what’s up with the Court of Owls, again with some amazing comedic timing and the rest of the team has to rescue a diplomat’s kid. It all goes spectacularly wrong as it always does with the team. But, at least it’s off the rails entertaining.
A lot of the timing and comedy as to do with Stephen Segovia‘s art. With Elmer Santos on color and Ferran Delgado‘s lettering, it’s all laid out on the page and delivered perfectly. Jokes about falling out of a window are played so well with a balance of what’s shown and what’s not. The reactions to the introduction to the Seven Soldiers is about what is said as much as the look on a face and body language of who said it. This is a great example of story and art perfectly aligned. Then there’s the action. The team delivers that with such great visuals, it feels like watching a summer action film. The sequences are over the top but delivered with such confidence and such a way that again it’s just… fun.
WildC.A.T.s #3 is exactly that, fun. It continues a series that takes what worked so well in the 90s but refines it. Much like the re-launches of this team throughout the years, this latest volume focuses on certain aspects and does them so well delivering a new take that has the DNA of what was but mixes it up just enough to deliver something new but familiar. After years of false starts, this is a series that might have finally cracked the code of re-introducing the world of Wildstorm into the DC Universe proper.
Story: Matthew Rosenberg Art: Stephen Segovia
Color: Elmer Santos Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle
Source: Graphic Policy
