'Stealth #1' Review: An aging superhero battling to keep his memories from fading makes for a compelling read
Spoiler alert for 'Stealth' #1
'Stealth' was first introduced in Top Cow's 'Pilot Season' series of one-shot comics, back when the comics company had a MySpace page and fans would vote on which concepts were good enough to get an ongoing series. 'Stealth' was not one of the comics voted on, back then, but it has since garnered a lot more attention now that Universal Pictures and Skybound Entertainment plan to make a movie out of it.
The story has been revamped for more modern times, moving the story away from Dearborn, Michigan and instead has been set in Detroit and has recast its central protagonists as African-American, complete with new character design by Cory Walker of 'Invincible' fame. Mike Costa writes the new 'Stealth', with art by Nate Bellegarde and colors by Tamra Bonvillain.
'Stealth' is a six-issue limited series about an older superhero suffering from Alzheimer's. It's a relatively unique concept - the Big Two tend to focus on evergreen superheroes. They will go to almost ridiculous lengths to keep their characters relatable to a younger audience - a mandate that was infamously responsible for the death of Gwen Stacy. As such, we don't get to see a lot of older superheroes unless some magic Infinity Formula can de-age them to the point where age is irrelevant.
'Stealth' pulls no punches when it comes to portraying just how out of control the disease renders him. Daniel's biggest problem isn't physical - he appears to retain a fair measure of super-strength - it's that he can't always remember where he is. Who he's talking to. When he should be punching and when he shouldn't be.
When you're holding a big enough hammer, everything starts looking like a nail and the Stealth suit and the powers that come with it are a very big hammer indeed. Stealth is seen beating up criminals, questioning them about a case that is likely long solved. His shifting awareness and memory is what allows his son, Tony, to find out that Daniel is Stealth, as Daniel sometimes confuses Tony for Daniel's brother Eric. The suit is what gives Daniel a feeling of control, but it's that same suit that makes his lack of control all the more deadly.
The Stealth suit itself is beautiful to behold. It is the very picture of competence and control. Nate Bellegarde draws a suit that combines grace, power, speed and no small amount of brutality. In a normal comic, Stealth would be quite a force to be reckoned with, but as the situation stands, it's hard to know whether you're afraid of Stealth or for him.
The last page is a particularly powerful hook, especially for fans of the original comic - it's a cliffhanger that's been 11 years coming. Fans aren't going to have to vote on whether or not this story will continue to be told in April. After beating up his son, confusing him for someone else, Daniel talks about the mysterious beings who gave him his powers, who are coming to "fix him." Is that something that can be believed or is it something Daniel's confused brain cooked up? Can they really fix what's wrong with Daniel? More importantly, with Daniel's son lying heavily injured in his arms, even if the "men in light" show up, is it too little, too late?
'Stealth' #1 is a comic that covers interesting new ground, with some very compelling plot hooks, grounded in a story about a son trying to deal with a father who is slowly losing control to a very human disease. It's a story with no tangible win scenario, which makes it all the more intriguing. 'Stealth' #1 is the first chapter in what promises to be a very good story.
'Stealth' #2 comes out April 15, wherever comics are sold.