'Strange Adventures' #1 Review: An exposé on colonial propaganda through the lens of a conflicted superhero
There's anxiety running through the pages of 'Strange Adventures' #1. The art of Evan Shaner tells the story of a man who is just a little too shiny, a little too perfect. The dialogue is just a little too heroic to be believed.
You get the sense you're being lied to, and it's almost a relief to return to the present, despite Mitch Gerard's art displaying a tired man whose life is steadily and disastrously getting worse.
There's something lurking beneath the surface of Adam Strange's heroic exploits, and 'Strange Adventures' #1 makes you afraid to find out what that is.
Adam Strange comes from an era in comics where heroism was brightly colored and villainy was easily identified. There haven't been a lot of significant stories done with Adam Strange since then that have updated the character's story, so he comes from that era with his schtick more or less intact.
He is an archaeologist who was hit with zeta beams that teleport him to the distant planet of Rann. The zeta beams only keep him there temporarily, however, and he has to keep finding his way back to Rann to save its residents from alien threats and be with the love of his life, Alanna.
Technology has taken a great leap since the early days of his career, however, allowing him to get to Rann without needing the zeta beams to get him there. He lives on Earth now, with Alanna, and is living the life of a celebrity.
He's an American hero, dressing up in costume to sign copies of his memoirs for long lines of fans. He comes up against an enraged fan spouting vague conspiracy theories about Adam Strange having done something horrible to innocent Pykkts — but the Pykkts are the enemy Adam saved Rann and Earth from.
They're the enemy — aren't they?
When that fan is murdered by something that may have been Adam Strange's unique laser pistol, Adam's heroic image starts to fall apart. There's something he's not telling the world, or us, the readers — and no one is talking about why there are bloodstains all over the picture of his family.
Tom King and Mitch Gerads' 'Mister Miracle' blended relatable, everyday moments with the story of a superhero celebrity and mental health issues. Similar ground is being trodden in 'Strange Adventures' in this first issue, and we're once again questioning reality, albeit in a very different way.
The lie doesn't come from a sinister metaphor for suicidal feelings but from Adam Strange himself. The question is not how to live in a world where Darkseid is, but of what, exactly, Adam Strange is hiding.
Mitch Gerads and Evan Shaner's art styles are both breathtaking in their own ways, and the story keeps switching between their perspectives seamlessly. The effect isn't jarring — read through the comic quickly enough and you might not have realized it's happened, at first.
Evan Shaner's sections of the comic appear to be either flashbacks or illustrated excerpts from Adam's memoirs. He captures the feel of the Silver Age of comics while still giving it all a modern look. The action scenes are fluid, with all the thrills of scale, action and adventure. What makes it so eerie is the juxtaposition of the dialogue.
On the surface, the dialogue fits into the Silver Age tone perfectly, but where classic comics had an earnestness about them, Tom King's dialogue feels hollow. It's trying too hard. It sounds like propaganda, and the more of it you read, the more you realize that the flashbacks are telling a glamorized version of what really happened.
It's very clever storytelling, because if the truth is being glamorized this desperately, then the truth that's being hidden is that much worse.
Mitch Gerads' art focuses on the present. His shading adds a grittiness to the panels, just enough to make it feel real. The effect of Adam Strange offering his hand to the fourth wall is almost disconcerting.
He captures casual human body language incredibly — the stress of a long day in a hotel room, the intimacy of the bedroom, the smug superiority of fans who are just there to capture the fall of a celebrity on their phones. The beauty he creates with light is magic.
'Strange Adventures' #1 is a strong start to what promises to be a very uncomfortable comic, starring a hero you want to love who still hasn't admitted that he's lying — to the world, to the readers, and to himself.
There is a light to be shone on the colonialist, American savior aspect of stories like Adam Strange's, and it seems like that's something the comic might be building towards. The issue is a must-read for the art alone, but there's an important story being told that seeks to pull back the curtain on idolization, and that's vital.
'Strange Adventures' #1 is now on sale, wherever comics are sold. The next issue is set to release on April 1.