A Superhero Twist
Some of the best stories are those that waste no time in not adhering to a perceived norm. Writer Stonie Williams obviously embraced this concept in his new book Villainous. It all starts out with a reasonable premise. There is a society of well known heroes. These heroes exploits are talked about everywhere. Because, its has been firmly established who is there to defend the downtrodden, against all who would do evil. It’s the Coalition of Heroes (all rights reserved).
The Coalition of Heroes, are led by that paragon of heroic virtue, Pillar. At the COH, Pillar leads a crack team of heroes to defend against the evil of the Shadow Order. And no one is more ready than Showdown! “He’s a Lover AND a Fighter!” That’s what you see on TV. It must be true. And because of that, every person with any kind of special abilities dream of one day being a member of the COH. It’s the big leagues where all superheroes want to be.
”Rep-Tilly” to the Rescue
Matilda “Rep-tilly” Anderson is no exception. She was so excited when she heard the COH was once again offering their “Sidekick” internships. But she was absolutely giddy when she was selected for the program. The only people more proud were her parents. Their “Rep-Tilly“ was going to be a hero…just like Showdown. That was the hope anyway. But things aren’t what they seem (are they ever?) and Matilda ends up finding herself mired in a setup. One that appears to be perpetrated by the very heroes she was wanting so much to join. What the WHAT??!! In fact, she is now being hunted…for killing herself. That’s certainly not the norm. Well, it is in Villainous.
Side-Kicking is Dangerous Work
The creative team of writer Stonie Williams, Artist Jef Sadzinsky, and colorist Joana Lafuente bring us into the world of Villainous with a bang. Literally. Apparently, new sidekicks in the COH don’t have a very long life expectancy, especially when paired with the aforementioned Showdown. Just ask Archmage. Oh wait, you can’t ask him, he’s dead. But why? So what’s really going on in the COH? Looks like Rep-Tilly’s going to have to find out. Assuming she doesn’t get arrested first. Call me intrigued, Mr. Williams.
Artwork
This is a fun book. It starts innocently enough and the excitement that Matilda feels about her new gig is readily recognizable. As is her confusion about why her “heroes” are acting this way. Sadzinsky and Lafuente work extremely well together. His tight pencil details, mixed with the vibrant colors make for an attractive and energetic flow that powers the reader through the panels. Sadzinsky knows how to capture the different characters, especially Matilda. He especially is adept with using an exaggerated facial flair that communicates her feelings.
Thoughts
At the jump, Villainous looks like a book I’m going to be following. Why? Because it started with questions and made the me want to know the answers. That’s a great beginning. What has Matilda gotten herself into? What is the Shadow Orders part in this Story? Now I want to know more. To do otherwise might be considered…dare I say it? Villainous??
Does Villainous seem like a book you might like? If so, check it out when it hits release on October 14th. It is now availability for pre-order from MadCave Studios.
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Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
