THE AUTHORITY: REVOLUTION #9 REVIEW

[Nick Costanzo]

<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0505/AuthorityRevolutionCv8T.jpg" hspace=10 align=left alt="The Authority: Revolution #9"> (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/dc/0505/AuthorityRevolutionCv8.jpg)Reviewer: Nick Costanzo, ncostanz@vt.edu
Story Title: The Shape of Things

“Jesus, Dad. Don't go getting all parental on me.”

Written by: Ed Brubaker
Pencils by: Dustin Nguyen
Inks by: Richard Friend
Colors by: Wendy Broome
Letters by: Jared H. Fletcher
Assistant Editor: Kristy Quinn
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Published by: Paul Levitz
The Authority Created by: Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch

Intended for Mature Readers

I've heard a complaint by many readers of The Authority is that they feel as though a degree of the magic was lost when Warren Ellis left. More relevant to The Authority as a team, this was also the moment that Jenny Sparks died. And while Jenny Quantum has existed as a member of the team almost since the moment her predecessor died, she's never come close to filling the void that was left behind.

With the second half of Authority: Revolution, it would appear as though Brubaker is looking to change all of that. This issue is one of reunion, finally bringing back the entire (living) team back together all under Jenny's insistence. Jenny is filling the shoes of her former self slowly, but masterfully. It's almost as if the spirit of Jenny Sparks is slowly manifesting herself into Quantum's body, forming a new personality that is a lot of attitude and even more nicotine addiction. She's still a 14 year old (and that in and of itself is weird, considering she was 8 last issue), and she's obviously getting used to her new responsibility. But anyone who's ever read the original Authority remembers a team that not only worked flawlessly as a unit, but also found themselves obedient, even fearful of their fiery British leader. And by the end of this issue, that's the same team we're seeing here. Well, not quite, but they're getting close.

Of course, there's this sinking feeling throughout the issue that it's all gonna be for not. After all, Bendix seems to inspire an even deeper fear than Jenny Sparks ever did. In addition, as a few members point out throughout this issue, what has happened up until this point hasn't been entirely his fault. Had the Authority used a bit more restraint in the past, or more responsibility in their actions, things most likely would have escalated to the degree we've seen throughout Revolution. Add the fact that Bendix apparently has planned every aspect of his upcoming fight with the Authority down to the smallest detail, it makes you wonder whether or not there can even be a victory at this point.

And then, your fourteen year old ringleader lights a cigarette with a little spark from her fingers, and suddenly you're not quite as nervous anymore.

I find that Dustin Nguyen's art is especially beautiful in this issue. There's less of a randomness to his style, fewer “crushed” faces and proportion. Instead, we get a style that is as unified as what we saw out of Nguyen back in the glory days of Wildcats 3.0, but more organic. It fits the series quite well, and I can't wait to see what kind of action scenes we'll be treated to in the coming months.

The revival of The Authority appears to be underway in more ways than one, and I couldn't be more excited. And after what is essentially three issues of setup, I'm waiting for the real payoff to come soon. Still, I don't feel like the story is languishing, as all this backup was really quite needed before things could really get moving. The Authority: Revolution isn't what I was expecting it would be, and yet I'm loving it more than I've loved any Authority story I've read in a long time.

ART:
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STORY:
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OVERALL:
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Buy The Authority: Revolution online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1511&cat=AUTHORITY%3A+REVOLUTION)

[Veritas]

You abso-bloody-lutely nailed the review...I haven't remotely been interested in this series since the introduction of Jenny Quantum...I struggled through the Authority getting it's behind handed to it by the Mutated Hillbilly with that ridiculous assortment of powers...but I quit when that volume came to an end...I haven't looked back and still certainly have no interest in getting back issues of vol. two...but this maxi-series has filled me with hope that the Authority that I fell in love with is indeed back...minus the Doctor...which I admit is the ONLY thing I'm wondering about from the actual series...but not enough to bother putting money into it... :D

[Jenny Spark's Sister]

I can't express how much I love this series. Granted, as a newbie, I wasn't there at the beginning but having recently read a couple of Authority trades I saw the standard that had been set. I think this is certainly living up to its early predecessors.

I love it. This issue struck so many cords in me. It even made me laugh! god - how much do I get the teenage Jenny and Apollo's "conversation"! :LOL:

I'm enjoying the further fleshing out of the characters, especially Jenny Q, Apollo and Midnighter (always an intriguing dynamic), the tension that's been created, the art work and the stunning colouring (#8 was just beautiful).

Brubaker and co have made a 20 year old woman- who's idea of an exciting purchase was usually a new bag or a new pair of shoes and who borrowed trades from the local library- get off her backside, go into a comic book shop ( :jaw: an amusing moment for me....) and buy a comic!
And now I'm hooked. Nobody told me this comic book buying thingy was this addictive!

My only worry is how Brubaker is going to tie this all up in 3 issues! So many questions! So many answers needed! :yeah:

(and yes I know this sounds like a bloody love letter...but I really think it's deserved.)

[Kevin Sutton]

I think it was a good issue, but the internal plot is a little lacking in that it basically consists of Jenny bullying everyone around in typical Jenny style. The awkwardness of adapting to Jenny now as a young adult as opposed to a teenager that Apollo et al. must be feeling, is also going to be felt by the reader; she has changed quite a bit very quickly. While it does restore a missing element of the book, it is still rather unfortunate that another character (sort of) is done away with by the change.

[Anthony Devlin]

Cant stress how much i LOVE this title, Jenny's growing on me but im so hopeing she does not turn into a sparks clone!! Love sparks but i think it would cheapen it to make Jenny Q to much like her!!

Again Nick brilliant review if i didnt already get this i would after reading your reviews :P

Aw heck someone else has a Jenny av!! oh well sign of good taste i guess and a fellow brit so cant be bad :D

[Chris Nutall]

great issue - the only problem is that some of the art is bad. Middy looks like a cheap batman.

Chris

[Nick Costanzo]

great issue - the only problem is that some of the art is bad. Middy looks like a cheap batman.

ChrisReally? I thought Nguyen hit a stylistic unity in this that had been evading him for most of the series so far. It's certainly not supposed to look entirely realistic (in fact I'd say its closer to impressionism), but I was pleased to see that there weren't any instances of characters looking wildly different from one shot to the next, in addition to Nguyen's already continually impressive and dynamic panel layouts.

And Midnighter has always kind of looked like a cheap Batman ^_^