BIG BANG ADVENTURES #21, from Big Bang Comics on IndyPlanet, brings the White Knight’s career to an when his agreement with a corrupt politician sends the heroes underground.
The Details
- Written by: Gary S. Carlson
- Art by: Ron C. Williams
- Colors by: Shayne Cui
- Letters by: Ron C. Williams
- Cover art by: Ron C. Williams
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $4.95
- Release date: February 2023
Is It Good?
It’s taken some time, but Big Bang Adventures is slowly evolving into the Bronze Age-styled comic to beat in terms of pure action, adventure, and entertainment. If you miss the days when stalwart heroes matched wits with villains in brains and brawn, BIG BANG ADVENTURES #21 has you covered.
When last we left Knight Watchman, aka the White Knight, he publicly vowed to retire as the White Knight if Princeton won the mayoral election. Now, Princeton is Mayor Princeton, and the White Knight must make good on his vow while facing an old friend-turned-enemy.
Twists, turns, excitement, action, and drama – BIG BANG ADVENTURES #21 has it all. Gary S. Carlson builds on the previous issue by using White Knight’s personal code of ethics to force him to make good on his vow, creating an opportunity for growth and change in the character. Now that Knight Watchman can’t fight villainy by day as the White Knight, he’s limited and freed to do more as the Knight Watchman at the same time.
As a bonus, Carlson brings in an old ally (the former Watchgirl) to make a bad situation spicier when it turns out that Watchgirl is now a villain-for-hire, creating more conflict for Knight Watchman to endure. It’s bad enough when the government and the public are against the titular hero. It’s worse when his former sidekick is now a bad guy, leading to unresolved feelings of responsibility and regret.
What’s not so great in this issue? The plethora of name changes and multiple identities can be a lot to handle. Nearly every hero and villain in this comic has multiple identities, past and current, referenced, which can get confusing. Why did the Quizmaster need to change his name to the Inquizitor, and why did that name change need to be spelled out multiple times in this issue, for example? The volume of aliases used to describe the same group of people starts to feel a little silly after a point.
How’s the art? Phenomenal. Ron C. Williams is firing on all cylinders with a perfect callback to Bronze Age character designs. The character anatomy looks fantastic, blending typical aesthetics from the 80s and 90s but better. Cui’s coloring work is excellent, and the whole comic has a clean, crisp retro vibe that works.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BIG BANG ADVENTURES #20 review to find out how White Knight found himself in a tough spot on the political stage.
We begin with Princeton holding a press conference as the new mayor of Midway City. Mayor Princeton proudly announces the time of masked vigilantes is over, and his elite police force will handle any trouble that comes his way. Consequently, Mayor Princeton eagerly awaits White Knight’s retirement announcement.
White Knight watches the scene from above, but before he can swoop down to his planned press conference, a nearby billboard explodes from a bazooka blast. Cynthia Crain smirks as she holds the smoking weapon. White Knight is shocked to learn his former sidekick is now the criminal bounty hunter known as Cardinal Sin. Before White Knight can arrest her, Cardinal Sin escapes, leaving White Knight with the smoking bazooka and a crowd of reporters blaming him for blowing up the billboard.
We conclude the issue with a payoff gone wrong, booby traps, and living to fight another day.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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BIG BANG ADVENTURES #21 is the Bronze Age-styled superhero comic you’ve been missing in your life. The adventure is packed with action, surprises, and drama, and the art is top-notch.
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