IMPOSSIBLE JONES #1, available from Scout Comics on September 22nd, 2021, introduces a new superhero who can stretch, create living shadows, and produce weapons out of thin air. Yet, she can’t quite give up her thieving ways.
The Details
- Written By: Karl Kesel
- Art By: Karl Kesel, David Hahn
- Colors By: Tony Aviña
- Letters By: Comicraft
- Cover Art By: Karl Kesel, David Hahn, Tony Aviña
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: September 22, 2021
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Was It Good?
To be blunt, I thought this was going to be a boring, corny, cheese-fest. I’m happy to admit I was wrong. There’s a little tongue-in-cheek humor going on in this comic but it’s a satisfying, solid, entertaining first issue. Let’s get into it.
First, the story. It’s a classic silver-age type setup where a hapless criminal gets caught up in an accidental (or is it?) science experiment and is imbued with superpowers. Based on part of her powerset and the way she gains powers, this is origin is reminiscent of DC’s Plastic Man. However, Jones has other abilities beyond stretching that make her seem truly “Impossible.”
Beyond the origin logistics, I like the mild twist that sets this character apart. Jones doesn’t decide to suddenly turn over a new leaf and use her newfound abilities to become a hero. She’s still a thief at heart, and while she chooses to stop criminals, she doesn’t mind taking a small cut of the confiscated loot.
I like that you can’t tell right off where this story is going. At some point, being a hero that still steals is going to lead to a conflict down the road, but it’s impossible (no pun intended) to see where, when, or how. The ambiguity of her hero career, one month later, means the story is NOT predictable, and that’s always a plus for a first issue.
I mentioned there was some tongue-in-cheek humor but, thankfully, the story stops short of overdoing it. You never get a Batman ’66-level vibe of campiness, but you can tell the creators are having a little fun.
The art is clean, simple, and visually enjoyable. As you can see from the preview pages, the style has a simplified feel to it. The style looks like a blend of Bruce Timm’s classic art mixed with silver-aged comics and a slightly modern edge on top.
The keyword for this comic is ‘balance’. It has just enough corniness to keep the tone light but not too much to make it campy. The art is just simple enough to tickle the nostalgia bone but not so much that the designs look kiddish or cartoony. This is a well-balanced first issue.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a scene where Impossible Jones chases down a trio of holiday-themed criminals fleeing a jewel heist. Jones knocks out the henchmen and captures the ring leader, Holly Daze. During the arrest, Jones lets Daze off with a warning and decides to keep part of the loot for herself.
Flashback to one month ago. Belle Jones and her team of burglars are breaking into the Tech Arcana (lots of clever names in this issue) laboratories to steal equipment. They were hired by a former employee, Fosca, who feels her work was stolen from her so she’s stealing it back. The rest of the origin isn’t revealed yet but we see the team split up to regroup later. However, Jones never made it out.
We only get little snatches of what happens next, but Jones is shot and left inside an experimental chamber that’s about to zap her into oblivion. In her effort to escape, she shorts out the door lock causing a surge that fires off the experiment in unpredictable ways and causes an explosion.
Later, we learn the owner of Tech Arcana wants to know who broke in and sabotaged her lab. She secretly meets with a local criminal mastermind to get answers, putting her on Fosca’s trail. We conclude the issue with a glimpse at how Jones survived the explosion, the revelation that not every super in town is great at their job, and Jones making some possibly incorrect assumptions about who tried to kill her.
Final Thoughts
IMPOSSIBLE JONES #1 is a fresh and entertaining origin story about a hero whose moral compass doesn’t always point North. Both the writing, especially the humor, and the art are surprisingly well-balanced. There’s just enough humor to make the reading fun without getting corny or campy. And the art hits the silver-age sweet spot without looking dated or silly. As a first appearance issue, this book is a lot of fun.