Comic Review: All America Comix #1

All America Comix #1

Image Comics

Writer: Joe Casey

Artist: Dustin Nguyen

I’m a big fan of America Chavez’ comics. The Marvel hero created by Joe Casey is a breath of fresh air, introducing a single new character that represented many underrepresented people in comics. Since her appearance in 2011, the character has been featured in a few series and even starred in her own. We are now in a new decade, and we are getting a new America, this time published by Image Comics.

Everyone meet America Vasquez, the hero that isn’t America Chavez but is also created by Joe Casey. In All America Comix #1, the reader gets to know America Vasquez, a superhero who is hip with social media and is too cool to work with the knock-off Avengers. The character is full of life and attitude while also is still down to earth in a way that a lot of younger people might connect with.

Unlike America Chavez, I don’t think America Vasquez has wide-appeal when it comes to accessibility. The first issue is clearly a product of its time, with the protagonist’s inner monologues being expressed through social media and hashtags. This by itself isn’t too much of a problem, but it is clear that there is a target audience here, and most older readers (That can even include millennials) might find the storytelling mechanisms to be a bit annoying. The character’s voice is full of slang and phrases that are common with Generation Z. Maybe I’m getting older (I’m only 26), but I feel like a lot of the dialogue feels just a bit too forced. A lot of this script just doesn’t look too natural on the page, making a few lines here and there a bit cringe-inducing.

Outside of the dialogue, this is a pretty entertaining issue with some interesting sequences. It’s clear that the heroes and villains are heavily influenced by the great Marvel characters. This book borderlines parody and those who like characters like America Chavez or Doctor Doom might find plenty of fun references to enjoy. Still, some of it is a bit hard to follow, with inconsistent pacing and a puzzling cliffhanger. What is more confusing is this issue is listed on Image’s website as a one-shot, making it unclear if the story will continue. As it is, this feels like an incomplete mess that misses out on almost all of the potential that it has going for it.

Dustin Nguyen beautifully illustrates All America Comix #1. The watercolor-like style is pretty, though there are a few inconsistencies here and there, especially in the characters’ faces. It feels like America’s face changes shape throughout the issue, and at times it was distracting.  Still, the settings and robots looked fantastic, which isn’t surprising after Nguyen’s work on Descender. Brad Simpson’s colors are absolutely exquisite, adding tons of detail to the environments.

All America Comix #1 is a frustrating read because it has such a fun concept but falls short in so many areas. Still, this might be worth checking for fans of America Chavez, or just Marvel fans in general.

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Read All America Comix #1 at Comixology