Comic Review: Invisible Woman #1

Invisible Woman #1

Marvel Comics

Writer: Mark Waid

Artist: Mattia De Iulis

Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo’s run on Fantastic Four is one of my favorite superhero books of all time. Naturally, the creative team for this book had me more than a little excited, as Invisible Woman #1 marks Waid’s return to Sue’s character in her first ever solo series. 

The pitch for this book is an easy sell. Sue Storm is James Bond with superpowers. With a premise as good as that, you’re guaranteed a decent level of quality at the very least. It makes perfect sense and, as far as I know, has never been done with this character. For the most part, it’s very enjoyable. It’s a refreshing change of pace from your average superhero story and immediately gives the book a unique identity. While the issue has other things going for it, the espionage alone makes it worth the read. 

Characters like Sue Storm who are so closely tied to other characters can be difficult to give solo stories. Separating them from their team without destroying those relationships, or just feeling forced, isn’t easy. However, Waid concocts a compelling narrative that allows this book to flourish without the team. We learn information from her past as a super-spy that’s now coming back to haunt her, but it doesn’t feel like a stupid comic book retcon. It’s a reasonable backstory that informs the present in such a way that it allows this adventure to happen. It’s not mind-bending, but it makes sense and has a lot of potential. 

I do think, however, that the art holds the book back a bit.  There’s no doubt that Mattia De Iulis is a talented artist, but in this particular issue, it doesn’t quite work. This is mostly due to the odd manner in which he renders the characters. It’s not always apparent, as the action and certain close shots are very strong.

However, more often than not, the characters seem out of place. It’s as if they were edited into the book with Photoshop. This is because the lighting and shadows don’t always work as they should, and the result is an aesthetic that’s just too clean. Oftentimes, it reminds me of looking at video game screenshots. Unfortunately, it can be distracting. While it certainly has it’s moments of above average storytelling, especially during action sequences, it often falls flat when taking a more subdued approach. Though, it is important to remember that these are stylistic choices and not the product of an untalented artist. These choices will pay off for some readers. 

Invisible Woman #1, though flawed, is quite fun. While I think the art isn’t quite up to snuff, it certainly has its moments in which De Iulis shows off real talent. With that said, I’m ecstatic that Waid still writes a compelling Sue Storm. It feels that he only just stepped away from the character for a brief moment rather than nearly two decades. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what comes of this mini, as it’s about time Sue got what she’s due.

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