Comic Review: Saint John #1

Dark Horse Comics

Writers: Dan Schkade & Brennan Wagner

Art: Dan Schkade

Colors: Brennan Wagner

Letters: Frank Cvetkovic

Ever since binging Lavender Jack on Webtoons I became a dedicated fan of Dan Schkade’s work. Once I saw he was to release a new character alongside Brennan Wagner and for Dark Horse of all publishers I kept this book on my radar. One other thing that the reader might notice is that the comic is brought to you by… Portland Gear?. Yeah,that threw me off a little bit but I held on strong.
Well, lo and behold and it’s finally out!

The comic starts off following Tori Slate, a Lois Lane type character that’s just arrived on Portland seeking to know more about this mysterious do-gooder people have been talking about. Yes, he’s covered head-to-toe in Portland Gear, but, you know, it looks superhero-like and it’s besides the point. Saint John then hops on the train on which Slate is riding just at the right moment to save a man from choking. Not something so special but this is the whole appeal and mystery of Saint John. He’s a regular guy willing to do something to help people but he’s the one who’s always at the right place at the right time. Tori and John then basically make sure they’re going to meet again and carry on their separate ways.

Looking back on the writing along with the sponsoring I must say that this comic reads a lot like a “Visit Portland” leaflet, however it has much more to offer. Wagner and Schkade’s characterization of both Tori Slate and the titular character is organic and inspired. The writers made sure to present the story and the characters gradually and patiently. This did make this first chapter a bit milder than I’d hoped but I really dug how it has a pilot feel to it. It presents us with the characters, the suspected antagonist and the hero’s powers – which are, by the way, hearing Portland’s call. This does make a very nice standalone comic/leaflet/Portland Gear ad, but at the same time it promises much more to come.

Having made clear that I’m a big fan of the artist, one must be quite sure what I have to say about Schkade’s work. Much akin to his writing, he makes sure every character has a very distinct facial structure along with their own quirk or mark. It makes the comic feel bizarrely real even though Schkade’s style is blatantly cartoonish because every person portrayed is unique and not just another figure on the page. I’m also a fan of how he portrays motion via the use of natural elements (hair, clothes, leaves, etc.). Through that approach he’s able to portray a wide range of movement and it keeps the reading more fluid.

I found Brennan Wagner’s coloring weird. In a good way! His work with colors is really concise which matches with the lineart and fits well overall. What stopped me in my reading for a second were the color choices. Wagner pays a lot of attention to reflection of colored lights on objects and people. That kind of detail adds a lot to the final result. A special note of this is in the first few pages where the people riding the train are colored slightly pinkish. In the same setting, Saint John’s coat has small red shimmers where it folds. It’s just great stuff!

Lettering is done by Frank Cvetkovic who’s got himself a new fan. Nothing too out of the ordinary but I enjoyed the choices made for the sound effects. The sounds coming from bigger structures are shown in a hollowed font sort as if the sound is echoing away. While nearby sounds are shown in a filled out font, portraying the sound as more solid and quick.

I might not be able to vouch for Portland or Portland Gear, honestly. But this is a really good first issue. Like I mentioned before, once you get past all the “Portland is awesome” is stuff – and I’m not saying it isn’t! – this is just a cool street-level superhero helping out common folk as best he can. I look forward to seeing more of the plot as both Wagner and Schkade’s have yet to use more of their background on the writing. But I really recommend picking this up.