Every kid has dreamed of being a superhero. Just the idea alone will make any kid put on a cape and pretend he’s Superman. What none of them realize is the downtime for superheroes is as mundane as anything. That’s what Faith has to deal with in “Faith #1†by Jody Houser and art by Francis Portela in a rather interesting comic from Valiant.
Faith Herbert is a superhero who left her group “The Renegades†to go solo in California. Despite her fantasies of being like Superman, she instead got a boring life where the only crime there is to fight is petty crimes and a job as an entertainment writer. That soon comes to an end her wish is granted.
The idea of a superhero having to want action, but gets the most mundane life ever is a rather funny idea. Houser manages to weave a story that’s, though not funny, is an interesting one. Faith uses her powers to fly to and from work, write top ten blog posts and watch her superhero ex-boyfriend star in a reality TV show. It’s like one of the worst case scenarios for a superhero. Though it’s not as bad as the world of “Watchmen,†this is still a frustrating situation for any superhero.
One thing that helps the story is Faith herself is interesting. This is true in that she comes across more as a real life person with superpowers instead of just a character. This is a rare feat in a genre where superhero characters are only identified by their powers and not actual personalities.
Portela’s art is the high quality you’d expect from Valiant. The character designs and backgrounds are all drawn nicely and show a lot of skill. The only real downfall is the facial expressions. Many of these expressions look weird or, in the case of Faith’s supervisor, downright inhuman.
“Faith #1†has a brilliant premise and manages to weave an interesting story combined with an interesting character. Topple that with some great art that, despite a speed bump, makes this comic one of Valiant’s better comics.
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