Review – Quantum and Woody #5

Posted on November 5, 2013 in Reviews

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Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Ming Doyle
Release Date: 6th November 2013

Valiant’s Quantum and Woody has a premise that’s difficult not to be intrigued by; estranged foster brothers Eric and Woody find themselves granted superpowers, but there’s a catch. They need to KLANG their metal wristbands together every 24 hours or they dissolve into nothingness. So basically, what we have here is an ‘odd couple’ comedy with superhero overtones, featuring some terrific back and forth banter between the two main characters.

This issue marks the start of the second arc of the series, so serves as a perfect jumping-on point for new readers, with the events of the first arc handily summarised in the opening page. And right from the start, the tone of the comic is fairly well established. Eric is the earnest, wholesome one who wants to do something good with the powers he’s been given, while Woody is the quintessential slacker who refuses to take anything seriously.

The artwork, provided by Ming Doyle, is serviceable for the most part, but does struggle in places from some overly-detailed facial expressions that occasionally give characters the impression that they’re permanently grimacing. There’s also some questionable anatomy in places, with some awkward (and painful-looking) character poses along the way. That said, Jordie Bellaire’s vibrant colours definitely add a lot to the comic, and Doyle himself does cut loose in a few brilliant moments.

Asmus provides the humour in spades along the way, mainly from the mysteriously powerful goat (yeah, you heard me) they liberated from the first arc, and Woody’s new girlfriend (a younger clone of “The Crone”, their apparent arch-nemesis… yeah). It’s a little bit ‘out there’ in places, as you may have noticed, although that’s clearly the intention, and there’s a lot to like if slacker humour is your thing, with Woody providing no shortage of humorous quips and moments (even if they don’t all quite manage to hit the mark).

Distracting artwork aside, this is a terrific comic with a creative premise that definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. Well worth a look.