Review – Quantum & Woody #8 (Valiant)

Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Ming Doyle
Release Date: 19th February 2014

All hell is about to break loose in this farce of a battle. The most shambolic superhero duo of all time have teamed up with a bunch separatist hillbillies. This racist, rabble have been preparing for an attack by their own government for years and are heavily fortified as a result. It just so happens they were right! The private paramilitary outfit led by crazy Commander Magnum, is knocking on their door to provoke a war so he can snatch a juicy homeland defence contract. He is packing enough fire power to invade a capable country, never mind a bunch of paranoid dopes.

The dialogue is on form with the ill matched foster brothers forever bouncing off each other. As the bullets and rockets and arrows(!) fly these two can’t help but wind each other up. Well, Woody is incapable of shutting up. The dialogue is sharp and punchy and littered with goofy pop culture references. When you see a fat hillbilly preparing to gracefully fire an arrow at a tank and you hear Woody call him ‘Fatness Everdeen’ it’s pretty hard not to grin.

The art is capable of providing the right expression to go along with this silliness. The side glances; the awkward winces, the looks of terror are all spot on. Thanks to a generous helping of panels, the action is fluid and never takes itself too seriously despite a vulgar body count.

It’s encouraging to see a superhero comic as daft as this. It scowls at the seriousness of all the others and is awesome as a result.

Rating: 4/5.

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