Jupiter’s Legacy, cover by Frank Quitely
Jupiter’s Legacy #1
Story by Mark Millar
Art by Frank Quitely and Peter Doherty
Lettering by Peter Doherty
Cover by Frank Quitely
22 pages / Color / $2.99
Published by Image Comics
“Now that she’s back in the atmosphere
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there’s time a to change, hey, hey
Since the return from her stay on the moon
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey”
— “Drops of Jupiter,” Train
To be frank, titles like “Jupiter’s Legacy” stopped igniting imaginations around the time Mark Millar was born. It’s a grand title, Jupiter’s Legacy, so lofty that it actually registers as a platitude in today’s market. Or perhaps it fails to register at all. We’re so accustomed to vague hyperbole that words like these simply don’t impress. We’ve been referencing this project as the new Millar and Quitely thing, not Jupiter’s Legacy. Everything’s got to have a title, I never bothered to think to myself, even if it’s vestigial. Which makes Jupiter’s Legacy the perfect name for this examination into the cracks spider-webbing across the Golden Age at its very foundation.
We open in 1932 as two brothers launch a voyage to a mysterious island. It’s King Kong ’33. It’s Clark Gable and Gary Cooper and Marrakesh. It’s one man tripped up by the bust of ’29 only to tuck and roll and make of it a spectacular somersault. While the Sampsons’ exploits in that lost world remain a mystery, the results have shaped the world.
It’s 2013 and Barack Obama has secured his second term in office. Celebrity has reached new heights in absurdity. The global economy has flatlined. Nothing new there, but the skies and streets and slums are brimming with costumed ubermensches. Super powers pervade, if superheroism and super villainy do not. Whatever happened on that island made gods of the Sampson brothers, still alive after all these years. Whatever happened on that island, it steamrolled Mt. Olympus into a worldwide plateau of banal divinity. Sweet Ambrosia might as well be a cask of watered-down O’Douls, because everyone’s tasted supreme power in the new status quo. The kids seek out new highs, cramming their nostrils with off-world junk. Suffice to say, things aren’t nearly so super-duper as the Sampsons’ probably expected. But how willing is either brother to admit that the Golden Age has long since ended, if it was even so golden in the first place?
Though this first issue features an especially inventive, especially chilling action sequence, Millar and Quitely devote the bulk of their attention to the juxtaposition of worlds. The opening sequence establishing the Sampsons and their Quixotic voyage to the mysterious island felt sou grounded and free of pastiche, readers might be reluctant to make the 80 year jump to the modern world where the children of Jupiter fritter away their legacy. That said, Brandon and Chloe appeal as honest iterations of the new generation of metahuman. Again, they’re not heroes or villains. Just lost kids, reluctant scions to earthly deities. A cousin struggles to shoulder the family business as a wary, cynical bench-warmer for this world’s answer to the Justice League. But really, this is about celebrity and playing heir to history. Brandon and Chloe aren’t the most attractive protagonists, nor are their parents. And the paint doesn’t quite feel dry at this point. But the plight is pretty compelling. Time and subjective opinion will have to suss out whether real-world parallels, especially in politics, make a whole lot of sense in this reality, but it’s hard not to go clawing after those seeds and just let them soak.
As for Quitely, he’s showing impeccable restraint here. It’s clean. It’s rigid in a way that suggests a ticking clock. The violence in Jupiter’s Legacy isn’t entirely off panel, but so much of it is merely suggested. That’s not necessarily what we’ve come to expect from Millar or Quitely, and that makes the subtlety all the more engaging.
Story: 4 / Art: 4.5 / Overall: 4
(Out of 5 Stars)
Add Jupiter’s Legacy #1 to your pull list.
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
Comics will have violence (for the most part), though with Millar its always a thing of outdoing himself in every new story and I’m not interested in that. So, to read Paul’s review of violence suggested and not shown is encouraging. Of course, Quietly’s art is a draw. I just hope he can meet the deadlines. I’ll buy this first issue and see what’s what.
Yeah, this is a restrained Millar, at least for now. I don’t want to give away the context of the scene, which is pretty cool, but he describes violence in dialogue rather than showing what’s happening. Kick-Ass this is not. This issue, anyway.
Good review as always, Paul. I’ve been on the fence about this one, and I’m hoping you can help to shove me one way or the other:
I was a serious fan of Millar back in the days of Authority and his Ultimate work at Marvel. Obviously, that was a lifetime ago in comics time, and he’s kinda lost me with things like Kick Ass and Nemesis. While I enjoy his attempts to put a contemporary, adult spin on superheroes and villains, lately it’s just struck me as shock for shock’s sake, forgoing substance and intrigue for violence and foul language (neither of which I typically have a problem with when used economically and in service to a good story rather than in place of it).
This seems to be in the same comfort zone as his other commentaries on superheroes, but the presence of Quitely and the central pitch do have me curious. So, given that longwinded glimpse into my preferences, would you say this is worth a try? You touched on the violence thing, and like I said I’m fine with that when it’s used in good measure. I typically pick up a first issue if I’m even remotely interested, but I’ve been so disappointed in his recent work that I’d rather not sigh heavily unless it comes recommended. I don’t mean to suggest that your review isn’t informative. I’m just hoping you could offer a more specific opinion.
I understand. If it helps, I strongly dislike Kick-Ass and Nemesis. It’s not Red Son, obviously, but I was pleasantly surprised by the nuance and restraint. Brandon says some pretty uncouth things to a young superhero groupie, and there’s cosmic cocaine involved, but it’s all pretty tame when compared to his most tasteless stories. Much more thoughful than I was expecting.
Awesome. Nothing wrong with a little cosmic cocaine.
Thanks a lot.
That’s really good to hear. I’m always down for more Quitely art, but was put off by knowing Millar was putting the words into his people’s mouths. Now I might actually pick this up. As long as Millar can reign himself in a bit, it might not be too rough.
This sounds very interesting, but I may hold off until the second issue comes out. Kick-Ass left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, so I feel like I should make sure this doesn’t veer in that direction before I dive in.
Excellent review, Paul.
Is this Millar’s first creator owned series at Image? And how long will it run if you know?
Well, Wanted was from Top Cow which is under the Image umbrella.
And War Heroes with Tony Harris was from Image, all 3 issues of it. It was supposed to be six. Finish it already, guys!
And there was also a one-shot called Run from Image with Ashley Wood which was supposed to come out in 2004 but never did. Millar is a naughty boy.
Ok cool, I wanted try “Wanted” (hah) but for some reason no library carries it and I never could see who published it. I’m just curious if this is another “Sex” or “Snapshot” or any other image series thats recently caused a stir. I guess the answers is “Maybe?”
I haven’t been huge on the Millarword stuff so far, but after he surprised me on “Superior” with his “1985”-esque nostalgic sweetness I wasn’t as worried that Frank Quitely would be going to waste here. Sounds like this may be more of what I like out of Millar and after seeing the preview pages, this has to be the smoothest Quitely’s looked since “New X-Men”…
No one in the comic world who is as talented as M. Millar receives as many negative comments as he does. Paul is getting paid to comment.. the rest of you guys? If you really dont like it dont bother with it. It strikes me as strange behavior to continually comment on creators that continually disappoint you or that you flat out dont like. Somehow its acceptable to be negative about Millar.. and repeat the same thing over and over again… like a broken record.. Some variation of the book being late and or too violent. Dont buy it then. The reality seems to be that you all at least kind of enjoy his work otherwise you wouldnt keep trying it. Yes you’re not alcoholics.. you just like to drink frequently. M. Millar the forbidden fruit.
Well, I’ve see Grant Morrison get his fair share of complaints, too. And Scott Snyder and Geoff Johns and many others. Anybody who becomes well known get his share of haters. I agree it’s really tiresome to see on the Internet over and over again, but haters gonna hate.
But when I was a kid and there was no Internet, I really didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about what I disliked – I spent a lot more time thinking about the stuff I enjoyed. I still want to do that today but I realize a lot of people are about trying to bring everybody else down with them.
I love Millar and enjoy most of what he does (the Unfunnies still disturbs me, though), so I am in for this series for sure.
Ive seen Grant Morrison get quite a few negative comments as well.. but its not equal to what Millar receives from what ive seen. Just about everyone that posted previous to me on this thread said about the same thing. Ill read it for Quietly’s art but not Millar’s writing. That makes no sense to me because i dont see how anyone can separate the writing from the art. Millar’s critics also used the “self promoter”/ sellout angle for years as well … as if they wouldnt scratch and claw to walk in his shoes. The Scott Snyder comments are recent and dont compare to a decade of negativity spewed towards Millar.. and Geoff practically writes everything at D/C so hes bound to step on peoples toes just based on sheer volume of work. Frankly im a big fan of all of these guys work and im thankful for their art. I get a feeling like I have to make a negative point every now and then (and then its out of my system) but i suspect most people that spew negative comments are repeat offenders. Many of the people that make negative comments about anything be it an actor, a comic creator or whatever.. .. many of them have only seen a fraction of that creators work and think they know it all. Thats part of whats going on here as well. Anyway I feel that i have to speak up on this because ive met most of the biggest creators in comics and while i dont really know any of them.. Mr Millar showed me more kindness and respect than any of the others. Its funny that the guy who has the reputation of writing “twisted” comics is just about one of the most polite people in the business. Maybe im biased because of that but i dont think so.
It’s great to hear he was a nice guy! You are right about to many people being way to quick to judge – they do it everywhere with everything these days.
And I loved the Kick-Ass movie – here’s hoping the sequel will rock, too.
Cheers BCDX.
Ya my favorite thing about the kick ass movie was something i didnt expect to see/hear. It was that 1960’s batman tv show voice impersonation by Nick Cage. I wonder if that was his idea. Im guessing it was.
I’m so torn on this. It has Quitely on art which should be a buy right away….but Millar has just aliened me with his over the top writing. Once and a while it’s fine but now a days his work has gotten ridiculous. I hate to say it but I’m probably just going to wait for trade. Still a great review Paul and if the book keeps up this pace I’ll buy it first thing in trade form.
FYI: This will be print only for a good while. Comixology won’t get it for another three months.
Hey thanks, I was just looking for it on Comixology too…
Frankly, I quite like this issue. 😀
Millar gets a partial “free pass” on this simply for the joy he has given me with Red Son, Old Man Logan, and pieces of Civil War. Quitely gets a “free pass” simply because he is the closest we can get to Moebius-like rock and roll (breaking all the rules – imagine Hendrix with a pencil, not a pick).
What makes this worthy of several reads is the mind control sequence in the middle of all that violence. I have never seen it on page like that before. If each issue can give me a taste of like that, then I really have no worries here.