Issue: Irredeemable Special #1
Release Date: April 14, 2010
Writer/Creator: Mark Waid
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Cover(s): Paul Azaceta with Andrew Dalhouse, Dan Panosian, Jeffrey Spokes
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
With The Plutonian snapping like a dry twig in the middle of drought season, things haven’t been looking too great as far as the future of the planet is concerned. This special issue claims that in the coming months, three people will play a major part in saving the world from complete destruction: Max Damage, a reformed villain; Kaidan, Paradigm member “whose heritage will turn the tide at a crucial moment”; and The Hornet, who The Plutonian already killed.
This was a good issue. The artwork is going to be hit or miss for some folks, but I do appreciate the distinct style changes for each character’s chapter. We got backstories for each of these characters, which was really nice in the case of The Hornet since he was the first guy killed all the way back in issue #1 of Irredeemable. What was great about this issue was that each of these characters is completely different from the other in personality and how they related to The Plutonian. Max was were The Plutonian is now, Kaidan was an almost starstruck teammate, and Hornet was a weary teammate, so planting the seeds on curiosity on how these three are going to come in with a last minute save is interesting.
Chapter 1: “Hornet” (1-8)
Artist: Paul Azaceta
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Having one of these key players already be dead is even more interesting. This does bring up the question of why didn’t someone else have a contingency plan in place? Call me a pessimist or just a chick who took what she learned in Girls Scouts to heart, but if there’s someone out there with that much power over everyone else, first thing I do is try to figure out a way to neutralize him just in case he decided he didn’t like sharing the same floating rock in space with the rest of us. What is “Vespa” and what’s it do?
Chapter 2: “Kaidan”
Artist: Emma Rios
Colorist: Alfred Rockafeller
With Kaidan, I’m still not sure I fully understand what her “powers” are. While her story didn’t exactly clear that up, it got me thinking about the differences between her and Bette. I found it curious how the person who knows how to make The Plutonian vulnerable isn’t one of the three that will play a major part is saving the world. Instead, it’s possibly one of the more low-key members of The Paradigm. I’m left wondering her love of what/who will save the world in the end.
Chapter 3: “Max Damage”
Artist: Howard Chaykin
Max Damage is a character that I find myself liking even though I probably shouldn’t. I mean, he’s shacking up with an underage girl named Jailbait (it really hurts me to call her that) and is/was having a sexual relationship with her. There’s the character of Jailbait herself that I find highly irritating in concept and execution. Still, there’s something about him and his role in the overall story Waid’s got going here that makes for an appealing read.
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
