Review by Frank Plowright
Four years since the previous appearance of Quincred!ble is some gap, and you may fear Rodney Barnes and Selina Espiritu’s enjoyable superhero series has lost momentum. However, over the first few pages Barnes compactly passes on pretty well all you need to know about Quin, his background and his situation. That hasn’t greatly moved on from The Hero Within. New Orleans remains a devastated city with clean water a growing problem.
It’s with the water that Barnes begins, by having Quin investigate the water processing plant, which is over-run with armed guards. An indication of the amusing limitations Barnes places on Quin is that he may be invulnerable, but his clothing isn’t, and the thought of having to walk naked back through town, even at night, factors in to what he can do. It’s coupled with problems for Quin’s friends, one of whom is being bullied, while both Adam and Brittany have relatives in hospital.
As in previous books, the villain in A Better World isn’t a costumed maniac, but someone with an axe to grind and the means to progress their agenda. The kill or cure aspect to their methods is suitably appalling while making a perverse kind of sense, but Quin’s father offers an alternative viewpoint in a great father/son talk.
New colourist Chelsea Blackwell’s preference is to keep things dark, and it really doesn’t do any favours for Selina Espiritu’s art, muddying detail and diminishing emotional content. Most importantly, Quincred!ble has so far been a positive series and doesn’t need continual darkness.
Barnes does slightly increase the darkness to reflect current US attitudes to legitimate protest, where vested interests are protected by the forces employed to protect people and uphold the law, but beyond the villainy bullying is the predominant subject. Cause and effect come under the spotlight, but as this is after all a superhero story, the effects are exaggerated along with the despair. However, Quincred!ble remains an engaging experience due to the effort Barnes puts into the personalities. Quin’s parents aren’t just there to provide a worry about him sneaking back in late at night, they have full supporting roles encouraging what he’s doing.
A Better World is weakened by an unconvincing change of heart toward the end, but overall it’s well conceived and thoroughly entertaining. This is a welcome return.
