So I think that Jupiter’s Legacy is being a bit oversold; and within its own pages (which I find rather interesting). There are statements in here like “The comic event of 2013”, or “The superhero epic that all future comics will be measured by.” Well, after one issue, I can’t really say whether or not it truly lives up to those lofty expectations, but I will say that what we have here is some nice art work coupled with a pretty introspective and timely storyline that’s willing to dive into some pretty deep and relevant issues, all wrapped in a modern superhero epic. It’s an interesting mix, and it’s well done, and it is definitely worth checking out. Whether or not it lives up to the lofty expectations of its own self-proclamations remains to be seen, which is interesting in and of itself as this story is all about expectations.
The story starts with shades of Lost, as a man is drawn to a mysterious island that “wants” him to come because it “wants” to “give” him something to help America in the wake of the 1929 Stock Market Crash and the ensuing Great Depression. What happens there isn’t revealed, but those who journey to the island come away with super powers, which they use to help their nation arise from the dark period its in. Fast-forward to today, and the world is in similar shape. The problem is there are some that feel the way to deal with them is the same as they did in the last century, while others feel that perhaps more intervention is needed. Should the politicians be left to do their thing, or should someone step in and help? (Sound familiar…like a debate that’s raged the last few years here in reality?) Meanwhile, the next generation of heroes, the children of the ones who found the island, are finding it hard to live up to the lofty heights of their parents. The ideal was set so high by them that some feel incapable of achieving it while others feel the means for doing so no longer exists; after all, these are different times. Now if that doesn’t sound like your typical super hero fare, you’d be right. And if you’re someone who likes things that aren’t typical, than this book is the one for you.
The sentiments of this book certainly ring true with the sentiments that surround us in the world today. There a lot here that could be dissected, but I just wanted to spend a moment on that idea of expectations; of fulfilling lofty ideals. You know, there are some who look at Jesus’ statement of “Be perfect as God is perfect” (Matthew 5:48) as completely unattainable. How is anyone to do that? It’s not possible. Some feel that’s unfair. Some feel like just giving up and figure what’s the point. Some feel like they just can’t ever be good enough but they make themselves miserable by trying to be anyway. Well, the interesting thing here is that’s exactly the point. The point is to make us see that we can’t live up to God’s expectations…at least, not without some help. Jesus Christ came to help us understand what the standard, what the expectation was, and then he fulfilled it for us. He did all the work and we get the credit. He lived up to the expectation of perfection in his life, death and resurrection, and then let’s us claim that legacy as our own so what God sees in us is what Jesus did for us. God isn’t disappointed in you. God isn’t angry with you. God loves you, which is why Jesus did what he did. God knew he we couldn’t live up to his expectations, so he made a way for us to meet them on his own out of his love for each and every one of us. That’s something to keep in mind while reading about these characters’ struggles with legacies and expectations, or when you find yourself struggling with it.
Jupiter’s Legacy is a book that’s provocative, thoughtful, and might strike a little too close to home for some with its many parallels to what’s happening in our world today. Still, it’s a typical first issue as far as it introduces everything but there really isn’t a lot of space for any of it to develop. Will this book live up to its own hype? It’s too early to tell at this point, but it certainly has a lot of potential to be some sort of modern Watchmen.
Score: 5 of 7 – It should be noted that this is more of a “grown up” comic book. It deals with some heady topics, and dips into some slightly sleazy sexual territory.
A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com.
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