Script by Dan Schkade and Brennan Wagner

Art and cover by Dan Schkade

Colours by Brennan Wagner

Letters by Frank Cvetkovic

Dark Horse, out now

 

Tori Slate is in Portland to find out more about Saint John. The city’s mysterious superhero has appeared out of nowhere, always helping, always listening, always making the city just a little better. Tori is expecting to have to dig for the truth. Instead, she meets Saint John on her first day.

Dan Schkade is one of my favourite artists and his work is a perfect fit for this story. His expressive, friendly lines give both Tori and Saint a sense of constant energy and movement and his expressive style means everyone in Portland feels like they should be: individuals. Portland itself is a character too, and every location pops. That’s helped immensely by Wagner’s colours too.

Schkade and Wagner’s script is just as much of a star and the book feels relaxed, confident and focused. Saint John has a hint of the Superman to him and Tori definitely feels a little like Lois Lane but that’s just the start of the story. The Saint is more driven and a little more concerned than Superman and Tori is more overtly cynical than Lois ever was, but in a subtly different way. Jaded rather than bitter, she comes to Portland for a story and finds something, and someone, more.

It’s easy to get cynical about superhero narratives. Easy too to get cynical about licensed work and this book is produced in partnership with the clothing line Portland Gear. But it’s also sincere and big hearted and fun in a way you don’t expect.

Verdict: Disarming, charming and direct, the book is like its hero in the best of ways. Great stuff from a great team. I can’t wait to see more. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart