Quantum & Woody has finally arrived. It’s been a little less than a year since Valiant released a new ongoing series and that gives the entire CB team a chance to jump onboard. Here’s how our group reviews work: each of the writers/reviews of Comic Bastards will give the book a score of: BUY, BORROW or PASS and then a reason for the score. Here’s a blurb about the issue in case you’ve missed our coverage: Once upon a time, Eric and Woody Henderson were inseparable. Adopted brothers. Best friends. Brilliant minds. Years later, they are estranged siblings, petty rivals, and washed-up failures. But when their father’s murder leads them into the throes of a life-altering scientific accident, Eric and Woody will find themselves with a whole new purpose – and a perfectly legitimate reason to wear costumes and fight crime. Go big or go home, folks! Quantum and Woody are coming! And the action-packed, zeitgeist-shredding exploitation stunt comic you demanded is here at last.
Steve: Buy
Valiant really can’t do wrong right now, can it? I finally finished getting caught up with Archer & Armstrong and Harbinger, and even out of those and the other excellent titles at Valiant, Quantum & Woody takes top spot at the podium for me. This is just seriously fun comic bookery right here. Now, I never read the original series, so I have no idea if this new take holds any water in terms of its legacy, but you can sure as shit count me in as a new fan.
Quantum & Woody does the super-powered odd-couple thing really, really well. I must have guffawed a solid thrice and snickered countless times in between, but this is more than just a (hilarious) comedy of errs; it also has a wickedly brewing familial undercurrent that grounds the otherwise pretty loony story with some very real feels. The art from Fowler follows suit, at once enjoying a fun, cartoonish look, but with a certain severity that doesn’t go amiss. As a setup / origin issue, this one ticks all of the necessary boxes, and does so with flare. It gets a BIG buy from me, and may be my most anticipated Valiant title on the market today, which again is saying a lot.
Connor: Buy
I've become a fan of Valiant since there re-launch, things feel fresh. Different to what Marvel and DC have to offer even though they both have essentially reset their respective worlds recently. I've been hanging out for this issue for a while and I will just say now that it was pretty cool.
Valiant has finally shown some super hero like characters and it goes well. This is almost an origin issue that reads well and the art looks good throughout as well. It is one I recommend to new and old fans of Valiant. Even to someone who wants that super hero world with a different feel.
Kevin: Buy
Quantum and Woody is easily the most rambunctious Valiant comics to date. It’s humorous but not really “laugh out loud” funny. Don’t get me wrong it does have its moments but you’re not going to wet yourself. The real star of the book is easily Eric and Woody’s relationship. So far they play well off each other with Eric being the straight man and Woody taken the reins as the comic relief, though he does tend to be a too “little on” at times. But it works and it will be interesting it see if James Asmus can control that balance for the long haul. Overall, Quantum & Woody reads like an action buddy comedy and if you’re a fan of that then this book is a no-brainer.
Samantha: Buy
Out of all the mascots to pick for a comic and they decide to go with a goat. You know what...it fits perfectly. I cannot deny this; I have being dying for this comic to come out. The images and plot seem like everything I dig about a comic. The first issue didn’t have quite the punch I was hoping for, but I like how it is taking it easy, easing us into an explosion of fun about to happen.
The first issue was kind of serious. The two brothers dealing with the loss of each other. The only bond they still had was their father and now he is dead. You can’t help but feel sorry for the two. Then I paused and wondered where the hell is that goat? I think this first issue is a soft stepping stone and is a buy because it can only get more intense.
Woody is the typical problem maker and Eric is the good son, the blood son. We don’t know why the two fell out of touch but clearly they have different lifestyles that don’t mesh. I am excited to see what powers the boys get when entering into their mistaken science experiment.
The comic follows a lot of traditional hero comics. Two brothers, one adopted. Powers from science experiments and their dad knows all the secrets but he was murdered. Pretty typical stuff but I have to say I enjoyed it. Maybe I have made a complete 360 and am sick of people trying something new and now crave classic stories. Either way, these two boys will have some fun together and I doubt they will stay that traditional for long.
Dustin: Buy
I’m going to be honest… I didn’t pay close attention to the previews for this issue. I wanted to go in as fresh as possible and now I kind of regret it. It was far more series than I was expecting and I really didn’t laugh. I kind of smiled a few times, but for the most part I was as serious as a heart attack.
Now that doesn’t mean this was a bad issue; quite the opposite really, it was great. I clung to every page wanting more and really enjoyed the way Asmus layered the story. To have different moments in time sprinkled in the story only made me crave more of those moments. Instead of just having a flash back dominate the story and run its course it shows up just enough to make it more interesting. The art’s great, but we already knew it would be.
If I was scoring this it would be very high. I’m impressed yet again that Valiant has nailed six new series in a row the way they have. I think that’s a credit to their editorial if anything. Someone might laugh at this issue a lot more than I did, but everyone can enjoy the fantastic story with its many layers.
Eric: Buy
Everybody likes a buddy story straight lace vs. the free going and how they interact. This story works so well because of Eric and Woody's relationship. The story pushes to the edge without being campy and over the top. I've been waiting for this one and it didn't let you down. That back story on how they became brothers and their falling out connects Eric and Woody together so well. The one thing that captures my attention is the villain or the very little appearance of one. The art is just eye catching and flies off the page. The action is captured well. I love the colors throughout how it separates the past with the present. Now go buy and every other Valiant titles because they are hitting it out of the park.
Score: Buys All Around!
Writer: James Asmus
Artist: Tom Fowler
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 7/10/13