By Dustin Cabeal
What I’m going to eventually say in this opening is going to sound like a slam against Image and really, I can’t help if anyone takes it that way. It has been a long ass time since I was excited about a new Image title. While I enjoy the fact that Image is the number three publisher and feel that they produce a wide variety of comics that disrupt the superhero conglomerate, at the end of the day their crutch is sci-fi fantasy stories, and lately, it’s been pretty dull when a new title is released. Don’t get me wrong; it’s not that they’re bad titles, but much like superhero inc. and superhero llc., there are so many titles that it all starts to feel a bit average and overpraised. Okay, that last part is a bit of a slam, but saying all comic books are great is like saying every movie, tv show, and video game is great. Be consistent is all I’m saying, anyway.
The Weather Man is the first book in a long time I’ve walked away from and wanted to read more of sooner than later. The way the story is constructed, and setup is one of the strongest elements of this first issue of The Weatherman. The opening seems vague and confusing, but around the halfway point, it becomes clear. The same happens in the middle, which has a very different context by the time the ending rolls around.
One thing that’s clear is that the human race has moved to Mars and that something has happened to the Earth. It’s not explicitly said what occurred, but people are in a state of mourning. Eventually, we meet the title character Nathan Bright. The story quickly tells us that Nathan is late for work and based on everyone’s response it’s not uncommon, but still fucking annoying. When he does arrive, he prepares in just moments, and from there it’s an amazing show that’s half weather, half shock jock. One of his co-workers says it best, “He makes people laugh and helps them forget.” Which makes his last name a great bit of wordplay because you could say that he’s everyone’s “bright spot.”
Puns/Wordplay – 1 / People That Hate Puns/Word Play – 0
At first glance this seems like all the story could be about, a weatherman brightening up everyone’s days as they get through a tragic loss and shit, I’d probably read that. Unfortunately, for Nathan and to the benefit for us, there are some hunters on their way to claim his head. Now, I guess that’s a spoiler, but when you’re reading a comic, and there’s one main character who the hell else are they going after? The back half of the story is vastly different from the opening, but it's like a sword in the fire being folded back on itself over and over.
A lot of comics these days read like movie or TV scripts. Depending on your preference that’s either good or bad, but something I always enjoyed as a kid was pretending the comic was a cartoon. That to me was the sign of a good comic. It’s rare that I feel that way or even think that way. It wasn’t until I sat down and thumbed through the pages again that I considered the idea. At any rate, Jody LeHeup’s writing and characters are what helped give me this impression. Everyone wants those live-action adaptations, but damn I would take some good ass cartoons based on comics again via the Japanese system of comic, animation than live-action. LeHeup’s dialogue and characters are believable. When a sports fan cheers for their obviously named Mars sports team, it’s relatable. It’s not just Nathan that’s a believable character, but the entire world of Mars feels alive. You get a great sense of the communal mourning they’re all going through, which is powerful storytelling.
I will bet dollars to donuts (what the fuck does that even mean!?) that Nathan Fox will be asked if he interjected any of himself into the character that shares his same name. Personally, I don’t care what the answer is, but I’m sure someone will see the word “Nathan” twice and ask him that. At that point, I can only assume that that person will owe me a donut… In all seriousness, Fox’s artwork is dynamic and lively. It goes beyond the feeling of movement between the gutters; it’s that sadness he captures when people are moping around, and it’s that joy and laughter everyone gets an injection of when Nathan is giving his forecast. The designs for the world are futuristic but grounded to what we’re used to. The simple fact is, we’re not just going to abandon roads and shit in the future because a) they fucking work and b) there will always be old people that are rallying against change. The art is the perfect companion to the storytelling, and they feel inseparable from each other.
Dave Stewart isn’t too shabby himself. I’m just kidding, but the interesting thing about Stewart is that everyone takes him for granted. I’m sure he gets coloring requests like, “can you make it look like your Hellboy work” which has to be stifling. The thing I noticed about the coloring on this book was how un-Dave Stewart like it was. Usually, he’s one of two recognizable colorists because you can see his style from the color set, but that’s not so here. It looks vastly different from his other work and shows growth to his abilities, not that he needs me to say so. I’m running out of steam here for this review, but the lettering is also worthy of praise as it adds to the personality of Nathan and the other characters.
The Weather Man surprised me. It’s a common title for stories, and because of that I usually avoid anything with “Weather Man” in the title. I’ve never seen that Nick Cage movie and I’m never going to, but I’m sure as shit (what the fuck does that mean!?) going to be back for the next issue. I will be greatly surprised if this doesn’t become one of the most talked about comics from Image in 2018 because everything in this first issue is damn near flawless.
Score: 5/5
The Weather Man #1
Image Comics