The third smartest man in the world with the power of science!
What They Say:
The world’s third smartest man uses his brains and fists against science gone mad! Michael Holt is the head of a successful high-tech corporation and an institute that recruits and encourages the finest minds of the next generation to excel. But as Mister Terrific he inhabits a world of amazement few other know exists, let alone can comprehend.
The Review:
Mister Terrific is another character I know absolutely nothing about. I’ve never heard of him before nor do I recollect ever seeing him in passing in another comic. So of course I had to check it out with the new #1! This first issue achieves exactly what it should: it provides action up front to get readers interested, it gives a good explanation of who Mister Terrific is and what he does and why he does it, and it sets up a plot line that will want readers to pick up the next issue. It achieves all these important things and does them surprisingly well. I found myself really liking the character off the bat. He is an interesting hero because he’s not just a normal human, he’s not just rich, he’s also a super genius that invents super crazy SCIENCE that allows him to do anything imaginable. The sinister plot brewing in the background is definitely an interesting one with a development that brings us to a crazy cliffhanger that definitely has my attention. I want to know what happens….like, now!
But, I actually don’t really like this book. I don’t think it is actually that good. Why? The writing. Eric Wallace did a fine job writing the story and the characters but holy mackerel is the dialogue terrible! There are numerous instances where the dialogue is just…bad. Like, Ed Wood B-movie bad. But that isn’t what got me. What got me is Wallace inserting his personal political beliefs into the dialogue of the characters and him attempting to deal with race in a politically correct yet edgy manner. It just doesn’t work and I found some of it offensive. To give some examples: Michael Holt (Mister Terrific) is hosting a party to support Senator Gonzalez in his presidential campaign. The first words we here from the senator are, ver batim, “I’m still baffled by your support of my presidential campaign, Michael. I thought you were a liberal, pinko-loving atheist. You do know I’m republican, right?” Really!? Get that crap out of my comic book! It isn’t funny, it isn’t witty, it isn’t an insight into the minds of right-minded politicians, it’s just tacky and ignorant. Another example is at the beginning of the book when Mister Terrific takes down a crazed scientist in a mobile suit. He is being thanked by some civilians on a ferris wheel type thingy, “Nice work mate, got a name?” “Mr. Terrific. Some people call me the third smartest man in the world.” “Does it bother you being third?” “Actually, a simple “thanks, black guy, for saving us from a homicidal lunatic wearing weaponized body armor” will do.” I’m no expert on how these scenarios should play out but that just seems wrong to me. It comes off as inappropriate and a failed attempt a being a contemporary black superhero. There are a couple other instances like this in the book and that paired with the B-movie dialogue totally kills this book for me.
In Summary:
Mister Terrific #1 turns out to be a damn shame to me. It is a good story with an interesting main character that I liked quite a bit but someone else needs to write the dialogue starting yesterday. What the writer probably thinks is modern and hip and edgy is just crap that makes the reader feel uncomfortable. Stuff like that has no business being in a comic book. You want to include your own personal commentary, like an auteur almost? Go right ahead. Just make sure that you write it intelligently and appropriately, not like a down on his luck angry guy on the side of the street.
Grade: C+
