Hub City’s corruption runs deep in its core. The question is, how deep can it run before it completely destroys the city? Spoilers for The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage #1 follow.
Denny O’Neil and Denys Cowan’s run on The Question in the 1980s is one of the best comic runs that no one talks about. It’s completely character-driven with complex art, stories, and themes and honestly is nearly of the caliber of Watchmen in some aspects. So, with Cowan returning as an artist for The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage it seemed that the series would be returning to that era, and it does. This is a great issue that returns to an era of comics long past, while also bringing new things to the table.
Starting off with the art team of Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz, the art in this issue decidedly does not feel modern. In fact, by many modern metrics, the art in this issue isn’t all that great. But viewing it through the lens of what the issue is going for, the art is pretty great. It evokes Cowan’s original art from his The Question series in the best ways, while also incorporating more dynamic shot choices to the art. The art in this issue is really the best of both worlds. It evokes the original series which this new series is heavily inspired by, while also bringing in some modern techniques.
As for the story and writing, Jeff Lemire does a really decent job of evoking Denny O’Neil’s voice while also bringing his own flair to it. There are enough similarities in tone, themes, and character that any fan of the 80s series will feel right at home. However, there are enough differences that make this feel unique, and better, especially little decisions like making Myra and Wesley Fermin siblings rather than married. There’s a hard line to toe when doing a series like this, but Lemire, with the help of Cowan, toes it well.
Where the issue shines is where newer ideas are presented. There’s very much a horror element to some of the new stuff presented in this issue, which isn’t surprising given this is Lemire. However, within the context of The Question, it works extremely well for that character. It brings forth the more spiritual side of the character that is rarely explored and does so in a surprising way. It’s a bit jarring when the issue decides to make the shift though from both a tone and story perspective.
