LA dreaming.
She’s been a Renegade, she’s been a defender of Unity, and now, with new digs and a new identity, Faith Herbert is ready to be herself. Valiant’s pluckiest psiot gets her own limited series courtesy of Jody Houser, Francis Portela and Marguerite Sauvage, and her first foray into solo stardom proves to be a blast of fresh, companion field-fueled air.
Leaving behind the doom and gloom of past misadventures, writer Houser redirects Faith – sometimes known as Zephyr –to the sun spun hills of Los Angeles. Serving as a mild-mannered click-bait journalist by day and an aspiring solo hero by other-parts-of-day, this first issue carries a definite lightness to it that’s reflected both in Houser’s zippy, pop-culture laden script and Portela’s beaming lines. While that same lightness can at times read too on the nose – Faith’s one heroic excursion is so perfectly Faith that it’s almost distractingly so – the issue is quick to present enough real world conflict to keep things grounded. Whether its Faith dealing with the fallout of leaving her former team, and boyfriend, behind, or the unnerving subplot involving psiots on the run, the read has depth to it beyond Faith’s reinvention.
Of course, Faith #1 ultimately lives and, well, flies on Houser’s portrayal of Faith herself. It’s good then that her characterization is easily the book’s strongest hook, Houser presenting her in a manner that’s as endearing as it is assured. Faith has always been an oddball, but here she’s very much comfortable in her own skin, both as a woman looking to make a new start and as a hero looking to find her own way. Given her presentation as a woman outside of the usual comic book aesthetic, Faith’s size is often used as way of presenting, if not quite defining, her. It’s very much refreshing then that Houser takes a completely different tack, Faith’s clear assurance and overall belief in herself rising beyond any limiting physical characteristics. She’s not cool, but she is confident, as a bumbling Archer can surely attest. If anything, given the somewhat cookie cutter stereotypes presented by her coworkers, she’s the one fully formed character in the book.
It also helps that the book’s art team appears to have a clear handle on the character. Portela’s art is almost giddy in its rendering, particularly so in the moments when Faith takes flight. He captures her overall exuberance and general plucky air with comfortable ease, so much so that we take her eventual stab at sternness about as seriously as those in which it’s directed. Faith’s civilian scenes don’t carry quite the same energy, but he does a solid job of ensuring that even beneath her oversized wig and frumpy clothes, Faith’s personality is never far from the surface. Sauvage lends her own flair to the book’s daydream sequences, punctuating Faith’s obsession with romance and pop culture in a way that’s wholly entertaining, if not a bit telling.
As a launching point for a new mini, Faith #1 gets a lot right. Its lead is imminently likeable, its conflict is obvious, if undercooked, and its investment value ends on a high note. Faith Herbert is a unique individual, even amongst a cluttered hero landscape, and the team of Houser, Portela and Sauvage do fine work in ensuring that that remains the case. Welcome to the big leagues, Faith. You’ve made it.
The Verdict
Faith is the latest Valiant mini to get off to a good start, Houser and Co. making great initial use of the fan favorite character. The plot is a bit threadbare as of yet, but the strong characterization and referential air, paired with the enjoyable art of Portela and Sauvage, go a long way in earning return readership.
Editors' Choice
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