Check out Our Mildly Spoiler-ish Mockingbird #1 Review!
Writer: Chelsea Cain
Artist: Kate Niemczyk
Color Artist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Trying to hop on the Agents of SHIELD hype, Marvel has granted Bobbi Morse, aka Mockingbird, her very first solo title. For those not familiar with the writer of this new book, Chelsea Cain penned the brilliant SHIELD 50th Anniversary Mockingbird Special, and if one can be said to be a Mockingbird expert, it is Cain.
Cain’s Bobbi Morse is on full display with Mockingbird #1 because this book is good. This book is very, very good. The story is so fascinatingly simple; something is wrong with Bobbi Morse. The book tracks her to doctor visit after doctor visit as her body and mind begins to unravel. The story is told non-linearly and in the issue’s text page, Cain promises that each little curious story beat will be explained in a subsequent issue. It’s a unique way to tell a story and it works; this is mostly because the mystery is very intriguing. In addition to the deft plotting, Cain has Morse’s voice down. This is a perfect melding of writer and character and while Cain is a newcomer to the world of Marvel, I really hope the powers that be allow her to play with more of Marvel’s toys.
Kate Niemczyk’s art is note-perfect for the story and blends humor with true terror to capture Cain’s tale of humor and mystery. Rachelle Rosenberg’s colors pop off the page as she establishes the dreariness of the doctor’s waiting room as well as the bombastic designs of the action pieces.
This might all sound very new and different, but rest assured, this is the classic Mockingbird. This is the same lady spy fans have loved from the West Coast Avengers days as her classic origins and history are front and center. This new title should appeal to both old school fans and new fans that discovered the character on Marvel TV. It is a crowded marketplace right now, but this book is a must-add to the discerning pull list.
