Joe Hill's The Cape: Fallen #1
IDW Publishing
Written by Jason Ciaramella
Art by Zach Howard
Colors by Nelson Daniel
Letters by Shawn Lee
Remember when we had very few comic book tv shows and movies? That seems like a lifetime ago at this point. We have so much of what we love now, and it seems like it has almost unlimited staying power. That wasn't the case when The Cape was on NBC. I will admit, I loved the show back then and the character. When it was cancelled, I had to find another way to get more Cape stories. Luckily, comics are always there to save the day and this is no exception. This week, I'm diving into the latest Cape story from IDW.
Leading up to this Fallen arc, we see a very different Eric than we are used to. For those who aren't caught up, a bit of a spoiler, Eric is no longer a hero and he now has some blood on his hands. I won't get into the how or why, because I want you to be able to go back and read those Cape stories for yourself. Eric has decided to get away to a place that he remembers very fondly from his past. As a matter of fact, we get to see a bit of that past and why this place means so much to him. When he arrives, it is definitely not as he remembered it. Not only that, but a surprising face from his past is already there. The reason why is pretty hilarious, given Eric's current state of mind, so I think you will get a kick out of it when you see it. Eric's reaction to this, and where the story goes from there, is quite interesting. It makes you wonder about the recent events leading up to this, and if there might still be some hope for our aptly titled "Fallen" hero. Speaking of that recent past, that is how this issue ultimately ends and sets up an already pivotal point in the story for the next issue.
I know I mentioned the TV show before, but this book is VERY different from that. This Eric has a very hard edge and is dealing with next level life changing issues right now. To see him through that lens, and to learn a bit more about his past, was very interesting. If you're a fan of The Cape, there probably isn't a whole lot you don't know already. If you aren't, this issue is actually a pretty good jumping on point, as things are relatively explained and you won't feel lost. There is also enough about Eric to get you at least initially invested in the character to keep reading on. While the focus isn't on action in this first issue, the character building is really engaging and I was definitely invested. The art by Zach Howard captures the mood very well, and helps give Eric that edge I was talking about. All in all, I'm just happy that The Cape is back and I hope this is the first of many more issues to come.
RATING: PULL / BUY