Written by: Peter J. Tomasi and Keith Champagne
Art by: Peter Snejbjerg and Chris Samnee
Publisher: Dark Horse
Have you ever wondered what would happen if an all-powerful Superhero like Superman decided that he was the deciding factor in all earthly decisions? Would he be able to correctly decide what was best for humanity, or would his judgment be skewed by a mass amount of power? More importantly, what would happen if this superhero had a private security force created in his image? The writing team of Peter Tomasi and Keith Champagne teamed up with artists Peter Snejbjerg and Chris Samnee to delve into this topic with issues 1-12 of The Mighty.
The Mighty is the story of a superhero named Alpha 1 who was supposed to be the product of nuclear testing in 1952. Alpha 1, who didn’t have a known name at the time, fell into the ocean while a nuclear test was happening and gained amazing powers. Alpha 1 quickly became the world’s only superhero, and he used these powers to protect earth for more than 50 years. In this time, Alpha 1 formed a privately funded group, Section Omega, which focused purely on public relations and cleaning up the areas affected by his powers. Unfortunately, a tragic death forced a young assistant named Gabriel Cole into the leadership role at Section Omega, and he became Alpha 1’s right hand man.
Strangely, Gabriel Cole has a unique history with Alpha 1 in that he was saved as a young boy by Alpha 1 while his parents died. Since that moment, Alpha 1 protected Cole until he took on the role of Captain at Section Omega. Once elected, Cole quickly became Alpha 1’s best friend/chum, as well as his main backup during risky missions. In fact, Cole grew so close with Alpha 1 that he became the only person alive to visit Alpha 1’s hidden sanctuary. However, Cole’s close ties to Alpha 1 led to some disturbing moments and a series of events that made absolutely no sense. Was there more to Alpha 1 than what originally appeared, or was he the true hero of modern time?
The Mighty is a phenomenal story with one of the more intriguing plotlines around. Alpha 1 is a fantastic character, but he takes a backseat to Gabriel Cole. Cole is a hero that you actually cheer for, and his struggle with running a company, assisting Alpha 1, and keeping his wife happy is a major storyline. This story actually makes a series revolving around a superhero more believable because of the everyday factors. Plus, Cole has a variety of characters that he interacts with that make the story better, including the former Captains of Section Omega, at least the ones that are still alive. For some reason, the leaders of Section Omega have a history of dying or going crazy while on the job, which makes Cole extremely suspicious. Plus, he meets Captain Rhines, a man who is bat-crap crazy but very entertaining.
Look, I can’t delve into the details about why The Mighty is a fantastic story, but rest assured that it is a must-read. Tomasi and Champagne crafted a story that asks about the other side of being a superhero and follows the tough decisions that have to be made. Alpha 1 is a much more bearable version of Superman, and he has some fun powers to play with. Sure, Alpha 1 has some strange behavior at times, but he is exceptionally interesting while trying to save the planet, no matter the costs.
The Mighty may have a fantastic story, but how is the art? To be frank, The Mighty has a great, realistic art style created by Peter Snejbjerg and Chris Samnee. This art style may be darker than other comics, but it fits perfectly with the tone of the comic. Plus, this art style lends a certain weight to the story that would be missing with a brighter and more whimsical style. The characters are quite realistic looking, and the art style just makes them pop, especially when these characters are losing body parts.
Honestly, I can’t say much more about The Mighty because this is a story that must be experienced. I would be doing a disservice if I spoiled the story of Alpha 1 and Gabriel Cole, but this is a deeply interesting story that combines with a perfectly created art style. You should definitely read The Mighty and enjoy this great creation.
