Writer: Eric Heisserer
Art: Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín
Publisher: Valiant Comics
Summary:
The government has dispatched Amanda McKee – the technopath codenamed Livewire – to investigate the ruins of a secret facility formerly run by Toyo Harada, the most powerful telepath on Earth and her former mentor. In his quest for world betterment at any cost, Harada sought out and activated many potential psiots like himself. Those who survived, but whose powers he deemed to have no value to his cause, were hidden away at this installation. But Livewire, having studied Harada’s greatest strengths and learned his deepest weaknesses, senses opportunity where he once saw failure. A young girl who can talk to birds… A boy who can make inanimate objects gently glow… To others, these are expensive disappointments. But, to Livewire, they are secret weapons…in need of a leader. Now, as a mechanized killer called Rex-O seeks to draw them out, Livewire and her new team of cadets will be forced to put their powers into action…in ways they never could have imagined…
SECRET WEAPONS works on multiple levels. We will get into the main two levels – story and art – shortly, but on a personal level, the book’s setting is my favorite part. SECRET WEAPONS takes place in downtown Oklahoma City near Bricktown, a place I’ve been many times. While I am a Nashville native, OKC and surrounding areas is home to almost all of my family. Seeing Livewire and the psiots she is working to protect roam streets that I’ve personally driven is pretty awesome. I’m sure New Yorkers are tired of it, what with 98% of the Marvel universe rampaging through NYC, but as a son of two Okies, I love seeing it represented in comics.
SECRET WEAPONS looks and reads beautifully. It is written by Arrival screenwriter Eric Heisserer, who is also the screenwriter for the upcoming Bloodshot and Harbinger films. It appears that this might be his comic book debut, and it’s damn fine. The characters are unique, and the odd powers the psiots exhibit (making inanimate objects glow, talking to birds, etc.) lead to some really good comic relief when the story gets dark. Heisserer is joined by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín, who go the extra mile to deliver some truly beautiful art. Allén has such a unique style that almost resembles a type of pop art, and Martín’s colors are beautifully vibrant. One of the coolest things about this book is the work Heisserer and Allén put into making the setting authentic. Each of the major locations are modeled after real-life landmarks in Oklahoma City, and that attention to detail sets this book apart.
If you’ve never picked up a Valiant title before, this is a good place to start. The creative team hit a home-run with all facets of this book. SECRET WEAPONS hits the stands on on June 28th, so tell your shop to order you a copy or two!
