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dkmode's review
3.0
I find this character sorta fascinating, partly because he's got an interesting arc and partly because I want to see what Paul Jenkins - a middle-aged comic book writer of mostly poor taste - thinks sadomasochism is. His theory? A dude who's really into piercings.
Anyways, this is a fine, forgettable superhero story. Terrible art though.
Anyways, this is a fine, forgettable superhero story. Terrible art though.
infinitespeculation's review
5.0
I knew this was going to be dark, but I didn't realise just how dark it would get by the end. Not an essential read in terms of continuity by any means, coming as it does between Faith In Monsters and Caged Angels, neither of which really lead into or reference this book, but an essential read in terms of entertainment value.
I enjoyed the character of Penance immensely as envisaged by Warren Ellis - I thought the arc of this character was interesting enough, even without it being fleshed out to the extent we see here, but I worried about the overall quality of this volume. I had never heard of either Jenkins or Gulacy, not having read a huge amount of Marvel work previously. I really needn't have been concerned. The writing is consistent, with an interesting, twisting storyline featuring guest stars aplenty (without it turning into a ham-fisted super mash-up), and the artwork is of a high quality. In certain action scenes it was slightly difficult to tell in which direction momentum was taking characters, but that would really be my only complaint on that front. Close-ups and atmospheric panels are consistent highlights throughout, and the pacing is perfect, as is the panel layout.
Relentless is the title of the book, and relentless is exactly what Penance is. He absolutely will not be stopped or swayed from his quest, which I won't spoil by discussing here. Suffice to say, it's a dark and personal mission, so don't expect to see a ton of the other Thunderbolts members. They are present, but the spotlight is on Penance for this one, using his character to weave a tragic tale of a fallen hero trying to earn redemption in the eyes of a public that hates him. How he goes about this displays exactly the kind of amoral figure he has become, raising interesting questions about his personal mindset and the importance of justice, whatever the cost. Penance is fanatical in his quest, in every sense of the word - anyone who has read the preceding Thunderbolts material knows exactly what's happening to him under that suit - and it seems clear that he is suffering severe internal struggles. How dangerous he potentially is to himself and to others around him is never far from the minds of everyone involved (well aside from Norman Osborn of course), and early parts of the story where we see him being trailed, analysed and discussed have an almost asylum like quality to them, as if he is a subject to be studied rather than a person.
In conclusion, whilst the events of the book don't have a huge impact on the Marvel world as a whole, the story, characterisation, plot and artwork all raise this book far above the level I expected for what was essentially a spinoff to fill time whilst Warren Ellis was too busy to write the core series. There are no origin stories here, no explanations of history save what's needed to establish motivation. Just a great character in a good story, with a stellar supporting cast.
I enjoyed the character of Penance immensely as envisaged by Warren Ellis - I thought the arc of this character was interesting enough, even without it being fleshed out to the extent we see here, but I worried about the overall quality of this volume. I had never heard of either Jenkins or Gulacy, not having read a huge amount of Marvel work previously. I really needn't have been concerned. The writing is consistent, with an interesting, twisting storyline featuring guest stars aplenty (without it turning into a ham-fisted super mash-up), and the artwork is of a high quality. In certain action scenes it was slightly difficult to tell in which direction momentum was taking characters, but that would really be my only complaint on that front. Close-ups and atmospheric panels are consistent highlights throughout, and the pacing is perfect, as is the panel layout.
Relentless is the title of the book, and relentless is exactly what Penance is. He absolutely will not be stopped or swayed from his quest, which I won't spoil by discussing here. Suffice to say, it's a dark and personal mission, so don't expect to see a ton of the other Thunderbolts members. They are present, but the spotlight is on Penance for this one, using his character to weave a tragic tale of a fallen hero trying to earn redemption in the eyes of a public that hates him. How he goes about this displays exactly the kind of amoral figure he has become, raising interesting questions about his personal mindset and the importance of justice, whatever the cost. Penance is fanatical in his quest, in every sense of the word - anyone who has read the preceding Thunderbolts material knows exactly what's happening to him under that suit - and it seems clear that he is suffering severe internal struggles. How dangerous he potentially is to himself and to others around him is never far from the minds of everyone involved (well aside from Norman Osborn of course), and early parts of the story where we see him being trailed, analysed and discussed have an almost asylum like quality to them, as if he is a subject to be studied rather than a person.
In conclusion, whilst the events of the book don't have a huge impact on the Marvel world as a whole, the story, characterisation, plot and artwork all raise this book far above the level I expected for what was essentially a spinoff to fill time whilst Warren Ellis was too busy to write the core series. There are no origin stories here, no explanations of history save what's needed to establish motivation. Just a great character in a good story, with a stellar supporting cast.
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