Huck

Even if the narrative gets darker around the edges with the introduction of Mrs. Jones’ connection to a probably evil Siberian scientist and the general media storm, Huck #2 continues to be a study in optimism for Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque. Huck continues to help ordinary people in extraordinary ways even if he is surrounded by news choppers and random people. At this point, Orlov doesn’t quite fit into the story and is a throwback to Russian villain trope, but Huck #2 more than makes up for this slight hiccup with evocative storytelling, a hopeful tone, and the introduction of tension in the plot for this exemplary hero.

Huck, an Image Comics series starting on Nov. 18, is very different in tone compared to much of their past work, but that just means more excitement for writer Mark Millar and artist Rafael Albuquerque. “I like doing different things,” said Millar via Skype interview today. “In the past two, three years I have tried …

Huck #1 is wholesome like a Red Delicious Apple and not saccharine like whatever chemicals they put in diet soda. It’s all-American like the smell of your favorite pie or sweet baked like your grandma or freshly mowed grass on a Friday morning before the first high school football game of the season without the jingoism or exceptionalism that has marred this country. (The fact that it was written by a Scottish person and drawn by a Brazilian definitely helps in that category.) Basically, Huck #1 is the most hopeful and uplifting comic that has come out in 2015 so far with a good hearted and admirable main character, a setting that lets Rafael Albuquerque show off the softer side of his watercolor style, and a compelling final page cliffhanger plotted by Mark Millar.