GRAPHIC NOVELS

Protectors Inc.

by J. Michael Straczynski
Gordon Purcell & others (illus.). Protectors Inc. Vol. 1. Image. 2014. 160p. ISBN 9781632150493. pap. $12.99. Rated: M. SUPERHERO
COPY ISBN
Corporations and superheroes. This combination does not bode well. In Straczynski's Protectors Inc., the calm world in which superheroes fight one another in spectacle like a professional wrestling match takes a dark turn when one of them shows up murdered. The corporation doesn't want to harm the image of its product, and the only one willing to pursue the truth is a detective who isn't impressed by the beings with supernatural powers. Straczynski's writing is solid as usual. Those who have read the author's Ultimate Spider-Man run know he's great at blending real-life issues with superheroes, making them seem like they belong in reality. The artwork by Purcell, Andrew Pepoy, and Michael Atiyeh is serviceable but nothing stellar; it doesn't seem gritty enough for the story. Even so, it is a graphic novel that is enjoyable to read.
VERDICT As a murder mystery, Protectors Inc. draws the reader in and sets the scene for further issues. The main character isn't that compelling, but he's just the eyes and ears for the reader. It's the universe of superheroes being corporately owned that's so intriguing. For readers who enjoy murder mysteries and superheroes.
Reviewed by Ryan Claringbole, Coll. Lib. at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison , Jul 04, 2014
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