Jupiter Jet #4 Review

Jupiter Jet Issue 4

Writers: Jason Inman & Ashley Victoria Robinson
Line Art: Ben Matsuya,
Colours: Mara Jayne Carpenter
Letters: Taylor Esposito

Review by Sean Frankling

I’m glad I stuck with Jupiter Jet. The first issue in the series was uneven at best, but it improved faster than I’ve ever seen. By this month’s fourth issue, the creative team have completely turned it around. Jupiter Jet grew up fast into an exciting all-ages adventure.

In this series, Jacky Johnson takes to the skies in an experimental jet pack. She robs from the rich to support her brother, Chuck and pay off the mob debt left to them after their father’s disappearance. In the process, the kids drew the attention of the shady Pluto Patriarch, who kidnapped Chuck in an attempt to reclaim the jetpack’s mysterious power source. Now, Jacky launches a mission to get her brother back.

This series has had impressive environmental art and a great flow in its action scenes from the beginning. That’s a huge plus, because those are the most important parts of staging an adventure centred around flight. In Jupiter Jet there’s a real depth to the panel. As a result, when Jacky soars over the ocean or weaves between building in the cities, the art puts you right there with her. In this issue, that clear communication of space is joined by bright, cheerful faces and dynamic figure work. That’s a big improvement on early art that sometimes dipped into the uncanny valley for creepy expressions that distracted from the story.

Likewise, the writing has shot up in quality. The first issues of this series suffered from awkward phrasing and over-done catch phrases in some spots. But I’m glad to say, that’s a problem the team have now completely overcome. With dialogue no longer standing in its own way, Jupiter Jet is developing a compelling story and a lovable hero to lead it. I dare you to read the page where Jacky appears in full costume for the first time without cheering.

As the story gets into full swing, there series is also growing thematically. This issue introduces the Children of Gaia, an underground resistance dedicated to fighting back against Patriarch’s shadowy organization. With the addition of that theming, Jacky becomes more than just a thief in costume. Now she’s a full-fledged hero, standing up to an elite who hoard technology for their own profit.

The Verdict:

Buy it. This series has graduated rapidly from “skip it” territory and through “wait and see.” Now it gets my wholehearted recommendation. If this team keeps improving at this rate, they’ll be turning out unprecedented masterpieces by next year.