Dazzler and friends put on the musical performance of their lives in the pop-tastic Concert of Champions #1.
Concert of Champions #1 is a one-shot sequel to writer Jason Loo’s recent Dazzler series, set at a music festival headlined by herself, Luna Snow, and Lila Cheney. Nothing is ever that simple, though, and when the party is crashed by a demonic band with nefarious goals, it’s up to them —and Spider-Gwen— to save the day.
Dazzler always represented a side of the Marvel Universe I wish we got to see more of, namely rockstar superheroes, so the premise of Concert of Champions #1 is exceedingly clever. (As is the title itself, obviously a play on Contest of Champions.) Pairing her with Marvel Rivals breakout Luna Snow is equally apt; she’s essentially a K-Pop Dazzler. There’s actually a real, recorded version of the song that is performed at the end of the issue if one is so inclined to find it, which is the sort of effort a character like Dazzler deserves. We stan!
Although Concert of Champions #1 is a spinoff of Loo’s Dazzler, you don’t really need to have read that limited series before this one, which is useful for readers coming in specifically because of Luna Snow, Gwen Stacy, or even Lila Cheney for that matter. (There are dozens of Lila stans!) This is a self-contained one-and-done, but I would highly recommend reading the aforementioned Dazzler anyway, because it makes some interesting points about culture wars and diversity backlash through the lens of a pop star such as herself. The plot of this one-shot isn’t especially deep —it’s pop girlies versus demons— but that’s besides the point here. The girls and the gays wanna see their divas interacting! If that sounds like something you’re interested in, then go ahead.
Loo has a good handle on Alison (as seen in his Dazzler) and gives her more dimensionality than we usually get to see from her. I wish that series were an ongoing, but alas, such is the fate of X-Men who reside below the B-List. Artists Rafael Loureiro & Ruairi Coleman’s art perfectly matches the lighter, bubblegum tone of Loo’s script, and color artists Yen Nitro w/ Fer Sifuentes-Sujo keep their visuals bright and vibrant. It’s an overall impressive package that is a must-read for fans of any of the characters within, but especially Dazzler. Duh!
Credits
- Writer: Jason Loo
- Artists: Rafael Loureiro & Ruairi Coleman
- Color Artists: Yen Nitro w/ Fer Sifuentes-Sujo
- Letterer: VC's Ariana Maher
- Cover Artists: Javier Garrón & Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Credits (cont)
- Editor: Martin Birio
- Publisher: Marvel Entertainment
