Faith #0

By Former Contributor
On 17 December 201416 June 2017
1

by Joshua Dysart, Robert Gill

The story

Faith has always been a fan favorite character so it was great to see her finally take center stage in her own book, even if only for one issue. Joshua Dysart has shaped and molded her personality over the last couple of years, but it is in this book that she finally has a chance to shine, and I am amazed at how much her character has developed since her introduction in the Harbinger ongoing. Much of that has to do with the fact that part of the story takes place during Faith’s childhood, while the other happens in the world today. It was great seeing how her attitude towards life and her love of comics shapes not only who she is, but also the person she still longs to be.

Dysart is well known as a character writer, and there isn’t another character in this part of the Valiant universe with more personality than Faith (and maybe Harada). The plot point with her relationship with her boyfriend Torque proves to be very interesting and something that hadn’t been explored very much in the past. With all the crazy things that Faith, Torque, and the rest of the Renegades have undergone over the last couple of years, it’s interesting that their personal relationships were only glossed over so it was great to see just how much the destruction of Mexico City has impacted these characters and the very different directions each wants to take after those events. While much of this book provides a great deal of fan service, it is a great introduction to Faith for new readers as well. Not only do we get to experience various moments in her life, but also get a nice recap of everything she’s been through since joining the Harbinger Foundation.

The art

Robert Gill continues to be one of my favorite artists in the Valiant stable and I am very impressed with his work in this issue. There are a few panels where facial structures seem a little oddly shaped, but there’s no doubt that Gill can bring a script to life, which is particularly important on a book as character heavy and light on action as this one is. His work on the Armor Hunters: Harbinger miniseries proved that he can pencil great, dynamic action sequences, but with Punk Mambo #1 and Faith #0, Gill is proving to the world that he can draw just about anything with as much emotional gravitas as any artist in the industry today.

Overall

Faith #0 is a great origin story for a well-loved character. Dysart continues to push his craft forward and prove why he is one of the best character writers working for any publisher today. Pick this book up!