Edison Rex
Written by Chris Roberson Art by Dennis Culver Colors by Steve Downer Letters by John J. Hill Editing by Allison Baker Design by Dylan Todd
Reviewed by Niel Jacoby
Writer Chris Roberson has made no secret of his admiration of Superman, and like Mark Waid before him, he’s used that knowledge of the base formula to craft an amazing variation. The Superman/Lex Luthor dynamic has become one of the most well-known archetypal interactions in comics, and Roberson uses that familiarity to set up one hell of a twist, one which I will not spoil here. Though the bulk of the issue is dedicated to the history between Valiant and Edison Rex, Roberson’s charming dialogue and artist Dennis Culver’s gift for facial expressions keep it from getting dull.
Speaking of Culver, he and colorist Steve Downer are an amazing team. The background details of Edison’s lair add perfectly to the sense that Edison and Valiant have been fighting each other long enough for this final conversation to have its proper weight. Downer’s colors in particular are great, vibrant without being garish, and the shadows really add to the detail.
I’m not sure whether John J. Hill, the letterer, or Dylan Todd, who’s credited with design, is responsible for the logos of the characters, but regardless, the lettering is great, inobtrusive but still exciting. Whether Dylan is responsible for all the logos, or only the main logo of the book, it’s great work. I really like the Monkeybrain Comics logo in the book, though I don’t know if it’s newly designed.
To Sum Up
Edison Rex #1 is a great introduction to the main character, in all aspects of the book, and I eagerly await the second issue.