Every great hero has a great villain. In real life, there is no person that is all good or all evil.  That is why the dichotomy between Professor X and Magneto is so compelling. Many essayists like to compare them to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, which I find to be a lazy contrast. Their relationship was a bit more nuanced and was aligned together at one time where MLK and Malcolm X were never aligned in any of their views. That is why when readers find a good antagonist, they can be more intriguing than the hero, like in the Black Panther film.

In 133Art’s second issue of One Nation, we meet our hero’s rogue. Who are ‘the Tenth’ and what do they want from our hero!

We are taken to 1991 Los Angeles, where a young man gets pulled over for simply being black in a white neighborhood, right before a tragedy occurs, Paragon steps in and sends the police on their way. We find out exactly how he gained his autonomy, becoming the United States military’s super-powered being, going on missions only he can carry out with reduced casualties. Which brings them from Kuwait to Los Angeles, carrying out missions domestically which local law enforcement can’t? By the issue’s end, we find Paragon facing a new threat and we meet some of his super-powered team.

Overall, an action-packed issue which dives deeper into this world. The story by Jason Reeves and Alverne Ball is exhilarating. The art by Reeves and Luis Guerrero is beguiling. Altogether, an excellent issue of this hero and his journey.

Story: Jason Reeves and Alverne Ball Art: Jason Reeves and Luis Guerrero
Story: 9.8 Art: 9.7 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

The crazy thing about being first in anything is that no one has ever seen what you have done before. I can think of how people never thought that America would ever see a Black president. The world thought we would see a female president beforehand and it is almost befuddling to think for either milestone it took until the 21^st century to seriously think of it. As far as America finally having a President of color, it somehow could cross that threshold without first looking at its ugly history.

When Milestone Comics came on the scene years before we had even seriously pondered these possibilities, it came with a bit of skepticism. These heroes purported some of the same avenues as other superheroes, just they had melanin.  Since then, many creators have taken up that mantle to mixed results. In 133Art’s One Nation, we find another hero, with a deeper hue, but with as much valor.

We are taken to 1991 Kuwait, where an Army platoon is carrying out a search and destroy mission, and where we meet our hero, Deacon, whose unit has come under heavy fire from an ambush, and using his powers becomes the only way any of them gets out of this firefight alive. As we go back in time to 1971 Louisiana, where a bunch of ruffians is chasing a black couple down the road where they coincide with the crashing of a yellow object falling from the sky, where a humanoid boy lay. Fast Forward 10 years later, and Deacon is 10 human years older, seemingly normal, until a flood forces him and his family off the road to car mishap, making it the first time Deacon uses his powers to get him and his family safe. By the issue’s end, Deacon’s road to becoming Paragon is littered with lies and bodies, a path he intends to set clear.

Overall, an engaging debut that has shadows of some familiar characters but happens to be more interesting. The story by Jason Reeves and Alverne Ball is exciting. The art by Reeves and Luis Guerrero is enticing. Altogether, an exquisite take on the superhero genre, that looks to be more appealing than its predecessors.

Story: Jason Reeves and Alverne Ball
Art: Jason Reeves and Luis Guerrero
Story: 9.8 Art: 9.7 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy