Review: Jupiter Jet #1
In the grand tradition of strong female characters, Jacqueline “Jacky” Johnson takes to the skies in a Robin Hood tale with a science fiction twist. Jupiter Jet #1 in a steampunk-y version of the 1940s. Jacky and her brother Chuck are struggling to keep their parents’ auto repair shop open despite financial woes (and the fact that they are children with no adult supervision). While the two use their smarts and Jacky’s jetpack to watch out for their neighbors and redistribute wealth, their do-good attitude has left little time or money to take care of themselves. The threat of leaving the city for a rural life with their Aunt and Uncle looms large over them, until said Uncle shows up and offers his farm for collateral against the shop.
The first issue leaves plenty of open-ended questions: what are the mysterious power sources Chuck and Jacky keep discovering? Who were the Johnson parents? And who are the figures lurking in the shadows? But it also builds a strong platform on which to answer those questions.
The writing from Jason Inman and Ashley Victoria Robinson is charming without being shallow. Of particular interest is how Chuck managed to turn what could have been a restrictive wardrobe into the female equivalent of Batman’s Utility Belt. Before the book is over, Inman and Robinson manage to squeeze in a little taste of what’s coming up, and I was delighted to see that space travel isn’t far off for our teenaged heroine.
Ben Matsuya, Mara Jayne Carpenter, and Taylor Esposito create the perfect aesthetic for this innovative world. Jacky soars through the sky with grace, but once she hits the ground she can’t manage to walk in a straight line without tripping. The movement comes off as a character trait, however, rather than a gag. Instead of seeming like a teenage girl cliché, it shows why Jacky might prefer the clouds.
Story: Jason Inman and Ashley Victoria Robinson Line Art: Ben Matsuya
Colors: Mara Jayne Carpenter Letters: Taylor Esposito
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy
Action Lab Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
