Josh Jaffe is living the dream: from suburban schlub to superhero in one easy swallow of a shady Internet drug. This is where his nightmare starts. An unflinching humanity and surreal level of detail to this tale of a midlife crisis—with superpowers!

Is Jacked another male empowerment fantasy? Yup, you better believe, it, but writer Eric Kripke seems to wear what the series is on its sleeve. This is the male midlife crisis through the lens of superpowers. A mashing of Fight Club and Preacher with all of the ultraviolence as you might expect combining the two.

The series is absolutely male empowerment with Jaffe taking a pill to make all his issues go away. That pill allows him to have sex for longer, beat up individuals, and in general feel like a winner as opposed to how he normally feels. Still, even with that rather antiquated view, the story is still entertaining giving us an over the top superhero story for the midlife crisis set.

Part of the issue’s success is John Higgins whose art depicts the bloody glory as if tapping in to Vertigo releases of the past. The violence is ultra and over the top, reminding me a lot of Preacher.

This comic isn’t for everyone, and it’s very clear as to what it is. Having said that, the series and issue is entertaining in its over the top nature that you can’t take seriously. It’ll be interesting to see where it all goes and if Kripke has something to say as the series progresses, but for now this is a series that has no issue going over the top tip-toeing the line with silly. And due to that, it finds it’s sweet spot of entertaining.

Story: Eric Kripke Art: John Higgins
Story: 8.2 Art: 8.2 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

Vertigo provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Eric Kripke (creator of Supernatural) teams up with Vertigo veterans John Higgins and Glenn Fabry to bring you a very Vertigo take on the modern superhero in this six-issue miniseries. Josh Jaffe, a neurotic family man mid-midlife crisis, buys an online “smart pill” to increase his focus and jolt him out of his slump. But to Josh’s surprise, the pill gives him incredible strength and power—but its cost is that it’s extremely addictive.

Though I feel like we’ve seen similar stories, Jacked #1 has a brutal honesty about it that feels fresh and realistic. There’s very much hiighs and lows in this first issue, and using that, Kripke has given a comic that just feels relatable.

The main character Jaffe is an out of work guy, laid off, going from interview to interview, whose marriage has fizzled, wife is the bread winner, and to relax he turns to internet porn. So simple, but feels like something a lot of folks can relate to, even if it’s just one aspect of that.

The use of a pill to give special powers and abilities is something we’ve seen in other stories like Limitless and others, but again, Kripke brings on those powers slowly in a way that’s subtle and again relatable. How many of us go to the doctor for a magic pill? Jacked feels grounded, which is one of its great strengths.

Joining Kripke is Higgins on art and the details he puts in creates a comedic element to the first issue. With the art taken another way, the comic would be much more depressing than it is. It’s interesting in how the art really creates the tone in many ways.

Jacked #1 is an interesting start and another new Vertigo series revitalizing that publishing brand. It’s a solid debut, and though many elements are familiar, the comic itself has a voice of its own. Looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

Story: Eric Kripke Art: John Higgins
Story: 8 Art: 7.7 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review