Story By: Steven T. Seagle
Art By: Mark Dos Santos
Cover By: Mark Dos Santos
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: ICSEP140727
Published: November 5, 2014
THIS IS THE DAY THAT WILL CHANGE A LIFE FOREVER! Seriously, it will. But how…? Will Mark take the ring of Katie—the woman who has chosen him to be her life-long soul mate? Or will Mark take the crown of Imperial—the hero who has selected him as mankind’s next great protector? Or is there some third option Mark could never see coming? (Probably that last one. That would be fun!)
Story By: Steven T. Seagle
Art By: Mark Dos Santos
Cover By: Mark Dos Santos
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: AUG140655
Published: October 8, 2014
Better than sex? That’s the party line that super heroic Imperial is towing for his protege hero-in-training, Mark. But even if it is better, does that mean Mark is willing to give it up—along with a lot of other human trappings? And what is the unholy menace that men call “Pancho Sarape?” Well, actually, he’s just a bad wedding DJ, but some things aren’t worth fighting over, right?
Imperial #3 has heaps of issues. It encompasses gobs of clichés, the main character is frustrating, and the story is completely devoid of originality. But the third issue is sure to evoke a couple of chuckles. Imperial is a tale of a goof who is chosen to reign as the next savior of earth. None of the storytelling will surprise you; its plot is very trite.
Steven T. Seagle’s main character Mark is an embodiment of the everyman. He isn’t sharp, nor is he in great shape. So of course Mark also happens to have a fiancée who is significantly more attractive than him. Mark is a male character that has been written thousands of times, and there’s a reason for that: it is a very relatable character. However, Seagle dumbs down Mark far too much. Mark is supposed to be relatable, but for most of the comic, I rolled my eyes at how dimwitted he is.
Even though Mark is a very irritating character, Seagle is able to create a couple of funny moments. Mark’s interactions with the current Imperial can be quite humorous.
Imperial #3 continues a problem the miniseries has had since its beginning: Mark’s fiancée Katie appears sparingly. The book is to only last one more issue. The entire situation Mark has faced greatly affects Katie, so she should be included in the story much more.
Imperial’s clichéd themes are the most frustrating part of the comic. They only make the book more predictable. Every story doesn’t need a profound nor an original message to be enjoyable, but it needs a few unique twists.
Mark Dos Santos’ art is the book’s best quality. The humor and the bit of a charm the book possesses is mainly thanks to the art of Dos Santos. He nails facial expressions; they help make Mark’s character funnier and more enjoyable. Dos Santos’ art isn’t flashy, but the clean-cut style suits the comic well.
Thus far, Imperial would be lucky to be called a mediocre comic book. The miniseries has been easily forgettable to this point, and its third issue is the worst installment yet.
Story: Steven T. Seagle Art: Mark Dos Santos
Story: 3.00 Art: 8.00 Overall: 3.5 Recommendation: Pass
Story By: Steven T. Seagle
Art By: Mark Dos Santos
Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: JUL140550
Published: September 10, 2014
ALL TREMBLE BEFORE THE EVIL THAT IS METERAX AND HIS… ah, you know what? Who gives a damn? Mark’s wedding to Katie is looming and he still hasn’t learned how to fly or gotten a superhero costume yet. But it’s Imperial who gets a lesson when Mark teaches him how to make s’mores: Jab it–Heat it–Stack it–Squish it. Now that’s worth saving the world for.
Mark is two weeks out from making the biggest decision of his life. But which big decision will it be? Taking the ring of the woman of his dreams and becoming a married man? Or taking the crown of the world’s only superhero and becoming the next Imperial?
Writer Steven T. Seagle and artist Marc Dos Santos team for a superhero buddy comic clearly is focused on Mark’s commitment issues. Imperial #1 is a good first issue. Unfortunately it comes at a time when there’s a glut of series taking on the topic of the schlep suddenly dealing with powers (either having them, or everyone else but them having them). So the question is, does the series have something new to say that’s different? And the answer is, I’m not quite sure yet.
The first issue does set up who Mark is quite well. The man is getting married, he has this superhero thing thrust at him, and he seems to have issues committing to either. So, is that the series? It’s hard to say for one issue, but it’s an interesting direction to go, and could stand out because of that focus.
Dos Santos’ art fits the series nicely. Nothing jumps out at me, but overall there characters all look unique and as individuals. Also, since there’s not a lot of superhero-dom in the first issue, the focus is on real world things like a restaurant, a forest. Dos Santos’ style pulls all them off quite well, showing his style is versatile.
Overall, the first issue is good. It doesn’t quite jump out to me, especially due to the fact there’s numerous series out there right now with a similar plot. But, there’s more than enough there to get me to come back and see where it goes from here.
Story By: Steven T. Seagle Art By: Marc Dos Santos Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Story By: Steven T. Seagle
Art By: Marc Dos Santos
Cover By: Marc Dos Santos
Cover Price: $3.50
Digital Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: JUN140469
Published: August 6, 2014
Mark is two weeks out from making the biggest decision of his life. But which big decision will it be? Taking the ring of the woman of his dreams and becoming a married man? Or taking the crown of the world’s only superhero and becoming the next Imperial? STEVEN T. SEAGLE (THE RED DIARY/ THE RE[A]D DIARY, Genius, it’s a bird…) teams with MARK DOS SANTOS for a buddy book with commitment issues.
Steven T. Seagle teams up with artist Mark Dos Santos for a bromantic comedy with hero chops in Imperial, coming this August from Man of Action and Image Comics. Seagle teases, “It’s a buddy book with serious commitment issues.”
Mark is a couple of weeks out from the biggest day of his life—his wedding day—but then fate steps in and pulls the rug out from under him. He is faced with an impossible choice: Marry the woman who loves, understands, and puts up with his (many) human failings? Or, leave her at the altar in order to take up the helm of the world’s one and only superhero, Imperial? Up until now, there was nothing in Mark’s life to suggest that he was the least bit remarkable, so why would the retiring Imperial choose him to be the protector of all mankind? Why now? And how will learning to shoot laser beams from his eyes impact Mark’s rehearsal dinner schedule? If the choice is superhero cred vs. true love—does Mark disappoint the world… or the woman of his dreams?
Imperial #1 arrives in stores on 8/6 and is available to pre-order with Diamond Code JUN140469.