Jupiter’s Legacy #5 Review

Jupiter’s Legacy is one of those series that is plagued by delays and will be continuously plagued into the future. After all, it’s been one year since the previous issue came out, with a promise of another year long hiatus on the way. With all of that in mind, how exactly was Jupiter’s Legacy #5?  

  Well, honestly, I think I should start with some thoughts on the previous issues. In the year long wait some new reflections on those have sprung up in my mind. Those reflections being that the first three issues were really decompressed, with minimal character/story elements being given real development. Overall they had a plot that could have been covered in one good flashback sequence rather than three full-size issues.   The other problem was that its plot was something that had been done to death, “next generation of heroes is bored”. That is a concept that is really decades old by this point. The fourth issue is what really caught my attention, as it gave new life to the series by giving it a more endearing purpose/direction. Focusing now on a new, child, character it was infused with a sort of “coming of age” story energy. That is something that I really wanted to see continued.  

 

  In that way Jupiter’s Legacy #5 did not disappoint, as it continues the narrative of Jason Sampson very deftly. He’s probably the most consistently written character, and certainly the one that I care most about. Jason is simply where the optimism that Millar hopes to infuse actually comes to roost. There are two good scenes with him, and one which is a really good “Millar-esque” joke about secret identities.   Hutch and Chloe also get their due in this very issue, although their development either comes off as underplayed or rather sudden. Hutch has been a good laugh since he was introduced, but both of them never really came off as passionate or emotionally realized characters. This issue pushes them in the right direction with some excellently executed character moments, and I hope it’s something that continues.  

  Did this issue break the cycle of decompression? No, not really, but it did serve rather well as a finale to the first arc. With the way it ends one really hopes that the next issues focus more on story content. To save the great Frank Quitely for last, I can only really say that this was his best work on the series yet, looking more polished than the last few. Of course he keeps forgetting to do Chloe’s eyebrows, but better luck next year.