I’ve been reading more and more Image Comics series the last
few months. I love the freedom their model allows to creators, and it pays off
in a big way; series like Saga and The Wicked + the Divine are some of the
best things I’ve read, comics or otherwise. Which is why I got excited when I
saw the series Secret Identities
(written by Brian Joines and Jay Faerber, art by Ilias Kyriazis and Charlie
Kirchoff). The story is about a superhero team (think an alternate universe
Justice League) who accepts a new member who is, unbeknownst to them, a mole
working to learn their dark secrets and bring the team down from the inside.
And boy, do they ever have dark secrets.
That sounds like a hell of a story to me. A superhero story
with the political intrigue and backstabbing of Game of Thrones or House of
Cards? Sign me up! And while the comic itself is solid, I couldn’t help but
feel underwhelmed by it after I finished. If you need a simple recommendation,
I’d say it’s worth checking out if you like superhero comics and aren’t
expecting some intricate political gamesmanship/Avengers mash-up. As a heads
up, the rest of the review will include spoilers, so if you want to preserve
the twists for when you read it, this is your last warning.