Minor Threats: The Brood

Napoleon Archimedes has it all.  He’s the arch-nemesis of the world’s greatest superhero and has confounded her and her comrades time and time again.  As  industrialist Stanley Tyler, he makes a fortune providing the tech the world runs on.  In addition to being married to the greatest assassin in the world, he also has three children with their own unique specialties:  Agatha, Benny, and Simon.  Managing who’s going to succeed him has been difficult due to what his kids want, but it has just become a priority.  Because Napoleon Archimedes has found out that he’s going to die and he’s not going to do so without making sure that his legacy is intact.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this latest “Minor Threats” spinoff miniseries as while it was set to feature art from the always-great I.N.J. Culbard, it was being written by a film and TV guy, Heath Corson.  Surprisingly, because this is his first comics work, Corson makes a favorable impression for most of this miniseries, delivering solid characterization for Napoleon Archimedes and his *ahem* brood while also keeping the superhero trappings of the series feeling fresh as well.  Culbard’s art livens this up as well, delivering work that’s as precise as its main character.

The only problem, and it’s kind of a big one, is that this four-issue miniseries REALLY needed another issue at the end.  Corson structures things so that the first three issues are individual character portraits, and that works really well.  Then we get to the final issue which winds up having to pull double duty as Simon’s spotlight and as a wrap-up for the story and doesn’t really satisfy as either.  That makes “The Brood” a disappointment in the end, but still worth reading for fans of the franchise and possibly a reason to check out future comics work from Corson – assuming he manages the space he’s given better next time.