Tthe first issue of the Intrepids, was not a good first issue. It did not represented a good origin story to a first time audience. Yet, surprisingly enough the book sold well enough for Image to call it a hit. Issue two demonstrated a better representation of the characters and a more enthusiastic dramatic content. Although the book showed a better characterization and better chemistry between the characters and the artwork kept on being fresh and inventive. Is the third issue worth it?
Now the story of this issue is about Ms. Crow interrogating a man-bot named Jonah. The book shows that Dante might not be that nice and this actually plays well, since it might remind readers of the early Professor Xavier (when he was a jerk with the team; early Claremont/Byrne run). In the end Jonah, tells the Intrepids that they are not the first group Dante has created. This time around the cliffhanger, is better than ending with a killer baboon.
If there is a reason to pick this book, its the artwork as far as this issue shows us, is that the art continues being constant. It grows better in every issue showcasing a better sense on design and storytelling . The style is fast becoming more original; and it looks like the artist is finding his own voice. The art is not perfect as it seems the characters don't age in this comic. This issue presented one of the characters at fifteen years old (Ms. Crow) in a flashback but she looks the same as her present incarnation. Its a small detail but things like this, demonstrates that the storytelling has been taken seriously by the artist. Also a main character like Dante (the founder of the group) doesn't get drawn that much in full view, we don't get to see his face that much and when he appears in full view it makes him forgettable. Also this is the only character that in a flashback they actually look different. This time around artist Scott Kowalchuk, tends to look towards the iconic, perhaps to lure more new readers with a bit of flashy pages. It is also clear that Scott Kowalchuk's, transitions from panel to panel is his best trait.
Now the story, writer Kurtis J. Wiebe, has found the voices of the characters but the style of the book is yet to be determent. Elements of a punk like storytelling is part of the continuous adventures of this book. At times it might resemble the storytelling style of Madman. But it falls short at the end of every book. Because it has no defined style; we don't know whether this book is going for a serious angle or a more satirical one. At least this time around the story is more solid and shows more on the characters, but still the lack of info on this group is like the writer expects that the readers already know all these new characters and the world they live in. Teasing the readers on the background of each characters doesn't work well in this book, since what little they tell, doesn't give anything interesting to the characters. At times it feels that the book is about some core characters, instead of the group as a whole. The interaction between the characters has improved greatly, but it doesn't deliver any emotional charge like they intended to do.
Overall Score - 5.5/10
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