Intrepids Issue #5 Written by Kurtis J Wiebe, Art by Scott Kowalchuk and Published by Image Comics. Retail Price: $2.99
Review Written by Shaun Daniels and Edited by Sharon Wong
We’re not sure how many different ways there are to say this, so let’s just say it in plain English…this series is FUN!!!!! A series which boasts a cyborg bear, jet packs and a monkey assault team, which would normally sound like fan service, is just high octane, action-packed fun from the creative team of Wiebe and Kowalchuk. A true harmony exists between this writer and artist and it pays off in spades with action, art and plot. Neither the writing nor the art get in the way of each other and is therefore, a must read for people who like fun. Sit back, kick up your feet and get ready for robot squid tomfoolery.
The Intrepids can finally put a face to the evil menace they have been hunting as they are on their final run of fighting Doctor Koi. The team finds themselves trying to prevent the unconscious Doctor from escaping with the aid of one of his creations, a giant robot squid. The interesting fact of this scene, which plays out over a majority of the issue, is the defensive nature of the robot as it is focused on saving Koi as opposed to killing the team. When Doctor Koi awakens, he calls off the robot with the conflict playing against type of an evil mad scientist. It is revealed that maybe the Doctor is not who the Intrepids think he is or at least his motives are different than previously thought of. The plot takes a big twist when a member of the team goes off the reservation and does something the reader will not see coming.
Wiebe takes a well-used troupe, as in the misunderstanding where two characters fight until they realize that they are heroes or that they are not enemies, and uses it without it feeling stale. In this case, when the Doctor comes to after being unconscious, he stops the fight, leaving us scratching our heads at his actions. Clearly, this moment is meant to set the stage for changing the reader’s feelings towards Doctor Koi (a name with a double meaning). This issue also is jammed-pack with flashbacks that sheds light on the characters motives and explains a few things for the series. Unfortunately, we can’t mention any of it without spoiling the book.
Kowalchuk looks like he is having fun on this series by putting great details into the robot squid, which in other hands, would seem absurd or goofy. He blends the classic Sunday comic look of the character with great retro tech, giving the series its stylized look. No one else makes giant robot squids look as cool as he does.
Scour eBay or raid local comic shops for this book and its previous issues before this initial arc/volume comes to a close. You’ll be able to say how you were into cyborg bears and robot squids way before everyone else was.
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