120. Incorruptible by Mark Waid

Incorruptible by Mark Waid. Art by Jean Diaz (Canada) - (USA)
Incorruptible, Vol. 1

Pages: 128 pages
Ages: 18+
Finished: June 27, 2010
First Published: Jun.1, 2010
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Genre: graphic novel, superhero
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

Max is gonna be p*ssed.

Acquired: Received a review copy from Harper Collins Canada.

Reason for Reading: I'm really enjoying the Irredeemable series and this is a parallel series which has the premise of the reverse happening. I was eager to read it as I have also become a big fan of Mark Waid.

Incorruptible is the story of Max Damage the world's toughest super villain, who was there the day that Plutonium turned evil going berserk and destroying the city. This hit Max with an epiphany, if the Plutonium was no longer the one saving the world there was no one else left who was able, except him. Max becomes a changed man and uses his incredible power for the benefit of humanity, though everyone is scared to death of him and finds it hard to believe. But Max has decided that saving the world is now his job.

I really liked Incorruptible and I think I'd say I liked it even more than the Irredeemable series. Things happen fast when Max is around. All his friends are villains and crooks so he has to turn them in when they break the law. Leaving him alone with his girlfriend, J@ilb@it, whom he won't have a s*xual relationship with anymore because of her age, no matter how hard she tries. Max goes after an evil scientist who is telling people he can give them superpowers but usually ends up killing them or worse. He goes back into his past where we can see how evil he truly was and we witness the day he watched Plutonium first go berserk which sent Max on a months long disappearance to do some soul searching. Finally Max goes head to head with a villain named Amberjack who is rumoured to have an inter-dimensional device to parallel worlds.

Max is a man of action. We learn an awful lot about him, his past, his character in just these first four chapters. He seems like he is going to be pretty much of a loner, he has his girlfriend and he has confided in the chief of police, and this is going to allow his character to grow much more quickly than if he were a member of a team. This publisher does say the book is recommended for ages 15 and up, but I'm not comfortable with that. This a much more adult presentation than Irredeemable. There is more violence and a lot of s*xual innuendo and behaviour. Parents will have to use their own judgment call on this.

The artwork is gorgeous, leaving a dark and edgy feel. The book ends with the usual Cover Gallery and then several pages preview of Waid's Potter's Field, which I've read and highly recommend. I'm very impressed with the character of Max Damage in this first volume and I eagerly await the second volume. It may be too soon to make a judgment call but I think this may be my favourite of the two series.