Huck #1 is the latest project from writing mega star Mark Millar which tells the story of a plain clothes superhero who looks after his small hometown in exchange for them keeping his secret. With American Vampire’s Raphael Albuquerque on art, will this be a title which cleans up the shelves, or is it simply something which deserves to be kept secret?

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Raphael Albuquerque
Price: £2.49/$3.99 from ComiXology

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Huck #1 begins the eponymous story of a gas station attendant in his rural home town. However, unlike regular gas station attendants, Huck has a secret: He is  super-strong and super-agile – a super-hero, if you will. Every day of his life, Huck enjoys helping people and therefore tasks himself with committing one good deed a day, asking only of the townsfolk that they keep his abilities secret. However, when one of his good deeds gets media attention and someone spills his secret, Huck finds himself thrust into the spotlight.

The first instalment in this series, Huck #1 is a simple story, but a hugely engrossing concept. Mark Millar has really created a story with an incredibly innocent and heartwarming feel which seems to have been heavily inspired by early Superman. A lot of what makes this book good is the depiction of Huck. While producing very little of the issue’s dialogue, what he does say, and more importantly does, makes him into an intriguing mystery. He is written as very a humble character, with many Superman-like traits, (as shown during the rescue of the schoolgirls) and you can’t help but root for Huck by the end – which results in feeling some major heartbreak for him once you reach the issue’s cliffhanger.

Of course, it’s not just the writing that imbues this upbeat atmosphere as Raphael Albuquerque’s art makes a major contribution here. His pencils are so light and rough along the edges that it gives every panel this wonderfully rural look. While his colours are so warm that it just helps to hit home the books upbeat and hopeful feelings. Of course, not only does Albuquerque reinforce the aesthetic of the landscape with his art but he also produces some fantastic panels of superheroic feats throughout, such as hanging to the bottom of a plane or diving into the water from a cliff, reminding us of just how special Huck is.

“Millar and Albuquerque have created the kind of wholesome and vibrant hero that comics should be all about and that titles from the Big Two just do not seem to do these days. Whether you are a fan of Millar’s work or not, make sure your good deed for today is to check out Huck, you won’t regret it!”