Kinetic

(DC, 2004–2005)
™ and © DC 2004 Kelley Puckett and Purepop Inc.

DC’s newest imprint, Focus, mixes gritty, real-world situations with super-hero elements. The latest Focus title is Kinetic, a series that stars Tom Morell as a senior in high school, suffering from a series of rare diseases. He’s also suffering from a smothering, overprotective mother, who believes that Tom is always on the verge of killing himself.

It’s kind of a grim start, and there aren’t any super-hero elements yet, but future issues promise a connection between Tom and a hero named Kinetic. As of the first issue, Kinetic is just a character in a comic book, but it remains to be seen what part he’ll play.

Even without the super-hero elements, Kinetic has a promising beginning. It’s helped by Warren Pleece’s clear, expressive art and the stark, nearly monochromatic coloring.

Speaking of the colors, only red and blue are used throughout, with slight shading variations and rare exceptions. It’s a neat effect and draws the eye toward the black-and-white clothes that Tom wears.

The only negative in this first issue is a scene in which Tom forgets his medicine and loses control of both his bladder and his stomach. The scene is disturbing and seems out of place. Couldn’t this have been shown off-panel?

— Steve Horton

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