Review of Matamoros Issue #1
I just received a copy of the first issue of the new comic book entitled Matamoros. As I posted previously, the book is written by Sleet and Darius Lamonica and illustrated by John Cox of Cox & Forkum. Some out there still think of comic books as silly, but if you have read comics like The Watchmen or The Dark Knight Returns you know that the term graphic novel is not misused. Matamoros is presented in a similar vein while channeling some of the spirit of a modernized SGT Rock and The Punisher.
As I write this review, I am thinking that it has been a long time since I have read a comic book. I used to read comics avidly. I had a large collection of mostly Marvel comics with a few DC comics thrown in. I have always liked the storylines that show the human limitations of super powered characters. I was always somewhat bored with Superman as a character because he was always so invincible and could only be beaten with one exotic substance that seemed to appear with regularity and then conveniently disappear in time for Superman to survive and beat the bad guy. Superman just seemed too predictable. Matamoros starts from all too familiar ground and then edges forward into an unpredictable metafictional world.
From my earliest memory I liked Batman. You know, a regular guy with great fighting skills and cool technology. I liked Spiderman with his constantly troubled personal life and financial troubles. I liked The Punisher with his ability to act violently and win against evil underworld villains because he had some elements of evil to render justice where “The System” refused to do so. The main character in Matamoros, Chuck Sobietti has a definite dark side but is not motivated by the darkness within him but by courage and patriotism. Sergeant Sobietti’s dark side enables him to do what he knows he must, whether or not his actions are legal. Sobietti is a warrior to the core and is driven to use his skills and special abilities to protect the people and country he loves.
When I was much younger, I read many of the comics about the World War 2 era superhero team called The Invaders which consisted of Captain America, Human Torch and Sub-Mariner who were fighting the evil Axis Powers and their super villain creations. That was back when comic book heroes could overtly fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way. Matamoros is set in the modern era when the character of Captain America is killed off right when we need him most.
I mention all of this background to better give perspective on the new character of Chuck Sobietti in the Matamoros comic. The first issue of any comic has to be the “origin episode” to get the ball rolling. Like with all origin episodes, including when I watched the first Spiderman movie, I was ready to see the next episode when the real action would begin without dallying on the formative stuff. Don’t get me wrong, a great foundation must be set to build a growing and lasting story which Matamoros does effectively. The first issue of Matamoros is also effective in showing the reader the enormous potential of the protagonist Chuck Sobietti and the development of the historical linkage between past battles against Jihadists and what the United States and Western Civilization face now.
Matamoros creates a fictional and metafictional world with a character who is not afraid to name enemies and take direct action to stop them. It also has a backdrop of critics who are unable or unwilling to take action themselves because of political correctness and denial that enemies exist but are happy to verbally cut and accuse those who can and do take action.
I highly recommend reading this comic. The Matamoros symbol (seen above) looks cool and is historically significant as well. I have it on good authority that other historical linkages and themes will be revealed as the story continues.
