Advance Review: The Streets Are Bathed In Blood In `Torrent’ #3

With only a few exceptions, superheroes with secret identities have become passe. The world now knows that Clark Kent is Superman and Tony Stark is Iron Man. Sure, Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker have their alter egos, but they are now more the exception that the rule.

Torrent reminds readers why those identities are so important – and a mainstay of superhero stories for decades. When a would-be sidekick reveals to villain Skelton that Michelle Metcalf is the hero Crackerjack, Metcalf’s world is turned upside down. Skelton has her husband killed and kidnaps her son.

Meanwhile, the Praetorium was too busy to help, and the cops and district attorney were powerless to do anything. So Crackerjack – once a happy-go-lucky hero – goes full-on Punisher-style, and the streets become soaked with blood.

Writer Marc Guggenheim pulls off this monumental shift in the character with aplomb. At the same time, he manages to manipulate readers’ feelings about Crackerjack. We like Metcalf when we first meet her, then feel sorry for her when she suffers such tragic losses. We start rooting for her revenge, but soon are repulsed by the level of violence she descends in to. Like Metcalf, Guggenheim pulls no punches.

Artist Justin Greenwood follows suit on each page. We see typical, low-key scenes in the police station and the DA’s office and then later incredibly violent panels with blood and brain matter smattered everywhere. It’s a complex visual and emotional journey, yet one that the creative team makes easy to follow. Rico Renzi’s colors add significantly to the mood.

Metcalf has come a long way in only three issues, and there’s a lot more to come for her. Is her descent into darkness permanent, or will she eventually come to her senses and revert to her old ways. If you think the answer is obvious, consider that this creative team likes to surprise its readers. And we all benefit from that.

Torrent #3 will be available for purchase on Wednesday.