Advance Review: ‘Defiant’ #1 Tries To Tell A Story Too Big For The Page
by Tom Smithyman
Imagine being able to write the last chapter of your own story – to create that one last tale and then put your pen down so you can embrace retirement and, hopefully, fame and fortune. It’s not an opportunity that many have.
For comics veteran Chuck Austen, though, he has consciously chosen to write one last limited series and then say goodbye to the funny books. Austen has earned his stripes writing and drawing for such titles as The Avengers, JLA, Action Comics, and X-Men series.
With such a stellar resume, it’s a bit of a puzzle why Austen chose Defiant as his swan song. The story is not a bad one by any means but, if the premiere issue is any indication, it’s hardly of the caliber to close out one’s storied career on.
Defiant tells the tales of Sandusky, a soldier turned interstellar diplomat. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of alien species, which positions him as the go-to authority and teacher when encountering extraterrestrials.
As is so often the case with these kinds of characters – in comics just as in real life – his family life is a mess. Sandusky’s son was killed years ago after starting a war that spread across planets. Now Sandusky is being tasked with finding his son’s body and returning him home. Finding the boy’s body, though, would erase any doubt about his son’s fate – something Sandusky has hoped to avoid.
It’s an interesting premise to be sure, and one that could resonate with Austen as he looks back on his career. But the story execution isn’t crisp. One of the advantages of the DSTLRY books is their longer-form issues – each is more than double the length of a typical comic. But that extra storytelling seems to get in the way here.
Sandusky’s introduction seems longer than necessary. And while Austen seems to relish fleshing out alien species and their customs and motivations – and he has a real knack for it – they get in the way of a streamlined story. The would be more appropriate for a novel, where taking several pages to explain alien behavior is expected and appreciated.
Austen also includes a seemingly random sexual encounter with Tibbi, a C-3PO-like robot. Maybe it will pay off in future issues. For now, though, if feels like a non sequitur. Also, ewwww!
Artist Pat Olliffe has plenty to work with here – and he makes the most of the opportunity. There are a number of alien species to create and some of his splash pages show the beauty of other worlds and their beings. He chooses bright colors when painting the present and a more subdue palette for flashbacks, making both instantly understandable.
With a sharpened pencil, Defiant can be a stronger story than what is presented in the first issue. The elements are all there – they just need to be told in a streamlined way so readers will more easily understand and relate.
Defiant #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025, from DSTLRY.
Overview
A good story gets lost in some unnecessary details in this premiere issue. While the core is strong, the creative team sometimes takes readers down paths that don’t seem necessary or even all that relevant to the larger story. World-building is fine, but it’s a but much here.
