The Escapists by Brian K. Vaughan and Philip Bond with Eduardo Barreto

I have read several issues of Michael Chabon’s Escapist anthology that has been published somewhat regularly by Dark Horse Comics and found them to be, well, boring. They were frequently illustrated by spectacular artists and written by some of my favorite writers, but for some reason, they fell flat. There was little suspense, little drama, and little excitement. It could possibly be that I should have read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay first (it’s still sitting on my shelf unread, in fact, I can see it from where I sit) and that the series might hold more resonance for me, but it seems that the problem is distinct. Why should I believe a storyteller who tells me that a character is important. Isn’t it his job to show me why?

So why did I pick up the first issue of The Escapists, the new title spinning out of the anthology? Two reasons: Brian K. Vaughan and Philip Bond. I’m willing to give either of these guys a shot on just about any title.

The first issue is mostly set up, and it’s hard to tell if anything lasting can come of it. The art is top notch Bond, and the story is interesting enough, while fulfilling any number of trusty story points: a meet cute, a lion coming to the rescue of a lamb, and a story set up that could push in any number of directions. Is this going to be a title that is the story of a reluctant hero? The story of an unlikely romance? The story of the orphan whose art spoke to a generation? Or just a story about a character created for a Pulitzer Prize-winning book that they forced into a comic book series? Time will tell. If the story stays as interesting and attractive as the first issue, I’ll be reading.