Review: Faith

Faith: Hollywood and Vine puts the spotlight on a Valiant fan favorite in a groundbreaking series.

Faith Herbert, a/k/a Zephyr, one time Renegade in Harbingers and fresh off an ill-fated attempt to join super-team Unity, starts a new life in Los Angeles. Creating the secret identity “Summer Smith,” Faith gets a job at a pop culture blog while trying to be the best hero she can be. She’s conducting a long distance flirtation with polymath hero Archer, while ex-boyfriend Torque has become the star of a vapid reality TV series. Hacktivist pal @X puts Faith on the trail of a number of super-powered people who have gone missing. Looking into the disappearances, Faith uncovers a conspiracy tied into a key hidden race in the Valiant Universe.

The importance of Faith and its success can’t be underestimated. The pool of mainstream comic book series spotlighting a lead with a body type that isn’t hyper-idealized, and who isn’t an alien or monster or played for humor, is almost empty. Writer Jody Houser presents Faith as a bright, confident young woman who’s comfortable with herself and eager to make a difference. Combining such a positive outlook in a plus-size heroine who’s comfortable in her own skin is a bold, necessary statement.

Faith is a wonderful book. The lighter, more optimistic tone is highly entertaining. Houser is a smart writer who has a lot of fun with this character and her story. The “Summer Smith” set up is a smart twist on the “Clark Kent” conceit, one that Houser gleefully up-ends. Faith emerges as a smart, capable heroine who’s easy to root for. The supporting cast is well-developed, providing a firm foundation for Faith’s adventures. The series crackles with modernity; whether it’s the immersion in geek culture or the pervasive presence of new media, the book feels current and energetic. Many readers probably haven’t seen much of Houser’s work before this, but she makes a real mark here and is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Primary artist Francis Portela brings his clean, dynamic approach to the book and it works really well. He has a strong storytelling sense and a facility with action sequences. But he also nails the quieter, more personal moments that are key to Faith’s appeal. Primary color artist Andrew Dalhouse wraps the images in bright, warm tones that bring out the vibrancy in the material. And the great Marguerite Sauvage contributes a few pages to each issue that illustrate Faith’s active fantasy life in swirling, soft focus sequences. It’s a really appealing visual presentation for the series.

Faith: Hollywood and Vine is very new reader-friendly. Houser provides all the background on Faith and her corner of the Valiant Universe that is necessary to follow the story. It’s little surprise that this first arc inspired an ongoing series. This is a great book that’s highly recommended.