REVIEW: 'The Joneses' #1 by Michael Moreci, Alessandro Vitti, and Ive Svorcina

 

THE JONESES #1

Writer: Michael Moreci

Artist: Alessandro Vitti, Ive Svorcina

Publisher: AWA

Release Date: April 6, 2022

Cover Price: $3.99

Spinning out of the pages of The Resistance, The Joneses focuses on a suburban family with a big secret: In the global pandemic known as the "Great Death," mother, father, sister, and brother were all transformed into something superhuman. While the world embraces fascism born of fear, the Joneses realize they face grave consequences if they are exposed as "Reborns." Do they keep a low profile and hide in plain sight...or use their powers for good and risk exposure?

Score:

★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)

Michael Moreci, co-creator of one of the best sci-fi comics, Wasted Space, and one of the best fantasy series, Barbaric, joins artists Alessandro Vitti and Ive Svorcina to bring his first creator-owned superhero comic to life with 'The Joneses.' A global crisis leads to a global phenomenon where people begin to emerge with superpowers and for one family, they must decide to use their powers for good or stay hidden.

A deadly pandemic called 'The Great Death' ravaged the world and soon after people began showing great powers. Known as 'Reborns,' some have chosen to use their powers for crime while others have chosen to use them as heroes. The titular Jones family has acquired special gifts but a rift among themselves has them divided on what to do with them. It's a familiar dilemma that we've seen before in things like The Incredibles, the short-lived TV series No Ordinary Family, and The Gifted, but Moreci injects some timely world-building with timeless moral conflicts. 

The parallels and metaphors for real-life marginalized people in comics have been used for decades and it's just as relevant now as it was when the X-Men were created in 1963. Paranoia caused by xenophobia, racism, and homophobia during this very real pandemic makes 'The Joneses' all the more believable because it's happening right outside our doors now. It lends poignancy to the conflict of the family about whether they should expose themselves to the world and help people or safely stay hidden in a community that already prejudges the motives of Reborns. The answer to that may not ultimately be there's to make as the mother's powers may be too great to control and hide. Father and daughter are already protecting the streets from super-powered robbers and despite the son's reluctance to use his teleportation powers, he's become invaluable. 

While family strife and community outrage play a part in issue one's foundation so does exciting superhero action and fighting. Vitti choreographs a dazzling display of continuous action as the speedster daughter quickly dispatches a bunch of bullies in the opening sequence. A clear impactful sequence of punches and kicks takes them down and it's vividly colored in line with the descending dusk with shadowy brown and orange hues. All of the fight scenes really impress with visceral movement and composition. Svorcina adds depth with really rich and bold earthy tones. 

'The Joneses' #1 is Moreci's twist on the superhero genre grounded in familial conflict and with the world at large. It's an impressive beginning that's offers something familiar yet fresh with easily relatable characters. The art by Vitti and Svorcina elevates the series into Big Two-level territory with potent action sequences. This is a great entry in superhero comics coming from AWA and Moreci who expands his creator-owned powers into another sure-fire hit.