Faith and the Future Force

The portrayal of plus-sized modern lead Faith Herbert breaks with the sexist rules of a dated genre in this fifth volume of the popular graphic novel series. Although Faith’s original story line was created in the nineties by Jim Shooter and David Lapham, author Houser has been responsible for developing Faith’s recent and celebrated resurgence. This zippy installment catapults Faith and teammates into a clever story that wraps in and around itself chronologically. When a time-travel mission ends in disaster in the past, Faith finds herself reliving it again and again. As each iteration of the adventure becomes more complicated and deadly, Faith must find a way to break the predetermined chain to save the whole of the universe. Houser’s script is witty, offering naturalistic and fast-paced dialogue, complemented by the art of Segovia (Action Comics) and Kitson (Judge Dredd), which remains clear, bright, and energetic across imaginative action-packed sequences. Faith is a welcome figure in the modern superheroine landscape, flying alongside contemporary positive role models like Squirrel Girl to attract a new fandom weary of the same old in spandex. (Dec.)