Reign – Kaare Andrews – Issues 1, 2 and 3

I suppose I don’t hold to the popular opinion on Kaare Andrew’s Reign. Most of the comments I have seen or read seem to dismiss the work entirely based on the fact that it is a blatant homage to Frank Miller’s seminal Dark Knight series. But…the problem with these criticisms is that Reign IS a BLATANT homage. Andrews goes to great lengths to wear his inspiration on his sleeve. That the main newscaster’s name is “Miller Varley” is only the beginning – the muted, shadow-filled color palette, the dystopian future, and the use of children as a source of hope are all in one way or another connected to Miller’s masterwork. So, why is this such a problem for critics? True, in a general sense there is a lack of originality, but this is only a fair evaluation to a point. There is a substantive difference between the heft and import of a work like Dark Knight and Reign. The Dark Knight Returns represents more than just a good/great comic book story; it was and is a watershed event. It represents a turning point for the comic book form, and can’t/shouldn’t be compared to other works that it inspires. I won’t pretend that Reign even approaches Dark Knight. I would be a fool to do so – and so would those who unfairly attempt to make it more than a decent read that tips its hat now and again to Miller’s legacy.

Enough about that for now…. Next time, some comments about the comic itself.