Thursday, June 22, 2017

Mosaic



Mosaic ended its 8 issue run this month with its July issue. Actually, to say “ended its run” would be a misnomer. It was cancelled. Low sales maybe? Probably but I haven’t checked the numbers.

The title, about a Black NBA mega-star who suddenly finds himself without corporeal form and with the ability to “jump” into any person, learn everything about them and assume their being,  that he is Inhuman. Born with the latent chromosome that brings these “gifts” once contact is made with Terrigen.  It is not an easy thing and to do it alone is nightmare-ish to say the least. Still, he manages to find his way. Along this journey he finds out that almost everyone that was close to him was fake. His father used him for profit, his girlfriend was not that and that he was not a human then, he was a commodity. And he found that others owned him and that their intentions were not good. Along the way he runs into Spider-man, meets the Inhumans who help him figure out who he is. They use him in their war against Tony Stark and against the Mutants. Not entirely sure if that’s what he wants out of his new life, he moves on and finds himself helping Moloids fight against Diablo, and is successful. Issue 8 finds him still not sure of what and how to be and while that question exists, it suggests the journey continues. In what form and how exactly fans will just have to wait and see.

I tried to describe the story as best I could without dishing out too many spoilers. It’s a good story and I think it’s one that every Inhuman fan should read. It delves into the struggle of transformation, changing your life from that of human to Inhuman. It delves into the struggle of learning who a person is and of conflict, sacrifice, rage and justice. The story is solid. Well written and very well illustrated.


In our Facebook group, "The Comics Group", We talk frequently of Marvels attempts to create a diverse universe. To upgrade its heroes with those more closely attuned to the world of today. I think the cancellation of this series demonstrates the continued rejection of that attempt. But this series was a good story. It was well written. Geoffrey Thorne, a black man, gave us our first black Inhuman, a new black Marvel hero, and he made him viable. Thorne made Mosaic entertaining and if you read the series you will want to read more. Khary Randolph, a black man, is one of my favorite artists. His work here on Mosaic beautifully illustrated the story. If you are looking for diversity, this series was all that.

But I am not looking for diversity or ethnic balance or whatever. I’m looking for a well written damed good and entertaining story that is drawn, colored and paneled to the point that the lettering doesn’t even matter. Mosaic is that kind of story and Marvel shoots itself in the foot, again, with its cancellation. Read the series, you’ll like it.








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