Insufferable - Weeks 1 - 8 Review

If you’re a fan of digital comics, chances are you’ve heard about Thrillbent.com. If you haven’t heard about Thrillbent.com before, I can give you the rundown. Writer Mark Waid (Daredevil, Kingdom Come, Irredeemable) has created a place to distribute dynamic digital comics that he produces for the very reasonable price of absolutely free.

Insufferable is the story of famed superhero Nocturnus and his fall from grace as his former sidekick Galahad takes the spotlight, outs his identity, and builds himself as a media tool instead of a hero. The relationship between the two characters seems lost, but when a message from the past targets the two of them, they’re brought together to solve the biggest mystery of their lives.

Waid is exploring another avenue in the realm of superheroes with this latest digital title. Where Irredeemable and Incorruptible explored absolute good and evil, Insufferable explores the relationship between hero and sidekick.

Though it is worth noting that this does not take place in the same universe as those stories.

Every week the website updates with a new short chapter that can be downloaded or viewed directly on the webpage. The webpage offers a reading experience much like the Marvel Infinite comics, where panels can change, word balloons can appear, and a much more immersive experience blooms on the screen.

The artwork is just as powerful as the reading experience. Peter Krause did a knockout job on Irredeemable, and he continues that work here. It’s no small feat drawing in a style that might change on the page with the click of an arrow, but Krause’s artwork is more than up to the task. The characters are expressive and feel alive in every panel.

This might very well be the future of digital comics. The price tag, the reading experience, everything about it is cutting edge. Waid isn’t afraid to try something different, and neither should fans of comics.

I read many great comics this week, all of which deserved their high reviews, but this one was the only story that made me excited about the medium as a whole.

RATING: 9/10