It seems safe to assume that pop culture will be dominated by reactions to the COVID Pandemic for years to come. Author Michael Moreci has already taken a significant amount of inspiration from the challenges of recent years. He and fellow author Tim Seeley recently worked together to create an apocalyptic horror movie. And now, Moreci has teamed up with artist Alessandro Vitti and AWA Studios to present a new five-part series set in the same universe as J. Michael Straczynski and Michael Deodato's The Resistance. The Joneses #1 is a compelling first issue that introduces readers to a new family of superheroes.
The Joneses #1 follows the Jones family as they struggle to balance their newfound superpowers with their everyday lives in an increasingly divided social climate. Many of their neighbors believe that people with superpowers are responsible for a recent public health crisis, known as "the Great Death," that ravaged the world, so the Joneses are forced to hide who they really are even from their closest friends. As if that wasn't enough stress, the matriarch of the family is having an increasingly difficult time controlling her powers. As tensions rise, dangerous super villains emerge and each member of the family is forced to make difficult decisions.
Many readers will see shades of the real world in The Joneses #1. Moreci isn't subtle about the parallels between his fiction and reality. "The Great Death" feels like a hyperbolic version of the COVID pandemic. Similarly, the divisive nature of public discourse in The Joneses #1 seems to echo the state of the real world. This allegorical approach makes it easy for the reader to acclimate to the world of the comic, giving Moreci the freedom to flesh out his characters. As this first issue unfolds, he reveals more and more about the family's tense, but endearing dynamic. There is something cathartic about watching as a family tackles their personal problems in the wake of a global health crisis.
Vitti's art captures the tone of Moreci's work perfectly. His ability to depict a wide emotional range helps Moreci build tension throughout the numerous difficult conversations that comprise The Joneses #1. He's just as great at capturing the spirit of the landscape. His depictions of suburban Illinois evoke a quiet, almost pastoral feeling until further inspection reveals something sinister lurking behind the cookie-cutter houses. But Vitti's work really comes to life in the action sequences. He draws the daughter's super speed with a frenetic, excitable line that communicates the scope of her power while adding to the overall composition of each page.
The Joneses #1 is a well-crafted, thoughtful meditation on life in the aftermath of catastrophe. It functions both as a satirical analysis of the current cultural zeitgeist and a good old-fashioned superhero story. Moreci and Vitti are both firing on all cylinders in this first issue, that has something in it for everyone.
