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Luther Strode #1
Strange Talent Of Luther Strode TP Vol 1
Luther Strode is just your average geek until he sends for an exercise course from the back of an old comic book. What he gets is the instruction manual from a murder cult as old as mankind that does
Comic
First published April 11, 2012
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765 people want to read
About the author
Justin Jordan
531 books98 followersJustin Jordan is an American comic book writer. He is known for writing and co-creating The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, Spread, Dead Body Road, Deep State, Dark Gods and Savage Things. He has also written Green Lantern: New Guardians, Superboy, Deathstroke and Team 7 for DC Comics and the relaunch of Shadowman for Valiant Entertainment.
In 2012, he was nominated for the Harvey Award for Most Promising New Talent.
In 2012, he was nominated for the Harvey Award for Most Promising New Talent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
September 1, 2015
I was worried about breaking my streak of quality books with The Strange Talent Of Luther Strode. Well, that ain’t happenin’. Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore’s blend of Spider-Man, Kick-Ass, with a dash of Highlander was just the right mix for me.
I’m not saying that this is particularly original to start. As noted, the geek gone hero has been done. But repeated suggestions from my boys at the shop and all the good reviews wore me down. There’s a little bit of a twist to the story, just enough to change it up a smidgen. Jordan seems to be working towards something a bit more unique by the end of this one. Enough that I’m curious to see where the title’s headed. The violence is taken to another level as well. Gore doesn’t get to me, but if it bothers you, pass on this. A whole lotta blood. If Kick-Ass was an “R”, this one’s an “NC-17”.
Luther and the rest of his crew eventually grew on me. I really liked Petra. She’s a lot like Mary Jane Watson with piercings and a potty mouth. Anal sex jokes and all. She won me over quick.
Flipping through the book, Tradd Moore’s artwork didn’t excite me at first. Anyone that’s read any of my other reviews knows that I’m open minded to unique styles, but it didn’t grab me from the jump. Flash forward to the end of Vol 1. and I had a genuine appreciation for his stuff. It was glorious. He’s great at conveying motion. Add Felipe Sobreiro’s colors to the page and call me a fan.
If you’re willing to get past the unoriginal premise and give this one a chance you might like it. I did. Already ordered Vol 2. If foul language and buckets of blood ain’t your bag, give this one a pass.
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May 3, 2016
A rougher, nastier, bloodier, uglier version of the Spider-Man origin, basically. If that sounds appealing, this one might be for you.
July 7, 2013
Luther is a nerdy-looking, skinny high school kid with more than a few problems with violence in his life. His dad beat him and his mother up until he was sent to prison - but now his dad’s out - and a bully at school is kicking his ass up and down the lockers in front of the girl he likes. He sees an ad for something called the Hercules Method, sends off for it in desperation, and begins building up his body. Except the Hercules Method really does give you strength - super strength - and soon Luther, a once powerless young boy, now finds himself among the most physically powerful men in the world, and those problems he once had? He’s about to start solving them.
What a book this is! I started reading this cautiously, noting that I’d seen a lot of this before, and then new stuff started happening and I was glued to the book until the final page, totally enveloped in what I was reading. Justin Jordan does a fantastic job of pacing the story just right so we see Luther’s world from all angles before he acquires the powers. Then we see him go through the initiation period of becoming a superhero, coming up with a costume, patrolling the city, before the sinister element of Cain, the Librarian, and the murder cult is introduced to make it stand out from other similar stories. Jordan executes all of the plot points perfectly, striking the right balance in tone as Luther transitions from being a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond as he fixes the problems in his life before realising why he’s been given the powers and what’s expected of him. It goes from kinda fun to deadly serious in just the right amount of time.
Tradd Moore’s artwork compliments Jordan’s work perfectly, giving it this distinctive appearance that seemed kind of like Rob Guillory’s style in Chew - kind of, but different - and his character models have this great look to them that’s this great mix of cartoonish-ness and realism (on the subject of Chew, I have to say that the Librarian reminded me a lot of Mason Savoy - but maybe it’s just because I’m obsessed with Chew!). Moore draws the violence vividly lending his imagination to Jordan’s script to bring the gruesome fight scenes to gory life. I can honestly say that if any other artist had drawn this book, it wouldn’t have been as good. Moore elevates the material and makes it look so damn cool. That brief look we got at the murder cult? It’s an intriguing idea in the first place but Moore made it look so much more sinister and interesting with the way he drew it, jumping through pockets of time, getting those facial expressions just right - amazing! Also Felipe Sobreiro’s colours make the scenes pop, adding to the impressive presentation of the comic.
Luther Strode, if you can’t guess from the cover of an angry-looking dude with blood-soaked hands, is a hyper-violent comic. Luther’s super-strength means that when he punches someone, his fist goes through them. When he chops at someone’s head, he slices it in half. When he kicks someone in the back, his foot comes back with that person’s spine wrapped around it. Fair warning to anyone who’s squeamish or doesn’t like violent comics - Luther Strode is definitely not for you. I wouldn’t say it’s the defining element of the comic but it is a big part of it.
I’ve noticed a few people comparing this to Mark Millar’s Kick Ass and they’re wrong - Kick Ass was always just an ordinary kid who decided to dress like a superhero but he never had powers. Luther Strode actually has superpowers like super strength, super speed, some weird kind of x-ray that enables him to see beneath the surface of human flesh to the organs beneath. Dave from Kick Ass and Luther both start out as high school kids but only Luther becomes a real superhero.
If someone had told me before I read this that The Strange Talent of Luther Strode is about a kid who gets superpowers, I’d have rolled my eyes - how many times have we seen that before? And I can say having read it that it’s similar to a lot of stuff that’s gone before it but also manages to be its own thing. Luther is a character we’ve not seen before with a unique situation despite the misleading, reductive summary of his story that’s also kind of accurate. Luther Strode is an original superhero comic that’s well-written, well-drawn, and possesses that important element so few books have when you turn the final page - the desire to keep reading. I really want to see what happens next and I’m hungry to read more! I certainly will do that but for now I strongly recommend anyone who enjoys superhero comics that offer something different (and who don’t mind explicit violence) to check out the brilliant Luther Strode brought to you by The Super Talents of Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore.
What a book this is! I started reading this cautiously, noting that I’d seen a lot of this before, and then new stuff started happening and I was glued to the book until the final page, totally enveloped in what I was reading. Justin Jordan does a fantastic job of pacing the story just right so we see Luther’s world from all angles before he acquires the powers. Then we see him go through the initiation period of becoming a superhero, coming up with a costume, patrolling the city, before the sinister element of Cain, the Librarian, and the murder cult is introduced to make it stand out from other similar stories. Jordan executes all of the plot points perfectly, striking the right balance in tone as Luther transitions from being a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond as he fixes the problems in his life before realising why he’s been given the powers and what’s expected of him. It goes from kinda fun to deadly serious in just the right amount of time.
Tradd Moore’s artwork compliments Jordan’s work perfectly, giving it this distinctive appearance that seemed kind of like Rob Guillory’s style in Chew - kind of, but different - and his character models have this great look to them that’s this great mix of cartoonish-ness and realism (on the subject of Chew, I have to say that the Librarian reminded me a lot of Mason Savoy - but maybe it’s just because I’m obsessed with Chew!). Moore draws the violence vividly lending his imagination to Jordan’s script to bring the gruesome fight scenes to gory life. I can honestly say that if any other artist had drawn this book, it wouldn’t have been as good. Moore elevates the material and makes it look so damn cool. That brief look we got at the murder cult? It’s an intriguing idea in the first place but Moore made it look so much more sinister and interesting with the way he drew it, jumping through pockets of time, getting those facial expressions just right - amazing! Also Felipe Sobreiro’s colours make the scenes pop, adding to the impressive presentation of the comic.
Luther Strode, if you can’t guess from the cover of an angry-looking dude with blood-soaked hands, is a hyper-violent comic. Luther’s super-strength means that when he punches someone, his fist goes through them. When he chops at someone’s head, he slices it in half. When he kicks someone in the back, his foot comes back with that person’s spine wrapped around it. Fair warning to anyone who’s squeamish or doesn’t like violent comics - Luther Strode is definitely not for you. I wouldn’t say it’s the defining element of the comic but it is a big part of it.
I’ve noticed a few people comparing this to Mark Millar’s Kick Ass and they’re wrong - Kick Ass was always just an ordinary kid who decided to dress like a superhero but he never had powers. Luther Strode actually has superpowers like super strength, super speed, some weird kind of x-ray that enables him to see beneath the surface of human flesh to the organs beneath. Dave from Kick Ass and Luther both start out as high school kids but only Luther becomes a real superhero.
If someone had told me before I read this that The Strange Talent of Luther Strode is about a kid who gets superpowers, I’d have rolled my eyes - how many times have we seen that before? And I can say having read it that it’s similar to a lot of stuff that’s gone before it but also manages to be its own thing. Luther is a character we’ve not seen before with a unique situation despite the misleading, reductive summary of his story that’s also kind of accurate. Luther Strode is an original superhero comic that’s well-written, well-drawn, and possesses that important element so few books have when you turn the final page - the desire to keep reading. I really want to see what happens next and I’m hungry to read more! I certainly will do that but for now I strongly recommend anyone who enjoys superhero comics that offer something different (and who don’t mind explicit violence) to check out the brilliant Luther Strode brought to you by The Super Talents of Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore.
September 4, 2021
Ще кілька років тому, коли я побачив роботи художника Тредда Мура, якого я згадував у відгуку про комікс «Пташеня», то відразу пішов шукати, що ж він малював. Насправді багато, навіть українською його роботи можна зустріти в коміксі «Дедпул проти Таноса», який вийшов у видавництві Mal’opus, чи в першому випуску «Дедпул. Балакучий мільйонер» від видавництва Fireclaw Ukraine.
Та те, на що впало око й найбільше вразило мене — обкладинки до коміксів про Лютера Строуда. Й ось, після прочитання першої арки, я тоді твердо вирішив, що продовжу знайомство із цією історією тільки, коли візьму фізичний примірник цього коміксу в руки. Отже, «Дивний талант Лютера Строуда» від сценариста Джастіна Джордана, художника Тредда Мура й колориста Філіпе Собейро.
Історія із перших сторінок зустрічає нас дуже насильницько й відвертіше вже нікуди. Люди розірвані навпіл, відірвані кінцівки, усе залито кров’ю та завалено внутрішніми органами. Видиво точно не слабкодухих. Ти розумієш, що все це зробив головний герой, але не усвідомлюєш причину того, що відбувається. Далі ми знайомимося із тим самим персонажем, Лютером Строудом, але зовсім іншим. У нього досить звичний архетип, — ввічливий, розумний, тихий і смішний хлопець, який використовує все це, як механізм виживання поміж жорстоких підлітків у новій школі. Він живе сам із матір’ю, зустрічається з дівчиною й не припускає думки, що щось може стати кращим. Одним словом, дивний підліток, із яким має щось статися і він дістане якусь силу. А далі будуть боротьба за добро, допомога людям і врятування світу від загибелі. Ой, це якась зовсім інша історія…
Хлопець випадковим чином знаходить цікавий посібник із назвою «Методи Геркулеса» — книга із самовдосконалення, яка обіцяє розширити розум, тіло й дух, створити, справді, сильну людину, яка перетвориться на щось надзвичайне. Він обмінює невинність на силу. Але питання чи він зробив правильний вибір. Адже згодом розумієш, яку страшну ціну він заплатив за цю гору м’язів і непереможність. У результаті виникає атмосфера трагедії, яка акуратно компенсує насильство й обґрунтовує історію таким чином, що головний герой вимушено став на шлях насильства.
Першим, що зустрічає читача — це динамічний і захопливий малюнок Тредда Мура, з настільки екстремальним насильством, що воно часом виходить за межі розуміння й потрапляє у сферу абсурду. Мур негайно привертає увагу настільки впевненою та професійною технікою, що дивуєшся тому, що точно не перший комікс намальований ним. Так, деякі панелі мене дратували простотою чи дивним вибором постановки кадру, але динамічні сцени! Уххх! Тредд Мур створює особливий стиль, який надає цьому світу чітку естетику й тон. А завдяки сміливій палітрі колориста Феліпе Собейро малюнок Мура тільки виграє й добавляє ще більшої атмосфери.
«Дивний талант Лютера Строда» — це дуже дивний комікс, який врівноважує те, що, здається, давньою змовою, з жахливим біологічним удосконаленням, жорстоким насильством, трагедією, лобов'ю та комедією. Це п’янка суміш, яка при прочитанні занурить вас у щось незрозуміле, жорстоке, але надзвичайно захоплююче.
Та те, на що впало око й найбільше вразило мене — обкладинки до коміксів про Лютера Строуда. Й ось, після прочитання першої арки, я тоді твердо вирішив, що продовжу знайомство із цією історією тільки, коли візьму фізичний примірник цього коміксу в руки. Отже, «Дивний талант Лютера Строуда» від сценариста Джастіна Джордана, художника Тредда Мура й колориста Філіпе Собейро.
Історія із перших сторінок зустрічає нас дуже насильницько й відвертіше вже нікуди. Люди розірвані навпіл, відірвані кінцівки, усе залито кров’ю та завалено внутрішніми органами. Видиво точно не слабкодухих. Ти розумієш, що все це зробив головний герой, але не усвідомлюєш причину того, що відбувається. Далі ми знайомимося із тим самим персонажем, Лютером Строудом, але зовсім іншим. У нього досить звичний архетип, — ввічливий, розумний, тихий і смішний хлопець, який використовує все це, як механізм виживання поміж жорстоких підлітків у новій школі. Він живе сам із матір’ю, зустрічається з дівчиною й не припускає думки, що щось може стати кращим. Одним словом, дивний підліток, із яким має щось статися і він дістане якусь силу. А далі будуть боротьба за добро, допомога людям і врятування світу від загибелі. Ой, це якась зовсім інша історія…
Хлопець випадковим чином знаходить цікавий посібник із назвою «Методи Геркулеса» — книга із самовдосконалення, яка обіцяє розширити розум, тіло й дух, створити, справді, сильну людину, яка перетвориться на щось надзвичайне. Він обмінює невинність на силу. Але питання чи він зробив правильний вибір. Адже згодом розумієш, яку страшну ціну він заплатив за цю гору м’язів і непереможність. У результаті виникає атмосфера трагедії, яка акуратно компенсує насильство й обґрунтовує історію таким чином, що головний герой вимушено став на шлях насильства.
Першим, що зустрічає читача — це динамічний і захопливий малюнок Тредда Мура, з настільки екстремальним насильством, що воно часом виходить за межі розуміння й потрапляє у сферу абсурду. Мур негайно привертає увагу настільки впевненою та професійною технікою, що дивуєшся тому, що точно не перший комікс намальований ним. Так, деякі панелі мене дратували простотою чи дивним вибором постановки кадру, але динамічні сцени! Уххх! Тредд Мур створює особливий стиль, який надає цьому світу чітку естетику й тон. А завдяки сміливій палітрі колориста Феліпе Собейро малюнок Мура тільки виграє й добавляє ще більшої атмосфери.
«Дивний талант Лютера Строда» — це дуже дивний комікс, який врівноважує те, що, здається, давньою змовою, з жахливим біологічним удосконаленням, жорстоким насильством, трагедією, лобов'ю та комедією. Це п’янка суміш, яка при прочитанні занурить вас у щось незрозуміле, жорстоке, але надзвичайно захоплююче.
December 28, 2019
2nd reading.
Stills holds up as a great gory action comic with the best artwork you’ll see in a while.
Stills holds up as a great gory action comic with the best artwork you’ll see in a while.
March 30, 2014
Starts out as an interesting modern take on the "wimp gets buff and fights back" old tale. It's got a fast pace, good story structure and solidly believable (if a little glib - which is a pretty thin complaint about such entertaining writing) dialogue. Our man-in-the-making Luther apparently gets touched by some force that enables him to achieve his dreams of power, a girlfriend and self-determination. The only drawback is...
There's some mysteriously sociopathic-yet-overly-polite dude who's definitely on the evil side of the chalk line, working his way towards Luther & friends/enemies in a hyper-violent fashion.
Head nod towards the art, inspired by Chew & Rob Guillory. This is some pro-level acting, camera work and colouring - I'm impressed and appreciative they put the work in.
The most amusing and endearing character is definitely Petra. Snarky, doesn't let the boy away with any shit, and lives her life by some mysterious but definitive set of rules.
The in-story parody of the old Charles Atlas ads from comics was funny.
Unfortunately, the climax of the story occupies a very humourless and unsympathetic space, our "hero" goes Rambo and kills nearly like a machine (because he can?), without any reward or redemption available to him or us.
What's the point of this book then? Just to say, "Sometimes power turns you into The Plutonian from the get-go?" Surely there's something a little more subtle at work here, but I'll be damned if I can see it.
Worse, the supervillain is just boring - all-seeing, all-knowing, ever glib, and tirelessly insufferable. Pretty much an invulnerable Bond villain, which works great if you're a teenage boy with no exposure to decently-crafted media, but otherwise...I don't see the appeal.
The ultraviolence goes to Mortal Kombat levels, Jesus. Loses all oomph. At the end I just feel empty.
So is this a good book or a terrible book? One half of it is enjoyable to read; the other half of it feels like every two-dimensional Schwarzenegger super-violent fantasy, with none of the quips to break the tension. Kinda glad it's over, and based on what I've heard of the second book, I have no plans to take this any further.
There's some mysteriously sociopathic-yet-overly-polite dude who's definitely on the evil side of the chalk line, working his way towards Luther & friends/enemies in a hyper-violent fashion.
Head nod towards the art, inspired by Chew & Rob Guillory. This is some pro-level acting, camera work and colouring - I'm impressed and appreciative they put the work in.
The most amusing and endearing character is definitely Petra. Snarky, doesn't let the boy away with any shit, and lives her life by some mysterious but definitive set of rules.
The in-story parody of the old Charles Atlas ads from comics was funny.
Unfortunately, the climax of the story occupies a very humourless and unsympathetic space, our "hero" goes Rambo and kills nearly like a machine (because he can?), without any reward or redemption available to him or us.
What's the point of this book then? Just to say, "Sometimes power turns you into The Plutonian from the get-go?" Surely there's something a little more subtle at work here, but I'll be damned if I can see it.
Worse, the supervillain is just boring - all-seeing, all-knowing, ever glib, and tirelessly insufferable. Pretty much an invulnerable Bond villain, which works great if you're a teenage boy with no exposure to decently-crafted media, but otherwise...I don't see the appeal.
The ultraviolence goes to Mortal Kombat levels, Jesus. Loses all oomph. At the end I just feel empty.
So is this a good book or a terrible book? One half of it is enjoyable to read; the other half of it feels like every two-dimensional Schwarzenegger super-violent fantasy, with none of the quips to break the tension. Kinda glad it's over, and based on what I've heard of the second book, I have no plans to take this any further.
March 26, 2012
Imagine Mark Millar's Kick-Ass, but actually, y'know... Kick ass. That's this series in a nutshell.
Luther Strode is your average wallflower, who, while reading a comic book one day, decides to order 'The Hercules Method' -- one of those shady advertisements you'd see in the back of old comic books, next to the X-ray glasses and magic eight balls. Well, turns out, the Method works, and, as one look at the cover will tell you, crazy shit ensues.
What makes this series works is the strong (literally and figuratively) characters, and Tradd Moore's great cartoon-ish artwork. It's a very dark and grounded story, but at the same time, it stays at its comic book roots, with tons of over the top, unrealistic gore. Jordan's writing was great, but the only complaint that I had was that there was an overload of dialogue during the big action scenes, the big climax in particular. That's a huge pet peeve of mine. I've never been in an epic fist fight (fortunately), but I have a hard time believing that during said epic fight, the two people would find time in between blows to spout long sentences that furthered the plot. Of course, you could say this is a comic book, and I need to quit being such an asshole, but it just doesn't hit the eye right, I guess.
It definitely didn't ruin the entire book, though. At times a crazy action story, epic tragedy, and a stunning love letter to comic books themselves, Luther Strode kills it on every level. Whether you're new to comics or a veteran, this is one of those stories that reminds you just why you got into reading comics. Highly recommended.
4/5
Luther Strode is your average wallflower, who, while reading a comic book one day, decides to order 'The Hercules Method' -- one of those shady advertisements you'd see in the back of old comic books, next to the X-ray glasses and magic eight balls. Well, turns out, the Method works, and, as one look at the cover will tell you, crazy shit ensues.
What makes this series works is the strong (literally and figuratively) characters, and Tradd Moore's great cartoon-ish artwork. It's a very dark and grounded story, but at the same time, it stays at its comic book roots, with tons of over the top, unrealistic gore. Jordan's writing was great, but the only complaint that I had was that there was an overload of dialogue during the big action scenes, the big climax in particular. That's a huge pet peeve of mine. I've never been in an epic fist fight (fortunately), but I have a hard time believing that during said epic fight, the two people would find time in between blows to spout long sentences that furthered the plot. Of course, you could say this is a comic book, and I need to quit being such an asshole, but it just doesn't hit the eye right, I guess.
It definitely didn't ruin the entire book, though. At times a crazy action story, epic tragedy, and a stunning love letter to comic books themselves, Luther Strode kills it on every level. Whether you're new to comics or a veteran, this is one of those stories that reminds you just why you got into reading comics. Highly recommended.
4/5
April 15, 2015
Whoa. I don't know how I missed this one, but The Strange Talent of Luther Strode is an incredible book, with powerful, grand ideas, that floor the reader from the start. The whole concept seems to be that erasing the lines between anti-hero and slasher baddie lets us tap into a whole new genre, with crazy new tiers of ultraviolence. I love it. This is the best writing I've ever seen from Justin Jordan, complete with epic, smartly crafted characters, pitch-perfect dialogue, and a big, nasty story that leaves so much unsaid, while still handing us an incredible ending. On top of that, Tradd Moore's art is in top form, stylized, while completely conscious of classically studied anatomy. This is one the best things I've read in recent memory, and I can't wait to catch up to the new mini.
November 29, 2012
Directionless poppycock mixed with nihilistic twaddle. Very poor.
October 14, 2019
The stylish art made it interesting to watch the pageantry of hyperviolence. I wasn't taken in by the themes, so I probably won't seek out the second volume.
August 10, 2023
A teenager orders a book called "The Hercules Method" from an ad in the back of a comic book, cynically hoping to be transformed into a buff manly man who can handle whatever bullies life throws his way. Amazingly, it works even better than advertised (goofiest superhero origin story ever?)
I WAS that geek, tall and spindly, blond and bespectacled. I indulged in my share of anti-bully power fantasies. So I'm predisposed to love how Luther Strode kicked off. The excellent banter between Luther and his few friends was, well, excellent. Funny and charming and engaging.
The book doesn't end as well as it starts. A paper-thin nemesis is introduced with virtually no backstory or motivation. People explode a lot, humor and tension take a holiday, the end. It's a shame. Four stars for initially feeding my nerd fantasy so well.
Love how the artist conveys Strode's tactical abilities, using blue afterimages to depict what a target MIGHT do, viewing everyone--friend and foe--as meat-targets. Impressive design.
I WAS that geek, tall and spindly, blond and bespectacled. I indulged in my share of anti-bully power fantasies. So I'm predisposed to love how Luther Strode kicked off. The excellent banter between Luther and his few friends was, well, excellent. Funny and charming and engaging.
The book doesn't end as well as it starts. A paper-thin nemesis is introduced with virtually no backstory or motivation. People explode a lot, humor and tension take a holiday, the end. It's a shame. Four stars for initially feeding my nerd fantasy so well.
Love how the artist conveys Strode's tactical abilities, using blue afterimages to depict what a target MIGHT do, viewing everyone--friend and foe--as meat-targets. Impressive design.
December 7, 2012
This book is what might have happened if Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth had written Kick-Ass instead of Mark Millar. In short, this book is violent. Violent and bloody and brutal beyond any degree of violence and bloodiness and brutality you have ever witnessed this side of The Walking Dead.
That said, it IS a neat series, however I kind of felt that the story progressed just a little too quickly for my tastes. Though I think the fast progression is somewhat intentional, as I get the distinct feeling that this entire series was more or less a lead up to The Legend of Luther Strode series, whose first issue just hit shelves this week. And yes, this book hooked me enough that I grabbed a copy off of ComiXology first thing Wednesday morning.
That said, it IS a neat series, however I kind of felt that the story progressed just a little too quickly for my tastes. Though I think the fast progression is somewhat intentional, as I get the distinct feeling that this entire series was more or less a lead up to The Legend of Luther Strode series, whose first issue just hit shelves this week. And yes, this book hooked me enough that I grabbed a copy off of ComiXology first thing Wednesday morning.
May 18, 2012
Oh my god the violence. The cathartic, cartoony, colourful and oh so brilliant violence. This is the superhero origin story you give to all the kids to get them into comics. Just don't let their parents know. I have to say that I am indeed saddened by how quickly I got through this book. Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore are names that have been imprinted in my brain, I guess. I agree with other reviewers that this is indeed like Mark Millar stuff, but with an emotional core that Millar's work has always lacked. Please could we have the sequel already?
July 5, 2019
The action scenes are kinetic and the pacing is fantastic but this comic doesn’t really do it for me. The dialogue is decent but some of the attempted jokes are painfully cringeworthy. In the introduction, Justin Jordan writes that this comic book is a meditation on power. Unfortunately, this volume is nothing but an ultra-violent fantasy. I don’t mind excessive violence, but this comic has failed to provide any sort of discussion on or perspective of the subject of power.
September 22, 2019
Kick-Ass: exists
Justin Jordan: “Hold my beer!”
You see, it’s like Kick-Ass but good. I wish the villain was a little more fleshed out, with established motivations. But apart from that, I very much enjoyed this. It’s very self-aware and occasionally strays close to being a parody of superhero origin stories. The side characters are fun and Luther Strode is relatable. Not enough blood, gore and ultraviolence.
Justin Jordan: “Hold my beer!”
You see, it’s like Kick-Ass but good. I wish the villain was a little more fleshed out, with established motivations. But apart from that, I very much enjoyed this. It’s very self-aware and occasionally strays close to being a parody of superhero origin stories. The side characters are fun and Luther Strode is relatable. Not enough blood, gore and ultraviolence.
October 1, 2018
A very violent superhero coming of age story. Remisncent of Kick ass with story and humour. The artwork was good but at times I felt like it was being unnecessarily violent just because it could be. Better Image comics out there.
July 27, 2013
Ridiculous power fantasy with paper-thin characters.
September 11, 2013
Justin Jordan - writer
Tradd Moore - artist
Luther Strode is your typical high school geek. Until one day, tired of the constant bullying he faces at school, he sends away for a Charles Atlas-style exercise course from the back of a comic book. When the course arrives, the exercises unlock something inside of Luther, something powerful and dark and old.
This is an interesting riff on a revenge fantasy. The story starts strong, the plot is quick-paced and the characters intersting. The story falls off a little in the transition from the revenge-fantasy to the secret-society storyline, but overall it's still a very entertaining read. The star here is the art by Mr. Moore. Glorious, gorgeous liquid violence drips off of every panel.
If you have the stomach for a book like Crossed or Kick-Ass, check out The Strange Talent of Luther Strode.
4/5
Tradd Moore - artist
Luther Strode is your typical high school geek. Until one day, tired of the constant bullying he faces at school, he sends away for a Charles Atlas-style exercise course from the back of a comic book. When the course arrives, the exercises unlock something inside of Luther, something powerful and dark and old.
This is an interesting riff on a revenge fantasy. The story starts strong, the plot is quick-paced and the characters intersting. The story falls off a little in the transition from the revenge-fantasy to the secret-society storyline, but overall it's still a very entertaining read. The star here is the art by Mr. Moore. Glorious, gorgeous liquid violence drips off of every panel.
If you have the stomach for a book like Crossed or Kick-Ass, check out The Strange Talent of Luther Strode.
4/5
May 15, 2015
Yeh, no. I must have been in a mood for violence when I went looking for graphic novels the other day. In some ways the blood and gore are cartoonish but it's still violent and rather sad.
This is about a high school nerdy kid who gets bullied, decides to do a "Charles Atlas" kind of thing and ends up becoming so buff with super powers that he can kill easily without getting hurt himself.
And then things go from bad to worse. . . .And there's some guy called The Librarian who can kill so easily and I have no idea whose side he's on. I thought he was on Luther's side. Maybe he's just an incarnate form of evil?
Well. Moving on.
This is about a high school nerdy kid who gets bullied, decides to do a "Charles Atlas" kind of thing and ends up becoming so buff with super powers that he can kill easily without getting hurt himself.
And then things go from bad to worse. . . .And there's some guy called The Librarian who can kill so easily and I have no idea whose side he's on. I thought he was on Luther's side. Maybe he's just an incarnate form of evil?
Well. Moving on.
June 18, 2016
A pretty cool ultra-violent high school superhero origin story. It's a lot like Kick-Ass, only, you know, not shit and Mark Millar-free. The story is good, if only a bit formulaic, but the artwork is the star of the show. Tradd Moore's work is incredibly detailed, and he is brilliant at drawing chopped limbs, severed heads and all that good stuff. Again, his style reminded me a bit of Romita Jr's in a good way, but Moore's style is more lively and less blocky.
Overall, a very fun and enjoyable read, if you're not opposed to some good old ultra-violence in your comics.
Overall, a very fun and enjoyable read, if you're not opposed to some good old ultra-violence in your comics.
May 7, 2012
This book is basically Kick-Ass meets Invincible. The Kick-Ass elements make it fabulous. The hyper-gore makes it less so. There's nothing much to say about the book other than that you should go out and get it and read it right this minute. Even though I'm sick to death of Image's tendency toward ultraviolence these days, it's a damn fine book. The combination of art by Tradd Moore and colors by Felipe Sobriero is a perfect match for the writing. Well played all around, gentlemen.
April 12, 2019
A strangely compelling and quickly readable comic. Detailed review pending.
October 10, 2013
Without reading the reviews, this book is almost certainly compared endlessly to Kick-Ass. With good reason. The ultra-violence feels pretty similar, the art isn't too far off, and if you liked Kick-Ass, you'll dig it.
Kick-Ass had its moments. Although I have to say, something about Mark Millar (the writer) rubs me the wrong way now and again. I get the impression that he has somewhat of a distaste for comic book fans.
But, as I learned with Metallica at a young age, you're really only likely to end up liking something less if you spend too much time looking into its creator. Seriously, it's very sad, but the truth is that you like something, you're drawn to it for whatever reason, and then if you look into the creator you're almost certainly going to be upset/disappointed/pissed off.
See: Metallica
See: Orson Scott Card
See: John Byrne
It's a weird thing. I guess creators should be allowed to have their own opinions. I mean, they ARE absolutely allowed. I just wonder...
Okay, why is it important, for example, that I know Orson Scott Card is not a fan of gay people? I guess for a select few that might enhance the reading experience. But for the most part, I would think him expressing that opinion makes things worse for most people. And how bizarre is it that this dude with such a wild imagination has such a narrow view on that topic?
He's made some wild speculations on the gay lifestyle, so I'll go ahead and wild speculate back:
I'm guessing that any man with a shred of style has told him that he can afford to not do his own haircuts anymore.
And he just assumed that these people were gay. Call it a hunch.
Anyway, reading this was like reading Kick-Ass without going into it thinking the author kind of sort of hated me. In fact, the premise of this book, that Luther Strode becomes an ass-kicker by ordering one of those Charles-Atlas-type of workout books from the back of a comic, feels like a genuine nod to comic book fans. Which is nice. It's not playing to fans to the point of ridiculousness. But it's asking the question, "Wouldn't it be fun to see if one of these ridiculous things actually worked?"
It's a quick read, check it out.
Oh, and when they kidnap a woman, they don't seem to plan on raping her in any way. Just beating her up the same way they would have beat up a male hostage. Which, and this is REALLY pathetic, is a step forward in comics.
Kick-Ass had its moments. Although I have to say, something about Mark Millar (the writer) rubs me the wrong way now and again. I get the impression that he has somewhat of a distaste for comic book fans.
But, as I learned with Metallica at a young age, you're really only likely to end up liking something less if you spend too much time looking into its creator. Seriously, it's very sad, but the truth is that you like something, you're drawn to it for whatever reason, and then if you look into the creator you're almost certainly going to be upset/disappointed/pissed off.
See: Metallica
See: Orson Scott Card
See: John Byrne
It's a weird thing. I guess creators should be allowed to have their own opinions. I mean, they ARE absolutely allowed. I just wonder...
Okay, why is it important, for example, that I know Orson Scott Card is not a fan of gay people? I guess for a select few that might enhance the reading experience. But for the most part, I would think him expressing that opinion makes things worse for most people. And how bizarre is it that this dude with such a wild imagination has such a narrow view on that topic?
He's made some wild speculations on the gay lifestyle, so I'll go ahead and wild speculate back:
I'm guessing that any man with a shred of style has told him that he can afford to not do his own haircuts anymore.
And he just assumed that these people were gay. Call it a hunch.
Anyway, reading this was like reading Kick-Ass without going into it thinking the author kind of sort of hated me. In fact, the premise of this book, that Luther Strode becomes an ass-kicker by ordering one of those Charles-Atlas-type of workout books from the back of a comic, feels like a genuine nod to comic book fans. Which is nice. It's not playing to fans to the point of ridiculousness. But it's asking the question, "Wouldn't it be fun to see if one of these ridiculous things actually worked?"
It's a quick read, check it out.
Oh, and when they kidnap a woman, they don't seem to plan on raping her in any way. Just beating her up the same way they would have beat up a male hostage. Which, and this is REALLY pathetic, is a step forward in comics.
September 7, 2012
The Strange Talent of Luther Strode is sort of a superhero story and sort of isn’t. It borrows much in terms of background from the violence and characters of Kick-Ass but ups the violence to new levels and tosses in a dose of the titular “strange” into the mix. Luther Strode is sort of your average geek. He lives with his mother and together he and his mom have survived they abuse of his father who is now in jail. On a whim Luther orders a goofy strength training manual and despite initial misgivings he finds that it works…maybe a bit too well. The primary question that the comic asks is what would happen if someone was given these amazing powers. We’ve seen this explored through Spiderman’s “with great power comes great responsibility.” But with the Luther Strode that line seems to be more “with great power comes great power.” We all like to think we would be heroes but The Strange Talent of Luther Strode examines the question of just how much a hero an average person given seemingly unlimited power can be. This is an often shockingly violent comic, to the point of almost near nausea, but one whose violence is almost hipnotic and intrinsicly tied to the story’s plot. It is rendered in style thanks to the dynamic art by Tradd Moore whose style is similar to, and on par with if not better than, John Romita Jr.. The colorist Felipe Sobreiro deserves recognition for the vibrant work that makes the art pop and the fact that the copious amounts of red splashed across many of the pages manages to never grow tiresome on the eyes. This is an entertaining book that tells a complete and satisfying story with an ending that will weigh heavy on the reader’s imagination but will hopefully spawn future adventures in this universe
June 6, 2018
"Murder is natural. Murder was there from the beginning. Murder is our first instinct. Murder, for lack of a better term... is good. It makes us strong. It makes us wise. It makes us powerful."
Well. This wasn’t book for kids, for sure. Adults only. This is the first book of a trilogy. Story is about high school boy who is bullied, orders magazine that will help him get in the form and stop all of that. He’s in love with cool girl, he has one friend, living only with mother because father.. eh, hate to say anything from the story. I think, the only thing that is needed to know is that if you like violence, like – brutal one, blood and breaking bones, spines ripped out, or if you liked Invincible, you will probably like this too. I was smiling, I was sad, a little bit shocked with , but yeah, this is exactly what I like to read. Art is gorgeous looking, fitting to story amazingly.
Well. This wasn’t book for kids, for sure. Adults only. This is the first book of a trilogy. Story is about high school boy who is bullied, orders magazine that will help him get in the form and stop all of that. He’s in love with cool girl, he has one friend, living only with mother because father.. eh, hate to say anything from the story. I think, the only thing that is needed to know is that if you like violence, like – brutal one, blood and breaking bones, spines ripped out, or if you liked Invincible, you will probably like this too. I was smiling, I was sad, a little bit shocked with , but yeah, this is exactly what I like to read. Art is gorgeous looking, fitting to story amazingly.
July 14, 2012
I recall when this was being published as floppies that Justin Jordan said he was writing a tragedy. By the end of this tale I see why he said that, but there is one page that makes me wonder if he was leaving a back door for more stories.
Luther sends away for one of those, "build yourself an awesome body" packages that used to be in the ads in the back of comic books. The thing is with Luther it actually works. He can see people's moves before they make them, and he becomes incredibly strong and fast. And, those bullies who used to beat on the nerd kid and his friend? They're now in hospitals.
Luther realizes that something is not normal. Yes, evil is afoot in many forms. But, is Luther the problem or the solution? Both? Nah,I'm not giving that away.
Luther sends away for one of those, "build yourself an awesome body" packages that used to be in the ads in the back of comic books. The thing is with Luther it actually works. He can see people's moves before they make them, and he becomes incredibly strong and fast. And, those bullies who used to beat on the nerd kid and his friend? They're now in hospitals.
Luther realizes that something is not normal. Yes, evil is afoot in many forms. But, is Luther the problem or the solution? Both? Nah,I'm not giving that away.
October 13, 2012
I'm not a fan of ultra-violence. Usually because it's used to make something seem more 'mature' then what it actually is (e.g. everything Mark Millar has wrote, or almost). But in Luther Strode, it does serve the purpose of the plot a little. A teenage boy develops super powers, thanks to a comic book advertisement, so there probably would be a lot of blood involved. It reminded me of things like Kick-Ass and Chronicle , with the youth discovery of new power (you know, like the X-men , but modernised and skewed slightly).
It was a pretty enjoyable quick read, and no as vulgar and offensive as something like Mark Millar's Nemesis.
It was a pretty enjoyable quick read, and no as vulgar and offensive as something like Mark Millar's Nemesis.
February 17, 2014
Gotta love the brutality of this comic book, it's somewhat similar to kickass but with a different story. But the story is not something to look forward to. It's like a popcorn movie, a sell out for violence. Behind the blood shed, the story doesn't make any real sense at all. Just another hero with superstrength in highschool. Good thing he only wears a mask, not tights. Backstoty's not even realistic and refined, just by reading an ancient secret book, he gets to be a tough guy. They could have done better. Despite of this, I'm still grabbing the next book and see how it turns out.
August 29, 2013
Ultra-violent comic book that everybody seems to compare with Kick-Ass. I can understand why (the violence, the art style and applied coloring). Here, the main character does have superpowers and keeps getting motivated to use it for gaining power through killing, something he doesn't want to give into.... The storytelling is not perfect but it's a thrilling read. I'm ready for the sequel.
June 7, 2016
For all the praise this story receives, I found it to be very basic. At it's core, it's the old empowerment fantasy where nerdy loser transforms into a superman almost overnight thanks to training gained from a mysterious mail-order book. There are some subversive elements where everything goes wrong. However, it wasn't very interesting, with nothing that would make me want to read the sequel.
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