Jupiter's Legacy, Vol. 5

Jupiter's Legacy #5

by Mark Millar (Writer), Tommy Lee Edwards (Illustrator/Covers), Matthew Dow Smith (Illustrator)

Jupiter’s Legacy is Netflix's latest global sensation, season one launching higher than any superhero series in history and remaining the world’s #1 most watched show every day for the entire launch week. Now the sequel is finally here, continuing the story of Chloe and Hutch and their doomed romance, their children now grown up and making all the same mistakes as their parents. But what was the mysterious island that called to their parents in 1929, promising them super-powers, and why has it appeared on other worlds too?

Collecting the first six issues of Jupiter’s Legacy: Requiem, this volume marks the return of Mark Millar and Frank Quitely masterpiece. Art for these six chapters has been beautifully painted by Tommy Lee Edwards as the greatest superhero story ever told draws to a bloodthirsty close.

Collects JUPITER"S LEGACY: REQUIEM #1-6

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action, Comic Book

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 2022

About the author

Mark Millar is the New York Times best-selling writer of Wanted, the Kick-Ass series, The Secret Service, Jupiter’s Legacy, Jupiter’s Circle, Nemesis, Superior, Super Crooks, American Jesus, MPH, Starlight, and Chrononauts. Wanted, Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2, and The Secret Service (as Kingsman: The Secret Service) have been adapted into feature films, and Nemesis, Superior, Starlight, War Heroes, Jupiter’s Legacy and Chrononauts are in development at major studios.

His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.

Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B) 75% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Real messy deal, big shock reveals (deceptions being hid), it's mainly dry though ending high… well, relative to mid.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issue #1 ◦ Issues #2–3 ◦ Issues #4–5 ◦ Issue #6

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh.



This was somewhat confusing to follow because we are kind of just thrown into the future where all of the children of the last volume's main characters are adults now. We've never met a lot of these characters and yet we're supposed to care what happens to them. But there's just not enough time.
PLUS, the women all kind of look alike, so I couldn't differentiate between the sister and brother's wives half the time.



It was also weird and somewhat disappointing for spoilery reasons.
Killing off all of the original heroes in the second book and then killing off most of their children in this book seemed like a repeat for nothing more than shock value. If this title continues, I'm assuming these children will all get killed off in the 4th generation's book.
Also, what the hell with Jason? He was both brothers? Are you telling me we sat there crying to one wife about how he couldn't face having zero powers and no children, and then had another superhero wife and superhero child on the side?
What the actual fuck?
I mean it was a cool reveal in the middle of the fight.
And then you realize the implications of what he did. Gross.



I don't know. It ends on a cliffhanger, so I'll keep reading.
But it honestly feels like Millar is mostly writing scripts for tv shows and putting them out as comics. I was hoping that continuing with Jupiter's Legacy meant he was back to writing graphic novels, but now I'm not so sure.
We'll see.

[A.J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Jupiter’s Legacy series continues with the first of two more volumes, acting as sequels to the Legacy part of the saga. We now have the past, present, and 1/2 of the future of Mark Millar’s superhero epic. So how does this volume hold up? Well, I’m very mixed on how I feel about this.

I love the first 4 volumes of this series, and I think the art has been a major element of that. Here Tommy Lee Edwards does the first 4 issues, while Matthew Dow Smith does the last 2. No offense to Mr. Dow Smith, I’m sure you are a nice guy, but this artist change-up was a bad decision and killed the enjoyment of the book for me, as replacing Edwards during the final issues with the most action/gore is such a strange choice, and Smith honestly does a horrible job at portraying this battle. It’s supposed to be an epic culmination of 5 volumes of buildup, and it looks like actual shit. He ruined that Black Manta mini-series with his horrible art, and he did it here with Jupiter’s as well. The characters and their actions are static, and I can’t even tell who is who half the time. It really is some terribly shitty art. If you are gonna have a new artist come onto a book like this, at least give them the time to draw the most action-packed issues. I know Legacy had a ton of delay issues, but literally, no one was frothing at the mouth for this book to come out, especially right after its show got canceled. My friends who actually liked the other volumes didn’t even know this had come out. They could’ve just waited for Edwards to draw all 6, and had a better product in the end. The description for the trade paperback also said it had all 6 painted by Edwards, so I didn’t even know this artist changeup was a thing till I read the book. The worst part is Edwards's art is PERFECT for this story, so I really hope Millar gets him back for all 6 issues of Volume 6, because there is some cool stuff in the first 4 issues. He did a great job and it's a shame that he didn't at least do Issue 6.

The story itself does have some pretty fun and memorable moments. The characters we know are grown up now and having their own children who have drama of their own is neat, and I’ll admit, seeing the characters we cherish and where they have ended up down the line is always interesting, but I’m not gonna act like I didn’t have a completely sour taste in my mouth by the time the end arrives, and it really is all because of the art. Even if the story being built up was interesting, with new threats and enemies emerging in the wake of last volume, the fill-in art killed the momentum of the story for me, even if Millar’s story is fine for the most part afterward. There are some pretty eye-rolling scenes in Issue 5 that not even the art could've saved though. It’s just shit like the fact one of the most impactful deaths in the whole series is drawn horribly that makes me sad. There is some really good stuff in the first 4 issues, and even glimmers of hope in the final 2, but it all just couldn’t come together in the end for me. Even the lettering was weird in this volume, which is so strange because lettering usually doesn’t bother me, but it just felt so unnatural and did take me out of the story at places.

Unbelievably disappointed with this volume though, as the first four issues are all pretty fine, with great art to back up a pretty epic superhero story, but then this just falls apart for me by the end when they decided to change artists. The art lacking during the biggest and most important battle of the entire series is just inexcusable and irks me a lot. The battle was fine plot-wise, but some of Millar's worse tendencies as a writer began to come out in those last two issues. I want to give this more stars because I really do like most of the story Millar is telling here, but those final two issues left a bad taste in my mouth. Please give Tommy Lee Edwards time to draw all 6 issues of the next volume.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good artist draws four chapters of slow superhero soap opera set-up before a bad artist steps in to draw two chapters of a bloodbath full of twists and turns.

This was supposed to ride the buzz and provide fodder for future seasons of the new Netflix show, but that got cancelled immediately after launch, so I'd guess that Millar will let the books go dormant again as Millarworld franchise hopes move on to an upcoming Super Crooks live-action show .

I was surprised to see a sub-plot taking China to task for Uyghur genocide, as a lot of U.S. media companies seem to side-step it for fear of lost revenue. The resolution of that thread here though was pretty offhand, making the point of its inclusion rather questionable and probably in poor taste.

Overall, this is a pretty standard Millar outing, with enough good stuff to slightly outweigh the bad, so thumb's up.

[Etienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing comeback. I didn’t know Jupiter Legacy was going to continue on and after reding it, maybe it should have leave it there. First, the art inconsistency was very weird, from fine art to almost sketchy style, that didn’t please me at all. The story expands, but in something unnecessary large and just, in my very humble opinion, loose the major point of the series. I enjoy the first four volume, even if I won’t remember it as a favorite series of mine, they had their little things that made it totally worth reading, but after this one, I’m done with it and won’t continue further.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently, Mark Millar cranked this one out in support of Netflix's quickly canceled Jupiter's Legacy series. It definitely shows. The volume ends with a huge cliffhanger, but based on the series' cancellation, I'm guessing we won't see a resolution.

The fast-paced, slam-bang Millar style is here, minus the gorgeous artwork that usually paves over any gaping plot holes. This book is quite simply gross looking. The characters are all gnarly and hard to tell apart and the backgrounds are colorful shafts of light. What a difference from Frank Quitely's gorgeous work in the original series.

The plot is all over the place, attempting to carry the dozens of heroes/villains that have been introduced over the series' four previous volumes. It's nonsense in that usual Millar way, but even moreso. There's also the classic big twist towards the end that kills off half the characters - again, standard Millar. Basically, it's a fine read if you like his stuff (you will be sucked in, even if little of it makes any sense), but he has sooo much better stuff out there.

[Juju · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I don't like Mark Millar's writing and this mess did nothing to change my prejudices. I picked this up because Frank Quitely's detailed art and expert storytelling got me through 2 previous volumes of this story, and I wanted to know what was up with the superhero-making, Moebius-looking aliens that briefly made an appearance in the island origin. And sure, there's a gross alien flashback, and there are other aliens in this story, who (of course) speak English and look exactly like humans, so that when stuff goes down in the last 2 issues and another artist imprudently fills in for Tommy Lee Edwards, the only "super" thing is it gets super hard to tell anyone apart. Which is to say the storytelling feels oddly mechanical and I wasn't invested in any of the characters, so when they start getting knocked off, and Millar lets loose with his sadistic torture scenes I just wanna take a shower. Let's get this over with.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was definitely my least favorite volume in this series. This was way too busy and moving too quick to care about anything in a real meaningful way. I’m ready for this series to be over, though I’d probably only be reading the last volume when it comes out just to see the conclusion.

[Andrew Shaffer]

Might be worth re-reading the earlier volumes, although this is such a departure that maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference.

[It's just Deano · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's clear that the final issues of Jupiter's Legacy aren't going to be anything like the ones we've grown accustomed to by this point.

Jupiter's Requiem (the first six issues of which are collected here) continues the generational story of our heroes and villains as they now face a relatively unknown threat who are a danger to both parties. It's an interesting turn of events, but one that's now seemingly lacking the magic of the first four volumes of these Netflix editions. The political context seems all but dried up and the nostalgic tinge of the Silver Age has long come to pass.

There is a drastic change in art style here also. A more cinematic look now creeps in, which will come as good news for those who didn't really appreciate the decisive facial expressions of Frank Quietly's pencils, but it's bad news for those expecting more of a similar visual atmosphere to the previous volumes.

Overall, I do like where the plot has taken us, but it's undoubtedly dropped some of the elements that initially gave it the extra charm and magic. There's no escaping this is the weakest volume yet for the series so let's hope that the final volume to come can stick the landing.
___________________

My Score: 7/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
___________________

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

My problem with this series is always the same: There are so many characters and by the time I remember/get to know/can distinguish them, I'm just about at that last turn before the climax. The art change wasn't great either–all the stunning sharp colors, gone–but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen.

I should just watch the show.

[Delilah King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book five in the series of paperbacks that collect the comic 'Jupiter's Legacy.' New readers should start with volume one of this particular printing. These comics were originally published as two volume 'Jupiter's Legacy'. Then two volume 'Jupiter's circle.' But this printing puts it all in order. In other words, this is not a jumping on point. Only regular readers read on. Those who only saw the Netflix version should go to vol one as well, because a lot of story would have happened between where that got to and this.

Anyway, this is the first six issues of the third and final part of the story. Published in comic form as 'Jupiter's Legacy: Requiem' Issues one to six. It's some time after the end of Jupiter's Legacy. New heroes are out there. The world has become a much better place. But human nature hasn't changed...

The art is no longer by Frank Quitely. It's now by Tommy Lee Edwards. An artist I do like. More on this in a moment.

It does throw us, writing wise, rather in at the deep end. There's a lot of characters. There's a lot of introductions. This is handled reasonably okay. I did remember - it's been five years since the last book - a lot of the characters, but others were new. It does settle down quicker than you would expect. We do get to see the lives and ideals of all these characters and how the world is going now. And it's decent enough reading. It is again adult stuff strong language and violence, so not for younger readers.

One thing does though happen that makes you think 'gasp!' but then nothing much seems to come from it. Hopefully this will sort itself out in due course.

The art: pretty good for the first four issues. I did get used to the change in artist quicker than I expected.

Then we get to the last two issues:

The writing in these really goes up a gear. Main plot really kicks into action, and it's hard to talk about without spoilers. But it will blow you away. Action. Horror. Surprises. Nobody seems to be safe. There's incredible jeopardy here, and those surprises....spoilers.

But: the art. The art in these two issues, despite having the same artist, suddenly takes a real downturn. And becomes scrappy and looks very rushed and almost half finished. It's distracting. And it's a shame.

Despite this, I was interested enough to want to see how this ends out. Heaven knows when we will get to find that out, though, given the somewhat erratic schedule of this comic. But still a decent read in many ways, and worth four stars.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume 5 of Jupiter's Legacy continues the story of a world inhabited by superheroes and villains after the original team gained super powers from a mysterious island back in 1929. However, this island has now begin to appear on other worlds too and there are now others seeking to destroy those that might threaten their existence on other worlds.
Volume 5 is a fairly decent follow-up to the others. It does jump forwards a lot so we find that characters who were children in the previous volume are now full grown adults which is ok but I did feel it skipped forwards a bit too quickly. I have seen a lot pick apart the art work, claiming it does not stand up to previous volumes. Yes it is different and has more of a sketchbook feel but I don't feel it is detrimental to the enjoyment of the story at all, it still fits well with the overall feel of the story. Regarding the future, although I have continued to enjoyed each volume of Jupiter's Legacy, I feel it maybe time to wrap it up with the final volume.

[Nerdmaling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Millar saktar inte ner farten och Tommy Lee Edwards konst passar bra till den här episka fortsättningen.

Jupiters Legacy är egentligen mer än superhjältesläktsaga (oj långt ord) än någonting annat. Det här albumet utspelar sig ca 30 år efter vol 4 och vi följer barnen till Lady Liberty i det nya samhället som uppstått efter superhjältarna tog över världen (och superskurkarna tog tillbaka den). Det är grym blandning av lite fånig superhjälteaction och någon sorts realism. Allt berättat i ett hastigt tempo och med tvära vändingar och kast samtidigt som serien utforskar relationer och superhjätarna själva. Egentligen är det fantastiskt att det hinns med så mycket och att alla trådar knyts samman. Det enda tråkiga är att det slutar med en cliffhanger som heter duga.

Blir egentligen inte så mycket bättre än så här.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

A huge disappointment.
The story is weak, it's the usual:
"how do we continue from where we left? Simple, let's forget 90% of the character progression so that everything can go to hell again."

Most characters are unrecognizable and act completely different from the previous volumes.
The change in art style was also an horrible choice.

All in all, it feels like a cash grab and nothing else.

[Magnus Bergström · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has really stepped up a notch, both in stakes and design! The artwork is great and really works well with the storytelling.
I'm not usually a big fan of Millar, and considering that this sometimes borrows a lot from the plot devices and shock value of "The Boys" I was happily surprised how much I still appreciate this series. The multigenerational build-up probably does a lot.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning suffers a bit because it takes some time to figure out who’s who from the previous series and what’s happened in the interim. Once the plot kicks off, it’s good though. The problem is, that happens over halfway through the book!
I like the direction they’re taking this and look forward to finishing it once the last volume comes out.

[Payton Brodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has been an incredibly fun read and the best way I can describe it is: I didn’t see that coming. The character deaths are so obscure and impactful because you get to care for them and they seem too powerful to be killed and the next second, they’re gone. Millar’s writing style is incredible and I’ll feel every minute passing waiting for volume 6 to conclude this series.

[Allen Setzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have read the previous volumes, I’d recommend holding off on this until information about Requiem continuing comes out. It ends on a cliffhanger.
I didn’t like it for the first couple issues and almost wish I had never started it. Suddenly it got its hooks in me. The story became interesting, I was invested in the characters again. The book really takes off and I hate it’s unresolved.

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great start with the continuation of the series getting to know the third generation of heroes, however it ended too soon and felt a little rushed, still looking forward to seeing if Mark Millar will continue with the next volume

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continued excellent writing by Millar, and gorgeous, minimalist art by Edwards and Smith; but the plotting is light, nothing out of the ordinary with the characters, and the whole thing feels like running in place.

[Davy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m into pretty much anything Mark Millar does. I really enjoyed this story however the art was not for me. The drastic change for the final 2 issues made it hard to even tell who was who. If the art was more clear this would have been a 4 star read for me.

[Wouter Dhondt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story is still good, but the art starts off terrible. Looks like digital tracing. Luckily they switched artists and the final 2 issues of the book are a lot better.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Millar can do glib and superficial incredibly well. This fits that category. Readable but leaves me yearning for a bit of depth. Still I know I will read the conclusion.

[Alek Cristea · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started so well and then the plot did a 180?? Can't work out what it's going for all of a sudden

[Devon Munn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this at 1: AM because my day was busy and I just took a shower. Ok to state the art was pretty solid. The coloring was A++

[Al Capwned · Rating 1 out of 5]

The absolute worst volume so far in every aspect. Even more disappointing is the fact that this series will actually continue.

[Becky O'Rourke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Crap. Confusing story and confusing art. Also don’t care about any of the characters

[Dany Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, i really liked the first 2 volumes of this series, but it's become very repetitive. The new art stule was nice though

[Nathan Grozan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5