Project Superpowers: Black Terror, Vol. 1

Black Terror #1

by Jim Krueger, Alex Ross (Artist), Mike Lilly (Artist)

Who are the Super-Patriots? Who are the "Inheritors"? And how does Captain Future fit in to all of this? Spinning out of Alex Ross' Project Superpowers is the Black Terror - opening with this four-part story arc by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Mike Lilly This new story arc will lead directly in to Project Superpowers Chapter Two

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes

200 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2009

About the author

Jim Krueger is an award-winning filmmaker, video game developer and New York Times best selling comic book author.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This spins out of the regular Project Superpowers book. Without that context this book is going to be super confusing. Basically the newly returned heroes have determined the President is part of a secret cabal and go to Washington to remove him from office. That's what's going on with the Black Terror in this arc. Black Terror is basically just a bull in a china shop smashing his way to his goal and somehow it all works out for him. Mike Lilly is a talented artist and I really dig Alex Ross's character design for the Black Terror.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't bad, but was confusing. The art was really good, so no problem there. However, there were a few too many superheroes to follow in this one. From what I could gather the President is corrupt and being defended by a patriotic group of heroes who don't realize it, and they end up in a battle with the heroes that do. I think by the end the good guys win and the President is called out, but honestly this was disjointed and hard to follow. Not terrible, but not that good either.

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to re-read most of this because the first time through it made no sense to me. Partially because I was tired when reading it. When I went back, I was able to understand it, but that didn't necessarily make it better. Black Terror isn't doing well in the modern world. He has basically decided that someone's taken his sidekick, and he blames the President. So he goes after the president. There's a little more to it, but basically this is a volume of people believing the past was better than the present, and fighting to bring it back. And they're the "good" guys. There are some valid points, but I disagree with the fundamental premise as well as the execution. Black Terror is basically a bull in a china shop here, just running through action scenes punching everything, and it ultimately works out okay for him.
The art is okay, Alex Ross' style doesn't quite work as well here as it usually does, with the darkness of the pages hiding a lot of the detail. But ultimately, the best art in the world wouldn't redeem this mess of a story. Masquerade is a much better spinoff from the Project Superpowers series.

[Rye Bread · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only recently learned of this character and initially mistook him for Captain Harlock. I have enjoyed a lot of what Dynamite has done with golden age and pulp characters so I was happy to get this at a local book store.

The art is great. The premise is interesting and i am liking the character.

However the story fell apart at the end. They had what they needed to resolve the larger conflict. They never really explained what exactly the conflict really was other then there being a lot of bad things happening but they all seem disconnected. The main characters single minded focus on sonething that wasnt clearly part of these problems just added to how disjointed it all felt.

For me, the big appeal of this book is learning more about largely unknown golden age heroes.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Terror is facing off against the president of America searching for his sidekick Tim

[Kris Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another satisfying installment in the Project Superpowers universe. I am really enjoying all of these titles.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've loved everything I've come across by Alex Ross that's put out by this publisher, but this was not a slam dunk for me.

It's surely not the first time an avenging superhero has directly attacked the White House (and this doesn't end up anywhere nearly as bloody what you'll see in Warren Ellis' "Black Summer" book), but came off to me all a bit slap-dash. As others have aptly mentioned, Black Terror is a bull in a china shop, hellbent convinced that Mr Evil Eyepatch President has arrested his sidekick.

I like the art, and the "fish out of water" aspects of a WWII superhero not understanding modern-day America is done well. It's a consistent theme in Alex Ross' material, and is done far better than what many dozens of writers have tried to do with Captain America since Cap's return in the `60s.

But the crux of the story -- Black Terror's half-baked plan to take out the President to suddenly somehow revert America back to the kinder(?)/gentler(?) America he fought for in the `40s -- is weakened a bit by the finale of all of his friends and his previously M.I.A. sidekick affecting a bloodless arrest of the President and his minions to save the day.

This first in a series of TPB's. Maybe it'll fall together later on. But this is a bit of a rough start.

[Stuart Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy the artwork in these. The story and especially the panel layout could use some work. The Black Terror doesn't like the totalitarian government and plan to attack the source: The White House. His real motives and goals remain unclear, except for his search for his sidekick Tim. Probably the whole purpose of his crazy violence is to draw in partners to help him fight the government.

Lots of fighting. Lots.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would probably have helped if I read the first book, but oh well. It was okay. I gave it 3 stars because I really liked the art.

[Will Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best miniseries of Project Superpowers. Important to the story and a complex character.

[John Yelverton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the fact that this was probably the best known of the "Project: Superpowers" lineup, he's still the most underused.

[Lloyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

The covers by Alex Ross? Amazing, as always. The rest? Not so much...

*-I read this book as digitally downloaded single issues of Black Terror #1-4.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good end to the story line. Well above average art and plot makes this series Very recommended.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

not anywhere near as good as the superpowers series. read this a comics and didn't remember it.