The Ambassadors – 2023 (Image Comics) – Superhero, Action, Adventure
Author: Mark Millar
Art: Frank Quitely; Karl Kerschl; Travis Charest; Oliver Coipel; Matteo Buffagni; Matteo Scalera
Series Contents: The Ambassadors #1-6
Ever wanted to be a superhero? Well, duh, if you are into comics, it’s a highly likely certainty. Enter a new realm of powers, for those that deserve it the most. As Choon-He Chung brings a new technology to the world, she selects people to become powered-up “Ambassadors” of their respective nations. Who will get lucky enough to get selected from the countless applications?
Story:
While worlds of superheroes are well explored these days, The Ambassadors is another new and interesting take overall. Spending one issue per “Ambassador” and bringing a new artist along, this series moves along quickly as its new heroes learn about how the powers work, and what they are now capable of.
The characters selected to be the respective ambassadors for their countries are quite diverse and varied as far as backgrounds, thoughts, actions, knowledge, and even stage of life. As Choon-He Chung shows her ambassadors, there are a ton of powers they can all choose from and swap between each other for whatever each situation calls for. She is out to find the right people which will help their countries, and the world. Her vision is one of helping and healing, and therefore the individuals with powers must hold certain characteristics.
The network of powers is interesting also, as it almost is a library between the bunch where only so many can be checked out by so many heroes. Once someone has taken flight, well I guess you better get speed or something else useful if you have a natural disaster to help out with.
The series never really gets going to far, as it serves almost more as a “season one” or a general introduction to concepts and characters. There is a bit of an overlying plot in the background of the issues, but for the most part each one is an individual approach at a new character and presentation of powers. I imagine if this sells well and the upcoming TV series (which I think is still happening) is a hit, then we will get many more six-issue arcs in the future.
Art:
Hitting with six separate artists only works so well most of the time, but in this case it’s perfect. Each chapter gets a new flavor to go with its new character, country and ambassador costume. Each chapter was wonderful to look at, and while shifting artists can at times be jarring, this collection never felt that way. In a sense it is a series of six origin stories combined into one quick tale, so the shifting artistic moods does not hamper the overall story.
Reasons to Read:
The Ambassadors is a creative and short tale, which is easy to get into and has some cool ideas. It’s another take on the world of superheroes, which while well explored, it is always nice to get some fresh and fun ideas. This is likely just a beginning of a longer series, but for now it’s a short investment.
Similar Titles:
Kick-Ass; Wanted; The Authority; Planetary; Watchmen; Nemesis; The Boys; Invincible; Reborn