Writer Jonathan Hickman killed off The Human Torch in Fantastic Four. He also started a long-delayed S.H.I.E.L.D. series that was beautiful to look at but mostly terrible to read. With The Red Wing, Hickman gets back to a creator-owned series for Image. He's brought artist Nick Pitarra with him. The big problem is that so far this is mediocre. It has to do with guys that fly Star Wars-type fighter spaceships that can travel through time. Why? Well...who knows? Who cares? Since this is merely a 4-part mini-series, will we actually get any definitive answers? Hickman comes across as being a "smart" writer. He attempts to write about space and time as if his comic books carry weight and substance. For some reason, few things connect to form a full, engrossing narrative in almost anything he's done so far. The big reason Hickman may be "one to watch" as they say is that he's had great luck in having phenomenal artists draw his books. Steve Epting has done a terrific job on FF and Dustin Weaver did some glorious spreads for S.H.I.E.L.D. Pitarra draws characters in a loose, organic way, far from the boxy, muscled heroes of 90's lore. The Red Wing certainly looks good, but so far it hasn't gotten completely off the ground. **1/2 (out of ****)
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