Summary
Warning: contains spoilers forJenny Sparks#1!
Jenny Sparks#1, from DC Black Label, beautifully recreates the anarchic spirit ofThe Authority.A fixture of comics for 25 years, the Authority will soon make their way to the big screen as part of James Gunn’s new DCU. Ahead of the team’s big screen debut,their one-time leaderJenny Sparks returns in a new seriesthat revives the Authority’s iconoclastic spirit for a new era.
Jenny Sparks was created by Warren Ellis and Tom Raney.
Jenny Sparks#1 is written by Tom King and drawn by Jeff Spokes. Captain Atom, a one-time leader of the Justice League, has seemingly gone off the deep end, taking hostages and expressing a desire to become a god. Earth’s heroes, including Batman, know they are outclassed, and turn to the one person who can help: Jenny Sparks. The thing is:Jenny really does not want anything to do with them, and while she takes out Captain Atom, repeatedly chides Earth’s heroes.
Jenny even talks down to Batman, managing to put the Dark Knight in his place.
Jenny Sparks Is Unlike Any Other DC Character
Jenny Sparks Knows How to Make an Entrance
Such actions are not out of place for Jenny Sparks, the founder of the Authority. A “century baby,” Jenny Sparks is immensely powerful, as seen in this issue. She also possesses a rebellious spirit: she loves to curse and drink and has lots of sex. This attitude bled over into the Authority. The team,who also counted Midnighter and Apolloamong their ranks, did more than fight super villains: they also took action against dictators and corrupt politicians. The Authority’s methods were brutal and unforgiving, and they helped usher in a new age of comics.
In the original run ofThe Authority, Jenny and her teammates repeatedly looked down on the “capes and tights” crowd, finding them ineffective in meeting the challenges of a new century. The Authority pushed the idea of the superhero to its brutal and anarchic extremes.
Jenny Sparks#1 marks the character’s entrance into the DC Universe, and she does it in style. Jenny died on the first day of the 21st century.Jenny Sparks#1 does not explain how she returned to life, nor is it important. King and Spokes perfectly capture Jenny’s attitude. In the original run ofThe Authority, Jenny and her teammates repeatedly looked down on the “capes and tights” crowd, finding them ineffective in meeting the challenges of a new century. The Authority pushed the idea of the superhero to its brutal and anarchic extremes.
The Spirit of the OriginalAuthorityIs Back
ClassicAuthorityFans Will Find Much to Like in Jenny Sparks' First Issue
When it debuted 25 years ago,The Authorityrocked the comics world to its core with its mixture of over the top violence and a snarling “in your face” attitude–all of which Tom King and Jeff Spoke invoke inJenny Sparks#1. Although none of her former teammates appear in the first issue, the spirit of the original team is still very much there. Jenny is unfazed by both Captain Atom and Batman, cutting them both down in words and deeds.Jenny Sparks#1 marks a return to greatness for the character, perfectly recreating the spirit ofThe Authority.
