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Review by Ayanna Jones-Lightsy

Netflix’s Luke Cage has created a kind of frenzy (well maybe the frenzy exists only in my mind but still the feeling is real). “More black men in comics, please and thank you!”  There is something so fulfilling about meeting a real, three dimensional, flawed man who looks like someone we know. “Mosaic” looks to be on the right track to satisfy some of that yearning. Morris is a major league basketball star who knows his own worth.  He was born to play and he has the gift. But he is arrogant and self centered and he doesn’t care to fix any of that. In short, he is right in line with Marvel’s tradition of providing an “anti-hero”.  He is no DC Superman, perfect in all aspects, but flawed and aggravating just as we all are.

Geoffrey Thorne is a veteran screenwriter of television and animation who’s making his big push into comics with MOSAIC. He’s got a true love of Marvel and comics in general and has been an unpluggable fountain of ideas since defining Mosaic. Khary Randolph, on the other hand, is a comics veteran. He’s worked on some Deadpool books at Marvel and done a ton of work at other companies, too. He joined the team and brought such a vivid life to Mosaic’s world.

The anti-hero motif is so successful because it resonates with the parts of us that are insecure, unfinished, but hopeful. If Spider-Man can still manage to win the day despite all of his awkward foot in mouth moments and poor decisions then there is hope for us all. It is this imperfection that makes Morris so believable as a real character.  This imperfection also gives him “room to grow”, which will likely make for a great storyline that can last indefinitely. (For proof just take a look at some of Marvel’s other great heroes. Wolverine and Spider-Man top the list of imperfect heroes.) I’m looking forward to reading about the checks Morris’ mouth will write from sheer arrogance which he cannot possibly cash. Good times!

Now onto the illustration. The color is so on point, from the skin tones to the background subtleties, it’s really understated and well done. It is definitely in line with the traditional excellence that one can expect from Marvel colors. The drawing is also in line with the art of “Astonishing X-Men” and all the other X-Men that Marvel puts out. It is simply a continuation of their bread and butter. The lines are so clean and the perspective for each segment differs but is still on point. The way the illustrator can chose to bring background details to life or simply put a filter on it and blur out all but the most important details matters so much. I especially enjoyed looking at the scenes when Morris was on the basketball court because there is a definite sense of action and movement.

For Marvel’s “Mosaic” I wholeheartedly say “Give me more!”

Mosaic is available NOW in local stores and digital format.

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