THE FORMULA

This graphic novel tells the origin story of how two Black teenage brothers become superhero fighters for justice.

In 1999, Los Angeles fire battalion chief Ashley “Ashtray” Jones dies of his injuries after heading back into a blazing apartment to perform a final rescue. He leaves behind his wife, Inez, and two boys, Romeo and Jay. That was 14 years ago. Now it’s 2013, and drug kingpin Dexter Dre is finally going on trial for arson (retaliation against a rival dealer) and manslaughter charges in the fire that killed Ashtray. The brothers are in high school, where Jay is quarterback on the football team while Romeo produces rap music with his best friend. A new drug on the scene called Maze can grant different powers to its users, such as walking through walls or superstrength. Jay’s pressured by team members to try it, but his father’s spirit talks him out of it. When Maze-enhanced thieves violently strike chez Inez, the brothers vow to take revenge. They face a learning curve—but they’re just getting started. The Johnson brothers, who have collaborated on other creative projects, now offer this first installment of a graphic novel series. The setup is intriguing, providing a potent motivation for the Jones brothers and whetting readers’ interest in learning more about the storyline’s several strands. Dialogue, too, is a strength, deftly revealing plot and character across a range of voices: firefighters, a pastor, urban teenagers, a TV broadcaster, and more. The artists provide cinematically dynamic, varied compositions in rich, crisp colors that portray emotions, actions, and momentum with great effect. Lettering, too, is skillful; a villain’s acoustic attacks, rendered with soundwavelike jaggedness, are practically audible.

Readers should be eager for further developments in this promising superhero series.