Jordan’s streamlining the standards quite a bit. Instead of Luther’s high school nemesis becoming a supervillain somewhere down the line once ideas have run out, Jordan makes it part of the origin story. It’s ominous and effective.

Also ominous is how Luther can visual bloody outcomes for every situation. Jordan has that flash early, while the rest of the comic is generally upbeat. It introduces an element of danger, cementing it in the reader’s mind.

Moore gets in the ultra-violence early, then shifts gears to a high school relationship drama. There’s action at the end, but not violence. Moore balances the violence, the drama and some muted wonderment at Luther’s situation.

Jordan could have been better about establishing time passing between this issue and the last. And Luther’s mom (and the family subplot) are absent. Small quibbles, but they might become significant.

For now, though, the series’s going strong.

There’s nothing original about The Strange Talent of Luther Strode so far. Tradd Moore’s a little more ultra-violent than most comics; Moore gives it an almost cartoonish feel. When the story flashback (almost immediately) to Luther Strode in high school, where he got his superpowers from a Charles Atlas analog, Moore maintains the attention to detail. There’s not high school violence of that nature, but it always seems possible.

Writer Justin Jordan gives the high school setting a modern feel, but it’s a traditional hero in high school comic story–Luther’s a nerd, he’s got a funny sidekick, he and his mom have an interesting backstory.

But even if Jordan isn’t reinventing the wheel, he’s writing a very good wheel. Luther’s an appealing character and Jordan’s scene breaks make Strode a fun read.

The issue’s cliffhanger is a little shaky though. The last few pages have some pacing problems.