After her dramatic exit from the Teen Titans, Crush forges her own path in Mariko Tamaki, Amancay Nahuelpan, Tamara Bonvillain and Ariana Maher’s Crush & Lobo. In addition to fighting crime on her own, the series finds her struggling to balance her social life and navigating a complicated relationship with her father Lobo, the intergalactic bounty hunter.
DC’s Crush & Lobo #1 begins with Crush fighting a band of alien monsters on the streets of New York City. After she kicks their leader into outer space — proving to readers that she is more than capable of working as a solo crime fighter — the young hero hops on her motorcycle and heads to her girlfriend’s birthday party. However, at the party, she seems more intimidated by Katie’s smiling, “normal” family and friends than by the interstellar villains she just conquered. Crush’s gruff exterior causes trouble in her relationship, but before she can properly address the situation, she gets a surprise call from her estranged father, Lobo.
Writer Mariko Tamaki, who recently became Detective Comics‘ first long-term female writer, provides readers with a nuanced view of Crush’s psyche. Throughout #1, Crush narrates the action with a devil-may-care attitude and an overconfident sense of humor that is sure to remind audiences of Lobo. But underneath that butt-kicking veneer, Tamaki has written a surprisingly gentle young character plagued by her insecurities and unresolved family issues.
It can be hard to watch a likable character make mistakes in their personal relationships, but Tamaki’s thoughtful approach to Crush’s inner life makes it easy to empathize with her. Crush has a lot to work through and her impending encounter with her dad is sure to dredge up even more. Thankfully, Tamaki seems to have found a way to explore her character’s feelings without becoming too saccharine or glazing over important details.
Tamaki’s sensitive examination of Crush’s emotional well-being is contrasted brilliantly by Nahuelpan’s brash, kinetic linework. The fight scenes are fast-paced and easy to follow while being jam-packed with motion lines and debris. Similarly, calmer moments manage to be equally engaging visually. Nahuelpan, who also made the art for Justice League Dark, masterfully captures Crush’s emotional range with excellent illustrations of her sinister scowl and subtler expressions like her contented smile after dancing with Katie.
Nahuelpan’s art is met with an exciting array of colors provided by artist Tamara Bonvillain. Bonvillain finds a way to punctuate almost every page with bright pinks and greens that compliment Nahuelpan’s style and reinforce Crush’s loud, vibrant personality.
Crush & Lobo #1 is a fun first adventure for Crush after her time with the Teen Titans that proves she has enough personality to carry a solo series. Mariko Tamaki has written a compelling coming-of-age story complete with action, romance and family drama that promises to develop a cast of interesting characters while revisiting a fan favorite in Lobo. The entire creative team has come out swinging in this debut issue that is sure to entertain young adult readers and all fans of great comics.
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